Across our six school design elements, you'll find you don't need to start from scratch (i.e. building a brand new school) to bring learner-centered systems and structures to life at your school. What you need is a clear identity your community co-creates, a willingness to conduct small experiments over time, and the courage to double down on what's working. Check out the blogs, webinars, podcasts, and tools below to gain inspiration. And, as always, contact us if you'd like to learn more about how to launch your school (re)design efforts!
Enjoy! The Learner-Centered Collaborative Team
QUICK HITS
đź“– 5(ish)-minute reads for those in-between moments
FEATURED ARTICLE: Rethinking Time in Schools: From Rigid Blocks to Meaningful Learning (4-minute read)
"As we rethink how we spend our time in schools, let’s ask ourselves: Are we using time to foster compliance or curiosity? Are we building systems that prioritize task completion, or are we creating space for students to thrive as independent, competent learners?" ~Katie Martin
Framework for the Future: A Catalyst for Coherence and Collective Efficacy (5-minute read)
3 Leadership Building Blocks for Meaningful Change in Education (3-minute read)
"Real change happens when leaders embrace relationships, shared purpose, and deep collaboration, creating schools that function as dynamic, interconnected communities." ~Devin Vodicka
DEEP DIVES
Long reads, listens, and views for those topics you can't get enough of
FEATURED WEBINAR: Reimagining Education Through School Redesign (53-minute watch)
"Educators from Escondido USD share the transformative process of school redesign to foster learner-centered practices. The discussion highlights how strategic design choices, distributed leadership, and project-based learning can reshape educational ecosystems, emphasizing real-world engagement and student agency."
PODCAST: Innovative Paths: Redefining School and Community Collaboration with Dr. Justin Terry (48-minute listen)
"A central focus of the conversation is Opportunity Central (OC), a groundbreaking facility in Forney ISD that integrates career pathways, college preparation, and community engagement under one roof. Dr. Terry describes how The OC reimagines school structures as a hybrid learning space, business hub, and community center, operating from morning to night to maximize learning opportunities."
TOOLS & RESOURCES
Bringing learner-centered practices to life
FEATURED RESOURCE: Learner-Centered Scorecard Guide (access here)
Our Scorecard Guide introduces a powerful framework for measuring and communicating educational progress beyond traditional metrics. This comprehensive guide provides a 4-step process for creating, implementing, and leveraging Scorecards to drive improvement, engage stakeholders, and showcase your school or district’s unique success story in a learner-centered paradigm.
STRATEGY OF THE MONTH: Connect Learners to Mentors (access here)
While your school might not yet have a formal internship or mentorship program, there are still many ways to ensure learners get connected with local community members and with work-based learning experiences to expose them to the ever-evolving world of work, and support them in building essential skills for success in college, career, and civic life. Learn what this might look like by visiting our strategy page.
Explore strategies such as project-based learning, design thinking, place-based learning, inquiry-based learning, passion projects and more to co-design more real-world learning experiences with learners.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Connecting with learner-centered educators in-person and online
FEATURED EVENT: Leadership Matters: Effective Techniques to be a Learner-Centered Leader (register here)
