Archive
component:where.learning-spaces
How Schools Boost Student Performance through Architectural Design
The shift from concrete and brick to wood and glass, from overhead lights to natural lighting, from carpeted floors to hardwood, and from enclosed, square rooms to open spaces with curves isn’t just a matter of aesthetics. It’s about creating a better educational environment.
New and Inspiring STEM Initiatives
In the past couple weeks, I've read about a lot of STEM initiatives in the news, but two in particular seemed worth sharing:
Building College-Going Communities
In our search for schools that promote deeper learning, we found five networks propelling first generation students into and through college. They create a college bound expectation, back it up with counseling, develop an academic mindset, and track success.
Deeper Learning: Not Just for Suburban Students
We checked around this summer and found dozens (and evidence of hundreds) of schools serving low income students coast to coast that don’t default to a thin test prep curriculum.
Engaging Online Idaho School Gains Top Marks
Projects are not very common in online learning but at I-DEA they are the academic spine of the school. There is a mixture of individual and team-based projects.
How to Create a Blended High School
Last week I visited a team planning a new high school, a team planning to reinvigorate a high school, and operators of a couple high performing networks.
Going to Summer Camp to Create a New School
Christine Ortiz has been been asked many times, “How do you start a school?” She is the person to ask because Christine has actually founded a school and feels confident others can do it too.
Career Path High: Career & College Ready Flex
Career Path High is an interesting applied extension of Utah's Early College High School Initiative and may help create a new tradition of blending high school and college, blending online and onsite learning, and blending school and work-based learning.
Summit Denali: Engaging Student-Centered High School Model
Innovative school network Summit Public Schools CEO Diane Tavenner and Chief Growth and Innovation Office Diego Arambula shared their plan to launch their student centered learning management system in their new Bay Area high school Summit Denali.
Bigger and Better: How Schools Can Increase Admission While Maintaining Quality
How can schools let more students in while still maintaining educational quality? Is it possible for students to feel connected, inspired, and accountable for their education – to really excel – in a large school with large classes?