BRIGHT SPOTS

Your weekly source of learner-centered inspiration

Dear Educator,

I had the privilege of spending the week with administrators and teacher leaders last week. In the midst of ongoing challenges, we reflected on what we value most and how we can celebrate and validate those skills and mindsets. More importantly, we focused on how we can continue to broaden our view of success for ourselves and those we support, teach, and care for in our communities.

My Bright Spot for this week is witnessing how these conversations lead to actions in the classroom.

With Gratitude,
Katie

I'd love to hear from you! Reply to this email to share your Bright Spot this week!

BRIGHT SPOT OF THE WEEK

From School-Centered to Learner-Centered

I had the opportunity to connect with teachers this week who are reading my book, Evolving Education. As we reviewed part 1 of the book, we reflected on the following key shifts and which ones they prioritized:

I chatted with a small group of teachers, school leaders, and educators who were particularly focused on redefining success. They shared how they had been revising their questions, and how they were using the new questions to have conversations about what success meant to their students and how it reminded them of their own passion and goals as educators. As I walked through classrooms the following day, I came across this poster. It made my day! 

One educator shared how she read these questions to her daughter, a senior in high school, and how they began to shift their conversations from, “What is your grade?” to “What are you proud of?” She acknowledged that it's still a challenge and they stumble through, but now they are able to connect and have a meaningful conversation rather than simply conducting a daily status check. Day made again! 

As I see this evolution happening in homes, classrooms, schools, and districts, I’m filled with hope that, collectively, we can redefine success metrics for ourselves and others that align with our beliefs and aspirations.

Interested in exploring shifts in how success is defined and measured in your learning community? Let's connect!

RESOURCE ROUNDUP

Below are some resources and opportunities to support shifts toward a more learner-centered approach to defining and measuring success.

LET'S SHARE OUR BRIGHT SPOTS!

How are you challenging the status quo in your context?
Use #LCBrightSpots to share your experiences on social media!

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