SEL & Mindset
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is the deliberate commitment to including a framework of essential skills and dispositions that complement academics but historically have not been a part of curricular design. Learners acquire and effectively apply the skills necessary for self-regulation or managing and talking about emotions, forming relationships, setting goals and demonstrating empathy during their learning.
Superhero Mindset Man Sparks Enthusiasm for Growth Mindset
By: Michael Wilson. By relying on growth mindset students can achieve what they once thought they couldn’t, and our school's own superhero "Mindset Man" is there to help students tap into their potential to learn.
Let’s Talk Math: Two New Resources to Help Promote Mathematical Discourse
The math classroom is often a challenging place for learners, but mathematical discourse can help students reflect on and develop their understanding of math concepts, building their confidence. Here are two new resources to get them started.
Really Ready Students in Action
Recently we have been writing about what it means to be #ReallyReady for college, work and life, discussing five critical dimensions of readiness. Here are several examples of schools that implement these elements for their students.
Getting Smart Gift Guide | 10 Gifts that Teach SEL
We know that prioritizing SEL is important, but we also recognize that it can be hard to do. Which is why we created this holiday gift guide listing of some of our favorite toys, books and apps that can help foster social and emotional learning.
6 Strategies for Teaching Public Policy
Teaching students to understand public policy can be a challenge, but few topics have as great a power to affect the long-term health of a society. Here are six strategies to help educators teach policy and civic engagement.
Computer Science Education Week is Underway
The eighth annual Computer Science Education Week is officially underway, and students and teachers across the world are celebrating by participating in local Hour of Code events.
Science Assessments Under NGSS: What Can We Expect?
The introduction of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) has been a catalyst for the development of assessments that are more aligned to what we actually want next-gen scientists to be able to do and perform.
Developing Self-Directed Learners
Growth of the freelance- and gig-economy makes self-direction an imperative, and the learner experience is crucial when it comes to designing environments where students can learn to be self-directed.
Really Ready: Preparing ALL Middle and High School Students for College, Work and Life
In this paper, written in partnership with Apex Learning, we describe why we need to prepare all students to be Really Ready for college, work and life, as well as strategies for districts and educators to address these necessary skills with their students.
What Students (and Schools) Can Do if We Stop Ranking Them
By: Rhonda Broussard. Are we preparing every student for the world they are entering, or are we investing in a factory model of education designed as an assembly line? The old model of education is under question, and we have some hard decisions to make.