Your weekly source of learner-centered inspiration
Dear Educator,
I had the opportunity to present at the California MTSS conference last week and loved connecting with so many educators who are thinking about how to best support all students. I overheard one of the teachers in my session reflecting with a colleague and they shared, “We spend so much time in our PLCs focusing on the tests and the standards, but we don’t actually spend much time focused on the learners.” I think she nailed it and I see this all the time. We need to move from sorting and ranking learners to creating environments where all learners can thrive.
This week I want to share one of my favorite ways to get to know more about your learners. Don’t worry, if you aren’t yet ready to be back to school you can try these with your friends or family!
With Gratitude,
We want to hear from you! Share your Learner-Centered Bright Spot with us here.
BRIGHT SPOT OF THE WEEK
Really getting to know learners
As we start preparing to head back to school, we often think about the room set-up, the syllabus or curriculum, and assessments, but if we really want to create multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS), we can’t do that without knowing our learners (and helping them know themselves).
Asking these 6 questions can be a powerful way to signal to your learning community that you value them and help create more engagement and motivation by using what you learn to tailor learning experiences to best meet the needs of learners.
I have seen these used as interview questions or as the start of learner profiles. They have been used to get to know both the young people in our classrooms as well as in staff meetings to connect with colleagues. How might you use these questions to build a sense of belonging in your context?
I’d love to see examples of how you welcome your learners back this year. Share them with me on social using #LCBrightSpots.
RESOURCE ROUNDUP
Explore resources on why and how to really get to know your learners whether you are their teacher, principal, superintendent, coach, bus driver, or beyond.
1. Empathy interviews, love boards, learning circles & more. You’ll want to bookmark these 10 strategies to get to know your students and create a more inclusive, learner-centered classroom throughout the year.
2. How a superintendent really gets to know learners. Listen to my podcast conversation with Susan Enfield about the power of knowing each person by name, strengths, and need.
3. Belonging and learning. A sense of belonging can impact everything from educational success to motivational outcomes. Read about why it’s important to create a sense of belonging and how teachers can foster feelings of belonging.
LET'S SHARE OUR BRIGHT SPOTS!
How do you create a sense of belonging with your learners?
Share your #LCBrightSpots on social media!
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Learner-Centered Collaborative, 49 Stevenson Street, San Francisco, CA 94105
