These are hard times for educators. Students are striving to make gains after the biggest disruption to student learning in the history of American education. Students and adults have significant social-emotional needs, staffing shortages are real, and districts are confronting everything from budget shortfalls to political battles. From my own experience as principal of Burroughs Elementary, it is possible to make significant gains in student outcomes and create a joyful, sustaining school culture – by narrowing your focus.

Our school serves a wonderfully diverse community a stone’s throw from the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. When I first became principal, I had these grand ideas of eight or nine initiatives that we were going to focus on throughout the year. But what I noticed as the year went on was that we were not getting great at any one specific thing. It just felt like we were maintaining the status quo.

Around that time our school and area superintendent started working with a coach from Relay Graduate School of Education. She encouraged us to pick one or two areas of focus and stick with them for the year. And she gave us a tool to help with that: A leader’s Playbook, which is both a document and a process that helps school leaders identify their highest-leverage priorities and build their teachers’ skills in those areas. 

We started by looking more closely at student work and classroom practice to identify one or two areas of focus that were likely to make a meaningful difference in student learning. Then we spelled out exactly how we would use our time to build the team’s skills — whether through professional development sessions, weekly team meetings, student work analysis, coaching cycles, and more. Creating a Playbook kept me centered on my priorities and plans to address them – day by day, and week by week.

The first year we tried this we landed on the priority of strengthening small-group instruction in order to provide more targeted instruction. That year we saw meaningful improvements in student learning – something we hadn’t seen the year before. I saw that when you don’t focus on too many things, the team really takes ownership. When the instructional team coaches their peers on just one or two things at a time, both the coaches and the teachers get really good at it. We utilized coaching cycles and planning meetings with teachers that allowed them to grow and thrive. And we had a monthly focus on small-group instruction during staff meetings. And that builds confidence. 

Once teachers became experts in teaching in small groups we shifted focus to more personalized small group instruction. We set up groups based on need and flexibility, ensuring they were meeting students where they were, instead of having them remain in the same groups throughout the year. Later we shifted again to dig deep into student discourse, helping students learn to clearly articulate their ideas, listen to others, and test their thinking – in both ELA and math. Teacher feedback was also crucial here. We worked individually with educators who requested help in this area to provide personalized coaching, to build on top of other priority areas. Student discourse is now one of the cornerstones of our culture at Burroughs, as it not only deepens student understanding of the material but contributes to a collaborative, warm culture. With student discourse now established across grades, we’ve recently prioritized challenging but quick writing tasks, so teachers can monitor and respond to student work more frequently. 

Vicki Bullock, a K-5 Math Instructional Coach at Burroughs Elementary School has seen the value of having students articulate what they are doing, ask questions, and listen to each other – especially in the math classroom. She likes to remind her teachers, “If the students can’t talk about it, they can’t write about it.” Through professional development and feedback sessions, she coaches teachers to ask students,” What do you see? What do you notice?” before they simply dive into solving a problem. Students then learn not just to focus on their own ideas, but to listen to others, which helps expand their thinking and teaches real-world soft skills. 

In October 2023, the nonprofit EmpowerK12 named Burroughs Elementary School a “Bold Performance School.” This was the second year in a row we received the honor, which goes to schools that have made academic strides and serve predominantly “priority students — students designated as at-risk, students with disabilities, and students of color.” We’re really proud of our results – in 2022-23 our ELA proficiency grew by 11%, and math by 17%. 

While not perfect, things are feeling good at Burroughs Elementary. Teachers are in good spirits. The kids are in good spirits. Of course, there are a lot of factors that contribute to school success – from establishing a positive, safe, and structured school culture, to high-quality curriculum, to teacher content expertise, to working closely with our instructional superintendent, Tenia Pritchard, and our Cluster 3 peer schools (two others of which have also been named Bold Performance Schools). We know that prioritization and focus has created a sense of unity and purpose at our school. We give educators the time they need to internalize and refine key skills – a practice we also want to model for our students. We will keep narrowing our focus to the few things at each moment where we know we can improve. We’re in it for the long haul.

LeVar Jenkins is the principal of Burroughs Elementary School, District of Columbia Public Schools

The post Go Slow to Go Fast: Change Through Focus appeared first on Getting Smart.

Embark Education is a competency-based school driven by the authentic integration of learning in projects at our enterprise, Pinwheel Coffee and co-authored learning experiences. My own collaboration with a group of learners has brought a transformative and deeply personalized dimension to learning. Rather than design and ask my colleagues for feedback through tuning protocols, I co-created a learning experience with learners in an effort to support them as they explore how to courageously inquire, engage, and discover a sense of self. Learners are not only the intended audience of instruction and engagement, but primarily, deserve a space and voice to best target personalized support, realize what is possible for all learners during the course of a project, and manifest more eloquent, nuanced pathways to learning that our adult minds would not have fully devised, appreciated, nor comprehended as possible. 

These learners, who have already engaged in empathy exercises, prototyping, and community partnerships throughout the last few months, have selected family recipes that hold special significance to them. As we finish out these last two weeks before winter break, we step back to recognize the intricacies of their cultural and community memories and incorporate these elements into the curriculum to promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and belongingness.

Our project is a collective endeavor, and as the co-designer of this curriculum, I have found inspiration in the diverse backgrounds and experiences of our learners.

Sharing Personal Narratives

In the heart of our journey toward understanding empathy and the power of storytelling, I began by encouraging learners to explore their personal narratives during the inaugural storytelling session, as if we were in Week 1 of the actual project. These stories offered a window into the rich tapestry of their cultural heritage and the enduring presence of their communities. Quickly, the theme of ‘recipes’ began to emerge. 

In this collective exploration of cultural memory, our learners were invited to share the stories, which have been passed down through generations. These narratives, steeped in the flavors, aromas, and love of family kitchens, evoked an intense sense of belonging, an understanding of the connection to one’s roots, and a growing awareness of the importance of community in preserving and celebrating our diverse traditions.

For these learners, the act of sharing these stories was akin to flipping through the cherished pages of a well-worn family recipe book. These recipes are not mere lists of ingredients and instructions – which, at minimum, would still offer wonderful applications in quantitative reasoning through ratios, proportions, and conversions – rather, they were the vessels of each learner’s cultural history, a testament to the endurance of traditions, and a symbol of the enduring power of food to bring people together.

Just as Grandmas Project beautifully showcases the stories of grandmothers from around the world, our learners brought forth their own family narratives in the ideation phase, revealing the universal importance of food as a means to bridge the gap between generations, cultures, and individuals. It’s in the recipes handed down from mother to child, grandfather to grandchild, that we discovered a shared humanity—a warmth that transcended community borders and various languages.

The NPR article, “Carrying on a Family Recipe in Your Own Way,” exemplified the idea that these recipes are more than just instructions; they’re a living testament to our ability to adapt, innovate, and express our unique identities while still honoring our heritage. Our learners critically evaluated the content of this article, along with several others with similar themes, to seek out a deeper why, apply analysis and critical thinking, and make connections in and outside the classroom. 

As a learning facilitator, I actively participated in and guided discussions that were, at times, challenging, such as when addressing the understandable questions regarding changing culinary traditions between themselves and their grandparents, and at other times, revelatory, as was the case when these middle school students were able to consider the macro-level inequities that have historically uprooted generations of families living throughout various neighborhoods of Denver.  

Facilitating Critical Analysis

The exploration of historical and systemic inequities briefly introduced above took us on a journey that extended beyond the kitchen and into our very neighborhoods. The diverse perspectives and backgrounds of our learners serve as a foundation to enrich our understanding of how belief systems, policies, and ideologies have transformed over the years, particularly in the context of culinary traditions. Yet, this transformation isn’t isolated; we needed to make the connection with broader societal changes, including issues like gentrification, migration, and shifts in public perception.

As we ventured into the complex terrain of gentrification, we courageously faced the consequences of urban development that have unfolded over decades. Gentrification often occurs when once-neglected neighborhoods experience an influx of wealthier individuals, leading to changes in real estate values, public education, and public perception of neighborhood safety and value. It is understandable to believe that learners at this age cannot fully comprehend the weight of such a topic (or should); yet, I found it essential for them to understand the intricacies of this phenomenon without indoctrination but through factual, illuminating exploration.

To facilitate this exploration, I drew on valuable resources like the New York Times’ interactive guide, which offered insights into how neighborhoods in New York City have evolved. Learners examined data and articles that reveal the shifts in real estate values, population demographics, and the subtle ways marketing strategies have influenced people’s perceptions of various neighborhoods. Furthermore, we introduced the concept of redlining through University of Richmond’s Panorama, which provides a historical context on how discriminatory lending practices in the past have shaped neighborhoods and reinforced racial inequities. This resource offered a concrete example of how systemic racism has had long-lasting impacts on neighborhoods like ours in North Denver. Lastly, we explored urban displacement and its cultural, commercial, and industrial aspects using the data available at the Urban Displacement Project. This allowed learners to grasp how communities have been affected by shifting demographics, changing economies, and redevelopment efforts.

My role as facilitator was to guide our learners through these materials, fostering a balanced and evidence-based understanding of how gentrification and related issues impact communities. By encouraging them to think critically and analyze their own shifts in perspectives, I hoped to empower them to navigate nuanced discussions with empathy and respect for diverse viewpoints. This approach enabled learners to make informed connections between their personal experiences and the broader theme of inclusivity, and additionally, equip them with the tools to critically evaluate societal changes in their neighborhoods. Ultimately, the achieved goal was to instill a sense of agency in our learners to participate in creating more equitable and just communities for the future.

Collaboration in Cookbook Creation

Our journey in creating a cookbook that encapsulates the cultural richness and diversity of our learners’ family recipes took an exciting turn as we developed a continued partnership with the Shop at Matter, an independent, Black- and woman-owned design consultancy, letterpress workshop, and bookstore that uses joy and love as acts of resistance. This collaboration amplified the value of our project, adding an enriching layer to our exploration of communication competencies and the art of storytelling through food.

The learners actively engaged in the cookbook creation process, drawing on their experiences and personal connections to the chosen family recipes. As the project unfolded, learners were given the unique opportunity to delve into the history and significance of these recipes, and to share them with a wider audience, fostering a deep sense of pride and ownership. How did we plan to do this during the actual project? We drew inspiration from Ladson-Billings’ vision of parent “artist or craftspersons-in-residence” as outlined in But That’s Just Good Teaching! The Case for Culturally Relevant Pedagogy. Recognizing the invaluable contributions parents can make to the educational experience, our co-design journey extended to anticipation invitations to parents to be integral members of the educator team. This collaborative endeavor aligned with the collective vision of creating a more inclusive and diverse learning environment.

In implementing this offering, we explored a commitment during the project to promote racial literacy, utilize inclusive language, and provide virtual options to ensure broader and more accessible participation. Acknowledging the importance of diverse perspectives, we wanted to create a space where parents could share their unique skills, knowledge, and experiences, contributing to the rich tapestry of this learning experience. This approach not only aligns with Ladson-Billings’ framework, but also emphasizes the principles of equity, inclusion, and embracing the varied expertise that parents bring to the educational journey.

As we contacted and developed partnerships with local culinary academics and community kitchens, learners found themselves hands-on in the process of crafting and documenting these recipes. This approach ensured the authenticity and accuracy of the cookbook, from ingredient lists to cooking instructions. As they kneaded, stirred, and sizzled, learners not only gained culinary skills instructed through the expert knowledge of older family members and community members, but also a profound understanding of the cultural and historical contexts that infuse each recipe. This hands-on experience not only fostered a sense of empowerment but also provided the communication competency of “developing ideas,” as learners gathered insights from their research and shared the cultural and historical context behind each dish.

In the realm of communication competencies, our project’s additional goal is to emphasize the process of learning, not just the end result. The “organize thoughts” competency was honed as learners sequenced ideas, evidence, and events to create a coherent narrative within the cookbook. Varied transitions helped connect the rich stories and origins behind each recipe, making the book an engaging read. Learners also grasped the significance of crafting logical introductions and conclusions that offer insight into the cultural significance and implications of each dish.

The “Use Language” and “Address an Audience” competencies were intertwined as learners mastered the art of selecting the right words and tone to convey the essence of each recipe. Naturally, their audience ranges from fellow learners to a broader community eager to explore diverse culinary traditions. Thus, they understood the importance of adapting their language and style to cater to the purpose, task, and audience. Given that we’re living in a digital age whose language is best understood by learners of this age group, they also utilized various media tools to effectively share their stories, justifying their choice of medium to reach their audience. As a result, the presentation and product supported audience engagement and understanding, allowing their culinary narratives to come alive. Lastly, the “Deliver a Message” competency involves using verbal and nonverbal language to interact with an audience effectively. In the last few weeks, learners presented their dishes with passion and authenticity, incorporating appropriate body language and speaking skills to engage their audience. This was top of mind in a reflection by Mark Gabriel, Director of Adult Learning Experiences at Embark Education, after experiencing the aforementioned workshop with What School Could Be: “Experts in their field were being taught about learner-centered education by our learners and while it was so impressive, it was like the learners didn’t even realize how amazing their work was because it is so natural to them. It really showed how special Embark is!”

Learner’s Role in Transformative Learning

At Embark Education, I’ve discovered that the magic unfolds when learners actively shape their educational experiences, fostering inclusivity through shared narratives. Below, I offer a generalizable step-by-step process to begin a journey where students take the lead in crafting a personalized, nuanced, and deeply meaningful learning adventure. Finally, be sure to look for a follow-up article after this project’s completion in February, as I’m excited to unveil this project with our whole learning community!

Step 1: Embrace Student-Centric Integration

Encourage learners to actively contribute to the curriculum design, tapping into their diverse backgrounds and experiences. In our co-design project, learners brought forth their unique perspectives, shaping a project that reflected their collective vision and interests. Josh Reppun reflected on this phase of the process, noting, “As the host of the What School Could Be Podcast, and now with 117 episodes under my belt, I have heard what feels like hundreds of incredible examples of real world, student-driven learning. This Embark family recipe project just might take the cake, no pun intended. The extent to which Jimmy’s students have taken the learning deep into their communities is truly remarkable. They embarked on a journey together that will surely resonate over their entire collective lifetimes. What a gold star example of deeper learning!”

Step 2: Unlock Personal Narratives Through Storytelling

Initiate a journey toward empathy and storytelling by prompting learners to delve into their personal narratives. Family recipes, as showcased in our project, became a powerful tool to connect learners to their cultural heritage, community, and shared human experiences. Adam Haigler, Co-founder and COO of Open Way Learning, has been a close mentor and friend throughout my time as an educator, which has led me to this second step. In fact, my developing competency in this educational approach is due to his insight and guidance, believing that culturally revitalizing and place-based education “is the perfect vehicle to explore our respective places. The ingredients of the instructional model encourage us to explore our communities, bring in authentic contexts, and present our findings publicly. The intersection between co-designed learning experiences and place-based learning is a natural fit.” When I asked him how he would lead a similar co-design exercise with learners, he responded, “We do this by first asking what makes our place unique and what problems our students might be able to solve around us. We use co-designed projects as the model that structures our exploration and helps us build toward significant contributions to the community with the authentic context it provides. Co-designing with students pushes us to create a collaborative culture and the community becomes a key collaborator.”

Step 3: Cultivate a Tapestry of Perspectives

Transform your curriculum by recognizing the significance of personal narratives beyond cultural boundaries. Just as in our project, where family recipes became a celebration of diversity, consider incorporating elements that resonate universally, fostering a rich tapestry of perspectives.

Step 4: Facilitate Inclusive Discussions

Take on the role of a co-facilitator, allowing learners to lead discussions on inclusivity, diversity, equity, and belonging. In our project, this step brought authenticity to our conversations, allowing learners to reflect on their identities within the broader context of DEIB. As Jennifer D. Klein noted throughout our preparation and virtual educator workshop, “I loved being part of students’ growth when it came to engaging new audiences with their ideas and learning. The first time we met virtually, it took a little while for learners to open up and share more than just a word or two. As Jimmy drew them out with questions and encouragement, and as I modeled transparency and vulnerability myself, they leaned into sharing more about their narratives and experiences. Everyone who attended our later event on What School Could Be noted that it was like being in on a conversation among students who were fully empowered—not just to follow their teacher’s lead, but to follow their own sense of purpose, which was beautifully grounded in who they are and the neighborhood they’ve grown up in.”

Step 5: Venture into Critical Analysis Beyond Subject Boundaries

Extend your exploration beyond the subject matter, engaging learners in critical analysis. Utilize real-world issues, as we did in our project, to empower learners to think critically and analyze societal changes. This approach is adaptable to a wide range of subjects.

Step 6: Foster Collaborative Creation

Elevate your project by encouraging collaboration, potentially through partnerships with local businesses or organizations. In our experience with the Shop at Matter, this collaboration enriched our exploration of communication competencies, adding a layer of real-world application to our project. As the shop owner, Rick Griffith, noted, “Learning what’s important to the young people we’re working with and actively incorporating their ideas into this project is really important to building trust as a primary currency in learning (and teaching in systems) that I don’t take for granted. It’s with these small amounts of trust that we can get the active participation of more young people in their experience. This is both exciting and deeply moving for me.”

Step 7: Personalize Learning with a Real-World Touch

Insert yourself into the curriculum to enhance the learning experience and promote broad principles. Facilitate discussions on privilege and equity, engage in critical analysis of various perspectives, and inspire civic engagement. Your journey and experiences serve as valuable assets in creating a vibrant and inclusive learning environment.

Jimmy McCue is an Educator at Embark Education.

The post How to Co-Design Curriculum: Fostering Inclusivity through Shared Family Narratives appeared first on Getting Smart.

“Promising.” 

“Progressive.”

“Unique.”

“Revitalizing.”

“Relief.”

When Moiz, Tanisha, Ibad, Jaiden, and Samirah were asked to describe in one word the workshop they took part in with designers and museum educators from Educating for American Democracy’s civic learning community earlier this month, the students from Thomas A. Edison CTE High School shared these, capturing how resonant and rewarding the co-design experience was for each of them.

Through iThrive’s Game Design Studio, the playful, strength-based participatory design model that steered the afternoon workshop, the teens were engaged as equals and experts as they spent three-and-a-half hours vision-setting, imagining, and ideating alongside others in the civic education ecosystem. For the 17-year-olds, the collaborative space presented an opportunity rare in their worlds—a chance to share how they envision democracy and impact learning that supports the future of it. “[This] really gave me reassurance,” shared Ibad. “There are people working to make our future better using our own opinions.”

Brought together at the New York Historical Society by a project with Educating for American Democracy (EAD), an initiative working to reimagine history and civics education and make it a national priority, the students joined with iThrive Games, History Co:Lab, and Every Museum a Civic Museum, museum educators from Intrepid Museum, the New York Public Library, and the National Museum of American History, curriculum developers from Re-Imagining Migration, and graphic notetaker Aaron Mayper to create a versatile tool that supports the design and development of inquiry-based civic learning experiences.

Pairing the teens with learning-science-backed tools to help them mine their genius and craft playful solutions alongside peers and subject matter experts, iThrive’s Game Design Studio model facilitated the day’s knowledge-building and knowledge-sharing, setting the stage for meaningful co-creation. By the end of the workshop, we had a paper prototype of an interactive card game that animates and amplifies driving questions in EAD’s Roadmap. With the session carried by teens’ curiosity, creativity, and wisdom, the day was a testament to what teen-centered co-design can do and the impactful solutions it brings forth through radical collaboration.

Co-Designing for Meaningful Learning Experiences

Civic learning supports both individual and collective thriving.

Studies conducted by the National Conference on Citizenship and researchers show that civic learning inspires socially responsible civic engagement, increasing a person’s likelihood of voting. Beyond motivating the fulfillment of civic duties, when high-quality civic learning experiences prompt students to think critically about current socio-political events, students are more likely to engage in civil discourse with their peers. Despite this benefit, 92% of teachers are reported to shut down and stop conversations between students when argumentative or contentious.

There is a clear need for high-quality civic learning curricula that effectively supports inquiry and triggers curiosity in young people while accounting for what they and those who educate them experience. Only through radical collaboration and intentional partnership can we hit all the marks. The learning-science-backed Game Design Studio model brings both into shared spaces. Its use earlier this month at a synergetic workshop with HS students to create an interactive learning experience design tool reveals what the inventive and playful co-design method can do for civic education.

The Design Challenge: Building the Deck

When teen and adult participants gathered at the New York Historical Society to co-create with each other, the goal of the session was clear—develop a resource that helps educators in all public spaces devise and design civic learning experiences that stimulate discussion, debate, reflection, and critical thought about American democracy. The resource needed to align with EAD’s Framework and support the imaginations of educators and learning experience designers while being user-friendly and versatile enough for use across all grade levels. 

Drawing inspiration from XQ Institute’s competency cards, everyone in attendance knew early on that whatever we created together would, by design, support a rethinking of educational experiences. In this case, that meant enlivening civics and history in a communally defined and teen-centered way.

The Co-Design Experience

The Game Design Studio (GDS) model was devised by social psychologists, accessibility experts, and learning scientists to create a supportive context for discovery where teens feel safe, seen, and heard, and where they connect about issues important and relevant to them (not just what adults think is important). 

True to the model, the session at the New York Historical Society started with the students learning more about the day’s opportunity to influence civic learning for democracy. After they were given an overview of the goals and intended impact of the Educating for American Democracy’s Roadmap, adult participants began to trickle in and when everyone was in attendance, the workshop kicked off with play. Educators, teachers, and designers played Our Threads, a connection-building question card game iThrive developed with Fugees Family, Inc., to warm up to each other and after playing a few rounds and reflecting on what a card game can do, joined forces to create a vision for the day. While naming these goals, the workshop’s participants also talked through their definitions of a democracy that is inclusive of and healthy for everyone. These high dreams anchored us and our work together as the co-design session progressed.

The icebreaker conversations and play were followed by empathy mapping exercises, where teens and educators reflected and shared their lived experiences as students and teachers. Deepening everyone’s understanding of what the other feels, thinks, and does helped the group define success criteria together and clarify all that our learning experience design tool needed to address in order to be effective.

Then came the brainstorming.

Working collaboratively in small groups, students and educators began ideating ways to reflect the experiences and needs of students and teachers in an interactive card game that pulled from themes and design challenges in EAD’s roadmap. Small groups shared their ideas with the larger group for feedback in support of fine-tuning.

Teens join with teachers, learning experience designers, and museum educators to co-design. As part of the collaborative experience, teens explore the XQ Institute’s competency cards.

Ideas came to life when groups created prototypes that were tested and refined. Toward the end of the workshop, teens pitched to the larger group on the creative solutions they devised with others. An early prototype of the interactive card game to come developed with the support of graphic notetaker Aaron Mayper, seeks to help educators create civic learning experiences for teens that prompt them to ask difficult questions and answer them through analysis and discussion. The first iteration of the game asks users to pick a card from a deck of ‘big’ questions from the EAD roadmap, like “What is power?” and “What is a social contract?” and pair it with contextual factors like year, racial identity, gender, and location from another deck that modify how the question is answered. Teen co-designers also suggested adding ‘to me’ wild cards to the game’s deck to encourage learners to reflect deeply on their own identities and values. 

The co-design experience was an impactful one that encouraged teens to define meaningful civic education and invited their influence over how its envisioned by educators. From their hands-on role comes a tool that inspires civic learning experiences in public spaces everywhere that are relevant to them, reflective of their hopes for democracy, and responsive to their educational needs.

The Power Of ‘Co’ Gets Us to Impact

“My voice as a student was heard,” shared Moiz. “My opinion was valued.”

“I realized that as a young person my voice does align with those older than me,” echoed Tanisha.

“This workshop has changed the way I think about democracy. I have learned that my voice matters and makes a difference. Even if I cannot vote, I can still make an impact by sharing my perspective in this space.”

For the high school students who took part in this co-designing workshop, as well as the adult participants, the Game Design Studio (GDS) model that anchored the day helped create an all-embracing experience. By designing civic learning experiences in this collaborative way with teens, we integrate their vision for the world they will one day inherit in the planning of them with a method of cooperation that affirms and empowers them.

“Today’s youth are tomorrow’s future,” shares iThrive’s Executive Director, Susan E. Rivers. “When the Game Design Studio model is brought to the civic learning space to support the co-design of compelling learning experiences, it disrupts a limiting view of young people as just learners by engaging them from the start as thought partners too.”

The co-creative space both teens and adults helped establish that Wednesday afternoon attests to how radical, intentional, and inclusive collaboration can inspire new ways of thinking, doing, and being.The output of the joint experience—an interactive card game and learning experience design tool—are the creative and impactful solutions that come from thoughtfully merging teen genius with subject matter experts. The teen co-designers’ reflections show the GDS model’s impact on the personal level and its unique ability to deeply engage teens in building better systems of learning. 

“The only way to design a new system is not just to “involve” young people in the process: we have to engage in intergenerational co-creation,” shares Fernande Raine, CEO and Founder of The History Co:Lab. “Many organizations create token roles for youth that are little more than fig leaves on blatantly adult-centric systems. We want to create spaces for the genius of the teen brain to help imagine and steer us towards the future that this world needs.”

Our co-design model and approach honors the strengths of teens who are uniquely wired to learn by fully engaging them in their genius, and with it we are accelerating progress toward a world where young people are heard, healthy, and co-creators of systems supportive of their thriving.

This post was originally published at ithrivegames.org

The post Making Civic Learning Meaningful With And For Young People appeared first on Getting Smart.

The brief departure and return of Sam Altman as CEO of OpenAI underscored the need for stable, trust-based leadership in the rapidly evolving AI sector. This episode, not rooted in technological or financial challenges, highlighted how the absence of a strong, value-aligned culture can destabilize even a leading $90 billion tech enterprise.

There’s a valuable reminder for all of us as we reflect on these events. 

A culture of innovation should not depend on any one company; rather we need an approach to integrating emerging technologies into our organizations using a systems approach that prioritizes the interests of the community. 

Critical to this culture of innovation is developing lifelong learners, who can critically evaluate ideas and trends, and use their analytical skills to think creatively about the future in collaboration with others. Central to this approach is the concept of deep learning, a principle that manifests distinctively yet interdependently in AI and education, and it forms the basis of our approach to learning and teaching.

This paradox highlights the need for agility in adapting, not reacting, to the rapid developments we’re seeing with AI.  At Designing Schools, Stefan Bauschard and I have spent the past year working with organizations to examine AI integration using a design thinking approach to create a sustainable and scalable culture of innovation that begins with empathy, and incorporates deliberative decision-making centered around trust and alignment toward a shared vision. 

Deep Learning in AI and Education

Since 2010, AI has seen rapid advancements due to the development of deep learning, and it’s no coincidence that the term is used in both artificial intelligence and education.  In AI, deep learning refers to machines’ ability to learn and evolve from vast datasets, mirroring the complexity of human neural networks. In the educational sphere, it signifies a profound, experiential learning process where individuals delve deep into subjects, not merely to absorb information but to apply knowledge ethically and innovatively in real-world scenarios.

What binds these two facets of deep learning is the indispensable foundation of trust and shared values. In AI, trust ensures that the technology develops in a way that aligns with ethical standards and societal values, preventing misuse and guiding responsible innovation. In education, trust fosters an environment where learners feel safe to explore, question, and challenge, thereby cultivating their ability to make informed, ethical decisions in ever-changing circumstances

Deep Learning at San Ramon Valley Unified School District

San Ramon Valley Unified School District (SRVUSD), identified deep learning as integral to their learner profile. Their #SuccessReimagined initiative exemplifies the core qualities that help people develop skills, awareness and mindsets needed to thrive in an AI-world. Through this shared vision they have created a thriving culture of innovation built on trust and safety. It is important for today’s learners to not only use these technologies, but to engage in the process of deep learning as part of their educational journey so that when they are tasked with making essential decisions, whether they be personal or those that impact the world, they do so with effective communication and critical thinking skills, masterful collaboration, creativity, and character that reflects strong citizenship in the community. They cannot outsource their own abilities to do these things to AI. As a result, developing these skills and mindsets is essential to succeeding in a world driven by a rapid rate of change. These changes will continue to accelerate, not just in AI but in biotechnology, robotics, 3D printing, nanotechnology, renewable energy technologies, drone technologies, and quantum computing.

Humanity Amplified

We provide a comprehensive look at this approach and what it means for an AI world in our report: Humanity Amplified: The Fusion of Deep Learning and Human Insight to Shape the Future of Innovation.

View Publication

As education organizations plan for the 2024-2025 school year, here are three strategies to consider as you nurture a culture of innovation built on trust and safety where deep learning can thrive.

Strategy 1: Create with People, Not For People

Bringing the community together to share ideas, questions, and concerns, is one of the many reasons SRVUSD was able to accelerate their vision for deep learning. It’s why when examining AI integration in your organization, a key strategy we advocate for is the practice of empathy interviews. This approach validates how we design educational experiences, shifting from assumption-based to data-driven development.

Through empathy interviews, we directly engage with those for whom we are designing for. This engagement isn’t just conversation; it’s a gateway to discovering the real challenges, aspirations, and needs of our educational community. 

I first learned this lesson a decade ago, while serving as Director of Innovative Learning at the University of Southern California Physician Assistant program, we were launching a 1:1 iPad program. We had been very focused on faculty training, however, our empathy interviews quickly revealed that faculty were incredibly optimistic, yet students did not want to learn a new technology, alongside content in their first year. As a result, we were able to redesign orientation and give every student a confident start to the program. At the end of the year, 98% of students said the iPad enhanced their engagement and understanding of content. 

A decade later this approach is just as critical. 

Our collaboration with the Orange County Department of Education illustrates the power of this strategy when leadership teams evaluate how best to support their community. We brought together a cross-functional team for a 3-day design sprint to answer, “How might we support schools to prepare K12 students in Orange County for a future shaped by AI?” 

This collaborative effort focused on human-centered solutions to support education leaders during rapid technological changes based on their needs. One outcome was establishing a year-long cohort of district leadership teams cultivating a culture of belonging and psychological safety, identified by Harvard professor Amy Edmonson as critical to building a culture of trust. 

By engaging in empathy interviews, we don’t just integrate new tools; we co-create ideas that lead to impact with the very people who will use and benefit from them. This approach has consistently led to more effective and meaningful integration that is human-centered and technology-driven.

Strategy 2: Create an AI Values Agreement and Framework that Aligns to Your Vision

The unfolding events at OpenAI have highlighted a crucial lesson for all of us: the imperative of aligning our technological advancements with our core values and vision. This alignment is not just a philosophical ideal but a practical strategy for fostering a sustainable and ethical culture of innovation.

Take, for instance, Santa Ana Unified School District. They have adopted a visionary statement: “Every graduate to be an architect of their life and learning, experiencing autonomy while persisting in the development of their life’s goals.” This powerful vision forms the cornerstone of their decision-making process and has empowered educators and students alike, fostering a sense of ownership and clarity in their educational journey. At a time when the arts are uncertain about their future in a world with AI, the Santa Ana Arts Department embraced being architects of their life and learning and turned challenges into opportunities by asking, “How might we…” a mindset they embraced from having spent the past two years immersed in design thinking practices. 

Another exemplary model comes from Michigan Virtual. They have crafted an AI framework that the entire state’s educational system can adopt. This comprehensive framework encompasses three critical stages: investigating, implementing, and innovating. It covers a broad spectrum of areas, including Leadership & Vision, Policy Considerations, Instructional Framework, Learning Assessments, Professional Learning, Student Use of AI, Business & Technology Operations, and Outreach. What makes this framework so effective is its holistic approach, integrating AI into the fabric of educational strategy at every level.

The creation of an AI Values Agreement and Framework is more than just a procedural step; it’s a commitment to ensuring that every technological advancement we embrace is in service of our educational goals and ethical standards. It’s about ensuring that AI tools not only advance our capabilities but also resonate with our educational ethos.

For educational organizations looking to navigate the complex landscape of AI integration, developing such a framework is a crucial step. When we align our vision and our values we establish a strong criteria that grounds us in a rapidly changing world. It provides a clear roadmap for technology adoption, ensuring that AI serves as a tool for enhancement rather than disruption.

Strategy 3: SPARK Ideas for Using AI By Identifying Use Cases

In a world where AI’s speed and scale are both exhilarating and daunting, understanding its practical applications becomes crucial. Our SPARK method is designed to “prompt the human before you prompt the machine,” encouraging a human-centered approach to AI integration.

The cornerstone of SPARK is curiosity, collaboration, and experimentation. We encourage groups within educational organizations to come together, explore AI’s possibilities, and share their experiences. This collaborative process allows for a comprehensive understanding of where AI can be most effectively utilized and where it may not be suitable.

A prime example of this strategy is shared by Jenith Mishne, Director of Technology, at Newport-Mesa Unified School District. In early 2023, their high school educators engaged in a project to document their experiences with AI tools like ChatGPT. This initiative not only provided valuable insights into practical AI applications in an educational setting but also fostered a culture of innovation and continuous learning among educators. 

Embracing a human-centered approach is key when deploying generative AI tools. As Don Norman shares, “A brilliant solution to the wrong problem is worse than no solution at all. Solve the right problem.” This philosophy is at the heart of our SPARK method, where we emphasize the importance of understanding and addressing the real needs of individuals before deploying technological solutions.

To enhance AI literacy and capacity, we have also collaborated with the San Bernardino County Office of Education. County Superintendent Ted Alejandre initiated the SPARK Your Leadership series, a program designed to equip district leadership teams with the skills to effectively navigate and lead in an AI-driven world. Bringing them together for a workshop series reinforced a culture of trust and collaboration. Creating opportunities for teams to have the time and space to reflect, critique, discuss, and learn with one another when dealing with a topic as complex as AI in education is essential. As Microsoft shared in a recent report, digital debt is costing us innovation as 68% of people say they don’t have enough uninterrupted focus time during the day to spend time on the creative work that leads to innovation. 

The experience of Wichita Public Schools is a testament to the transformative power of AI when you make the time and space. By leveraging tools like Microsoft Copilot, they have not only achieved significant time savings for teachers but also enriched the learning experience for students. CIO Robert Dickson shares, “We’re not just ensuring the importance of our jobs for the future; we’re giving kids important 21st-century foundational skills that they will build upon for the rest of their lives.” 

You can learn more about their enterprise approach in this interview with CIO Robert Dickson.  

By identifying and sharing these use cases, we not only discover the most effective ways to integrate AI into our educational systems but also ensure that these integrations are aligned with our educational goals and values.

Looking Ahead: The Future of AI and Education

As we witness the acceleration of deep learning in AI, it’s essential we create a paradigm where machines do not just learn from data but do so under the guidance of human ethics and values, and where learners are not just educated but are empowered to navigate and shape the technological landscape responsibly.

 When we design schools that give every individual a human advantage in the age of AI we create a future where technology is enriched with human insight and leadership. This combination, based on trust and shared values, is essential for fostering responsible and innovative progress. It’s about guiding AI with ethics and empowering learners to shape technology thoughtfully.

The AI landscape is ever-evolving, with the potential for impacts as significant as historical innovations like electricity and the internet. As AI capabilities grow, so does their influence on society.

Sabba Quidwai, EdD is the founder of Designing Schools.
Stefan Bauschard is the founder of DebateUS.

The post Innovating with Integrity: Building Trust in an AI-Driven World appeared first on Getting Smart.

It’s crazy to think that the five of us barely knew each other at this time last year. Our journey with Notifeye, our innovative road safety product we created as part of our high school’s entrepreneurship program, has been incredible. Today, we want to share our story, from the early days of brainstorming to the excitement of winning a national pitch competition.

It all started in the fall of 2022. As high school Juniors at Westlake High School in Austin, Texas, the five of us came together as members of Uncharted Learning’s year-long INCubatoredu entrepreneurship course. For us, we wanted to use the opportunity to make a real impact and create a meaningful solution that could improve people’s lives. Although we weren’t more than acquaintances at the start of the course, we worked well together right from the very beginning developing a team structure that combined our individual talents and interests to become greater than the sum of our parts. 

After some brainstorming sessions and discussions, we decided to address a critical issue that hit close to home for all of us—distracted and drowsy driving. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there are about 100,000 police-reported, drowsy-driving crashes every year, and driving while drowsy can be similar to driving under the influence of alcohol. 

As high school athletes, we often find ourselves driving home late at night after practice or games. We know firsthand the dangers of feeling exhausted or distracted behind the wheel. That’s when the idea for Notifeye began to take shape. Notifeye is an innovative camera system that can detect driver distraction and drowsiness by scanning a person’s eyes for movement or lack of movement. The device makes a noise (a beep) in order to alert them or “shake” them out of a drowsy or distracted state—potentially saving lives on the road.

One of the most exciting and challenging aspects of our journey was developing the technology behind Notifeye. It’s one thing to have a brilliant idea, but it’s another to bring it to life. Luckily, we have Reuben, our Chief Technology Officer (CTO), who had a background in coding. His expertise and commitment – there were many late nights working on code – were instrumental in creating the software for our innovative product. It was exhilarating to see our idea transform into a working prototype. We knew we were onto something big.

Like any innovative process, our path hasn’t been without challenges. One of the most significant hurdles has been deciding which customer segments to target. With Notifeye having the potential to benefit various groups, including truck drivers, ride share companies and, perhaps most importantly, our peers, narrowing down our focus has been tough. We interviewed potential users starting with those most familiar to us, our friends and their parents. We also leveraged relationships we made through the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas to connect with trucking companies to better understand the challenges their drivers face.  In the end, we settled on three key customer segments: truck drivers–specifically truck driving companies, parents of teens (for their teens), and school districts–for bus drivers. 

In the process of identifying our target users we learned some valuable lessons. First, we learned that there is value in starting close to home. We understood the challenges high school students face; indeed, that’s why we started Notifeye in the first place. We also had easy access to students in our school, their parents and district leaders as we gathered feedback on our product design. Also, we discovered the importance of networking. We learned about networking in our entrepreneurship class, but it wasn’t until we engaged with, and pitched, a group of executive MBA students at McCombs that we fully appreciated its value. We had initially reached out to practice pitching in advance of the national pitch competition, but that experience led to our conversations with trucking companies who expressed interest in our product. 

As part of the INCubatoredu program, teams participate in a national “shark tank-like”  pitch competition in order to try to earn funding for their product. It was exciting–and nerve-wracking–to present our idea to a panel of judges, some of whom were heavyweights in the software development industry. We were confident in our product and practiced our pitch many, many times even though we knew it was important to be speaking from the heart  and “in the moment.” 

All the hard work paid off. The judges appreciated the potential impact for Notifeye to change the game in road safety and were impressed with our pitch and decided to invest in the product. Reflecting on our time in the INCubatoredu course, it’s amazing how we grew as a team and as individuals. When we had started the course we were not particularly comfortable with public speaking and here we were successfully pitching our idea to accomplished experts in their fields.  

This year, in our second year of the entrepreneurship program–called ACCELeratoredu– we are using the money we won from the pitch competitions (a total of $32,000) to create our LLC, secure a bank account and fund the next version of Notifeye so we can expand its reach. We are also identifying and contracting with a manufacturer so we can start developing units for public use within the next six months. Like other entrepreneurs, we are getting advice from lawyers and mentors to assist with this work. We have learned so much through the process of setting up a company, engaging contractors, figuring out patents and ensuring we protect our rights and interests and we know these skills will serve us well in the future either as we continue work on Notifeye or in other careers.   

As we continue to improve and grow Notifeye, we see incredible potential for the product to serve as an insurance deductible, which could provide an opportunity to further accelerate growth. We are taking what we learned in our INCubatoredu class to continue fund-raising through grants, scholarships, and other pitch competitions to secure the resources needed to realize our vision.

Our journey with Notifeye has been a rollercoaster of innovation, hard work, and determination.  We are proud of what our team has accomplished so far, but we know that the road ahead is filled with new challenges and opportunities; including college for each of us in different places! This will add the challenge of proximity, but we are confident we can make it work.

Notifeye is not just a product; it’s a testament to the power of innovation and the fact that high school students, if provided the opportunity, can work together to make the world a safer place. We’re excited to continue working towards our goal of enhancing road safety, one driver and Notifeye camera at a time.

Student Authors:

• Nina Kenyon
• Isabel Kubiak
• Emily Royce
• Chris Kienstra
• Reuben Paul

The post You’ve Been Notifeyed: How High School Students are Paving the Way to Driver Safety appeared first on Getting Smart.

There are few things more rewarding, as an educator, than seeing young people spontaneously make real world connections to what they learn in the classroom.  

When 36 students joined a trip to the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York City, school staff overheard them reflecting on World History I content while the tour guide provided an overview of the establishment of the UN and during a Holocaust exhibit. One of their teachers, Mr. Jay Glassie, told me that “seeing students’ imagination, innovation, and application to what they’ve learned, and their excitement on the trip, made me motivated to make sure all our future lessons added up to that excitement.” That was the moment I knew our work to design a new school model focused on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was, without a doubt, the right decision.  

Let me back up. I’m the principal of Coolidge High School in Washington, DC. In 2022 we joined DC+XQ, a partnership between DC Public Schools (DCPS) and XQ Institute (XQ) to redesign high schools in the District. At the start of the partnership, XQ guided high schools through an Educational Opportunity Audit, where quantitative and qualitative student data prompted us to think about existing disparities that school redesign could address. The data also laid bare just how much COVID had changed things. 

An overwhelming number of our students said they were struggling with anxiety, depression, and substance abuse post-pandemic. Black, Latinx, and Indigenous youth, in particular, felt segregated and disconnected. Students needed opportunities for more meaningful interaction. As a result, we knew we wanted wellness to take priority. We also wanted the focus on wellness to be rigorous, prepare our students for life after high school, and help them make connections to the real world.  

We began to research wellness frameworks and sustainable practices, but most left us wanting something more. Finally, we found the SDGs. We instantly fell in love with these 17 global goals designed to transform the world by 2030. With so much variety in the issues they tackle – whether it’s infrastructure, clean water, poverty, or animal welfare – I felt confident there would be at least one goal every student could relate to. As one of our ESL teachers, Nichelle Calhoun says, the SDGs are “so bendable and so accessible; any student can understand ‘there is an education around my experience, and I can produce the knowledge around my experience via action research’.” 

We’ve found that the SDGs resonate with our entire community, not just our students. For our teachers, they hold enormous potential to spark rigorous, memorable, and impactful learning experiences across content areas. They also feel relevant to our families, who come from more than 23 countries, and who shared with us that they particularly identify with goals addressing communities, peace, justice, and reducing inequalities. Finally, they’re a priority for our city. We have partnered with DC’s Department of Energy and Environment to make connections to Sustainable DC, and we are excited to collaborate on sustainability projects with the elementary and middle schools in our neighborhood too. 

This past summer, after a year cultivating our vision around the SDGs, we were selected to be part of DC+XQ’s second cohort. We are spending this year testing out new learning experiences and building partnerships with local and national organizations as we prepare to launch our new school model in 2024.  

What does it really mean to redesign our school around the Sustainable Development Goals? There are a number of examples of other schools embedding the SDGs in their experiences, from incorporating them into real-world learning opportunities to using Challenge-Based Learning to solve problems related to the goals. For us, three pillars guide our new school model, and how the SDGs show up in it: Wellness, Action Research, and Global Experiences.  

Wellness, the origin of our focus on sustainability, encompasses all forms of well-being: physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional. All students will develop and revise their own personal wellness plans each year in collaboration with staff. Seniors will select a focus SDG based on that wellness journey—finding a global goal related to something they’ve learned about themselves or their communities. For instance, a student who discovers they are interested in marine life after participating in service learning with Anacostia Watershed may choose SDG 14: Life Under Water. This will provide more voice and choice throughout student experiences at Coolidge, and set them up for success finding an area to study or work in after high school.  

Action Research looks like education that is more hands on, more project-based and place-based, and more interdisciplinary. The heart of this pillar is a new capstone project, where seniors will conduct national and global research on their focus SDG to lean into their interests and goals. That same student interested in SDG 14 might learn about how plastic debris injures and kills fish, seabirds, and marine mammals, then work to develop a solution to reduce plastic waste.  

Global Experiences aligns well with the Action Research pillar, giving students the opportunity to take what they’re learning and apply it anywhere. While we initially assumed Global Experiences would be synonymous with international travel, we’ve realized that it can also include meaningful local, national, and virtual opportunities. If our SDG 14 aficionado connected with The Ocean Cleanup, as an example, they could visit Hawaii to learn more about their efforts to decrease the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. 

Looking back at how we arrived here, I’m proud of how we have kept equity front of mind in our journey. We worked hard to engage students representing a variety of perspectives and experiences – not just those who were already highly motivated. Diverse groups of students joined us at planning days and DC+XQ events, met with community partners, participated in focus groups, and started their own Student Redesign Team. Their voices have been instrumental: transparent, open-minded, and dedicated to the process. Conversations with Multilingual Learners and Special Education students, in particular, inspired the project-based and place-based approach to teaching the SDGs. As our Redesign Director, Kira Rowe, reflected, “the difference in just the past year of how [students] can articulate and speak to the new school model lets me know we’ve kept them at the front of this process.” Sometimes they even remind me of things we should do differently to better align with the goals!  

I’ve heard the questions any leader would when looking to redesign their school: Will this initiative really last? Will this create more work for me? Will some of my students be left behind? But when it comes to the SDGs, I’ve only heard excitement, because they truly address our community’s needs. “I’ve realized they clarify a lot of content and tie everything together. It makes it easy to make teaching more dynamic and rigorous,” Glassie said in response to teacher concerns that the SDGs might create an entirely new curriculum. “Instead of wondering ‘how will I apply the SDGs to this,’ it’s almost like, ‘how do I not apply the SDGs to this?’”  

Student Keilie Griffith said it best when she told me, “With the SDGs we learn about what we need to do to make Washington, DC better. It starts in schools, then spreads to the city, then it goes everywhere.” With the SDGs fully at the heart of our new school model, I know not only will Coolidge create change within DC, but Keilie and every student alongside her will graduate prepared to be leaders of global change.  

Semanthe Bright has been the principal at Coolidge High School since 2017. She has been in the education field for over 25 years.

The post Why Focusing on the Sustainable Development Goals in School Is Good for Students, Staff, Families, and the Broader Community appeared first on Getting Smart.

“The College Lab is the single most valuable project I’ve ever completed.” 

As a high school AP Chemistry teacher, it’s a powerful statement to hear from a student. It might also seem like an odd project name for a science class. But I discovered years ago that all good chemistry lessons include student exploration and problem-solving–and that isn’t so different from the skills required to create a plan for life after high school.  

My classroom has about 90 sophomores, juniors, and seniors who take the class for a variety of reasons. It’s one of many classes they will take at Walter L. Sickles High School, putting them one step closer to the end of the year and graduation. It also means that when a student steps into my classroom, AP Chemistry is just one of many things on their mind. 

The reality is that many high school students are feeling unprepared for what comes next. They’re eager for more guidance. It’s why I’m never surprised to hear students look at class curriculums and ask themselves “How will this even help me?”  

I wanted to better answer that question so several years ago, I applied the scientific principles and practices of chemistry that I’m familiar with to an equally important topic: Planning for the future.  

Bringing College and Career Discovery into the Classroom 

The College Lab is a two-week project I lead that invites college and career conversations into the classroom. 

The need is urgent. A Morning Consult survey of 1,200 high school students for College Board looked at students’ attitudes about the future, and while it was encouraging to see that 46% felt motivated about exploring a career, 48% also said they felt anxious. My goal is to spark my students’ interest in these discussions so they feel confident making smart choices about a future career, college planning, and finances. 

The project is structured around five scientific principles:

• Conduct Research. Students research 15 diverse schools or majors they might be interested in. Using College Search on BigFuture, students can access profiles for more than 4,000 institutions – spanning certificate, 2-year, and four-year programs. 
• Make a Claim. As they research, students form a hypothesis as to which college they believe will be a good fit for them.
• Experiment. Students are given independent time to gather information about each institution according to the criteria that they chose to explore. The free planning site offers career exploration and financial planning resources so during this process, students might discover how a major connects to a potential career path or how they might afford postsecondary education.
• Draw a Conclusion. Based on all of the information gathered, students draw a conclusion as to what school they believe will be the best fit based on the data collected.
• Commentary. Students are given time to discuss the implications of their data and conclusion, including any sources of error, bias, or unexpected results.

As students explore, there is time for peer discussions. This can elevate lines of inquiry that they may not have thought of and spark further dialogue as students begin to discover similarities in their research. Many of my students claim that being able to discuss the project allows them to home in on the most important aspects including majors, campus life and financial aid.  

Haley, a former student of mine shared, “I [now] feel like I can make a decision about college that actually makes sense.”  

3 Tips for Your Classroom 

Students accomplish a lot in the two weeks but dedicating that amount of time isn’t always possible. If teachers are looking for meaningful ways to have a conversation on the future with their students, they can: 

• Start Small: Have students start with the college or career quiz on College Board’s BigFuture. The questionnaire can help students connect to key information on the site.  
• Give It a Try: Offer a small-scale assignment for students to explore some prospective colleges and universities. Ask for a smaller list or see what they can learn in a shorter amount of time. 
• Be a Resource: While we don’t have all of the answers, we can provide our students with support. That may be sharing our own college experience, connections to guidance counselors, and knowledge of free resources that can aid students. 

Not every student in my class walks away from the project knowing exactly what they’re going to do or where they’re going to go next. My hope is that 100 percent of my students will finish with a better understanding of their options and what it might take to get there. Regardless of the path they choose, I hope that the decision that they make is one that is informed and puts them in the best position to find success. 

Jared Schwartz is an AP Chemistry teacher at Walter L. Sickles High School in Tampa, Florida which serves a diverse population of students. Jared teaches 10^th through 12^th graders. This is his 11^th year teaching, and he couldn’t imagine doing anything else. His goal is to not only provide students with an enjoyable and rigorous learning experience, but also instill values to develop citizens of the world. When he’s not teaching, Jared enjoys running, golfing, reading, and spending quality time with his wife and newborn son, Teddy.

The post How The Principles of Experimentation Can Support Postsecondary Decision-Making appeared first on Getting Smart.

In the next five years, almost every area of our lives will be fundamentally changed by advances in artificial intelligence and other cutting-edge technologies.

As a North Carolina legislator and a former North Carolina school district superintendent, we believe we need to think differently about preparing students for this reality. We care deeply about education, economic development, and the future of our state. If schools can’t keep pace with the rapid evolution of technology, our children will be left behind.

This is why we are excited about SparkNC, a nonprofit organization rethinking education to give North Carolina students a competitive edge in an uncertain future.

SparkNC is different because students have the freedom and flexibility to pursue what interests them. Unlike traditional classrooms, SparkNC isn’t built around a rigid calendar and classes where students all move at the same pace. Instead, students choose their own paths, selecting learning experiences in fields like cybersecurity, computer systems engineering, and data analytics.

Learning is not confined to textbooks and classrooms. SparkNC collaborates with industry partners, helping students learn about tech careers firsthand. Through interactions with experts, students grow their networks and gain insights about tech jobs. Real-world experiences help students develop skills in teamwork, communication, leadership, critical thinking, and problem solving. All of this opens doors to career opportunities.

Every student in SparkNC develops a portfolio of learning where they collect tangible evidence of their accomplishments. It’s not just about what they’ve learned. It’s about what they’ve experienced and how they’ve prepared for their futures. This portfolio becomes a powerful asset as they take their next steps, to higher education or the workforce.

Sixteen school districts are currently partnering with SparkNC and opened high-tech “SparkLabs” this fall. These facilities serve as hubs of innovation where students can learn individually and in groups. All SparkLabs are connected through state-of-the-art systems that enable students in different spaces to meet, collaborate, and learn together with teachers and industry professionals.

SparkLab Leaders in each district facilitate learning. They are a new kind of educator, blending the roles of teacher, mentor, coach, entrepreneur, innovator, and connector. They guide and inspire students, helping them navigate their educational journeys and develop the skills and insights needed to succeed in a tech-driven world.

This year’s state budget continues funding for SparkNC’s innovative approach. This is an investment in the future of North Carolina. It’s an investment in our students, who will emerge from SparkNC with a competitive edge in the job market. And it’s an investment in our state’s economic development, as a tech-savvy workforce attracts businesses and drives growth.

We are each proud to stand behind SparkNC and its mission to rethink education in North Carolina. By offering students flexibility, choice, and a curriculum tailored to the demands of the tech industry, SparkNC is paving the way for a brighter and more prosperous future for our state.

Sen. Michael V. Lee represents New Hanover County in the North Carolina Senate. Dr. Lynn Moody is the former superintendent of Rowan-Salisbury Schools and the current Senior Director of Partnerships at SparkNC.

The post Igniting North Carolina’s Future: SparkNC’s Innovative Approach to Education appeared first on Getting Smart.

One of my favorite mom friends asks her young school-aged kids every day, “What did you make today?”

I love how subtly subversive this question is. Not, “How was school today?” “Were you good today?” or, “How’s [insert school subject] going?” But, “How did you put your ideas out into the world today?” 

That simple question understands this fundamental truth: to be human is to create, to employ our imaginations and partake in forming the world we want to live in. Our institutions have forgotten this basic truth, though—schools, especially. 

My oldest daughter Maeve is in first grade. I’m not sure what your impression or memory of first grade is, but I’m experiencing it like an academic boot camp for six-year-olds. You must immediately learn to: read, write, add, subtract, tie your shoes, memorize your facts, memorize your patriotic songs, and organize your things, and you need to do it all now. No time to waste. Maeve starts and ends most days with a sort of glaze over her eyes that I most certainly project as my own reaction to her extremely rigid daily schedule of keeping up with the skill/drill. 

Last week, I finally saw the lately-rare spark in her eyes when I picked her up from after-school art class. She had created glittered ceramic donuts, along with a wooden donut stand, and had designed a donut menu. I immediately was solicited by the tiny CEO, who informed me her donuts ranged from $100-$800 and I would need to pay her. 

To be human is to create, to put your ideas out into the world. Think of the last thing you were deeply invested in, and tell me it was not related to your own idea or problem you were passionate about. To solve problems and work on our own ideas is generally what, at the most basic level, makes any of us really give a damn at the end of the day, young and old alike. It’s the spark in all of our eyes, a sense of purpose and inspiration we could all use a hefty dose more of—kids in schools, especially. 

In my role and in my circles, I often partake in big-picture, philosophical discussions about education. Different flavors of the same conversation: our schools and communities are in crisis, educators are overwhelmed and in shortage, children/youth are ‘failing’, they’re unmotivated and struggling with mental health, and/or they’re so disconnected from the real world and inadequately prepared for the future—and what are we going to do about it all? 

I don’t have simple answers for public education, but here is what I do know. My years as a high school teacher taught me this very unlikely lesson for a traditional English teacher: to be human is to be entrepreneurial. Students crave opportunities to be active participants, creators, and solutionaries in real-world problems, and the essence of these opportunities is the essence of entrepreneurship. 

To Be Human is to Be Entrepreneurial

I learned this lesson most clearly from my own students, who by the time they were in high school, were exhausted from playing the game of school. Many who struggled to get through, but who came out of the woodwork and shined when the work and task of school shifted—when they were asked to launch real solutions to real problems they experienced every day. Students who I discovered were running successful businesses with their parents outside of school and who thrived when we no longer focused only on their deficits and skills gaps. Students who, in spite of – not because of – school, have gone on to open flower shops, body shops, cosmetic product companies. Students who have built new roles or departments within companies. And like the students we work with at Startland, who have launched viable, sustainable solutions to the community’s greatest needs that affect them—on topics they’re passionate about like immigration, environmental protection, racial equity, and women’s rights—many while still in high school.

To be human is to be entrepreneurial because to be entrepreneurial is to put your ideas and solutions into the world. To be entrepreneurial is to discover purpose, passion, and identity in this life. To be entrepreneurial is to be a shapeshifter with the fast-changing world, ready to meet the demands and challenges we can’t currently imagine. To be entrepreneurial is to build on your life experiences and bring innate value into situations, not deficits—which means being entrepreneurial is a path toward equity. Being entrepreneurial means you take on the world’s problems with confidence, curiosity, and persistence. It means you create opportunity for yourself and others, including economic opportunity and generational wealth. It means you negotiate your ideas with others, manage audacious goals with others, and gain empathy for others. Being entrepreneurial means becoming a leader.

Read that again and tell me it’s not what our children—and world—need now more than ever. And let me be clear— all kids, not just those deemed ready, capable, on grade level, or gifted. 

To be human is to be entrepreneurial, and when we leave entrepreneurship out of schools, or gatekeep these experiences for the elite few inside schools, we leave authentic learning and human development out of schools. Full stop. 

It’s hard to get behind entrepreneurship as educators and as a community. It’s high-risk and often misunderstood. If implemented, entrepreneurship is usually pigeon-holed in business classes or extracurricular clubs rather than scaled across the curriculum for all kids. It’s uncomfortable, to say the least, for most educators, who’ve themselves generally emerged from traditional teacher preparation programs. Philanthropists and policymakers haven’t figured out how to prioritize and invest in K-12 entrepreneurial experiences in a meaningful way. The ROI is not quick. It’s generational. 

At the same time, the role of entrepreneurship in personal and community economic development is well-researched. If you want to create and compound opportunity in communities, you invest in entrepreneurship. 

Entrepreneurship is Misunderstood and Misapplied 

The disconnect I’ve observed is who is having those conversations (economic development professionals) and whom they are having those conversations about (small business owners and startup founders). This trend is shortsighted and siloed. We need to have these discussions about our community’s schools and children, and we need to be having them at every level, as parents, educators, policymakers, funders, and economic development experts—and with the same seriousness and intensity that we discuss and measure reading, writing, and math. 

We can invest in closing critical gaps in literacy and math, but if we aren’t also investing in closing gaps in entrepreneurial opportunity for children at every level, we are widening well-researched opportunity gaps and removing the spark from the eyes of children at every level. 

To be human is to be entrepreneurial, and this innate entrepreneurialism should begin to be nurtured at the same time kids are learning to read, tie their shoes, and sell $800 make-believe ceramic donuts. These are the generations whose huge hearts and imaginations will be soon tasked—in a more complex and conflict-ridden world than ever before—with creating opportunity for themselves, their communities, and leading us all.

Katie Kimbrell is the Director of Startland Education, a program of Startland, a 501(c)3 nonprofit. At Startland Education, our mission is to bring human-centered design thinking to classrooms in order to create communities that value our youth and inspire them as future change leaders and entrepreneurs. To learn how Startland Education can equip and empower educators in design thinking at your school, visit startlandedu.org.

The post Why Entrepreneurship Might Save Our Kids—and the Rest of Us. appeared first on Getting Smart.

Apprenticeships provide an innovative way for educators to experience real-life challenges and hone their professional skills. Allowing aspiring educators to gain hands-on experience, mentorship, and practice in actual classrooms positively impacts the development of their competency levels and the quality of education they can provide throughout their careers. Simultaneously, apprenticeships address the educator shortages many districts and schools are experiencing while creating a durable pathway into the teaching profession. It is essential to recognize that as the education field evolves, apprenticeships hold tremendous potential for the growth and advancement of educators while providing an opportunity for aspiring teachers to earn income while they learn.

One of the critical advantages of educator apprenticeships is the emphasis on practical experience. Traditional education preparation programs have focused on theoretical knowledge, leaving many new educators unprepared for real-world classroom challenges. Apprenticeships offer an immersive learning experience where aspiring educators can actively participate in the teaching process under the guidance of experienced mentor teachers. 

Educator apprenticeships strongly emphasize mentorship, pairing novices with experienced educators who serve as their guides throughout the program. This mentor-mentee relationship allows apprentices to benefit from the wisdom and expertise of seasoned professionals while also receiving ongoing support, constructive feedback, and opportunities to reflect on teaching practices. The mentor model is not new and is cited as a best practice, according to the Educator Prep Lab at the Learning Policy Institute, and is backed by a rich evidence base that prioritizes educator retention in the profession and other similar factors championed by teacher residency programs. 

Through this mentorship model, teaching apprenticeships foster a culture of continuous professional growth and core competency development. Novice educators receive personalized guidance tailored to individual needs that enables them to develop their strengths while addressing areas that need improvement. 

Another critical component of apprenticeships is the ability to earn while you learn. By offering a stipend or salary during their training, teaching apprenticeships become financially accessible for individuals considering a career change or for those with financial constraints who are passionate about teaching. Moreover, by providing an opportunity for aspiring teachers to work alongside experienced educators, apprenticeships offer a compelling and supportive environment for individuals to transition into education.

As America grapples with a persistent teacher shortage, apprenticeships offer a light at the end of the tunnel. As of October 2022, 4% of all public school teaching positions were vacant. Eighteen percent of public schools had one teaching vacancy, and 27% had multiple teaching vacancies. Teaching apprenticeships can address the deficit by attracting more individuals to the profession. 

Currently, apprenticeship programs are recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor in 16 states, with several more states presently applying for state or federal approval. The Pathways Alliance Apprenticeship Working Group, alongside other Pathways organizations and national partners, created the recently released National Guidelines for Standards for Educator Apprenticeships (NGS). The NGS outlines the requirements and responsibilities an apprenticeship program must be held accountable for and essential guidance about competencies that educators must demonstrate to be considered a successful apprentice.

Under the NGS, the term of the apprenticeship is at least one full school year of paid on-the-job learning (OJL)/clinical practice working alongside a mentor teacher who is the teacher of record for the classroom. The apprentice must demonstrate the competencies described in the Work Process Schedule throughout at least one K-12 academic year. Total time spent in the apprenticeship program, including during the school day, in professional learning opportunities, and preparation for classroom work, must be at least 2,000 hours. Exposure to constant feedback while operating amid real-life situations offers passionate individuals the opportunity to hone the emotional intelligence and capacity for adaptation needed in a capable teacher. 

This comprehensive framework outlines an apprentice’s professional and pedagogical skills alongside wage guidance and clinical hour requirements and offers standards for environments with and without collective bargaining. All guidelines are underpinned by an evidence-based approach to educator development and training from the Biden-Harris Administration’s call to provide high-quality apprenticeship programs and more for current and future educators. 

Looking ahead, it’s essential to keep in mind that teaching apprenticeships have the potential to transform educator preparation and deserve our attention and enthusiasm. The Pathways Alliance is contributing to that momentum by releasing a series of webinars focusing on apprenticeships and resources to help districts, states, IHEs, and other stakeholders understand this vital opportunity. 

In the first in the series released this August, Pathways Alliance collaborated with Dallas College and Deans For Impact to discuss how Dallas College has developed its apprenticeship model. The next exciting apprenticeship-focused webinar was a collaboration with AACTE (The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education) and AIR (American Institute for Research), which focused heavily on the role of EPPs.

The Pathways Alliance aims to build a national coalition focused on supporting and implementing diverse and inclusive educator preparation pipelines. By continuing to explore how apprenticeships and teacher residency programs can be continuously adapted to meet the challenges of the ever-changing education sector, Pathways Alliance and its partners have the potential to play a significant role in accelerating innovation toward an equitable, inclusive, and radically different future for all learners. 

Sabrina Baptiste leads InnovateEDU’s LAB Corps Fellowship program, which provides training and professional development to novice educators providing small group instruction and mentorship to middle school students.

The post The Future of Teaching Apprenticeships: Empowering Educators and Transforming Education appeared first on Getting Smart.