TL;DR: Curriculum design teams should begin with the end in mind. Empower curriculum design teams by providing time for them to become crystal clear about the standards before debating essential skills, key concepts, content, or assignments. When a district team identifies transfer goals, it will support teachers across schools. Formative assessments will support decisions about teaching and learning. Make sure … Read More
Effective Tools for End-of-Year Student Conferencing
TL;DR: Make sure to purposefully include time for student conferencing in your plans. During a conference, the student is able to monitor their progress and get clarification about assignments. The teacher is able to guide the student to use individualized study strategies. They can also monitor the students’ progress and help them set attainable goals. As we go into the … Read More
5 Thought-Provoking Questions About Assessment
TL;DR: Teaching and learning should be framed around a desired set of learning targets. Identify how teachers will measure student understanding. The classroom should be a safe place where students are receiving feedback from their teacher, peers, and own reflections. 4 key reflection questions to consider before and after a unit are shared. Find ways to celebrate small wins in … Read More
5 Game Changers in Education
TL;DR: Each day, when we enter schools, we have the opportunity to create a game-changing moment for students. 5 game changers in education include formative assessments, learning targets, personalized learning, writing, and student-led questions. When school staff focus on these five game changers, they will begin to see self-directed learners, contributors, and problem solvers. Have you ever witnessed a game-changing … Read More
Differentiating Project Based Learning!
TL;DR: Project based learning can engage students with the research process. It also keeps student voice at the center of how we teach. Project based learning can help engage students with their community and see how their actions can make a difference. Why Project Based Learning? As an educator, I believe we can engage students with learning with the research … Read More