Getting Started
Teacher Lens
(Standards and Instruction)
As we engage in this collaborative, rigorous, authentic work, we continuously weave and bundle the content standards, universal constructs, and social emotional competencies together. This work is not done in isolation, it is embedded in the various learning opportunities throughout the instructional process. Students have agency, voice, and choice in their work, and their response to learning guides our next move as facilitators. As the facilitators of instruction, we are in motion, reflecting and planning not only before and after school, but more so in the moment and throughout the work, We value and trust each other and value the ability to pivot, adjust, and redesign on the spot to meet student needs. Reflection (on both the process and the current thinking and designing) is imperative (for both students and facilitators) in order to paint done. Assessment occurs daily, and students are are able to make meaning, showcase their thinking, and articulate and illustrate their understanding in multiple ways.
Student Lens
(Student Agency)
In order for students to drive and own this work., they are given multiple ways to demonstrate their thinking throughout the process. Students have opportunities to set goals, collaborate as a team, reflect on progress, and then determine next steps together. This framework provides a consistent system for learners as each day is different, a continuous cycle of improvement. Students seek awareness of the mental models that exist within their micro-system (learning team). Recognizing these models, helps teams stay centered and focused on the outcomes. They are responsible and accountable to each other and to the team when they select and sequence daily tasks, moving their work and process forward. Students reflect on this process and framework, allowing them to capture their thinking in a public demonstration of their understanding, in a way that encourages them to own their own space and become comfortable with articulating and illustrating their new learning with confidence. They are developing conversational competence, learning to listen and add value to what a team member has brought to a surface. This is student agency.
Time For Recalibration
We can’t let out-of-date approaches to learning stand in the way of our future leaders, innovators and problem-solvers - our children.
As parents, teachers, decision- and policy-makers we have to give them time and space to learn playfully. That’s how we let them thrive - even in uncertain situations.
LEGO Foundation
Intentional Learning For Educators
In this episode, Aaron Maurer (Coffee For The Brain, Smart Robotics with LEGO MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor), Beth Campbell (teacher-librarian, Forest Grove Elementary), and Sarah Vice (6th grade educator, Forest Grove Elementary) share many ideas to enhance authentic learning for students. This is not a list of apps or tools, but examples of teachers who have crafted quality projects, authentic learning opportunities, and the space to learn deeply to take learning to the next level by empowering students to take the driver seat in learning.
In this episode, Aaron Maurer (Coffee For The Brain, Smart Robotics with LEGO MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor), Beth Campbell (teacher-librarian, Forest Grove Elementary), and Sarah Vice (6th grade educator, Forest Grove Elementary) discussion how education is hard. Rebalancing our mindset and learning space can be even harder when so much is swirling in the realms of chaos. Let’s take a breath and explore how a year of pushing our growth edges in authentic learning and project based learning transformed learning for students and educators. Come discover what happens when we give ourselves permission to draw on our courage to navigate ambiguity!