How a compelling vision for excellent teaching supports Deeper learning A shared vision is paramount in moments of great change, ambiguity, and untapped potential. It allows leaders to clarify choices, weigh short and long-term benefits and constraints, and prioritize. Within school systems, a defined instructional vision is the north star for success and coherent improvement … Continued
Our world is made up of ecosystems, both large and small, where certain factors must be in place for human systems and social structures to thrive. Consider a construction crew on a building site: specific technical conditions are needed for a construction crew to do their job well. Things like a project plan, sound blueprints, … Continued
Every day, students count on their teachers to nurture the knowledge and skills they’ll need for future success. One critical support in this endeavor is a high-quality curriculum. The benefits are clear: It offers a common foundation for lessons, so there’s no mystery about what students should be learning and what teachers should be teaching. … Continued
Math allows us to make sense of our world. When students see the power and joy in mathematics—not just the steps—they can use math knowledge and problem-solving skills to build the lives they dream about. That’s why the Los Angeles Unified School District is taking on an ambitious three-year effort to give students in every … Continued
Recapping Content-Based Summer Professional Development We all want today’s students to be ready to thrive in the future. That’s why Leading Educators is partnering with visionary school districts nationally to nurture excellent teaching across classrooms and to expand opportunity for more than 286,000 students this year. One of our newest partners is Cincinnati Public Schools … Continued
Chicago Public Schools wants to ensure “every student in every school has access to a high-quality curriculum that engages their interest and celebrates their diversity.” For years, educators in Chicago used different materials or designed their own, creating unpredictability around what students would experience even in the same school. With the growing availability of high-quality … Continued
The future is changing rapidly, and it also promises students new opportunities not seen by past generations. Climate change, artificial intelligence, and the threat of future pandemics will create demand for deep knowledge in math and science. So are today’s students ready? The most recent report from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) revealed … Continued
In my fourth year of teaching, I joined a school that aimed to revolutionize education, one where we didn’t use traditional textbooks. Instead, teachers were expected to create their entire curriculum—or the sequence of lessons that build essential knowledge and skills—themselves. While we received training on standards—the broad learning goals for what students should know, … Continued
Expanding Opportunity at Acceleration Schools It was August 2019, and Charleston County School District (CCSD) was facing a unique challenge. For a couple of years, school ratings were on the rise, and while students were eager to learn, nearly half of students were struggling with math and reading. Leaders in CCSD’s central office realized something … Continued
Introducing Field Notes The past few years have been filled with some discouraging news about education. However, we have seen much of the opposite first-hand. Our partners across the country—visionary K-12 educators, instructional leaders, and district decision-makers —are proving what’s possible for students by making smart instructional moves at a time of high stakes. We’re … Continued
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