Leadership
Content that enables educators, edleaders, organizations and families to increase capacity, apply a growth mindset and implement what’s next in learning on behalf of those entrusted to them.
The Essence of Startup Communities
Brad Feld discussed a few points from his new book Startup Communities at the New Jersey Tech Meetup last month and what it takes to create a community around the booming startup industry.
#EdTechChat: Student and Teacher Curation
Rockstar educator Jerry Blumengarten (@cybraryman1) set the tone for the chat with this great thought, “A curator is a constant learner who should model that trait for their students.”
It’s Time for The Next Big Advance: Comparable Growth Measures
The most important next step in the shift to personal digital learning is the need for comparable growth measures for individual students. With the explosion of adaptive assessment and instruction and the widespread use of digital curriculum with embedded assessments, there is a growing need to be able to compare measures of student progress.
CEOs Want Hard-Working Decision-Making Team Players
A survey of chief executives indicates that 92% say education is very or the most important national competitiveness issue. But the survey, conducted by the The Business Council and The Conference Board, isn't a flattering picture of U.S. education.
Think Outside the Box for Las Vegas Schools
The Getting Smart team led a school design workshop for The Executive Leadership Academy, hosted by The Public Education Foundation in Las Vegas last week. Teams of principals designed next-gen K-8 and high schools and taught lessons on blended learning components.
Why We Need Common Standards and Better Tests
It’s testing season--and it’s easy to criticize state tests these days. However, those tests represent an important commitment to equity. The Common Core is a big step forward and so are the tests that come with it.
Deeper Leading
I recently had the opportunity to attend the first ever Deeper Learning conference in San Diego, CA. Educators from around the country convened to discuss deeper learning and the successes and challenges they have encountered in their efforts to precipitate it.
Future Superintendents Get Lesson in Leadership
“Everything is more flexible, if I want to learn something, I Google it,” said a school district administrator, “everyone is more independent and less dependant on traditional structures.”
Teacher Appreciation Week: Getting Smart Team Favorites
We couldn’t think of a better way to wrap Teacher Appreciation Week then highlighting the teachers that have impacted the lives of our team. Share your favorite teacher stories in the comments below!
Top 5 Things to Look for in Common Core Materials
The shift in the typical classroom setup has been underway for a while now. A focus on personalized learning in classrooms whose students have a broad range of skill levels and learning styles has meant teachers have had to become adept with new setups (flipped, 1:1 computing, etc.), methods (small group, whole group, etc.), and tools (handheld devices, online assessments, etc.) to help them differentiate instruction.