BRIGHT SPOTS

Your weekly source of learner-centered inspiration

February 22, 2024

Dear Educator,

This weekend, my family went to the mountains, and my kids (who are 13 and 15) made the switch from skiing to snowboarding.

As soon as they put on the boards and fell again and again, I immediately regretted it. I hate seeing them struggle even though I know it’s part of the process. After a few more falls, we sent them off to lessons.

They came back with some new skills and were ready to tackle the mountain with us. They had some highs and lows, but by the end of the two days, they loved snowboarding and can’t wait to go back. They both agree it’s way more fun than skiing and navigating the learning pit was well worth it.

As I reflect on my kids' experience, who were great at skiing but wanted to develop new skills and try out a more modern sport, I want to highlight a district that was doing great but has continued to learn and grow to become even better.

With Gratitude,

P.S. Last week, I talked about AI and giving ourselves permission to experiment with these new tools. Learner-Centered Collaborative wants to up the ante. If you’ve leveraged AI in your school or classroom, we'd love to hear from you! When you submit your AI bright spot, you will be entered into a raffle for a $100 gift card!

BRIGHT SPOT OF THE WEEK

Keep Pushing What's Possible

Based on test scores and traditional metrics, Laguna Beach Unified School District has been considered successful. But as Chad Mayberry, assistant superintendent shared, “It’s not just about what they learn but who they become.”

In service of creating a system that continues to evolve and align with our modern world, they spent the last 2.5 years collaborating with the community—students, parents, teachers, and industry—to answer the question: What are the most important outcomes for our students?

In response, they created a Framework for the Future that outlines their vision, including a Learner Profile that defines the whole learner outcomes that now guide them as a district.

Check out this video to not only see how the community is aligned on their desired outcomes for students, but also how they are working together to create engaging, real world experiences that will support the development of these outcomes throughout a student’s K-12 journey.

Now it’s your turn. What do you think the most important outcomes are for students in your community? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

RESOURCE ROUNDUP

Explore these resources to create or iterate on your community's Learner Profile.

2. Interested in creating a Learner Profile in your community? Don't overcomplicate the process. Discover the most important first step here.

LET'S SHARE OUR BRIGHT SPOTS!

What Bright Spots have you experienced with Learner Profiles? How have they helped transform learning experiences in your community?

Share your #LCBrightSpots on social media!

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