Strategy: Explore Identity with Learners
Honor Learners Cultures: I practice culturally responsive teaching to center learners’ cultural diversity as an asset. Inclusive & Equitable Learning Strategy: Explore Identities with Learners NOTE: This strategy is part of the self-paced Cultivate a Sense of Belonging Course Exploring and sharing about our identity helps us become more aware of our own backgrounds and how they influence how we show up in the world. It also helps us get to know those in community with us to better create inclusive environments where everyone feels a sense of belonging. Identity is made up of ...
Strategy: Create Portfolios with Learners
Support learners telling their learning story: I facilitate the development of a Learner Portfolio: a curated collection of performance assessments from multiple subjects aligned to the Learner Profile, which shows evidence of growth and proficiency in those skills. Competency-Based Learning Strategy: Create Portfolios with Learners NOTE: This strategy is part of the self-paced Design Performance-Based Assessments Portfolios are student-curated collections of work that include a self-reflection on progress over time and why that piece was selected to include in the portfolio. Portfolios can take a digital form in websites or a school’s LMS or ...
Strategy: Host a Defense of Learning
Enable authentic demonstrations of learning: Enable authentic demonstrations of learning I provide learners with opportunities to create public products and share their learning with an authentic public audience. Competency-Based Learning Strategy: Host Defense of Learning NOTE: This strategy is part of the self-paced Design Performance-Based Assessments A defense of learning is a way for a student to share a portfolio or a specific product and reflect on how they achieved the intended learning outcomes. A committee of peers, teachers, family, and/or community members provide feedback and determine if the student met learning outcomes. This ...
Strategy: Host Student-Led Conferences
Enable authentic demonstrations of learning: Enable authentic demonstrations of learning I provide learners with opportunities to create public products and share their learning with an authentic public audience. Competency-Based Learning Strategy: Host Student-Lead Conferences NOTE: This strategy is part of the self-paced Design Performance-Based Assessments A student-led conference is a meeting facilitated by students with their families and teachers. In this meeting, students reflect on their overall learning, progress towards goals, and next steps. Students who participate in student-led conferences take more ownership of their learning. The communication between school and home becomes more ...
Strategy: Host Exhibitions of Learning
Enable authentic demonstrations of learning: Enable authentic demonstrations of learning I provide learners with opportunities to create public products and share their learning with an authentic public audience. Competency-Based Learning Strategy: Host Exhibitions of Learning NOTE: This strategy is part of the self-paced Design Performance-Based AssessmentsExhibitions of Learning, also called Celebrations of Learning or Demonstrations of Learning, are events where students share their learning and any products with their community. These events could take the form of a formal presentation (e.g. play), an individual exhibition (science fair), or a gallery walk of student tables (showcase). ...
Strategy: Connect Learners to Mentors
Collaborate with the community: I create opportunities for real-world learning experiences with community members through mentorships, internships and community-based projects. Authentic Learning Strategy: Connect Learners to Mentors NOTE: This strategy is part of the self-paced Promote Anytime/Anywhere Learning While your school might not yet have a formal internship or mentorship program, there are still many ways to ensure learners get connected with local community members and with work-based learning experiences to expose them to the ever evolving world of work, and to support them in building essential skills for success in college, career and ...
Strategy: Bring the Real World into the Classroom
Connect with the Community: I connect learners with the local and global community through learning experiences that happen both in and outside of the classroom Authentic Learning Strategy: Bring the Real World into the Classroom NOTE: This strategy is part of the self-paced Promote Anytime/Anywhere Learning Blurring the boundaries between the classroom and the real world doesn’t only mean physically bringing learners outside the classroom walls. Equally important is bringing the real world into the classroom by connecting students with content experts, community members, or governmental organizations, or by using technology to go on virtual ...
Strategy: Take Learners into the Real World
Connect with the Community: I connect learners with the local and global community through learning experiences that happen both in and outside of the classroom Authentic Learning Strategy: Take Learners into the Real World NOTE: This strategy is part of the self-paced Promote Anytime/Anywhere Learning When we prioritize engaging learners in authentic learning experiences and tasks, the entire world becomes our oyster for learning, exploration and reflection! Learning outside the four walls of the classroom can be as simple as stepping outside onto the playground to take measurements for learners’ proposed redesign plans, or ...
Strategy: Design a Flexible Learning Space
Create Flexible Learning Environments: I develop diverse physical and digital learning environments to honor both in and out-of-school learning Authentic Learning Strategy: Design a Flexible Learning Space NOTE: This strategy is part of the self-paced Promote Anytime/Anywhere Learning Flexible learning environments are spaces that honor the fact that learning happens both in and outside of the traditional classroom. They also enable opportunities for collaboration and student agency when deciding where and how to learn. A flexible learning environment may be a classroom space set up with desks in a variety of arrangements and flexible ...
Strategy: Protocols for Reflection on Learning
Embed Reflection: I embed reflection opportunities throughout the learning experience to support the learning process. Authentic Learning Strategy: Protocols for Reflection on Learning NOTE: This strategy is part of the self-paced Design Real-World Learning Experiences CourseReflection is a key practice for deeper learning and should happen throughout the learning experience to shift the focus from the product of learning to the process. Reflection protocols, which are sentence starters/stems or specific reflection questions, support learners in learning how to reflect. Bright Spots Gain inspiration from authentic examples of this strategy shared by teachers who have ...
Strategy: Project-Based Learning
Tackle Real World Problems: I codesign learning experiences in which learners solve authentic local and global issues while building content-based knowledge and skills such as critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem-solving. Authentic Learning Strategy: Project-Based Learning NOTE: This strategy is part of the self-paced Design Real-World Learning Experiences Course Project-based learning is a way to engage learners in meaningful, authentic tasks that develop content-based knowledge and important skills for success in life including critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. Project-based learning is different from doing a traditional project in that it does not come ...
Strategy: Encourage Retakes & Test Corrections
Emphasize the Iterative Process: I maintain a focus on high expectations for achievement while providing feedback and opportunities for practice, revision, and improvement. Competency-Based Learning Strategy: Encourage Retakes & Test Corrections NOTE: This strategy is part of the self-paced Design Performance-Based AssessmentsBright SpotsGain inspiration from authentic examples of this strategy shared by teachers who have used them with their learners.Creating your own Bright Spots? Let's get them out into the world! Share yours here. Error-analysis stations At Drew Middle School in Talladega County Schools in Alabama, you will find error analysis stations throughout the ...
Strategy: Co-Create Rubrics with Learners
Define levels of proficiency: I co-create rubrics with learners that clearly define the desired learning outcomes of the learning experience and what "proficiency" looks like. Competency-Based Learning Strategy: Co-Create Rubrics with Learners NOTE: This strategy is part of the self-paced Design Performance-Based AssessmentsCo-creating rubrics with learners ensures that you clearly share the desired learning outcomes for a learning experience and gives learners ownership over their learning. It not only creates clarity of expectations for the educator but more importantly for the learner who was part of the creation process. Through the process of creating the ...
Strategy: Bring Students to the Table for School Decisions
Engage learners as decision-makers: I provide opportunities for learners to engage in classroom or school-based decision-making. . Personalized Learning Strategy: Bring Students to the Table for School Decisions NOTE: This strategy is part of the self-paced Amplify Learner Voice CourseAsking students their opinions about decisions that affect them in their school community is a great place to start listening to learners. However, taking it a step further puts students at the decision making table. Inviting students to participate in school or district-wide decisions by being on the board, a part of a student government or ...
Strategy: Let Students Make Decisions in your Classroom
Engage learners as decision-makers: I provide opportunities for learners to engage in classroom or school-based decision-making. . Personalized Learning Strategy: Let Students Make Decisions in your Classroom NOTE: This strategy is part of the self-paced Amplify Learner Voice CourseIn addition to making choices about their individual learning, students should be invited to engage in decisions that happen in their classrooms that affect them, their peers, and their educators. These decisions can range from something simple and small such as what music to listen to all the way to larger decisions such as what the arrangement ...
Strategy: Develop Classroom Agreements with Learners
Build Community with Learners: I build learners' ability to be in a community with others, especially those of different backgrounds, identities, and strengths. Inclusive & Equitable Learning Strategy: Develop Classroom Agreements with Learners NOTE: This strategy is part of the self-paced Nurture a Meaning Learning Community Course In contrast to the teacher presenting the rules to learners, a collaborative agreement can be created with learners, allowing them to shape their learning community together. Learners feel bought-in because they played a central part in the creation of the agreements. When they see their needs and hopes ...
Strategy: Do quick and fun check-ins regularly
Build Community with Learners: I build learners' ability to be in a community with others, especially those of different backgrounds, identities, and strengths. Inclusive & Equitable Learning Strategy: Do Quick and Fun Check-Ins Regularly NOTE: This strategy is part of the self-paced Nurture a Meaning Learning Community CourseGetting to know learners and building relationships can take time but dedicating a little bit of time each day or throughout the day through a variety of small routines and activities can go a long way. Check-in questions can range from silly prompts such as “would you rather?” ...
