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Begin your journey toward building meaningful learning experiences grounded in real-world challenges for authentic audiences with our Authentic Learning Pathway.
🎓 4 Courses
🛠️ 100`s of Actionable Resources
🏦 $125 Saved
Enroll today by visiting our online courses page.
Begin your journey toward building meaningful learning experiences grounded in real-world challenges for authentic audiences with our Authentic Learning Pathway.
🎓 4 Courses
🛠️ 100`s of Actionable Resources
🏦 $125 Saved
Enroll today by visiting our online courses page.
In California’s Central Valley, @lamont_district is redefining what’s possible in education.
Serving over 3,000 students, many from low-income backgrounds and a high percentage of English Language Learners, Lamont faced unique challenges.
But, under Superintendent Dr. Lori Gonzalez’s leadership and in partnership with Learner-Centered Collaborative (LCC), these challenges became opportunities for growth.
From developing a community-driven vision to revolutionizing professional development and empowering teacher-leaders, Lamont is putting educators at the forefront of change. Together with LCC, the district has created more engaging, equitable, and effective learning environments for every student.
Explore Lamont’s journey in our latest blog post!
In California’s Central Valley, @lamont_district is redefining what’s possible in education.
Serving over 3,000 students, many from low-income backgrounds and a high percentage of English Language Learners, Lamont faced unique challenges.
But, under Superintendent Dr. Lori Gonzalez’s leadership and in partnership with Learner-Centered Collaborative (LCC), these challenges became opportunities for growth.
From developing a community-driven vision to revolutionizing professional development and empowering teacher-leaders, Lamont is putting educators at the forefront of change. Together with LCC, the district has created more engaging, equitable, and effective learning environments for every student.
Explore Lamont’s journey in our latest blog post!
Devin Vodicka shares a story from his early days as a Curriculum Director.
From disappointing 1,000 educators to co-creating a thriving professional development program, this story is a microcosm of the messy work we all go through to transform learning (for all ages) in our communities.
@learnercenteredleadership
Devin Vodicka shares a story from his early days as a Curriculum Director.
From disappointing 1,000 educators to co-creating a thriving professional development program, this story is a microcosm of the messy work we all go through to transform learning (for all ages) in our communities.
@learnercenteredleadership
A provocative question from Mike Duncan in his contribution to the Horizon Three Learning Series by @getting_smart: "Is it possible that the decades-old system designed to improve success for all students unintentionally engineered joy and value out of the process, ignoring the very thing that makes us human – curiosity, exploration, and discovery?"
A provocative question from Mike Duncan in his contribution to the Horizon Three Learning Series by @getting_smart: "Is it possible that the decades-old system designed to improve success for all students unintentionally engineered joy and value out of the process, ignoring the very thing that makes us human – curiosity, exploration, and discovery?"
Last week, @marlon_stylesjr hosted a great conversation with Craig Heath, Superintendent of @mentorpublicschools, and Juliette Funes, Communications Officer for @lynwoodunified.
Together, they explored the power of storytelling in fostering engaged learning communities. They discussed innovative strategies to amplify student voices, align strategic themes with impactful communications, and build community trust through relatable narratives.
Questions explored included:
How can storytelling elevate the voices of learners within a school community?
What are effective strategies for designing learner-centered campaigns?
How do you align storytelling with strategic plans to foster community buy-in?
What mediums are most effective for storytelling, and how do you decide when to use them?
Head over to our YouTube channel to gain insights into leveraging storytelling to inspire, engage, and connect with your school community, while advancing learner-centered practices and celebrating student success.
Last week, @marlon_stylesjr hosted a great conversation with Craig Heath, Superintendent of @mentorpublicschools, and Juliette Funes, Communications Officer for @lynwoodunified.
Together, they explored the power of storytelling in fostering engaged learning communities. They discussed innovative strategies to amplify student voices, align strategic themes with impactful communications, and build community trust through relatable narratives.
Questions explored included:
How can storytelling elevate the voices of learners within a school community?
What are effective strategies for designing learner-centered campaigns?
How do you align storytelling with strategic plans to foster community buy-in?
What mediums are most effective for storytelling, and how do you decide when to use them?
Head over to our YouTube channel to gain insights into leveraging storytelling to inspire, engage, and connect with your school community, while advancing learner-centered practices and celebrating student success.
The research supporting rubrics demonstrates their value as essential tools for aligning assessment practices among educators and students. Well-crafted rubrics offer clear success criteria and support self-assessment and peer feedback, all important elements of a learner-centered environment.
Despite these benefits, critics of rubrics have raised valid concerns, particularly regarding traditional product-based rubrics used in conventional grading systems.
Some argue that rubrics can stifle creativity by defining exactly what teachers expect. Conversely, others worry that vaguely defined points can create inequities by leaving students unsure of how to achieve them. Additional criticisms include the subjectivity of rubrics, their rigidness when overly discrete, and the challenges of translating them to a grade.
Explore the distinction between product-based and competency-based rubrics and what aligns best to a learner-centered vision for education in our blog post "Not All Rubrics Are Created Equal."
The research supporting rubrics demonstrates their value as essential tools for aligning assessment practices among educators and students. Well-crafted rubrics offer clear success criteria and support self-assessment and peer feedback, all important elements of a learner-centered environment.
Despite these benefits, critics of rubrics have raised valid concerns, particularly regarding traditional product-based rubrics used in conventional grading systems.
Some argue that rubrics can stifle creativity by defining exactly what teachers expect. Conversely, others worry that vaguely defined points can create inequities by leaving students unsure of how to achieve them. Additional criticisms include the subjectivity of rubrics, their rigidness when overly discrete, and the challenges of translating them to a grade.
Explore the distinction between product-based and competency-based rubrics and what aligns best to a learner-centered vision for education in our blog post "Not All Rubrics Are Created Equal."
So much learner-centered magic happening across the country this week. Let`s dive into the highlights.
Innovative teachers and district leaders in @eusd_learns had their second in-person Cross-District Lesson Design Team session to deepen understanding of competency-based assessment, explore authentic learning and collaborate with their teams on Lesson Design, and strengthen relationships.
Principals from South San Francisco Unified School District came together for a day of shared learning (and fun!) around a learner centered instructional vision and practices.
Hampton Township Design Teams utilized two days of learning walks and planning time. During the Learning Walks, we saw evidence of each teams’ progress bringing the Portrait of a Talbot to life. They also tackled a variety of big moves aligned to their district strategic plan from learner portfolios and Curiosity Quests (similar to passion projects) to student led-conferences and exhibitions of learning. It’s an exciting year in HTSD!
It was a big week in Greenfield Union School District. The Guiding Coalition kicked off year two working to bring their their Portrait of a Greenfield Learner to life by connecting with students to learn about their experiences and visiting classrooms to build on the bright spots where the portrait outcomes are already being cultivated.
School and district leaders mapped their current initiatives to find alignment to and opportunities in their Portrait of a Greenfield Learner as they refine plans to bring it to life at their sites.
Lastly, a team of teachers and leaders in Oak Avenue School had a Discovery Day during which they talked to learners and educators and visited classrooms. They identified brights spot and opportunities to align their current practices with their Portrait of a Greenfield Learner. Some highlights were creating different kinds of spaces within classrooms to meet learners needs, learners tracking their own progress, and learners collaborating with each other and with their educator to make meaning of new learning.
To every educator out there, we wish you a gentle transition into the holiday season đź’«
So much learner-centered magic happening across the country this week. Let`s dive into the highlights.
Innovative teachers and district leaders in @eusd_learns had their second in-person Cross-District Lesson Design Team session to deepen understanding of competency-based assessment, explore authentic learning and collaborate with their teams on Lesson Design, and strengthen relationships.
Principals from South San Francisco Unified School District came together for a day of shared learning (and fun!) around a learner centered instructional vision and practices.
Hampton Township Design Teams utilized two days of learning walks and planning time. During the Learning Walks, we saw evidence of each teams’ progress bringing the Portrait of a Talbot to life. They also tackled a variety of big moves aligned to their district strategic plan from learner portfolios and Curiosity Quests (similar to passion projects) to student led-conferences and exhibitions of learning. It’s an exciting year in HTSD!
It was a big week in Greenfield Union School District. The Guiding Coalition kicked off year two working to bring their their Portrait of a Greenfield Learner to life by connecting with students to learn about their experiences and visiting classrooms to build on the bright spots where the portrait outcomes are already being cultivated.
School and district leaders mapped their current initiatives to find alignment to and opportunities in their Portrait of a Greenfield Learner as they refine plans to bring it to life at their sites.
Lastly, a team of teachers and leaders in Oak Avenue School had a Discovery Day during which they talked to learners and educators and visited classrooms. They identified brights spot and opportunities to align their current practices with their Portrait of a Greenfield Learner. Some highlights were creating different kinds of spaces within classrooms to meet learners needs, learners tracking their own progress, and learners collaborating with each other and with their educator to make meaning of new learning.
To every educator out there, we wish you a gentle transition into the holiday season đź’«
In this live-recorded podcast episode at the Aurora Institute Symposium 2024, Ruby and Everest share their unique experiences in a learner-centered environment that emphasizes real-world learning experiences and community connections.
Ruby and Everest reflect on what it means to be learners @clarkstreetcommunityschool, diving into projects that align with their interests while meeting whole-learner outcomes. Ruby describes her passion for live music and a project where she researched a historic opera house, building a detailed stage model and engaging with local historians. Everest recounts a memorable field experience studying fishing culture in the Great Lakes, including an eight-hour boat trip that linked social studies with practical life skills.
Key topics covered in this episode include:
🎣 Field experiences and independent, interest-driven learning projects
🏛️ Connecting personal interests to whole-learner outcomes in creative ways
đź“‹ Mastery transcript and grading alternatives that emphasize growth over grades
đź‘Ą The supportive community structure at Clark Street, which fosters collaboration and personal expression
🏆 Preparing for the future beyond high school with a focus on self-advocacy and authentic learning
In this live-recorded podcast episode at the Aurora Institute Symposium 2024, Ruby and Everest share their unique experiences in a learner-centered environment that emphasizes real-world learning experiences and community connections.
Ruby and Everest reflect on what it means to be learners @clarkstreetcommunityschool, diving into projects that align with their interests while meeting whole-learner outcomes. Ruby describes her passion for live music and a project where she researched a historic opera house, building a detailed stage model and engaging with local historians. Everest recounts a memorable field experience studying fishing culture in the Great Lakes, including an eight-hour boat trip that linked social studies with practical life skills.
Key topics covered in this episode include:
🎣 Field experiences and independent, interest-driven learning projects
🏛️ Connecting personal interests to whole-learner outcomes in creative ways
đź“‹ Mastery transcript and grading alternatives that emphasize growth over grades
đź‘Ą The supportive community structure at Clark Street, which fosters collaboration and personal expression
🏆 Preparing for the future beyond high school with a focus on self-advocacy and authentic learning
As we head into the holiday season, @katiemartinedu shares a simple yet powerful way for your team to pause, reflect, and express what they are grateful for before getting down to business.
Consider this practice no matter the time of year and see how it shifts the energy in the room!
Read the latest issue of Bright Spots on our LinkedIn Page.
As we head into the holiday season, @katiemartinedu shares a simple yet powerful way for your team to pause, reflect, and express what they are grateful for before getting down to business.
Consider this practice no matter the time of year and see how it shifts the energy in the room!
Read the latest issue of Bright Spots on our LinkedIn Page.
🚨NEW RESOURCE🚨
A Community Asset Map is a visual tool designed to empower educators by helping them identify, leverage, and integrate community resources, skills, and networks into their teaching practice.
Download this free tool on our website to create richer, more meaningful, and culturally responsive learning environments that tap into the strengths of the community.
🚨NEW RESOURCE🚨
A Community Asset Map is a visual tool designed to empower educators by helping them identify, leverage, and integrate community resources, skills, and networks into their teaching practice.
Download this free tool on our website to create richer, more meaningful, and culturally responsive learning environments that tap into the strengths of the community.
"As a former classroom teacher and instructional coach, I’ve seen firsthand how districts and classrooms that foster community partnerships not only enrich learning but also create a stronger sense of connection and motivation for students and community members.
Over time, these partnerships transform schools from traditional learning spaces into hubs of shared investment, where the local community actively participates in student success.
This shift benefits everyone: students feel valued by their community, and teachers gain sustainable resources for creating meaningful, engaging learning experiences."
In our latest blog post, Danielle DelRosario (@word_nerd12) shares why and how you can build community partnerships to bring authentic learning to life.
"As a former classroom teacher and instructional coach, I’ve seen firsthand how districts and classrooms that foster community partnerships not only enrich learning but also create a stronger sense of connection and motivation for students and community members.
Over time, these partnerships transform schools from traditional learning spaces into hubs of shared investment, where the local community actively participates in student success.
This shift benefits everyone: students feel valued by their community, and teachers gain sustainable resources for creating meaningful, engaging learning experiences."
In our latest blog post, Danielle DelRosario (@word_nerd12) shares why and how you can build community partnerships to bring authentic learning to life.
Will we see you on Thursday?
Register here: đź”—http://bit.ly/LCSTORY
"If you’ve ever spent time with a 5-year-old, you’ll remember how magical their brains are, how they brim with questions: Why is the sky blue? Where do people go when they die? Why is my friend sad? Is today tomorrow? Who made the world?
You find them wandering around playgrounds picking up rocks and sticks and buttons and glass to incorporate into their play. They tell stories and create drawings, sculptures, and paintings. They design games with complex scenarios and rules and experiment with objects in order to figure out how things work.
In short, they are budding scientists, designers, philosophers, artists, and social scientists, engaged in refining future-ready skills. Their approach is transdisciplinary: their games and questions and design solutions are not limited to the knowledge and skills of science or math or ELA: they are building schemas that make connections that traverse the walls of our disciplines. They make meaning by following their interests and curiosity, not abiding by the rules of circumscribed content."
As part of @getting_smart`s H3 Learning series, Antonia Rudenstine (@re.designu) shares why schools should prioritize fostering creativity and problem-solving skills to maintain the genius-level creativity seen in young children.
Dive in to explore more about designing learning environments that provide meaningful, relevant projects that engage students and develop future-ready competencies on Getting Smart`s blog.
"If you’ve ever spent time with a 5-year-old, you’ll remember how magical their brains are, how they brim with questions: Why is the sky blue? Where do people go when they die? Why is my friend sad? Is today tomorrow? Who made the world?
You find them wandering around playgrounds picking up rocks and sticks and buttons and glass to incorporate into their play. They tell stories and create drawings, sculptures, and paintings. They design games with complex scenarios and rules and experiment with objects in order to figure out how things work.
In short, they are budding scientists, designers, philosophers, artists, and social scientists, engaged in refining future-ready skills. Their approach is transdisciplinary: their games and questions and design solutions are not limited to the knowledge and skills of science or math or ELA: they are building schemas that make connections that traverse the walls of our disciplines. They make meaning by following their interests and curiosity, not abiding by the rules of circumscribed content."
As part of @getting_smart`s H3 Learning series, Antonia Rudenstine (@re.designu) shares why schools should prioritize fostering creativity and problem-solving skills to maintain the genius-level creativity seen in young children.
Dive in to explore more about designing learning environments that provide meaningful, relevant projects that engage students and develop future-ready competencies on Getting Smart`s blog.
In 2019, @logancountyschools faced a challenge: their newly launched Profile of a Graduate lacked community buy-in.
Together, we set out to transform their approach and create a shared vision of success that resonated throughout the district.
The results of this transformation have been remarkable:
🎓 100% of students in grades 5, 8, and 12 participated in Defenses of Learning in the 2021-22 school year.
🤝 Students have demonstrated increased ownership and engagement in their learning.
🔗 Learner-centered practices have become embedded in the district’s culture.
Learn more about how Logan County Schools reached these milestones in our Impact Story (on our blog).
In 2019, @logancountyschools faced a challenge: their newly launched Profile of a Graduate lacked community buy-in.
Together, we set out to transform their approach and create a shared vision of success that resonated throughout the district.
The results of this transformation have been remarkable:
🎓 100% of students in grades 5, 8, and 12 participated in Defenses of Learning in the 2021-22 school year.
🤝 Students have demonstrated increased ownership and engagement in their learning.
🔗 Learner-centered practices have become embedded in the district’s culture.
Learn more about how Logan County Schools reached these milestones in our Impact Story (on our blog).
Redesigning report cards is as much an adaptive challenge as it is a technical one—a design balance first described by Heifetz & Laurie.
Learn more about how you can strike this balance and gain inspiration from the work we did with Encinitas USD to bring this redesign to life on our blog đź‘€
Redesigning report cards is as much an adaptive challenge as it is a technical one—a design balance first described by Heifetz & Laurie.
Learn more about how you can strike this balance and gain inspiration from the work we did with Encinitas USD to bring this redesign to life on our blog đź‘€
Make learning come alive with project-based learning!
Our self-paced online course guides you through designing engaging projects that make learning authentic and personalized.
If you`re ready to bring learner-driven projects to your classroom, enroll today on our website đź’Ş
Make learning come alive with project-based learning!
Our self-paced online course guides you through designing engaging projects that make learning authentic and personalized.
If you`re ready to bring learner-driven projects to your classroom, enroll today on our website đź’Ş
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