Getting Smart
By Tom Vander Ark
After a discussion around the #FutureofLearning, a district leader responsible for a group of big urban high schools asked, “Where to start?”
Transforming urban high schools is enormously challenging. We’ve been involved with about 800 improvement attempts over the last 20 years. We’ve observed that the most successful efforts start with community conversations about the goals of a high school education. Here are 8 strategies for EdLeaders:
Networks: work together in PLCs and school networks.
Encouraging teachers to study student work and to work together in professional learning communities can promote collaboration and deeper learning.
Encouraging schools to work in vertical networks (e.g., STEM feeder pattern) or like-minded school networks can leverage the challenging work of developing a learning model and supporting it with tools and professional learning experiences.
ConnectEd developed and shared the Linked Learning model with districts nationwide. NAF supports more than 600 career academies nationwide. More than 100 school districts partner with New Tech Network to develop integrated team-taught project-based schools. Read more…