Boston Public Schools
Essentials Bright Spots
BPS launched the Essentials for Instructional Equity with the aim of transforming the classrooms across the district to a more student-centered learning model, but we understand that many great examples, or Bright Spots, of these practices already exist. Through this site we strive to create a process to hear from the BPS community! We want you to share Essentials Bright Spots that align with the Essentials for Instructional Equity.
To support this each month BPS will highlight an Essential-aligned Bright Spot Exemplar & we ask the larger community to share examples of Bright Spots!!!
The Essentials for Instructional Equity are Boston Public Schools' vision for instruction that is student centered. A fundamental aspect of teaching through the Essentials is Culturally-Linguistically Sustaining Practices (CLSP) because our diverse students must have learning experiences that promote academic achievement and are culturally-linguistically affirming. In order to ensure that 100% of our students are ready for college, career, and life we must use the Essentials to transform teaching and learning throughout the district.
One step in realizing this district-wide transformation to a student centered learning model in every classroom is recognizing that we are not starting from zero. We know that Essential-aligned instructional practices already exist throughout the district, and through the "Bright Spots" campaign our goal is to collect, curate, and share Essential-aligned practices that already live within classrooms.
What is a "Bright Spot" Exemplar?
The Bright Spot exemplars are Essentials-aligned, district curated, resources that are used by BPS educators.
- Clear alignment to Essentials and sub-competencies with specific practices
- Defined student audience by grade and/or content area
- Downloadable teacher resources
- Curriculum recommendations
Check out this month's "Bright Spot" Exemplar Below!
Facing History and Ourselves:
My Part of the Story: Exploring Identity in the United States
My Part of the Story is a collection of six lesson plans designed to help you launch a course on United States history, literature, or civic life in a fresh and engaging way—through an exploration of students’ identities.
Students begin the unit by investigating their own choices and experiences. They then examine the factors that help make each of us who we are, including our names, labels, choices, and family legacies. Students ultimately develop an understanding that the identity of the United States is the dynamic collection of many voices, and that their choices and their stories fuel its dynamism.
This BPS Essentials Bright Spot in History can be adjusted for most grade levels, and was selected for its strong connections across the essentials. Read some of the feedback from BPS teachers below!
Curated by BPS Academics - History Department
Activities Section:
The following activities are classroom lessons that can be found within the greater "My Part of the Story" Unit. This multi-part unit resource aligns across all Essentials and the section below specifies activities by sub-competency. To access greater detail on each activity, please use the provided links to the Facing History and Ourselves website.
Essential 1: Safe and Welcoming Classrooms
Sub-competency 1.1
Educators examine their personal biases to become aware of the ways in which their own cultural experiences influence the learning environments that they create for students.
Finding Your Voice Activity (Link)
- Activate Your Own Assumptions - students draw a picture of what they think an American is
- Analysis of image Flag of Faces (record three things they notice about the image); discussion questions
Essential 2: Access and Equity
Sub-competency 2.1
Educators employ appropriate actions and practices to get to know their students as learners and affirm their cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
Sub-competency 2.2
Educators gather relevant information about students before and throughout each unit and learning experience, and use that information to plan, ask questions, adjust pacing, and target interventions.
Identity and Names Activity (Link)
- Students read through list of famous people that have changed their names answer questions around the activity and identity
- Students reflect on own names/analyze how well name reflects who they are.
- Read poem Two Names, Two Worlds by Jonathan Rodriguez; class discussion with prepared questions
Essential 3: Cognitively Demanding Tasks
Sub-competency 3.1
Educators facilitate learning experiences so that the student, rather than the educator, does the vast majority of the cognitive work of the task.
Identity and Labels Activity (Link)
- Analyze the video "What Kind of Asian Are You" at hstry.is/mypart.
- T-Chart
- Class discussion
- Read “Still Inside” by Mai Goda; Think Pair Share; answer questions with story. Topic: stereotypes and their effects
- Fishbowl discussion on the following questions:
- What do you think Goda means when she says she now enjoys proving the people who make assumptions about her wrong? How does she do
- Fishbowl discussion on the following questions:
Essential 4: Assess for Learning
Sub-competency 4.2
Educators use formative assessment as a daily practice that emphasizes assessment for learning rather than as an evaluation of learning in order to adapt classroom instruction. (Wiliam, Teachology Conference, 2012).
Assessment Activities (Link)
Consider the following ideas for a final assessment or project for this unit before launching the next part of your course on United States history, literature, or civics:
Assessments to go with Curriculum include:
- Interviews on American Identity
- Collaborative design of Inquiry Questions
- Enlist the class in creating a list of inquiry questions for the year
- Written Expressions
- Poem
- Collage/Poetry
Call to Action!
BPS is looking for Bright Spots throughout the District!
- Have you tried to incorporate the Bright Spot Exemplar?
- How did it go!?
- Are you addressing the Essentials and their sub-competencies through another approach? The BPS community should hear about it!
