The Portrait of a Graduate is a unique and locally tailored vision that outlines the competencies and transferable skills that support a learner’s long-term success. It serves as the guiding North Star for systemic transformation. This collective vision not only defines the essential knowledge, skills, and mindsets desired for students upon graduation but also rekindles engagement and enthusiasm among students, teachers, administrators, and community stakeholders. It provides strategic direction for a thorough redesign of the overall educational experience, ensuring the growth, adaptability, and ultimate success of every learner in our ever-evolving world.

Simultaneously, the Portrait of a System elevates this vision beyond aspiration, underscoring the need for a deliberate focus and alignment throughout the entire school district. Collaborating closely with dedicated district leaders cultivates a strategic shift by establishing new conditions, processes, and practices that promote equitable and enduring 21st-century experiences for both educators and students alike. This alignment ensures seamless integration of the vision at every level of the educational ecosystem, fostering a cohesive and purposeful transformation. Districts and schools support these with codesigned learning models, curriculum frameworks, and instructional models.

At the core of this transformative process lies the Portrait of an Educator, recognizing that educators’ competence and dedication can shape the overall learning experience for every student. By purposefully integrating rigorous academic content with 21st-century skills, mindsets, and literacies, educators play a pivotal role in bringing the vision to life. The Portrait of an Educator framework guides the identification and design of essential tools, resources, and support systems, empowering educators to effectively deliver on the district’s new vision with passion and proficiency. Leadership within this systemic design requires more than traditional management traits.

The Portrait of a Leader describes the optimal competencies required by leaders (both at the governance and administrative levels) to support educators in implementing the learning model and helping every student achieve the Portrait of a Graduate. 

This nested approach paves the way for a truly transformative path that upholds the hopes and dreams of a community. It nurtures a generation of students equipped with the essential skills and mindsets to thrive in a dynamic, ever-changing world. The intentional system-wide shift fosters an inclusive, forward-thinking, and learner-centered education, empowering students to become future-ready leaders and active contributors to a flourishing society.

Step 1: Engage with the Broader Community

As school system leaders, there is a responsibility to nurture the education and well-being of every child. To prepare students as lifelong learners and contributors, it’s critical to begin by engaging with the broader community to identify shared aspirations and address essential questions:

• What are the hopes, dreams, and aspirations of our community for its young people?
• In the face of a rapidly changing, complex world, what specific skills and mindsets do our children need to succeed?
• How can we design equitable learning experiences within our school systems, considering all relevant factors?

Step 2: Define the Portrait of a Graduate

Uniquely tailored to each district yet globally relevant, the Portrait of a Graduate acts as the guiding North Star for systemic transformation. This collective vision defines the knowledge, skills, and mindsets desired for students upon graduation, reinvigorating and re-engaging students, teachers, administrators, and community stakeholders. It provides strategic direction for redesigning the overall educational experience, ensuring every student’s growth and success.

Step 3: Align the System with the Portrait of a Graduate

Beyond merely an inspiring vision, a school district must intentionally focus on shifting and aligning the entire system to make the Portrait of a Graduate a tangible reality. Districts must work alongside dedicated school district leaders to facilitate a strategic shift, establishing new conditions, processes, and practices that foster equitable and enduring 21st-century experiences for both educators and students. This alignment ensures the vision’s seamless integration throughout all levels of the system.

Step 4: Empower Educators with the Portrait of a Educator

At the heart of this transformative journey lies the overall learning experience provided to every student. By purposefully integrating rigorous academic content with 21st-century skills, mindsets, and literacies, educators play a vital role in bringing the vision to life. The Portrait of an Educator framework guides the identification and design of essential tools, resources, and support to empower educators to deliver on the district’s new vision effectively.

Step 5: Equip Leaders with the Portrait of a Leader

A Portrait of a Leader serves as a blueprint, outlining the essential competencies and qualities necessary for leaders across different levels of the educational ecosystem. Beyond establishing clear expectations, this portrait offers guidance for navigating of the complex landscape of modern education. In this context, leadership goes beyond conventional management traits. The Portrait of a Leader empowers educational leaders to effectively inspire, guide and empower their teams, fostering a culture of innovation, adaptability, and continuous improvement. It equips leaders to champion and steer the roadmap for systemic change, ultimately leading to more equitable, learner-centered, and forward thinking educational environments.

Review, Refine, and Celebrate

As we collaborate with system leaders to align their aspirations with daily practices, it can be overwhelming to consider the multitude of shifts required. To continue growing and evolving, it is crucial to acknowledge what is working and build from there. Celebrate progress, growth, and successes within your team and beyond. Recognize systems and teachers who are open to sharing their practices, receiving feedback, and collaborating. This commitment is how networks are formed, allowing us all to learn and grow together. Embrace the transformation, continue learning, and celebrate each step of the journey as you create and implement a Graduate Learning Profile that enriches the lives of your students and prepares them for a thriving future.

The post Charting a Course for Educational Transformation: The Power of Aligned Portraits appeared first on Getting Smart.

This culture can then set the conditions for learners to understand that stress can be reframed as part of the learning process, an opportunity for growth, and a chance to push one’s boundaries. Embracing a growth mindset in the face of stress empowers individuals to approach challenges (and new learning) with resilience and adaptability, leading to enhanced learning outcomes and improved performance.

Equipping learners with a solid understanding of learning science empowers them to appreciate the importance of conditions, context, and thriving in their educational journey. Thoughtful feedback practices further enrich this transformative culture. By embracing these fundamental concepts, both educators and parents embark on a journey of transformation, redefining their view of productive struggle and embracing fresh learning experiences.

However, the real impact of growth mindset work comes to life when it seamlessly integrates into daily life, supported by systemic approaches that align with this vision. To genuinely cultivate a growth mindset culture, educators must avoid underestimating their learners’ potential and courageously address the harmful impact of systemic racial inequities in education. This unwavering belief in the capacity of historically underrepresented students to engage with challenging content is a cornerstone of fostering inclusivity. 

Educators create a learning environment that empowers every student, regardless of their background by recognizing and confronting these inequities head-on. This means breaking down barriers, providing targeted support, and nurturing a truly inclusive atmosphere that amplifies the voices of underrepresented students. By applying the strategies and tools provided below, learners gain a sense of empowerment in their learning journey and their ability to shape their own growth.

Implementation Progressions around a Growth Mindset Learning Culture:

• Fostering a Safe & Supportive Learning Environment
• Decoding How We Learn And the Power of Mindsets
• Embracing Feedback And Harnessing Self-Talk

Educators optimize their professional learning best when they are part of the co-designing and refinement and provide deliberate feedback. These progressions can also be integrated as educator competencies or included in a comprehensive Portrait of an Educator. For more details on these stages and their origin, we invite you to explore these articles Five Steps to Embed Growth Mindset Practices and Growth Mindset is More than a Bulletin Board.

SAFE & SUPPORTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT PRACTICES 

• Value and Acknowledge Learners: Prioritize recognizing and appreciating learners’ value when designing learning experiences. When learners feel valued and heard, it cultivates an environment that fosters recognition and enhances their readiness to learn. Validating and affirming their contributions is essential, as it acknowledges their unique perspectives and actively encourages their involvement in the learning process. Stephanie Malia Krause shares free resources from her latest book, Whole Child, Whole Life, 10 Ways to Help Kids Live, Learn, & Thrive. Tips for building connections and competencies. 
• Building Trust and a Safe Place: Establish an environment of trust by prioritizing relationship building. Begin by focusing on building relational trust through activities such as “Building Relational Trust” from Liberatory Design Implementation Cards, which feature design mindsets used at the Stanford d.school. NEA shared a recorded webinar titled “Building Trust in Indigenous Communities” and MDRC and The Education Trust have a helpful brief on “The Importance of Strong Relationships.” Design learning spaces for learners to take risks, ask questions, and freely share their thoughts, fostering an atmosphere where learning can flourish. 
• Cultivate Respect and Prioritize Learner Ideas: Create a learning environment that values and respects learner ideas. When learners feel that their thoughts and perspectives are respected and valued, they are more likely to share and express themselves without fear of judgment. This inclusive approach fosters psychological safety, enabling learners to engage in discussions and express their creativity confidently and without negative consequences.

HOW WE LEARN & MINDSETS PRACTICES

• Reflect for Self-Awareness: Promote reflection to gain insights into learners’ feelings about themselves and their learning experiences. By providing opportunities for learners to reflect on moments of success and challenges throughout the day, educators bridge the gap between experiences and understanding of optimal learning methods. This reflective practice encourages metacognition, self-awareness, and a deeper comprehension of individual learning preferences.
• Embrace Learning Science: Explicitly teach the dynamic nature of the brain, emphasizing that it evolves and grows throughout life. Adopt a phased approach to teach learning science, highlighting the concepts around neuroplasticity. 
• Supplement Curriculum: Engage learners by sharing and reviewing videos that illuminate the intricate workings of the brain. Consider integrating resources like the MindUP  Curriculum, which offers K-8 materials, including videos tailored to specific grade levels (e.g., grades 3-5). Turnaround for Children, now the Center for Whole Child Education at ASU Teachers College, offers resources around brain development (Stress and the Brain) for teachers. 

• Empower Parents & Families: Provide valuable resources for families and caregivers to enhance their understanding of brain development. MindsetWorks offers useful tools such as Brainology and Growing Early Mindsets (GEM). The Mindset Continuum chart helps identify mixed mindsets and offers insights into fostering growth.
• Address Misconceptions. Stay abreast of recent articles that challenge common misconceptions about learning cultures. By staying informed and up-to-date on the latest research and insights educators can foster an environment that nurtures understanding and growth.  

FEEDBACK AND SELF-TALK PRACTICES

• Encourage Feedback: Recognize the significance of feedback as a powerful tool for growth and development. Emphasize the importance of delivering feedback constructively and thoughtfully to provide valuable insights into learners’ progress and areas for improvement.
  • Consider adopting a coaching approach when providing feedback, paying attention to tone and quality. Edutopia offers strategies in their article for enhancing the coaching approach. 
  • Expand or create a feedback toolkit by exploring suggested sentence stems, such as the ones provided by Mindset Works. Review and adapt these phrases to suit your style and practice incorporating them into your feedback repertoire. 
  • Utilize the School Reform Initiative organization, which shares a protocol chart for identifying warm, cool, and hard perspectives.  
• Nurturing Positive Self-Talk: Teach self-talk and self-awareness through modeling. As both a teacher and a learner, share your thoughts with students when receiving feedback, especially if it comes from them after a learning experience.
  • Co-generate a class list with learners by collecting examples of nonproductive self-talk and brainstorming alternative approaches. Classmates can then practice this with a trusted partner, or as trust and the culture grows this list can be posted for peers to support one another.
  • Develop mindful observations of learners akin to running records rather than quick assumptions. Refer to Kristine Mraz and Christine Hertz Hausman’s book, A Mindset for Learning,” which offers a chart of observable behaviors of learners and the examples of self-talk that may be occurring.
  • Engage in “think alouds” is a simple yet powerful technique that allows for exemplary modeling of self-talk practices. 
  • Digital Promise also provides some positive self-talk resources and strategies on their Literacy 7-12 site.

To genuinely cultivate a growth mindset culture, avoid underestimating learners’ potential and bravely confront the harmful effects of systemic racial inequities in education. This unwavering belief in every student’s capacity to engage with challenging content is at the core of fostering inclusivity and empowerment. By embracing these principles, educators, and parents become powerful agents of change, enabling learners to thrive, succeed, and embrace a lifelong journey of learning and growth.

The post Creating an Inclusive Learning Culture Through Trust, Feedback Cycles, and Positive Self-Talk appeared first on Getting Smart.

This instructional approach revolves around three key stages: setting desired outcomes from the start, devising a plan to evaluate and achieve the outcomes, and formulating a strategic learning approach. The emphasis is placed on the process and tailoring the starting point for appropriateness (find out more about this on the ASCD website). Learning systems undergoing instructional shifts often prioritize strengthening instructional practices, and Backward Planning by Design serves as a foundational practice for personalized learning. 

A Collaborative Tool: Implementation Progressions 

The continuum below is a guide for educators to revisit Backward Planning and foster a systemic approach in classrooms and learning systems. It originated in Colorado through a collaboration involving K-12 educators, leaders, and stakeholders in Mesa County Valley School District 51. While it has been refined over time, the core purpose has not changed. Educators optimize learning and refine instruction through co-design and deliberate feedback. These progressions can also be integrated as educator competencies or included in a comprehensive Portrait of an Educator.

• Identify Learning Outcomes 
• Determine Acceptable Evidence
• Design Learning

In personalized learning frameworks, learner agency and co-designing elements are essential, empowering learners to contribute to their educational journey. To support this, there is an additional row for learner agency, followed by a section that emphasizes aligned instructional strategies. 

IDENTIFY LEARNING OUTCOMES PRACTICES

Learning outcomes can pull from competencies or standards. They may also be referred to as learning goals, Essential Understandings, Essential Questions, and Knowledge and Skills 

• Consider the learning outcomes. Questions to consider:
  • What are the essential concepts for students to understand?
  • What essential questions will students keep considering?
  • What knowledge and skills will students acquire?
  • What established outcomes are targeted?
• Review the depth of knowledge identified to know the learning outcomes. Set clear, achievable, and measurable learning goals and share them with learners. Prioritize collaborative, learner-centered learning. Determine how the design of learning contributes to a learner’s success and how the assessment process will impact the final mark (reassessment opportunities). 

DETERMINE ACCEPTABLE EVIDENCE PRACTICES

Assessment design incorporates assessment literacy and learning science principles to effectively utilize formative, summative, and performance assessments.

• Consider the assessments and performance tasks learners will complete in order to demonstrate evidence of understanding and learning. How will I know if students have achieved the desired results? What will I accept as evidence of student understanding and proficiency?
• Choose the types of assessments to gather evidence that will be used for designing. Considering Summative,  the culminating assessment activity at the end of the unit or a version of a formative assessment, that measures learners’ understanding along the way, such as quizzes, reflections, peer feedback, conferring, performance tasks, or practice work. 
• Access Prior Knowledge & Gather Feedback. This can occur through a pre-assessment, a type of diagnostic assessment to check students’ existing knowledge (which may not be needed in learning systems where the data is not averaged or archived) and/or formative check-ins (most common: KWL organizers, pre-tests, skill checks, and interest surveys (start of year/course). Timely, specific, and descriptive feedback that invites and allows student improvement
• Self & Peer Assessment. A key component of effective formative assessment is the involvement of learners in the process. This process Impacts the brain’s executive functions, ability to focus attention, monitor actions, and use feedback to make adjustments when necessary
• Performance Assessment. The authentic application of learning, the ultimate transfer of learning. Learners show what they know – not just for their teachers, but for themselves.

DESIGN LEARNING PRACTICES

Backward Planning from selected assessments and outcomes should incorporate instructional strategies and activities. Instructional strategies and learning activities are evaluated and considered for learning design. 

• Questions to consider:
  • What enabling knowledge (facts, concepts, principles) and skills (processes, procedures, strategies) will learners need in order to achieve desired results?
  • What activities will equip students with the needed knowledge and skills?
  • What materials and resources are best suited to accomplish these goals?
  • How will course material and learning experiences be organized?
• Instructional strategies are the teaching methods used to present new information. Methods can include teacher-centered approaches like demonstrations or lectures or student-centered approaches like peer discussion and inquiry-based learning. Instructional activities are the specific ways in which students interact with the course content. These activities run the gamut of watching educational videos, creating posters or presentations, completing a group project, or playing learning-based games 

These implementation progressions serve as a reflective tool for educators and PLC teams to self-assess their understanding and application of the Backward Planning stages. These tools foster a culture of reflection and growth, leading to ongoing improvements in instructional practices and enhancing learner achievement. 

The post Charting the Path for Personalized Learning By Planning Backward appeared first on Getting Smart.

Most recently, Tacoma Public Schools kicked off the planning and building of the Maritime Skills Center that will serve students across south Puget Sound and expand choice opportunities. With the Port of Tacoma covering nearly 2,500 acres of the area surrounding the school district, it was natural for the Port and the school district to partner and support learners and a healthy maritime workforce. Set to open in 2025, the skills center will four main focus areas:

• Sustainability
• Technology & Innovation
• Transportation & Logistics
• Skilled & Technical Trades

Choice schools and personalized pathways are a growing trend in education, providing learners with more options and flexibility. These options allow students to choose from a range of programs, from arts-focused schools to science and technology academies, and even schools that focus on social justice and community service.

One such choice school in Tacoma is the Science and Math Institute (SAMi). SAMi is a public high school campus that shares space with the Point Defiance Zoo. The school offers a curriculum focused on science, math, and technology. The school is designed to be project-based, allowing students to take on real-world problems and apply their learning to hands-on projects that often involve place-based approaches that include the zoo and surrounding parks and beaches. 

Another choice school in Tacoma is the Tacoma School of the Arts (SOTA). SOTA is a public high school that provides students with a creative and immersive arts education. The school offers a wide range of programs, from theater and dance to visual arts and music. SOTA’s curriculum is designed to help students develop their artistic talents while also providing them with a strong academic foundation.

The IDEA School focuses on a student-centered education to create a community of learners who are engaged in meaningful, challenging, and collaborative work alongside teachers, adjunct professors, and experts from the field. They provide a variety of programs including pathways around Engineering and Design. These pathways can unpack into areas around circuitry, industrial design, robotics, game design, green architecture, animation, and music production. The key design principle for learning is shaped by project-based learning and the art of prototyping and the process of design thinking. The grading emphasis for this learning environment is on the learning process and the growth captured along the way more than an averaged outcome mark.

Tacoma Public Schools provides a second chance program through the Open Doors Youth Re-Engagement Program, called Willie Stewart Academy. This option is for students between 16-21 years of age who have dropped out or are at risk of dropping out of high school. The program offers an individualized approach as an alternative pathway for students to obtain their diplomas. The program provides students with instruction, study skills, career guidance, and social-emotional support as they work towards obtaining a GED certification. They offer wrap-around services to help students from various life circumstances. 

The Jobs 253 program is a specialized initiative catering to Tacoma Public School sophomores and juniors. It provides a comprehensive learning experience by offering 40 hours of job training and experience that will help them develop work readiness skills, such as resume and interview preparation, while also boosting their self-confidence and personal growth.

Tacoma Public Schools’ commitment to choice schools is part of a larger effort to rethink urban education. The district is working to provide students with more options and opportunities to succeed, no matter their background or interests. Tacoma Public Schools is leading the way in personalized options for its students, families, and community through ongoing investments in education and innovation. 

The post Tacoma Adding More Personalized Learning Opportunities appeared first on Getting Smart.

Our choice in what we measure reflects our values, but we must also engage in conversations about how to effectively support what we value. It is not enough to focus solely on the outcomes; we must also consider the processes and support structures that enable learners to thrive.

Stephanie Malia Krauss’s book, “Whole Child, Whole Life: 10 Ways to Help Kids Live, Learn, and Thrive” addresses the concern of kids giving up or burning out before reaching adulthood. Krauss, who has experience as a classroom teacher, school leader, and national leader on education issues, explores the importance of understanding and addressing the holistic needs of children in order to promote their overall well-being.

Whole Child Portraits: Moving beyond demographics and determinants, Krauss challenges the traditional approach of profiling children based solely on academic and demographic factors. Instead, she advocates for a broader perspective that considers a child’s individuality, health and developmental milestones, and the context in which they exist.  

“At its worst, profiling dehumanizes children. It depicts them without dimensions and details, leaving us to sort, group, assume, and judge. At its best, profiles are a jumping-off point – a collection of data and insights that begin to tell us who a kid is and what they need to thrive.”

By turning profiles into portraits, educators, and caregivers can gain a deeper understanding of each child’s unique strengths, struggles, and needs.  

10 Whole Life Practices 

1. Meet basic needs
2. Prioritize mental health
3. Invest in personal interests
4. Nurture healthy relationships
5. Build community and belonging
6. Embrace identities and culture
7. Attend to the past and the present
8. Act with a 100 year mindset
9. Be a force for good
10. Seek awe and wonder

Whole Life Practices: Above are ten proven practices to support young people’s well-being throughout their lives. These practices extend beyond academic and cognitive development to encompass physical and mental health, personal interests, spiritual development, and more. By considering and addressing these aspects in unison, educators and caregivers can support children’s overall growth and development.  

It is important to note that Krauss emphasizes the significance of adults attending to their own growth in this process as well as the need for cross-training among educators and caregivers to ensure they have a comprehensive understanding of health-related issues that may impact children’s learning and overall well-being.

Aim for Wholeness: Assessing well-being involves recognizing when children are thriving and understanding which indicators to look for. Krauss encourages the use of developmental growth charts that extend beyond academic milestones, encompassing social-emotional and physical progress. By having a comprehensive grasp of a child’s well-being, educators and caregivers can provide targeted support and interventions when necessary.

Stephanie Malia Krauss provides valuable insights and practical strategies to ensure children thrive in all aspects of their lives. Understanding the whole child is crucial for their success, both now and certainly in the future.

For more information on Whole Child, Whole Life you can visit the book website at WholeChildWholeLife.com. Images in this blog are taken directly from the book and created by Manuel Herrera.  

The post Districts Must Consider The Portrait of a Whole Child appeared first on Getting Smart.

The challenge, however, becomes implementation. With Katie Martin, we highlight the specific steps to take the Portrait of a Graduate into reality. Nomenclature can be confusing here, so for clarity, we define some overlapping terms. A Portrait of a Graduate (also called a Profile of a Learner, Learner Outcomes, Profile of a Graduate, etc.) consists of a set of competencies (also called outcomes, proficiencies, etc.). Competencies are broken down into progressions (also called indicators, rubrics, etc.) that describe multiple levels of proficiency on each competency. Most progressions articulate a level of competency that is expected of learners prior to earning a credential (such as a diploma).

These competencies can be:

• core: high-level skills in core academic areas such as written communication, mathematical thinking, etc.
• technical: high-level skills specific to a particular sector, often CTE related, and
• transferable: transferable across multiple sectors often built into the Portrait of a Graduate)

Regardless of the type, competencies are broad assertions that a learner can apply a particular set of skills across multiple situations with varied contexts.

Learners that can demonstrate these competencies are better equipped both personally and professionally as adults. And, the one question we continue to get is how to specifically assess competencies once a progression of indicators has been built out for each competency?

Traditional standardized assessments often are accurate but not valid measures of a learner’s potential. When assessing deeper learning and application, there are multiple methods to assess a competency. With these types of assessments, it is challenging for measures of assessment to be both valid (correctly measuring what you want to measure) and accurate (being consistent in what you measure).

Standards-based

While standards-based is not competency-based, it is certainly related and worth explaining. The main difference lies in the granularity of a standard (very specific) compared to the more broad skill applications described in competencies. All public schools are required to design curriculum that aligns to state-mandated standards. Some schools explicitly connect all learning, especially in math and literacy, to standards. Most primary schools are now using standards-based report cards with students where each class articulates student proficiency on a set of standards for that class. These standards are evaluated using rubrics that can describe three to four levels of performance where the third level is often deemed “proficient” and the fourth level is deemed “exceeding/extending/applying”.

Dr. Robert Marzano has extended standards-based work to help schools build Proficiency Scales for each standard. These scales articulate the content and skills expectations leading up to and exceeding the standard. This assessment rubric shows performance on the skills/expectations of the level of proficiency. Portage High School in Indiana articulates proficiency scales around each standard, as an example.

Competency-based 

Competencies are larger grain size compared to standards, and are transferable across multiple domains, supporting relevancy and useinto the future. Often, competencies are evaluated via performance assessments, complex applied tasks to demonstrate understanding of the competency in multiple and novel contexts. Stanford University’s SCALE initiative offers a database of performance assessments. In competency-based assessment systems three approaches have emerged in the landscape.

Rubric-based competency systems are often found in secondary schools and use the levels of performance articulated in the progression as a rubric. Students submit and re-submit work until they get to a proficient performance level, typically a three. Levels 1-2 show progress along the way, but these lower performance levels are meant to guide the student not serve as levels of attainment. Once a student has submitted enough evidence against level 3, then they could challenge themselves to the exceeding or level 4 performance. In this system, students are submitting and resubmitting until they receive a 3 or 4 on multiple artifacts. At that point, the student has demonstrated proficiency on the competency. Northern Cass in North Dakota uses this system)

Progression-based competency systems are different. A progression may be a series of levels, depending on whether this is a PK-Graduate system or a secondary approach only,  and a student is expected to demonstrate proficiency at one level before moving onto another level. This progression based system implies that a student will demonstrate evidence toward each level. Summit Learning’s Cognitive Skills, Building21’s Competency Continuum, and XQ Competencies are all built on this system.

Rubric/progression-hybrid competency systems articulate a progression of indicators for each competency and articulate assessment rubrics for each level of performance. This approach is complex in terms of construction, but provides clarity on each indicator for both the learner and the educator. Specifically, for any given indicator, the evidence submitted is evaluated against the rubric to assess the quality of the submission.

Determination of proficiency threshold

Once a school has a set of competencies, a related progression and has made a decision around how the progression will be used, a series of protocols on how to determine proficiency must be made. Often these protocols are dependent on a teacher who is assessing the artifacts submitted toward the particular competency. Some competencies may only require one artifact while others may require more. Some schools may decide to use a mathematical determination if they are applying a rubric-based competency system. The average of the last three scores, the highest scores, or a decaying average all are methods to determine proficiency on a competency (these calculations are also used in standards-based systems). Some LMS platforms will provide these options (or allow a school to build its own custom auto-calculation). Whether teacher-determined or calculated, proficiency determination should aim for both accuracy and validity.

Translation of Competency Systems for Reporting

While traditional letter grades are typically not relevant in a competency-based system, a translation is sometimes needed to meet state, district or school requirements around grades, courses, etc. This can be challenging as competencies are binary, you either do or do not meet the expectations articulated in the competency progression. However, a few different methods are observed in schools. First, a competency-average is when the score on each competency (which was determined by an auto-calculation or teacher determination) is averaged across the competencies for the course. That resulting average is translated into a letter grade through a school-determined translation table. Second, competency-completion looks at the number of total competencies in a course and the number of competencies determined proficient and calculates a “percent-proficient” score. This score is then translated into a letter grade for the course. This last option avoids any averaging but does run into the issue of timing in that competencies are meant to be completed over time, so your percent-proficient score will increase over time.

Conclusion

Assessment of competencies tends to be the most challenging change for schools and districts implementing a competency-based system – especially when constrained by state reporting, eligibility, and college applications. Being clear on approaches and methods from the start can provide clarity for all members of the community.

The post Measuring Learning Growth: Competencies and Standards appeared first on Getting Smart.

You know how sometimes you are super excited about a session, but you’re also super excited about a conversation you’re having and then you accidentally miss the session… yeah. Same. Fortunately, DLAC has designed a solution.

DLAC has strands of sessions, meaning people will often show up on the programming multiple times and in multiple formats. That way, instead of getting down on yourself for taking a longer lunch break with a crew you just met from Colorado (while ordering your tacos), you discover the presenters have another session with a core theme related to the previously missed session.

This conference has been designed for differentiation. When you think about typical conferences it can follow a formula of a) Establish an organization, b) Run the organization for a few years, c) Members of the organization demand a conference, d) The organization creates the conference for members and e) Start to invite other organizations to the conference. However, when we look at the origin story of the Digital Learning Annual Conference (DLAC), it’s a different story.

The story of DLAC. Back in the pre-COVID world of 2017, the Digital Learning Collaborative (DLC), a group of people and organizations focused on online and hybrid learning, noticed there wasn’t a space for them to call their own. Many of the members were administrators or teachers in the digital learning community and engaged with students online years before the rest of the world rushed to do so. Fast forward to April 2019 when the DLC kicked off the first conference with over 500 attendees in Austin, Texas. Gathering everyone in February of 2020, and with the global shutdown looming, attendance almost doubled.

Much of the increase was due to attendees from the previous year bringing their entire teams to the conference because there was such a need for community and learning in the digital landscape. When many learning opportunities needed to be closed, reduced, or just available online, DLAC was able to keep its events open by providing creative options. In 2021, DLAC provided the first truly hybrid conference with 500 attendees in person (which was limited by the hotel) and supported 700 attendees online. In 2022, DLAC offered a change of scenery by hosting the conference in Atlanta, Georgia where 1600 virtual and in-person participants gathered to learn and share. In response, DLAC carved its own path as a conference. Since that time, DLAC has grown to about 2000 participants in person and online in 2023. As the digital learning landscape continues to grow, DLAC continues to evolve to meet the needs of all learners.

DLAC 2023. This year, the event’s Call for Proposals was organized around Blended Learning, Digital Learning, Hybrid Learning, and Online Learning. The themes utilized for selection:

• Accountability
• Communications/Marketing
• Continuity of Learning
• Design/Refine Your School/Program
• Digital Content
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion
• Funding/Policy
• Innovation
• Professional Development
• Quality
• Research
• Teaching Strategies
• Technology

In addition to the pre-conference online options to start building momentum, there were also invitations for state affiliations to meet and build a network. We were able to talk with Allison Powell, a co-founder of DLAC, about the design of the conference, which is intentionally designed to support varying needs and interests as well as to accommodate different styles of participant learning. A topic may be linked across different formats, while some sessions are also meant to link or flow together over the course of three days. From short conversations to larger block workshops – there is a menu of selections.  Each session structure is described below

Shorter Formats:

• Contributed talks are 20-minute segments [15 minutes of presentation, 5 minutes discussion], grouped into three talks, and make up a session. Some of these sessions are coordinated together and link to a shared focus, while others may not have any connection. The short setup has more discussion and sharing time while inviting participants to follow up for more detail with the presenter.
• Table talks are short discussions with very light facilitation. The arrangement of tables can vary by the moderator. The topics are selected to evoke timely and engaged conversations with participants.
• Book Studies are similar to table talks in structure (around 35 minutes) around a book that is focused on digital learning that the presenter selects.
• PechaKucha talks are 20 slides that auto-advance every 20 seconds. These are similar to other short presentations in terms of informational sharing around a concept, except shorter. The structure has an automated functionality that keeps the presentation tight in terms of time and information shared.  
• Posters sessions occur in the exhibit hall and are held later in the day. These are led by exhibitor presenters as well as DLAC attendees sharing research and ideas. Attendees are invited to attend and participate in conversations while enjoying appetizers and drinks.

Longer Formats:

• Workshops and panel discussions are around 75 minutes for sharing a focused topic in more depth. The workshop format is designed with a hands-on opportunity to design and leave with a product. The panels are structured as facilitated discussions and may also turn into lively debates.
• Community-Based Sets of Sessions are structured to be aligned learning opportunities that can be across a series of venues and formats. Attendees are invited to form a community by finding these opportunities that can then extend long after the conference.

The community sessions and experiences were around these six threads:

• Hybrid Schools in Action: A Community-Based Set of Sessions
• Supporting Elementary Students in Becoming Engaged and Independent Online Learners
• Wellness in Education: A Community-Based Approach
• Partnerships to Support Rural Districts and Communities: Roadmaps for Success
• The Curriculum Conundrum: Creating/Selecting Quality Content.
• Historical Traumas, Present Pedagogies, and the Road Toward Future Healing

A personal account of experiencing the community threads. On the second day, we attended “What Does Decolonization look like? How Does it Feel?” led by two practitioners from the Wellness for Educators organization, Shomari Jones and Rebecca Itow. The session laid the groundwork for conversations surrounding what decolonization means, what current practices exist in school systems, and how trauma impacts our physical bodies.

The session was not the only one led by this crew. Later in the day, the same presenters held a Table Talk around the five anchors discussed in My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies, by Reesma Menakem.  This session was followed by an invitation to a food truck park to continue the conversation with others (which made for a great Valentine’s Day gathering). Kathryn Kennedy joined the team on the final morning of the conference as they guided participants through yoga and continued conversions from the previous days. 

Building in a thematic strand with familiar facilitators allows communities to form, encourages a safe place for connection, builds varying entry points for learners, and eliminates the one-and-done approach to gaining knowledge at a conference. It’s differentiation at its finest.

Join the Digital Learning Collective. There’s no need to wait a year to connect with colleagues in the digital learning community. The DLC has a wealth of resources and has various memberships to meet the needs of individuals, teams of teachers, districts, and states. Within the DLC membership, there are 3 established communities.

• Design & Refine: This is mainly for administrators and some teaching practices)
• Policy Protectors: A focus on all things policy
• Research Community: This focus is on connecting research and practice

In addition to memberships, DLC offers guidance for schools and states related to online learning policies and time to connect with others during virtual happy hours.

The post We Are All Digital Learners: Why DLAC is Perfect for You appeared first on Getting Smart.

Implementing scalable change in a learning system requires visionary work, brave conversations, and the ability to be intentional when deciding where to start, how to phase the work ahead, and how to reflect along the journey. Creating human-centric structures can not be achieved through a prescriptive recipe; it does not involve a canned curriculum with a paced delivery. Moving away from our system’s age-old paradigms requires brave leadership–not simple management.

Traditionally, our schools have not been designed to support all learners in achieving as much as possible. Although intended to provide families with access to viable economic pathways, the school has historically been designed, first and foremost, to be efficient. Transforming a learning organization born and bred from within this context takes time, and the route matters. As with any journey, taking the wrong route may prevent you from reaching your intended destination at all.

This blog builds upon Framing and Designing the How, by digging into strategies for determining the ideal pace for implementation of innovation by seeking an understanding of the system you serve (including the students, community, staff, and families). By assessing your organization or team’s capacity for change and commitment, you can identify leverageable phases and determine where to start.

Scaling Change

The level of readiness, urgency and commitment are driving factors in the pace of transformation and the leadership that is required. As a system experiences growth toward the vision,  the understanding, and commitment, will make way for larger levels of implementation to occur.

Starting small could mean a team of teachers collaborating and providing thematic projects or changing a leadership structure at a site. This level of change might lead to all middle schools providing humanities instruction across the system or intentional leadership teams aligned to the needs of sites, not seniority or personal preference.

Another route to change, given the context of capacity and commitment challenges, could be to start innovation through a microschool or learning pathway. This would fall into the small-scale change for a district or large-scale for a school. Providing an incubation hub for educators in the system to innovate or see and engage could lead to demonstration learning environments and eventually phasing onramp options for other groups in a system. Similar to meeting learners where they are on a learning journey, these innovative options can meet educators where they are in their change process.

Very Small Scale: Thematic units between teachers Small Scale:  Design a microschool or HS pathway Large Scale: Early literacy redesign Implement: District-wide learning model

Large-scale change (short of whole-school transformation) could include redesigning early literacy development or assessment practices.

Full-scale implementation, like a district-wide personalized learning adoption, entails changing instructional practices at every level and this requires a high level of skill capacity and beliefs in the transformation. This phased level of change requires different approaches to leadership structures and intentional language around communication. Different levels of scale have varied needs and drivers.

Uncovering Drivers, Assessing Readiness

A collaborative team can support the project managing side of things but must do so in service of leading transformational change, which will not be easy or clean. This is the work that leaders are drawn to do. This is also the work we were drawn to do within this profession; to impact lives, not just the lives that are compliant, receptive, or malleable. Educators want to reach all of the young people we serve.

As communities uncover the need for change around the only learning system they know, that can be unsettling, as change often is. The pandemic exposed our learning systems that were poised to change in this context, those that weathered the storm, and those that barely hung on because the system was so utterly unprepared to change within a different context.

The chart below considers the drivers that are needed to move an organization through transformational change. Considering these drivers can shape the pace by building momentum, inclusion, and common understandings toward the implementation of a learning vision.

Understanding that you have groups at varying levels and studying the motivation and needs of these groups can shape a more considerate and responsive leadership style. This is also true for how the work is communicated and with consideration of the stakeholder roles. Transformational leadership relies on transparency and consistent communication. Leaders must share how they will lead and communicate during the journey to move toward the trust that is required to innovate.

Leaders and Managers

Leading groups in varied places on the journey are similar to but not exactly the same as differentiated learning. With adults, this is their profession, they trained for this career.

The more leaders are aware of the needs and wants of a group or individuals, the better they will communicate and lead. For example, a group of teacher leaders who feel valued in the current model and have a high capacity in delivering personalized learning may need to better understand the reasons (why) around systemic change, or the way a context changes their known strategies. Whereas some groups may already see the need for change and may even work with marginalized groups that the system is not serving. This group may need to understand the how or learn about a set of strategies and pathways that allow for new and innovative approaches.

Leaders need to utilize the expertise and insight of various stakeholders to support systemic change and sustenance. Instead of siloed departments disconnected from their mutual accountability, transformational systems will lean into the ambiguity together. Continuous collaboration, improved communication and more robust identities for roles and contributions will lead to a new way of understanding leadership and possibility.

Leading for Scale and Sustainability

At the same time, the success of a system is never solely the result of one leader’s efforts, but instead because of a collaborative leadership effort. In such a setting, leaders don’t shy away from leaning into the hard stuff, but they also make space for others to be part of crafting the solution, using their collective strengths. A leader acting alone is unlikely to make sustainable change; a leadership team or collective leadership efforts are vital.

Transformational leaders distribute decision-making authority and responsibility to teams closest to focused stakeholder impact, like students. They spot and utilize leaders throughout the organization to staff and lead short-term projects, host or sponsor conversations, and facilitate agreements for improvement and innovation projects. They also give space for leaders in charge of future thinking as well as leaders in charge of the current strategy. Leaning into critical conversations and embracing vulnerability in times of ambiguity are critical phases to moving an organization forward.

Closing Thoughts

To assess a learning system’s level of readiness, an internal learning audit or external needs assessment may be a great place to start. The Carnegie Foundation, a leader in the field of improvement science, offers tools and resources for how to lead change. Co-designing Schools Toolkit provides resources for equitable change at the school level. With a strong understanding of leadership, shared commitments, and values, the work ahead is doable and scalable. The time this will take depends on the readiness of systems, their size, and scale, as well as the health of the communities they serve.

The post Mindful Leadership for Change appeared first on Getting Smart.

I have two children and they both love school and they both enjoy the social aspect of school. For our son, school can come easy, so we have to search for ways to keep him challenged and to truly love the act of learning over succeeding at school. 

When our son shared his accomplishments, although excited for him, I found myself wondering how he read a whole book during reading time. So, I asked. He said every time he finished his work early in class, he was told he could read. I like reading to be encouraged, but I don’t want there to be ‘rewards’ for finishing early; I want my son to receive challenging work that keeps him engaged. I want him to see himself as a learner in search of knowledge who always has more to learn. In essence, the foundational belief behind growth mindset culture, and what I believe is the ultimate goal of education, is to develop a love for learning, seek out ways to grow, and achieve a level of agency in a student’s learning pathway. 

Growth Mindset Awareness

Understanding the concept of fixed mindsets and growth mindsets has helped so many educators (and parents) begin to reshape what is productive struggle and how we embrace new learning. The revolution of language around this concept has swept through schools, classrooms, and hallways. And like with any great education trend, this led to beautifully designed resources available through Pinterest, Instagram, and Teachers Pay Teachers. Posters and bulletin boards were adorned with visuals of what is fixed and what is growth. As an educator, I share the love of a great visual for learning environments but as any educator knows, this work does not happen in isolation or by just putting up a picture. It is part of a larger approach to a learning culture.

Similar to many of the mission statements posted on walls and websites, the growth mindset work can lose impact if it is not embedded into everyday life that includes aligned systemic approaches. A growth mindset can be a cultural approach, one that invites us to think about how we learn, how we define learning, and how we celebrate growth. We have written about Building a Growth Mindset Culture and the phases that support this, including brain research, inner voice work, and how we give feedback. 

Building a Growth Mindset Invites Change

Embedding a growth mindset approach within a learning model sets up a system to embrace and encourage learning growth. Choosing challenging work is considered ‘smart’ and this becomes a norm for learning. A growth mindset culture also sets the stage for larger efforts of systemic change and can be a great foundation for laying the groundwork.

When part of a larger approach, learners grab these concepts quickly. They show initiative with transfer and often share with their families and sports teams, you can hear it influencing the way they speak to one another. 

Thanks to Carol Dweck’s work, Growth Mindset is no longer an unfamiliar term. Building awareness of this concept is a great step in building a learning culture in the classroom. With that work, teaching learners about their brains and how they learn is equally important. When learners can connect this understanding to thoughts about learning, they can become aware of not only how they learn but how they could impact their learning. This awareness includes starting to identify how they face challenges, and what their inner voice tells them as they hit obstacles or struggle with a new concept.

Building A Growth Mindset Culture Does Not Stop At Awareness 

Moving into strategies and tools for learners provides them access to feel empowered in their learning and to be able to impact their growth. These tools can provide reframing strategies to move them through learning obstacles, seek other learning strategies, or ask for help. 

As educators, we must also be aware of how we facilitate learners’ perception of their learning by how we intentionally give feedback and how we coach them through learning struggles. Successful examples are when learners design personal coaching language for themselves and their peers, perhaps posting this in the room and referring to it. When peer-to-peer language changes and the buzz in the learning environment is about achieving new learning and embracing personal growth through ambiguity and productive struggle. 

In A Mindset for Learning: Teaching the Traits of Joyful, Independent Growth, the authors, Kristine Mraz and Christine Hertz, promote the importance of research-based strategies to build independence and that this falls squarely in the world of a growth mindset. They advocate for the value of optimism, persistence, flexibility, resilience, and empathy and provide ways to incorporate this into learning environments. 

Parent as Educator, Educator as a Parent

This is where my mind went as I walked back to our house with my son. I wanted to hear him want more challenging work or share ways he was seeking this in his learning. I recognized that this does not just ‘happen’ at school and would continue to take initiative on my part as well. 

My husband and I committed to being more thoughtful about the family activities we choose, the way we frame feedback, and how we embrace tough issues. What made this equally tough and also vitally important, is that my daughter has significant learning challenges within traditional settings and how, when, and why we praise was incredibly important in terms of messaging between the two siblings. The type of parent work that is often not easy but endlessly worthy. How we provide feedback sends a message to not only how we see learning, but how we see the learner. And in that vein, praise should be considered just as much as constructive feedback and is often most useful when aimed at the process of learning. 

As we are embracing mindset practices across the country, we need to also be more conscious of how we interact with learners; how we support their learning, and how we build their self-awareness of their learning to ensure we are aligned to a growth mindset and not sending a mixed message of what is learning.

The post Growth Mindset is More than a Colorful Bulletin Board appeared first on Getting Smart.

The Golden Circle of the Why, How, and What is a familiar process for organizations. Simon Sinek and others have used this framing to explain the work of alignment and coherence. The referenced circle graphic is intended to guide how we talk about our work as a system, internal and externally. It also is about understanding our why on a personal level. Using this guidance and model has been a popular approach to communicating transformational work in education.

As a learning system, however, we approach the design work in a different order. We are trained to design with a goal in mind, a learning outcome, and a learning experience. After designing the why, we move to the goals, our what, and then set our path to design the how. This process is to define how we learn, our instruction, our assessment, and how we report on growth. After defining the why of what we do, our approach flows next to the outcomes, or the what. Where we dedicate our iterative efforts resides in the how.

Defining the Why

Learning systems are specifically designed to get the results they have, and to change results, we have to redesign the system. In terms of transforming learning, it is crucial to define why a learning organization exists. This process takes time in order to equitably invite stakeholders to process and gain understanding. To intentionally bring diverse voices to the table to build and/or update the vision, and to flatten access by inviting new voices into conversations providing transparency in communication about the process and feedback collected.

This can take shape as a shared vision of purpose and future goals. This vision can also be refined to take a smaller-grain-size shape learning goal commonly referred to as Learner Profiles or Graduate Profiles, which often rest on a human-centered design structure or set of beliefs. Understanding the organization’s role in their community and how they serve this community is a critical starting step in the journey toward providing learner-centered and community-centered learning.

Defining the What

With a vision as a driver and a starting definition of learner profiles, organizations can move to develop an understanding of what learning could look like to support these outcomes. This can often look like an aligned set of competencies or a set of learning look-fors across the system that supports the learning vision by creating a shared understanding of expectations. It could be a set of design principles to shape future learning experiences. There may also be agreed-upon commitments between staff about how to work together to make this vision a reality for all kids. This is not a small task and requires considerable and commendable effort. It is also the beginning and doing this well is a great boost to the work ahead. This defines the why, and the what, and in the best case, it begins to define the how.

As educators, our profession lives day-to-day in the how. This is the not-so-secret sauce to personalized learning, it is the learning model that makes visions of learning a reality. We dedicate our efforts toward this iterative process in hopes of creating transparency and therefore collaboration, agency, and systemic shifts toward learning growth for all our learners.

Defining the HOW

Whether it is called a learning model or a learning framework, the way in which each member of a team supports learning and growth needs clarity and accessibility. For example, an expectation might be set that great teaching is fundamentally about relationships, which requires safety, trust, and the expectation to know our learners, their interests, and their passions. This could be tied to a guiding vision that learners deserve a space to grow, a place that has personalized high expectations and instills a belief that learners can lead their learning choices and become agents and coauthors of their learning path. There could also be a focus on learning culture, mindsets, and dispositions to prepare learners and adults in the organization for future growth and the level of change.

Without framing how the implementation will be inconsistent and may not solve inequitable experiences that most transformational visions are trying to address. In an example of co-designing an instructional framework, a school district in Colorado intentionally designed their groups in coordination with the teacher association while also including representation from leadership and board representation. Successful efforts toward implementation have provided meaningful and thoughtful ways for all teachers to share in the design. This includes continuing to collect iterative feedback after initial implementation and placing educators closest to the level of implementation directly at the heart of the process.

Example of reviewing programs and learning approaches toward a vision of learning

Designing the Learning Model through an instructional framework directs a system to look at what is currently in place (programs, instructional approaches, and assessment protocols) and then identify the gaps and needs. Listing all of these items and assessing where an organization is will also determine the professional learning that is needed and where to start. Adult learning and capacity building become aligned with the level of change and coordinating approaches to leadership and feedback cycles.

Systemic Change

Transforming a learning organization takes time and the route matters. Although certainly worth the effort and the resources, it also requires a collaborative leadership approach, one that ensures representation and a commitment for all learners. Traditionally our schools were not designed for all learners to grow, although intended to provide families access to viable economic pathways, it was not intentionally designed for all, it was designed to be efficient. It was designed to educate the future workforce and to sort the prevailing culture’s view of college-ready.

Human-centric structures are not a prescriptive recipe, it does not involve a canned curriculum with a paced delivery, and it certainly does not assume that all 15-year-olds are ready for the same learning on the same day. Moving out of this paradigm requires brave leadership, not simple management.

To have brave conversations, we have to visit that understanding and admit that our schools have not dramatically changed. We need to closely examine the structures in our learning organizations and how these were designed for the ease of adults to manage the system. The Carnegie Foundation, a leader in the field of improvement science, offers tools and resources for how to lead change. Co-designing Schools Toolkit provides resources for equitable change at the school level.

Questions to Consider:

• What is the purpose of your learning community? Why is it important?
• Why does the current learning system need to change?
• Who are the stakeholders and how to ensure all voices are heard?
• What is aligned to your vision and working well in your learning system?
• What will graduates need when they leave your system? (Graduate Profile/Learning Profile)
• What practices need to be replaced? Improved?
• What is your learning data sharing? What is it not sharing?
• How will structures around learning need to change?
• How will graduates have agency in the learning process and their goals?
• How will learners, educators, and families engage in this design?

The post Framing and Designing the HOW appeared first on Getting Smart.