About a 3 minute read – Student Ownership For Improved Outcomes The process of schooling is not a race to the finish line. It is not a hoop through which we jump.  Instead, it is a practice that instills a habit of curiosity and a life-long enthusiasm for learning. Schooling is about learning how to learn, so life can keep growing long after our school days have ended. Creating this greater understanding as to the purpose of schooling is essential to improving outcomes for students and society.

About a 1 ½ minute read –  As we move into a new year, as well as a new decade, it’s an obvious time for reflection, but also for looking forward. With that in mind, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite blog posts of 2019 – all of which were technically written in the past, but can certainly be helpful in the new year! 

About a 3 minute read –  Time To Visualize Imagine giving yourself a built-in time each day to sit still, relax, breath and to observe your thoughts, emotions, and physical bodily sensations. All the while consciously focusing your attention on the present moment – and accepting it without judgment. Your mind may drift and that’s okay because you can simply choose to bring it back to the moment. Your breathing and heart rate slow and you begin to feel less tension in your shoulders and back. You feel more relaxed.  Imagine everyone around you is doing the same thing along with you. It is quiet and the whole environment feels calm.  This is what mindfulness can look like, and over time it is a process that reduces stress, worry, and anxiety and helps with emotional regulation in students and adults alike.  

ABOUT A 4 MINUTE READ – Does Your Child Love School?  For Far Too Many Children In Our Nation, The Answer Is “No”. In many school settings, students are asked to comply rather than engage. The measures of success are almost always standardized or formulaic. Options for demonstrating learning are narrow and non-inclusive. Students feel “sorted and selected” based on finite and external definitions of success. It is unreasonable to expect gains in learning, or joy in attendance, when students feel like they exist for the school, instead of the school existing for them. Such practices naturally lead to student apathy, anxiety, boredom, and resentment. Such feelings can lead to negative behaviors and family stress. Students Expect More From School Regardless of labels and learning styles, all students expect more from their schooling. They expect to have a voice in the classroom. They expect to advocate for themselves. They expect to have multiple pathways for engagement, and a variety of ways to demonstrate understanding. They expect learning to be active and relevant...