Bright Spots Newsletter

Bright Spots is a weekly newsletter from Katie Martin featuring learner-centered inspiration and examples from the field. Each week, subscribers can expect to receive:

A bright spot. Change can be challenging, but it gets easier when we look to one another to see what’s working and what’s possible. Each week, Katie shares a proven practice or example from the field in an effort to make learner-centered practices both visible and actionable.
A resource roundup. Katie features a small selection of articles, blog posts, and other resources that have inspired her and pushed her thinking about learner-centered education, in the hopes that they do the same for you!

Get the latest newsletter and subscribe to future newsletters by completing the form below.

Tools

Mindsets Reflection Tool

As we work to create learner-centered environments, examining our own water—our culture, assumptions, and beliefs—is key to cultivating the mindset shifts needed to change the water we’re swimming in. We can do this by visiting other schools implementing learner-centered practices or stepping out of our field and doing analogous experiences. The next time you…

Blog

Why Stepping Outside Your School Could Be Key to Learner-Centered Change

Culture is the foundation of any learner-centered ecosystem. The big blue outer circle, illustrated in Learner-Centered Collaborative’s Ecosystem model, is representative of a big blue body of water we are all swimming in—in our classrooms, schools, and districts. Culture is something we always feel but might not always recognize while we’re in it. We…

Blog

Reflecting on 2024: A Year of Partnership, Progress, and Possibility

As 2024 draws to a close, we find ourselves reflecting on a year defined by collaboration, growth, and meaningful impact. At Learner-Centered Collaborative, our vision is to create education ecosystems where all learners know who they are, thrive in community, and actively engage in the world as their best selves. Together with our growing…

Podcasts

Episode 38: 5 Years Later: Revisiting 10 Reflections on Change in Education

By loading this video, you agree to the privacy policy of Youtube.Always load Youtube videos on this site.Load VideoListen on SpotifyListen on Apple PodcastsWatch on YouTubeEpisode Summary: In this solo episode, Katie Martin, host of the Learner-Centered Collaborative Podcast, reflects on her “10 Reflections on Change in Education” from 2019. Revisiting these themes, Katie…

Explore More Topics

Podcasts

Episode 40: The Power of Joy in Learning with Dr. George Philhower

By loading this video, you agree to the privacy policy of Youtube.Always load Youtube videos on this site.Load VideoListen on SpotifyListen on Apple PodcastsWatch on YouTubeEpisode Summary: Dr. George Philhower, Superintendent of Eastern Hancock Schools in Indiana, shares his journey as an educator and leader dedicated to creating school environments where students wake up…

BlogWebinars

Webinar Recording: Leadership Matters: Effective Techniques to be a Learner-Centered Leader

In this webinar, four members of the Learner-Centered Collaborative team discuss the importance of leadership in driving effective, learner-centered transformation. With 75+ years of education experience spanning the classroom to district administration, this all-star group highlights the practices and strategies they used to lead school and district systems. They also showcase learner-centered leaders and…

Blog

Family Partnerships: A Key Strategy for Supporting Whole-Learner Outcomes

The Mindset That Makes Family Partnerships Possible If we view school as a one-dimensional institution with a narrow purpose—primarily focused on delivering content and measuring student proficiency aligned to narrow metrics—then the idea of partnering with families may seem like an unnecessary distraction. But if we believe learning happens within a larger ecosystem, where…