Deeper Learning is the spiraling of experiences that enable students to honor identity and community, build proficiency, and create with purpose - in order to achieve the graduate profile.

Why Deeper Learning in SFUSD?

"In SFUSD we have recognized the inequitable resources and opportunities for students rooted in structural and systemic racism that most clearly manifest in shamefully predictable low academic outcomes and persistent sense of alienation within schools for Brown and Black students, English Language Learners, and low income students. We have worked to find meaningful ways to recognize and honor the experiences and perspectives of all students. We have moved towards a curriculum that focuses on exposing the social/political context that students experience... We have identified pedagogical practices focused on the affective and cognitive aspects of teaching and learning in order to build resilience and the academic mindsets required to push back against the persistent oppressive narratives about people of color. We identify, we work, we move towards, and still, the inequities persist."

"This, of course, is not the whole story. Inequities persist, but we see pockets within our SFUSD community where gaps are narrowing and historically underserved and under-resourced student populations are reporting a greater sense of agency and belonging. What we see happening in these pockets aligns with what we are learning about deeper learning."

5 Key Culture Premises:

Depth Over Breadth

We must choose depth: “The tension is inescapable, and the choice is unavoidable: go with depth...Decades of research bear this out: when deep, conceptual understanding is attained, learning is enduring, flexible, and real....We must rid ourselves of any residual notions that education is the transmission of needed knowledge. Rather, we are teaching skills, and one skill most generally: how to ride a tsunami of knowledge whose future content we can’t even begin to imagine.”

- Transforming Schools, p. 8-9

Student-Centered Instruction

Student-centered learning shifts the focus of instruction from teacher to student, requiring students to be active, empowered participants in their own learning. Students engage in demanding tasks, work collaboratively on issues they are passionate about, and develop their own drive to extend their knowledge and skills in new ways.

- In Search of Deeper Learning, Transforming Schools, Creating Cultures of Thinking

Learning Through Questioning and Doing

“...many of our oldest traditions of learning, particularly learning by doing and apprenticeship, remain the most robust ways to induct a learner into the increasing complexity and depth of a field.”

- “The Deeper Learning Dozen”, p. 6

Symmetry Between Adults and Students

Student culture reflects staff culture. We cannot succeed unless all levels of the SFUSD system are aligned - in talk and in action. “...one part of a system cannot reach its potential if it is not working in harmony with other parts of the whole. If, for example, it is the mission of a school to teach students how to collaborate productively, then teachers and leaders must themselves be working to collaborate productively… Educational organizations cannot deepen learning without striving to be... “consistent throughout the entire system - self, classroom, school, district, and eventually the community.”

- Transforming Schools, p. 13

Lengthy Arcs of Learning

Powerful learning moments, while essential for Deeper Learning, do not equate to Deeper Learning. Powerful learning can happen in an hour, in a particular classroom moment. Deeper learning, however, requires a lengthier trajectory - “arcs of learning that develop over time.”

- In Search of Deeper Learning, p. 16

“In many ways, we are traditionalists, and we admit that most of the ideas here are as ancient as philosophy. To learn by doing. To learn by asking questions. To learn with people. This isn’t innovation, nor is it— to use a buzzword of the day—’disruptive’. The concepts are not radical; they’re fundamental. The deeper the learning, the more human it feels.” (p. 15-16, Transforming Schools)

Core Instructional Priorities

Inquiry

The thinking and questioning of students is the focal point. Students build connections to prior learning and experiences, and are independent learners who make their thinking visible.

Collaboration

Students interact in meaningful ways through conversation, or participation in collaborative structures. The educator serves as facilitator and a collectivist or communal approach is used.

Assessment for Learning

Students are provided with time, space and support to set goals, assess learning, track progress and present their growth. Students are seen as co-designers of their assessment, owning and sharing their learning.

Equitable Access and Demand

Curricula is designed and instruction is delivered to ensure access for all and cognitive demand for “each and every” student, supporting independence, not dependence.

Deeper Learning Towards the Graduate Profile

SFUSD has an aspirational document for all of our students, the Graduate Profile, that offers us a vision of what we want to offer each and every one of our students. The graduate profile identifies the six competencies we want our graduates to develop through their education in SFUSD, along with the skills and performance outcomes at key grade levels that build towards these competencies.

Deeper Learning is focused on: Mastery of rigorous academic content, development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills, the ability to work collaboratively, effective oral and written communication, learning how to learn, and developing and maintaining an academic mindset. We believe deeper learning will help develop the following six competencies for our graduates.

Content Knowledge

I can think critically.
I can engage in inquiry.
I can compose evidence-based arguments.
I can apply disciplinary knowledge, practices, and language in authentic contexts.

Creativity

I can create works of art, products or solutions to explore a meaningful concept or topic.
I can engage in a creative and problem-solving process.

Career and Life Skills

I can manage time and resources to complete projects and tasks.
I can communicate effectively to authentic audiences.
I can self-advocate.

Leadership, Empathy, and Collaboration

I can lead with and for equity.
I can empathize with others.
I can apply cooperative processes for effective collaboration.

Local, Global, and Digital Identity

I can take action for my community and my planet.
I can interact with cultural competence and anti-racism.
I can practice multilingualism.

Sense of Purpose, Sense of Self

I can reflect as a means to develop my humanity and self-awareness.
I can apply a growth mindset.
I can design my future.

Learn more about how our graduate profile has come to life in SFUSD by listening to student and teacher testimonials, and viewing artifacts and resources.

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Deeper Learning is the spiraling of experiences that enable students to honor identity and community, build proficiency, and create with purpose - in order to achieve the graduate profile.

Why Deeper Learning in SFUSD?

5 Key Culture Premises:

Depth Over Breadth

Student-Centered Instruction

Learning Through Questioning and Doing

“...many of our oldest traditions of learning, particularly learning by doing and apprenticeship, remain the most robust ways to induct a learner into the increasing complexity and depth of a field.”

Symmetry Between Adults and Students

Lengthy Arcs of Learning

Powerful learning moments, while essential for Deeper Learning, do not equate to Deeper Learning. Powerful learning can happen in an hour, in a particular classroom moment. Deeper learning, however, requires a lengthier trajectory - “arcs of learning that develop over time.”

Core Instructional Priorities

Inquiry

Collaboration

Assessment for Learning

Equitable Access and Demand

Deeper Learning Towards the Graduate Profile

Content Knowledge

I can think critically.

I can engage in inquiry.

I can compose evidence-based arguments.

I can apply disciplinary knowledge, practices, and language in authentic contexts.

Creativity

I can create works of art, products or solutions to explore a meaningful concept or topic.

I can engage in a creative and problem-solving process.

Career and Life Skills

I can manage time and resources to complete projects and tasks.

I can communicate effectively to authentic audiences.

I can self-advocate.

Leadership, Empathy, and Collaboration

I can lead with and for equity.

I can empathize with others.

I can apply cooperative processes for effective collaboration.

Local, Global, and Digital Identity

I can take action for my community and my planet.

I can interact with cultural competence and anti-racism.

I can practice multilingualism.

Sense of Purpose, Sense of Self

I can reflect as a means to develop my humanity and self-awareness.

I can apply a growth mindset.

I can design my future.