Esteemed Colleague,

Summer officially began last Friday, which is the perfect time to reflect on the year that was and what we might have in store in 2025-26. As you plan the year ahead, it's worth taking a moment to explore this learning experience where students felt seen and known and how you might create that feeling in every learner you serve. To do so will require leaders (at all levels of the system) to reshape their understanding of change and consider what they should start, stop, and continue in the year ahead.

Ultimately, when learners, educators, and communities lead together, a learner-centered future feels a little more within reach. We hope the stories and resources below will support that journey.

Enjoy!
The Learner-Centered Collaborative Team

Lake Living and Life Lessons: A 12th Grader’s Reflection on Learner-Centered Education in the Upper Peninsula (5-minute read)

"Our trip exemplifies just how well competency and place-based education works and allows learners to succeed in ways adults may never have imagined." ~Everest Orlikowski

4 Lessons From a Competency-Based Community of Practice (5-minute read)

"The work of change is hard, but it’s lighter and more joyful when we share in it with others. Building in more opportunities for your teachers and leaders to discuss best practices, challenges, and ideas across grade levels, disciplines, and sites can be a great first step to building community." ~Bryanna Hanson

It’s Time for a Change Management Model Built for Learner-Centered Education (4-minute read)

"We are building a change management model for education. One that is inspired by the best of what’s been developed in the change management field but grounded in the daily realities of those within K-12 systems." ~Devin Vodicka

STRATEGY OF THE MONTH: Protocols for Reflection on Learning (access here)

Reflection is a key practice for deeper learning and should happen throughout the learning experience to shift the focus from the product of learning to the process. Reflection protocols, which are sentence starters/stems or specific reflection questions, support learners in learning how to reflect.

TRENDING COURSE: Amplify Learner Voice (access here)

Discover innovative strategies for amplifying learning voice and learn how to implement them in your classroom. Strategies explored include how to include learner voice in classroom and school decision-making processes, soliciting feedback about their learning experiences, and how to promote equity of voice.

PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP: Breaking Up With Grades at the Aurora Institute Symposium (register here)

October 25, 10am-4pm | New Orleans, LA