Teaching & Learning

Our students must successfully navigate a rapidly changing world, participate in a complex and increasingly diverse democracy, and engage fully in the ever-evolving 21st century workplace. Our students must be able to communicate their ideas effectively, think creatively, work collaboratively to solve problems, and manage their own learning. They need to develop dispositions—or mindsets—that empower them to confront new challenges, take initiative, and persevere through difficulties and setbacks.

With this in mind, our goal is to support students in developing: a deep understanding of core academic content; the ability to transfer that understanding to novel problems and situations; and the skills necessary to be a transforming influence in the world.

Guiding Principles

Deeper Learning

A program of deeper learning seeks to provide each student with the skill set necessary to excel in a complex world. The deeper learning outcomes of collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, citizenship, character, and communication are equal to, and a catalyst for, mastering academic content. Deeper learning is a student-centered, idea-centered program designed for students to contribute, make meaning, and self-manage their learning. Deeper learning leverages learning partnerships, digital resources and tools, and learning environments to create authentic, contextualized learning experiences for all students.

Early Learning

Leveraging Digital

We must always focus on the learning we want our students to experience first and then we begin to explore the digital tools that can support that learning. When Digital Tools are available throughout the school and used in powerful ways, deeper levels of understanding and higher engagement are possible. Educators must be clear about how digital tools will be used. Students should be able to articulate how tools are helping them reflect on their learning and work in ways that could not have been achieved otherwise.

Curriculum Design (Learning Experiences Designed to Promote Transfer)

Why is curriculum changing? Deeper Learning is best achieved when students are socially, emotionally, and cognitively engaged. We are redesigning what and how we teach to provide greater flexibility for teachers, while also supporting an intentional development of the six Global Competencies. Through our curriculum, students cultivate these essential competencies as they explore concepts that are relevant today, were relevant in the past, and will remain relevant in the future. Our goal is to create learning experiences that are more about a deep transferable understanding and less about the recall of facts that previously shaped education around the globe for many decades. Following are some of the key resources supporting these transformation efforts.

Guiding Principles for Curriculum Development
Idea Centered- Student Centered Design
CRESST Discussion Tool

Staff

Professional Learning

We aim to support our teachers in being opportunistic in support of each child through professional learning, collaboration, and consulting by teacher-leaders with developing expertise. When educators trust and respect one another and feel responsible for each other’s success as learners, they are able to function as professionals in a collaborative community. Our goal is to leverage the professional capacities of teachers working together to design and deliver deep, meaningful learning experiences to all students.

Professional Resources

We understand that it is critical to support teachers in their professional growth and development. We do this through a comprehensive induction program that provides support through a teachers first three years in the profession. We follow this with support for developing expertise in years three through six with the intent of having all of our teachers with the skills and knowledge to become National Board Certified. The following resources support teachers in their professional growth:

Teacher Leadership

With a goal of having teachers who are opportunistic in support of each child, we must leverage the professional capacities of teachers working collaboratively to design and deliver deep, meaningful learning experiences to all students. Support for teachers is transformed by providing regular professional learning and collaboration facilitated by teachers along with consultant teachers who assist with the actual application of new learning in the classroom. We understand teacher leadership to be one of the critical leverage points for transforming the school experience for all students.

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