portrait of a graduate

Project-Based Learning

Lever 2 for Deeper PoG Implementation: Teaching the Skills Behind the Portrait

Abby Benedetto, Kimberly Erickson

Mar 23, 2026

Blueprint architectural diagram merging a graduate's portrait with labeled school design elements: flexible learning pods, R&D lab, community hub.

Leadership

So, Your District Wants Personalized Learning… Where Do You Start?

Rebecca Midles

Mar 2, 2026

Children in matching yellow tie-dye shirts smiling and posing together outdoors at school

SEL & Mindset

Making Learning Visible for Students and Adults Through Reflection

Abby Benedetto, Kimberly Erickson

Feb 17, 2026

Students in safety goggles collaborate on a tablet during a science lab, with classmates working in the background.

Project-Based Learning

Why PBL and 21st Century Skills Aren’t “Add-Ons”: Using AI to Prove They’re in the Standards

David Ross

Feb 10, 2026

Three teens playing video games together in a culturally decorated living room with snacks on a coffee table.

Leadership

How Can Indigenous Futurism Help Drive Innovation? | A Conversation with Kelly Berry

Mason Pashia, Guest Author

Feb 9, 2026

Cross-section of a nautilus shell beside text reading "Revelatory Learning & Assessment offers a container for individual meaning-making

SEL & Mindset

A Revelatory Mindset – what is it, and why might it be transformative for learners?

Abby Benedetto, Kelly Niccolls

Jan 27, 2026

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This podcast highlights developing trends in K-12 education, postsecondary and lifelong learning. Each week, Getting Smart team members interview students, leading authors, experts and practitioners in research, tech, entrepreneurship and leadership to bring listeners innovative and actionable strategies in education leadership.

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Four-panel education graphic showing Culture of Reflection, Explicit PoG Skills Instruction, Making Skills Public, and Parallel Pedagogy concepts

New Pathways

Norwalk Public Schools: Unpacking the Levers for Deeper PoG Implementation

Abby Benedetto, Kimberly Erickson

Jan 22, 2026

Norwalk Public Schools leverages four key implementation levers to bring its Portrait of a Graduate to life, ensuring deep, system-wide impact.

Leadership

Revitalizing Culture and Community at St. Labre | A Conversation with Curtis Yarlott

Mason Pashia, Guest Author

Jan 13, 2026

Discover how St. Labre Indian School supports Indigenous education, cultural revitalization, and language preservation with Curtis Yarlott.

Norwalk Public Schools' Portrait of a Graduate wheel showing five competencies: Critical Thinker, Self-Directed Learner, Global Citizen, Synergistic Collaborator, and Effective Communicator.

Competency-Based Education

Norwalk Public Schools: Levers for Living the Portrait of a Graduate (a 7-part series)

Abby Benedetto, Kimberly Erickson

Jan 12, 2026

Join Abby and Kimberly as they document the journey of the Norwalk Portrait of a Graduate and its role in education.

A student wearing safety goggles and an instructor collaborate on a gear-and-belt mechanism in a makerspace classroom.

Future of Learning

A Graduate Portrait Names What We Value. Our Learning System Shows That We Mean It.

Rebecca Midles

Dec 8, 2025

Aligning a Portrait of a Graduate with daily practices transforms vision into a lived culture, fostering coherence across education systems.

	Beginning	Piloting	Implementing
From Fixed Standards to Competency-Based Mastery	BeginningFrom Fixed Standards to Competency-Based Mastery Beginning	PilotingFrom Fixed Standards to Competency-Based Mastery Piloting	ImplementingFrom Fixed Standards to Competency-Based Mastery Implementing
From One-Size-Fits-All to Adaptive Learning	BeginningFrom One-Size-Fits-All to Adaptive Learning Beginning	PilotingFrom One-Size-Fits-All to Adaptive Learning Piloting	ImplementingFrom One-Size-Fits-All to Adaptive Learning Implementing
From Prescribed Knowledge to Innovation & Inquiry	BeginningFrom Prescribed Knowledge to Innovation & Inquiry Beginning	PilotingFrom Prescribed Knowledge to Innovation & Inquiry Piloting	ImplementingFrom Prescribed Knowledge to Innovation & Inquiry Implementing
From Subjects as Silos to Transdisciplinary, Real-World Learning	BeginningFrom Subjects as Silos to Transdisciplinary, Real-World Learning Beginning	PilotingFrom Subjects as Silos to Transdisciplinary, Real-World Learning Piloting	ImplementingFrom Subjects as Silos to Transdisciplinary, Real-World Learning Implementing
From Schools as Self-Contained to Schools as Embedded in Communities	BeginningFrom Schools as Self-Contained to Schools as Embedded in Communities Beginning	PilotingFrom Schools as Self-Contained to Schools as Embedded in Communities Piloting	ImplementingFrom Schools as Self-Contained to Schools as Embedded in Communities Implementing
From Standardized Testing to Meaningful Assessment	BeginningFrom Standardized Testing to Meaningful Assessment Beginning	PilotingFrom Standardized Testing to Meaningful Assessment Piloting	ImplementingFrom Standardized Testing to Meaningful Assessment Implementing
From Institutional Ownership of Student Data to Student-Controlled Learning Wallets	BeginningFrom Institutional Ownership of Student Data to Student-Controlled Learning Wallets Beginning	PilotingFrom Institutional Ownership of Student Data to Student-Controlled Learning Wallets Piloting	ImplementingFrom Institutional Ownership of Student Data to Student-Controlled Learning Wallets Implementing

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