FLOW stands for Fire, Land, Ocean and Water which are four environmental issues particularly relevant to the Laguna Beach community. FLOW also represents a cross-curricular and school-wide effort to connect curriculum and students to environmental problems and potential solutions that affect them directly. 

FLOW began in 2018 when two Laguna Beach High School English teachers sought to integrate more writing for students in other disciplines. After reflecting on how many college professors select topics for reading and inquiry that often become foundational for many freshmen classes, they believed that this provided common ground in providing students topics for discussion and writing.

“We decided to adopt this approach for our high school students and began researching and brainstorming topics that would make the most sense for our students at Laguna Beach High School,” said Founding English Teacher and FLOW Coordinator Sarah Benson. “Eventually, we decided that the unique environmental landscape of Laguna Beach would work well. To make a sustainable program that would work across four grade levels, we landed on FLOW,” she said.

Now, Benson has been joined by her co-coordinator and Ed Tech Teacher on Special Assignment Jun Shen. He said he has added a greater technology and PBL focus to FLOW. 

“I worked with Sarah to incorporate more real-world experiences and authentic assessments into the FLOW curriculum,” said Shen. “We also increasingly focused on public relations and branding to make FLOW recognizable in our community.”

The FLOW Program is completely voluntary for teachers, according to Benson and Shen.

“We prefer an organic approach to building the program as opposed to a forced mandate,” said Benson. “We felt this would make the experiences for students more rich and valuable.”

Shen said that about half of the teachers have connected to FLOW in some capacity. He said some teachers refer to FLOW casually during the natural progression of their specific curricular content, while others are developing entirely new units and projects based on FLOW. 

Shen said that one important opportunity for teachers to become involved in FLOW is through Unit Design, a district initiative in which teachers are paid for 20-30 hours of professional development to recreate curricular units to be more real-world relevant and authentically assessed.  

“Many teachers from K-12 incorporate FLOW themes into their redesigned units, leading to vastly increased vertical and horizontal articulation across the district,” said Shen. 

To see how FLOW has been connecting across the curriculum and district, see Laguna Beach Cross Curricular. In addition to English, Shen highlighted some great video examples from other disciplines including Art, Marine Ecology and Model United Nations.  

FLOW launches each year in November with the official FLOW Week. Students have field trips throughout the year, a FLOW English unit in January, integrated FLOW content in other classes throughout the year and a variety of culminating experiences.

These final presentations vary by grade level, according to Shen. For example, Shen said that 9th graders published digital journalism anthologies and two students presented their work on a local radio station. 10th graders created poetry books which were published in the district’s digital library and selected students read their poems to middle school English classes. Juniors produced ocean-themed films and finalists were screened at the first FLOW Film Showcase in front of an expert panel of industry professionals. Additionally, all finalists were entered into the Coast Film and Music Festival in Laguna Beach. Finally, 12th graders created video resumes in which they applied to non-profit organizations of their choice. Selected seniors then presented their videos to panels of district office staff.

Benson said that student feedback has been extremely positive. 

“Students like the real world, authentic learning experiences and the greater community often report that they are inspired by the student work,” said Benson.

Sophomore Zoe Tran – whose 9th grade English FLOW project focused on Laguna Beach wildfires and landed her an appearance on a local radio station – said that the process was an eye-opener for her and her peers and allowed them to tap into their collective creativity. 

“The FLOW unit was a really unique and great way to be more connected to our community,” said Tran. “I feel that it definitely made my peers and myself more aware of and concerned about sustainability and the effect of environmental disasters.”

Senior Ranen Seeck said that the FLOW experience has truly shaped his passion for sustainability. He worked with a local organic farmer to create, present and distribute a sustainable gardening guidebook. 

“FLOW has provided students like me a platform to actively contribute to my school and community,” said Seeck. “With the support of my project mentor, I have been part of promoting a culture of sustainability beyond Laguna Beach.”

There have been many noteworthy projects, according to the FLOW Coordinators. Examples include a water-themed mobile learning museum created for a local elementary school, a Rain Barrel Auction and a redesign of the senior quad planter seen here. Last May, Laguna Beach High School had its annual Senior Service Day where all of the seniors packed 70,000 meals to be shipped to Zambia.

Looking ahead, the FLOW Coordinators see even more students and staff getting involved. They are excited about the school and district’s commitment to FLOW as evidenced by a new district-level coordinator position for Environmental Literacy. Her name is Gloria Harwood and the coordinators said she is supporting FLOW-related curriculum across the district and promoting FLOW as a key theme for the Unit Design Process. 

Harwood said she is proud and inspired to be part of FLOW and is excited that a new board resolution was passed dedicated to environmental literacy, climate action and sustainability throughout the district.

“FLOW is a standout program that connects across the curriculum while also promoting stewardship and real-world problem-solving within the classroom,” said Harwood. “At the district level, we see FLOW as an integral part of environmental literacy in the classroom and will continue to support potential programs and projects in the future.”

Shen said that he and the entire FLOW team feel very fortunate to work for a district that encourages teachers to take chances and initiate change.

“The environment is part of Laguna Beach’s DNA and it naturally lends itself to being a unifying force for our schools, civic institutions and commerce,” said Shen. “We encourage different schools to tap into the pertinent issues in their surrounding communities when thinking of doing something similar to FLOW.”

The post Laguna Beach High School Gets in the FLOW of Environmental Literacy appeared first on Getting Smart.

Over the past seven years, I have been fortunate enough to dive deep into problem and project-based learning. This includes research, professional writing and professional learning facilitation all over the country. I have worked with hundreds of educators and dozens of schools on implementing project-based learning.

To get started, teachers volunteered to attend summer professional development dedicated to PBL. This was not only a great way to get buy-in and launch more inquiry-based learning, but it also served as a fantastic way for me to work with groups of teachers whom I’d be serving. We worked to not only implement more problem and project-based learning this year, but also to chronicle our work. Here is a summary of our collective experiences thus far.

The Driving Questions

Teachers designed inquiry-based projects that challenged students to not only think, but to allow their creativity and ownership to emerge. A few examples of the driving questions are:

What is something in the world that you would like to see change?

How can you use the Hero’s Journey to recognize and celebrate a local hero?

How are roles of women today similar or different from the Victorian era?

How can stress and anxiety be useful components of productivity?

How would you rank decades overall based on political, social and economic impact?

Student Voice & Choice

Teachers focused on designing projects that offered menus of options. This included various ways for students to focus on diverse approaches to the driving question, as well as unique ways to share their learning. These included podcasts, infographics, documentary films and even live theater productions.

English teacher Patrick Shattuck fully embraced the power of student choice. Shattuck not only applied this to projects but also made it an integral part of the classroom culture. He said he continually tells his students that the classroom is theirs and not his.

“We come up with class expectations, policies, and even deadlines together,” said Shattuck. “When I assign a project, students are always given the option to create their own topic as long as it meets certain criteria.”.

He said that both he and his students benefit. “It gives students a sense of autonomy and they enjoy taking the reins of their thoughts and futures,” he said. “Student voice and choice enhance my teaching by making the curriculum fluid, fresh and exciting. I learn a lot too.”

Civic Engagement

Many of the projects this year thus far have challenged students to engage with their greater community and even partner with professionals.

English Teacher Casey Reck challenged her 9th graders with the Local Hero Project. Working in self-selected groups, students chose a local hero to interview and then used the Hero’s Journey to share their story. Final products included podcasts or videos and Reck was extremely enthused about the outcomes. (see sample project here)

“Students learned how applicable the Hero’s Journey can be to real people; it isn’t just something found in literature or movies,” said Reck. “They realized that everyone has to overcome obstacles in life–whether that is moving to a new country and learning a new language or paying for grad school or switching careers.”

Social Science Teacher Greg Wolf challenged his juniors to choose a current issue of their choice in which they would like to see change. Once issues were chosen, Wolf said that students had to conduct research to both tell the story of their chosen issue and then generate a ‘call to action.’

In effect, Wolf said that students took on the role of single-issue lobbyists. Products ranged from documentaries to podcasts to websites to social media campaigns to change.org petitions, all of which were actually published (check out examples on the Social Science Dept. Instagram).

“My biggest takeaway thus far is the realization that the more I focus on what I want my students to do with the content, the more it becomes about what skills I want them to develop and how meaningful the learning experience can be,” he said.

Wolf said that his students would learn if he formed the right relationships with them, creates the right environment, and then got out of their way.

“Students have been happier this year in my class than I have ever seen, which I attribute to the new dynamic of meaningful inquiry coupled with student voice and choice,” he said.

Student Ownership

One of the most powerful projects thus far this year emerged from the Advanced Drama Class. Teacher Jeff McKinnon decided to pursue a devised theater project that uses the procedures of docu-drama to create an original, collaborative, and authentic performance piece.

McKinnon said that the students were instructed to interview one another about how stress affects their lives. He said the initial objective was to compile enough perspectives on stress in the high school culture to normalize it as a potentially useful tool, rather than an affliction to be avoided.

After some initial work, McKinnon said the unexpected happened in the process. He said what began to emerge from the transcribed student interviews was a subculture of intolerance and sexual abuse that students had experienced both on and off campus.

“This is really the key when creating a collaborative project,” said McKinnon. “That is to pivot toward what is emerging, rather than forcing the issues into an expectation of a pre-packaged result.”

McKinnon said he was reminded that process beats product. “I suppose the real revelation for me too is that something so easily generated can have such a profound impact and can be easily replicated along a variety of topics,” he said.

McKinnon said he learned more than he had originally bargained for and felt honored to have the experience. “I felt I was being given a privilege, an insider’s peek into a culture that was not mine,” he said.

For McKinnon, the result codified the power of project-based learning. “It is, at its base, collaboration on a devised and original project from start to finish,” he said. “Often at the start we have no idea what it will look like at the finish, but that is what many of us educators crave and most enjoy about the process.”

Final Reflections

This journey thus far has only reinforced to me that deeper learning is as much of a mindset as a pedagogy. As a school site instructional leader, nothing is better than creating the space and culture necessary for both teachers and students to address real-world problems in truly creative and collaborative ways.

The post Santa Ynez Valley Union High: An Organic Project-Based Learning Journey appeared first on Getting Smart.

On a recent Friday morning, they gathered, like they do every week, to discuss their current projects. They were joined by their Director Malaka Donovan and PBL Global’s Dr. Thom Markham. In real time, the team embraced collaborative, interdisciplinary project design.

The Why

The guides meet weekly in order to plan interdisciplinary projects, connect content across the curriculum and share best practices, according to Donovan. “This time also provides an opportunity for them to know one another’s content so they can support any learner academically,” said Donovan. For three years, this team has been meeting weekly to co-design their six-week workshop cycles. They break these down this way: Week 1 (entry event, project info), Weeks 2 – 4 (learner inquiry and content), Week 5 (application and project build) and Week 6 (presentations, reflections and assessments). “Through trial and error and many conversations, we concluded that learners tend to be more successful in consistent cycles,” said Donovan.

The Experience

Guide Tanya Fornelli’s current six-week focus is an interdisciplinary project entitled “Never Again” that focuses on the competency of Global Research and Analysis. The driving question: “To what extent does the analysis of the 10 stages of genocide help us recognize that the world community is making progress in preventing genocide?”

Fornelli said her team believes this collaborative process is essential to high quality, interdisciplinary project design. According to Fornelli, they believe that the collaborative process motivates them to come up with creative project ideas and brainstorm learning activities that will engage all learners. “The process of designing projects every six weeks is highly collaborative and effective for providing more personalized learning experiences,” she said. “When discussing project ideas, we focus on what our learners need, where their interests lie, and the skills and concepts that need to be reinforced.” Guide Jeanette Chadwick’s current project integrates physical science and film as learners explore the competency of Creativity and Prototyping. The driving question is “How can science help make movies more realistic?” Chadwick loves how the team comes together to collaborate on project topics and skills using learner input and data. “We share evidence and experiences to help each other build projects that will best serve all learners,” she said. “We try to help each other adapt and bring fresh ideas.”

Power of the Process

Guide Marian Tell-Coffield – whose current project is a Bio/Chem endeavor that looks at some of the social and scientific reasons for convictions using forensics – emphasizes that the guides gain insight on different directions one can take. She said that this makes the project blossom into something that the learners can have a deep interest in learning about. “We know our learners and when we come together, we see our collective work improve,” she said. Care Team Member Danielle Padilla enjoys the creative process of the collaborative work and that they are all hearing one another’s perspectives and feedback. She said it really mirrors the way PBL works. “It’s powerful because other perspectives can only strengthen one’s work,” said Padilla. “The individual work just becomes stronger and more creative, as well as relevant for the learners to gain those competencies they are needing.”

Coaching Perspective and Advantages

PBL Coach Dr. Thom Markham believes that project-based learning is just too big for one brain. He insists that it is a creative endeavor that not just benefits, but requires input from multiple perspectives. “When done in an open-ended, trusting environment, projects become deeper, more engaging and ultimately more challenging for learners.” Markham would love to see others in education embrace this collaborative project design and planning process. He advises those whom he coaches to not start with the standards or ‘what is necessary to cover.’ Instead, he recommends always starting with the big idea, vision and challenge. “Get the vision and idea clear, then incorporate the standards into the project,” said Markham. “That is the secret sauce to engaging, memorable projects for learners.”

The Empower Generations staff believes that Markham’s contributions as a coach adds to the nature of sharing one’s work publicly and embracing a truly collaborative approach. Fornelli believes that the coaching helps deepen the scope of her projects by broadening the lens to a more global perspective. For example, she said that Markham discussed with her the impact of social media in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. “Thom challenges us to deepen our projects and continually instill hope in the minds of our learners,” she said. These guides feel that having a coach reminds them to make the learning accessible to all learners, according to Tell-Coffield. “Thom’s suggestions gave me permission to simplify the work of the activity but not reduce the outcome of student learning and their project in the process,” she said.

Final Comments

Markham is impressed with the creativity from the Empower Generations Guides. He appreciates their focus on authentic learning experiences and enjoys being a part of the process of refining good projects into great projects. “Working with this staff always reminds me that too much focus on curriculum and standards does not result in the best projects,” he said. “These guides always start from the needs of their learners.” For Donovan, this illustrates how the collaborative process produces high levels of creativity and autonomy.

“We design our curriculum around interests, skills and state standards in order to increase motivation and retention,” she said. “The collaborative process truly helps keep the passion in our profession.”

Empower Generations is a free public charter school in Lancaster, California that specializes in helping pregnant and parenting teens and is part of iLEAD Schools.

The post Empower Generations: Coaching for Higher Quality Project Design and Learner Success appeared first on Getting Smart.

Therefore, I think I have yet another way to reflect on this journey for anyone who is an educational reformer. I believe that many of us are eternally part of a long admired literary model – The Hero’s Journey. This is the classic story structure created by academic Joseph Campbell in 1949 as a means to explain how stories unfold. This journey refers to a majority of all tales in which a character ventures out to get what they need, faces conflict and then ultimately triumphs over adversity.

First there is the Status Quo. That’s our traditional education system that is still the dominant paradigm. This is also often called the Ordinary World. But then there is the Call To Action or Call To Adventure. This call is about lifting the Hero (us in this case) out of their comfort zones. Here, we are generally confronted with a challenge we can’t ignore. This catalyst can take many forms. For educators, this can be witnessing the lack of success so often present in school, seeing frustrated students, working in outdated systems or attending a conference with new ideas. We may initially Refuse The Call as we think that it’s too large of a challenge or that the system is impenetrable. We then Meet the Mentor. This can be that other educator, the right leader, a speaker at a conference or even the right book.

We then Cross the First Threshold. This is when we first enter another world – The Special World. This is that initial journey into that new project, new technology, new instructional approach, new paradigm or new classroom environment. We are becoming committed to something new. We no longer see things the same way. We have accepted the ‘call.’ There is no returning to the Ordinary World. Next, we begin to experience Tests/Allies/Enemies. We meet resistance, stumbling blocks or barriers. These can be our local system or larger ones. Think required textbooks, overly emphasized standardized assessments, homework policies, school schedules, tech limitations or outdated tech restrictions. We begin to lean on our Allies. These are our colleagues that have also entered the Special World. We sometimes work with them, but often we meet them outside our local systems. This occurs at professional learning gatherings, on Twitter or maybe even in another professional outside of education. Or we are fortunate to work with those special, courageous leaders. We meet students, parents and others who embrace the new. Simultaneously, we encounter our Enemies. These can be individuals, groups or entities. These are colleagues who don’t want change or leave the Ordinary World. These can be policies or system expectations that don’t align with the change we seek.

We then Approach to the Inmost Cave where we have our ultimate metaphorical encounter with the forces against us. We realize how difficult real educational reform is. It’s these moments where one might feel like surrendering or even leaving the profession altogether. We then reach the Ordeal. We are now at the apex. Campbell says this is the ‘belly of the whale.’ We are confronting all of our professional fears in education. We must dig deep down to see if we can continue towards our individual or collective goals of change. This is where we may experience our most extreme objections, challenges, barriers or detractors. The system has survived much unchanged for many years.

Then, we finally begin to experience Reward. We experience success. Our project gets great community feedback. Students are more engaged than ever. Parents say their students have never been this enthused about education. Students tell you that this is the best learning experience they have had. We then experience The Road Back where we realize despite some success, we have a long way to go. We get to Resurrection – possibly our final test. If we can push through these toughest times, we will prevail. This is where we see that new program, school, approach, major change on the brink of becoming a reality larger than ourselves. Finally, we Return With The Elixir. This is the triumph. Our definition of teaching and learning seems to be more accepted. We have others telling us that this is the right direction. We see our pedagogy getting support and more true believers. We may even see ourselves or colleagues get recognition, awards, speaking engagements, book deals or other adulation. We celebrate the change, the success and the apparent moving away from the Ordinary World.

Although this story arc seems very prevalent in a majority of our stories, books and movies, the Hero’s Journey may be stuck in a repeat cycle for education. We seem to make the cliched one education step forward, then two giant education steps back. This last section of the journey – Reward, Road Back, Resurrection, Elixir – represents the part where many of us often get stuck. We may or may not experience the Reward and beyond. We are no longer in the Ordinary World, but are eternally stuck trying to get all of the Special World. This conflict is what makes all lifelong learners and change agents eternally frustrated. I hope those stuck in the Ordinary World finally get the Call to Action. Those of us fighting it out in the Special World need everybody.

The post The Hero’s Journey Of Educational Reformers appeared first on Getting Smart.

With the current pandemic and alongside a host of other global challenges, play-based learning is key in addressing feelings of loneliness, vulnerability, social deprivation, isolation, and trauma, according to Dr. Angie Nastovska of The Playmakers Institute. “Focusing on just playing and embracing play is a sure and fun way to fuel our imagination, creativity, problem-solving abilities, and emotional well-being,” said Nastovska. “As a comparison, the okay for adults can mean relaxing, setting work and commitments aside, and just enjoying socialization in an unstructured, creative way.”

The concept that this is not just for young learners is vital, according to Nastovska. She said we are born with an innate desire and need for play. “Play is a way of knowing and a way of being. It’s an essential means for exploration, inquiry, learning, socialization and ultimately understanding our societal and cultural norms and patterns,” said Nastovaksa. “It is important for everyone because with playing, we nurture and foster personal expression, exploration and creativity. The benefits of play, said Nastovska, are that it can add joy to life, help relieve stress, supercharge our learning and also connect all of us to others and the world around us (See this Help Guide for more information).

Play is also an important part of our professional lives as well, said Nastovska. “Play can also make work more productive and pleasurable,” she said. Since play is so vital to emotional and physical well-being, researchers are now studying how it influences our career success and literacy. The world of work is experiencing deep fears and trauma related to workers being displaced by automation, artificial intelligence, and pure skill misalignment. Solutions are often focused on re-training and educational efforts, as well as newer concepts such as Universal Basic Income.

But one group of corporate CEOs is looking deeper and offering research-based connections to career success and the concepts around play. “Helping kids play more will equip them to be relevant to the workplace and to society,” said John Goodwin, CEO of the Lego Foundation and the former CFO for The Lego Group. According to the CEOs of the Fortune 500 companies, collaboration and teamwork are the most important workplace skills of the 21st century. Our ability to connect and relate to one another – across all backgrounds, education levels and personalities – is the means for future success, said Nastovska.

“Play nurtures and fosters all things related to this ability to connect and relate to one another,” she said. “So, if you want your child to get a good job, let them play more.” So, ultimately, this is a literacy that becomes part of the literacy lexicon of educators and our schools. Nastovska advocates that we have to adopt a systems thinking approach to this challenge of play literacy.

She sees this as both a literacy and priority challenge for educators and parents alike. Nastovska said that we have to get all adults in our kids’ lives to realize that play is not just fun and games, but rather as a vital aspect of our overall health, well-being and lifelong success. “Play might be one of the most important concepts and activities that we can impart on our children in order to prepare them for success both personally and professionally,” she said.

Nastovaks is challenging all parents to become more aware of the importance of play and to consult resources designed for parents and families as well. As one example, she cites the joint work of Playworks and the Alliance For A Healthier Generation who have compiled a list of helpful tips for planning and prioritizing play for parents and families who are interested in integrating more play into the routine at home. They are:

1. Create a Game Plan

Just like schoolwork and mealtime, we can plan ahead for play. As a family, discuss your goals for play time and establish a basic framework for how, when, and where play occurs (e.g., in the family room after dinner).

Short on time? Consider ways you can add movement and play to your regular routines like trying these Go for a Walk Games.

2. Engage the Whole Family

One of the best ways to encourage play and physical activity in children is to model those choices as an adult. Caretakers and older siblings can inspire younger children simply by engaging in play or movement themselves. Some of our favorite games to build connections are I Love My Neighbor and Charades Relay. Find more games that the whole family can enjoy in the Playworks Game Library.

3. Use Your Whole Space

Whether indoors or outdoors, make the most of your play space. Get started by mapping your space to establish boundaries and identify any potential safety hazards. To do so, draw out all of your space with your child on a piece of paper. Identify which zones are off-limits for safety (ex. kitchen or bathroom) or because other people need to be safely moving through the space. Your kids might be able to help you identify new small or large safe spaces to play, and establish what types of games they’d like to play where.

When playing games with tossable objects, it’s safest to find a space without much furniture, unless you get creative with a game like Popcorn. Outdoor space near the house might be better for games that use equipment, such as balls, frisbees, or hula-hoops. Be sure to always have kids point to the boundaries of the space before they start playing to establish and re-iterate expectations.

Get creative and modify game rules to fit your space. If you are playing a tag game, for example, include touching some of the walls or furniture inside of a room as an added step.

4. Reflect

Play can stir up a lot of emotion. When we pause to reflect after an active game, we offer ourselves and others an opportunity to process these emotions and communicate our needs. At the end of playtime, pause as a group to debrief or identify feelings so that everyone can leave the play space feeling heard and happy.

Here are a few of our favorite Playworks Debrief Questions:

• What was challenging about playing these games
• What would you like to do differently next time?
• How did you practice (insert skill, ex. Physical Self-Awareness) while playing this game?
• How did you communicate with others during the game?
• What is a creative way you’d like to change the game next time?

Become part of the PlayMaker Play Initiative, which is a quarterly series around different topics of play. This quarter, the focus is on Play-Based Learning For All Ages. 

The post The Benefits of Play-Based Learning For All Ages appeared first on Getting Smart.

According to USA IPA President Deb Lawrence, researchers contend that play, or play-based learning, are critical aspects of childhood development. Indeed, she acknowledges that in this fast-paced and tech-centric world we live in, helping educators and parents recognize the importance of play is not only important but also critical to helping children reach their individual potential. These Porch Play Chats are a great way to do just that, according to Lawrence.

Porch Play Chats are 25-30 minute conversations featuring various guests from around the world sharing a diverse variety of play-based learning topics. These weekly conversations are co-hosted and facilitated by Lawrence and fellow USA IPA Member, Lisa Murphy. Lawrence emphasized that these chats are not presentations and do not include powerpoint-type slides.

“We want people to be able to pull it up and listen in the car,” said Lawrence. “In that way, it feels much more like a podcast.”

Porch Play Chats are produced four times a year, 12-15 conversations per season, but then released weekly on Mondays throughout the year. They are open to anyone and can be found on the IPA website, as well as on their Facebook page and YouTube Channel.

Although each week’s topic is unique, Lawrence said listeners will recognize common themes emerging. She said that is very powerful considering the guests represent very diverse walks of life. These include, but are not limited to therapists, adventure playground people, evolutionary ecologists, children’s museum curators, early childhood education practitioners, disabilities experts, and play therapists. Indeed, the guests have ranged in age from 22 – 70, according to Lawrence.

“We are always recruiting and finding others that are as passionate about play as we are,” said Lawrence.

Many school system and school site leaders are part of the network that participates in the Porch Play Chats guest facilitators.

Play-Based Learning Advocate and the Playmaker Institute’s Dr. Angie Nastovska Nastovska said that Porch Play Chats have been invigorating and inspirational to her on many levels.

“The diversity of the guests helps us to better understand the importance of play, the need for play in every aspect of life, and the benefits of play at every age,” she said. “These short and engaging conversations will leave any listener excited, energized, and motivated to contribute to the world of play.”

Lisa Latimer who serves on the IPA USA Board of Directors and is a School Site Director at iLEAD Agua Dulce, also guest hosts and facilitates often. She loves the diverse play-based community coming together.

“Play Porch Chats bring a community of like-minded people together to share inspiration and give valuable insight,” said Latimer.

Lawrence and her team are currently recruiting for October and beyond. They are looking for anyone that advocates for play and play-based learning. Lawrence said they are also focused on identifying the next generation of leaders.

“We are finding younger educators don’t have experience with play themselves,” said Lawrence. “Many had their formal education during the height of No Child Left Behind where we were minimizing or eliminating play.

Lawrence encourages all that could be interested to look at the Porch Chat Calendar from USA IPA. Additionally, she encourages anyone interested in play to consider becoming a USA IPA member where they can enjoy access to mini-grants, conferences, special events, and much more.

For Lawrence, the international community of play-based advocates is always working to remind any and all about the importance of play not just for children but for all learners: “Play is lifelong and an essential part of lifelong learning,” said Lawrence. “It has been undervalued in all age groups.”

The post Play-Based Learning and Weekly Porch Chats appeared first on Getting Smart.

Education has been experiencing sweeping changes over the last several years. It’s been 1:1 technology integration, the Common Core Standards, the Next Generation Science Standards, and a push for deeper learning to name a few. But possibly due for an overhaul more than anything might be math instruction. California is taking this head-on by preparing to announce new math frameworks.

Although these new frameworks will not be finalized until this fall, major shifts are already underway. The new framework promotes data sciences as alternatives to the traditional calculus pathway for meeting college entrance requirements in math. According to Dr. Kyndall Brown, UCLA Professor and Executive Director California Mathematics Project Statewide Office, these changes are just the beginning.

“There is also a greater emphasis on equitable teaching practices that include more students who have been historically marginalized,” said Brown. “The framework also encourages the elimination of ability grouping and tracking.”

In leading the California Mathematics Project, Brown’s role includes oversight of 19 regional sites that are housed at California universities. Each regional site, according to Brown, partners with teachers, schools, and districts in their regions to provide professional learning programs aimed at improving the mathematical pedagogical content knowledge of K-12 teachers. Through this work, Brown has been providing regular feedback to the writing team of the new frameworks and he is excited about what he’s seeing.

“I am in favor of the changes. I think the emphasis on equity is much needed due to the disparate performances of students that fall along socio-economic lines,” said Brown. “I think alternative pathways will expand opportunities for students who are interested in pursuing non-STEM majors in college.”

California K-12 math practitioners also seem equally excited about the changes. The shift to include data and information sciences as a key math pathway is vital, according to Amber Soto, Director of Mathematics at iLEAD Schools. Soto sees data science going hand in hand with media literacy.

‘Knowing how to read, process and analyze data are the keys to success in all future academic and professional work,” said Soto. “All of our biggest issues and challenges – climate change, social justice, poverty, food insecurity, economic sustainability – are informed by data.”

Soto said that the Next Generation Science Standards made a big shift from students will know and understand to students will inquiry, apply, and do. According to Soto, Math is going through the same transformation, the skills have shifted, and it’s demanding ever more higher-level thinking.

“We used to have to do the calculations, but computers do that now. We need to learn to code the computer,” said Soto. “Instead of teaching an algorithm, we need to have students create the algorithm. We need to do this to stay relevant.”

Soto said this shift coincides well with where education and the world are going. As we pursue more deeper and relevant learning, the data sciences are integral, according to Soto.

“Regardless of the topic or issue, we now have to ask what math is involved,” shared Soto. “It’s going to be about percentages, rate, and systems of equations to name a few.”

She then illustrates this shift by saying that it’s going to be a lot more about infographics and data talks vs. spending too much time learning long division. For those that want to see examples, Soto recommends looking at resources such as Dr. Jo Boaler’s youcubed and her examples of data talks, as well as Turner’s Graph Of The Week.

Although these changes are being welcomed by many, according to Brown, the frameworks may not go as far as he would like.

“Due to political pressure, the writing team was forced to remove references to the Pathway to Equitable Mathematics Instruction,” said Brown. “I think that was unfortunate.”

According to Soto and Brown, the need for professional learning in math may never be higher than now. They encourage all math educators to use the aforementioned resources and ones such as UCLA’s Center X – a community of more than 100 educators working across multiple programs: two graduate credential programs, Teacher Education Program (TEP) and Principal Leadership Institute (PLI), and many professional development initiatives. Together, they aim to transform public schooling to create a more just, equitable, and humane society.

Meanwhile, as the new frameworks get finalized for a fall reveal, expect more iterations and resources to come.

For more, see:

• Podcast: Jo Boaler On the Limitless Mind and Learning Math That Matters
• Skip Coding, Teach Data Science
• Mathematical Discourse: A Matter of Sharing and Questioning

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The post California Revamping Math Frameworks: The Need For Data Science, Equity and Deeper Learning appeared first on Getting Smart.

Both Earnshaw and Buckley believe that the punk rock mindset is the perfect vehicle to inspire and initiate change – both in education and in the world. They grew up witnessing the living validation of core punk rock values – passion, unity, and DIY – making a difference for themselves, their peers, and their communities. According to these two forward-leaning educators, punk rock is aligned well with creating classrooms where students are engaged, take ownership of their learning and focus on difference-making.

These two punk rock educators – who only met online two years ago and have to this day never met in person – are focused on giving all students the best education possible. Earnshaw – a longtime punk rock fan and aficionado – connected immediately with Buckley – also a longtime fan and punk rock musician. Together, they have been successfully sharing their education ideas and punk rock recommendations through their successful Punk Rock Classrooms Podcast.  Earnshaw and Buckley agree that their collective mission is to promote a mindset that is really student-centered and focuses on strong relationships and a larger interpersonal context for both teachers and students in the classroom.

“Some educators are focused on test scores and it becomes too narrow. It becomes all about an external thing and they are not enjoying it,” said Earnshaw. “They are not enjoying influencing kids’ lives. If more educators embrace their passions, that’s what builds those connections.”

Buckley concurs and said that students are not only looking for meaningful connections but also opportunities to have agency. He said educators need to embrace the student voice and realize that their role is to create and amplify those opportunities.

“In punk rock terms, this is about passing the microphone. At punk rock shows, they often put the mic in the crowd and let everybody have an opportunity to yell,” said Buckley. “This DIY mentality is about letting our students run the show, letting them solve the problems and giving them ways to pursue their own ideas.”

Much of what PRC promotes aligns well with those interested in more project-based, deeper learning instruction. The concepts of student voice, relevant and engaging work, as well as taking risks is all part of a learning culture that Earnshaw says needs to be modeled and implemented from top-down. As a site leader, he said he communicates to his teachers that they can take risks and that he wants to see engaged kids who are actively involved in their learning.

“Teachers may be afraid to give control away or of what their colleagues may say,” said Earnshaw. “Some of my best teachers have classrooms that are being led by students. But leaders have to communicate that this is the culture of the school.”

It’s about getting outside of one’s comfort zone – for both teachers and students – according to Buckley. He said this is a democratization of the classroom that makes the teacher more of a facilitator and guide versus an agent of control.

“Give the classroom over to the kids. If they have an idea, let them run with it,” said Buckley. “Educators can be too comfortable being the master of their domain. We have to drop the ego.”

This is about shaking up the traditional model of how we view teaching and learning in the classroom, according to Buckley. He said we have to get away from evaluating a learning environment based on compliance.

“The idea that a good classroom is a controlled, quiet one does not align with actual learning and the real world,” said Buckley. “Kids are searching for purpose and we have to find ways to give that to them.”

In its first year, the podcast was about the ethos of punk rock, while this year has focused more on education concepts and applications of punk rock. As of late, episodes have been dedicated to real-world challenges and needs these two are facing at their school sites. These include everything from state assessments to evaluations to how to build campus culture. Although excited about the attention the podcast is receiving, Earnshaw and Buckley cling to their punk rock roots and say they are not chasing popularity or mass appeal. Rather, they are about pursuing their passions and fostering a community.

“Punk rock taught us that relationships are vital to a scene. Our classrooms and schools are our scene,” said Buckley. “We’ve been able to connect with educators all over the world and that is powerful.”

Buckley also reminds us that you don’t have to be a punk rock music fan to get what they talk about.

“ Everyone has their punk rock,” said Buckley. “It might be fishing or gardening. This is about what gets one going and how one can apply that to teaching.”

Their message and philosophy are resonating with key educational voices. Kyle Anderson, veteran ed-tech blogger, and host of the BeerEDU Podcast, is a huge fan.

“I’ve never met them, but I talk to them frequently on Twitter and Voxer. And they have been on BeerEDU twice,” said Anderson. “They are solid dudes. I love their show.”

In addition to eventually meeting in person, they say their plans are to continue with the podcast and spread the punk rock ethos to as many educators who will listen. They say they have found their tribe and just encourage other educators to do the same.

“Teachers don’t need to feel alone about their educational philosophies or ideas,” said Earnshaw. “Run with what you love should be a message for teachers as well as their message to their students.”

For more, see:

• 10 Tips For Developing Student Agency
• Follow Your Passion: Crazy or Genius?
• Take a Risk and Follow Your Own Path in Life

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The post Punk Rock Classrooms Brings Passion, Unity & Do-It-Yourself Mindset To Education appeared first on Getting Smart.

Monthly Memberships

With its launch of Monthly Membership Packages, families can tailor their child’s learning to the needs of their family and schooling choice; full-time enrollment is no longer the only option. Memberships also make WorldOver’s innovative learning experiences more affordable than ever, according to Eileen Elliott, WorldOver Director of Communication.

“It also leads to flexibility where people can continue to customize their own schedule,” said Elliot. “We work with homeschooling families, along with students enrolled in other schools, who want to supplement their education.”

These memberships have tiered options that include things such as live classes, participation in the Virtual Reality club and weekly Discovery Days.

“Families can customize their memberships with additional opportunities such as presentations of learning, academic coaching, tutoring, and personalized one-on-one instruction,” said Elliott.

Unique Summer Opportunities

This summer, WorldOver offers extended learning opportunities and in-demand program offerings. Some summer workshops are one-off experiences for just an hour or two where a child learns a specific skill or creates a specific work of digital art, while others are akin to an intensive summer camp, like WorldOver’s virtual Video Game Coding class.

“We are really dedicated to giving more learners these opportunities,” said Elliott. “In the world of online, independent schools, we are truly innovating in order to model how the world is changing.”

Courses are synchronous and asynchronous experiences and the schedules are customizable. Some course examples include, but are not limited to Japanese, improvisation, game design, coding and programming, and unique offerings in the arts. She said the improvisation course even has an option whereby families can enroll together.

“These are very unique course offerings that are project-based,” said Elliott.

Virtual Reality Is Here

One of the most unique program offerings is the burgeoning Virtual Reality Program. Facilitated by Virtual Reality Developer Ramon Hamilton, WorldOver is developing the first international virtual school complete with a central hub, as well as virtual classrooms, a movie theatre, and an outdoor nature village.

The beta version of the virtual school will launch this summer.

“This summer, we will offer two courses in our Virtual Reality space,” said Hamilton. “In the Fall, the goal is to have the majority of the learners spend at least one class or a portion of a class, each week in Virtual Reality.”

Hamilton and the WorldOver team believe that this is a game-changer for international learners and core to the WorldOver mission.

“The goal of WorldOver is to bring learners, families, and facilitators into one collective hub of learning,” said Hamilton. “Yes, learners are taking courses but the really transformative part is the collaborative opportunity.”

Hamilton and the WorldOver team believe that when learners share space, they learn from one another. “Zoom only goes so far,” he said. “There is something magical about doing a collaborative task in the same space.”

Although international students have been doing collaborative endeavors together before, the traditional means for this is often cost-prohibitive, according to Hamilton. Because of tuition, travel, room and board, it is often limited who can afford these opportunities.

“Our Virtual Reality School is changing who can access these types of unique international, collaborative experiences,” said Hamilton. “Now, with a $300 headset, WorldOver learners can experience what only a handful of learners have traditionally been able to have.”

While some may be tempted to criticize virtual reality as just another technology gimmick, Hamilton said these learners are really part of the next generation of learning – and in a much more immersive way than any previous online environment.

“Think about studying Ancient Egypt and being able to go to the Pyramids,” said Hamilton. “Or how about language immersion? Here, we can go to Rome from anywhere in the world and also engage with Italians. It’s really about whatever the mind can imagine.”

Long-term, Hamilton thinks he and the facilitators will be designing one incredible, immersive experience after another for their students from all over the world. Additionally, as a project-based organization, there will be opportunities for learners to create and design their own virtual reality experiences.

“This is such a rich way to learn about the world,” said Hamilton. “What better way to take learners from around the world and provide them truly interactive, rich experiences.”

Summer Ahead

Summer is the ideal time to expand one’s horizons, pursue a personal interest, get ahead academically or to try something one has always wanted to try.

“WorldOver is really about personalized growth and lifelong learning,” said Elliott. She encourages interested learners and families – elementary, middle, and high school – to contact WorldOver to consider all of the possibilities.

For more, see:

• 8 Ways to Bring Augmented and Virtual Reality into the Classroom
• Telling Our Stories: Connecting Globally
• 10 Ways Independent Schools Could Lead on Innovation

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The post WorldOver Continues To Redefine Personalized, Globalized Learning appeared first on Getting Smart.

Although founded over 20 years ago, Yoga Ed. was acquired and re-branded in 2013 when current 2.0 co-founders Brynne Caleda and Julia Bond transitioned it from an in-person, paper-based training organization into an evidence-based, online curriculum program. Caleda, who had been a trainer almost since the original inception and a one-time middle school teacher, led her team in a complete curriculum rewrite to create an online learning space focused on trauma-informed education.

Since then, she said they have been getting a great deal of interest from educators, schools, districts and educational organizations around the world due to the increased awareness of trauma on mental and physical health.

“Our evidence-based curriculum – aligned with national and international Health and Physical Education Standards, as well as CASEL’s Social Emotional Learning Framework, – is proven to improve physical, mental, emotional and social health,” said Caleda.

Mindful Movement

Caleda said the entire Yoga Ed. team is really excited by the global interest, as well as the impact their work is having on teachers and their students. They have developed complete online courses that are supplemented with coaching and training. She said their Mindful Movement Program is intended to integrate seamlessly into existing curriculum, initiatives, and the normal school day without being something additional that teachers need to do.

Through their research-based strategies, that support social-emotional learning competencies, they train teachers to include things such as brain breaks throughout the school day and morning mindfulness during morning meetings, as well as facilitate curriculum for physical education, health education, indoor recess, teacher health and wellness programs and ultimately yoga and mindfulness classes to support existing SEL instruction.

A New Urgency, Awareness

The time is now more than ever, according to Caleda. She says that our society has been experiencing increasing collective trauma. This trauma, with additional layers from the pandemic and other global events, has left mental health as the next pandemic, said Caleda.

“Trauma shows up in the body and the brain and it makes it difficult for teachers and students to learn,” she said. “Our mental health as educators is necessary for us to teach, as well as for students to learn.”

There are four domains that Yoga Ed.’s program addresses: physical, mental (focus, concentration), emotional (self-awareness, self-management) and social (relationships with others). She said teachers, while typically exhausted themselves, are well aware that their students have these needs. Yoga Ed.’s approach is to help teachers, then students, feel better emotionally and physically through simple and very accessible mindfulness techniques

“Mindfulness has become vernacular. However, we are trying to demystify it,” said Caleda. “If you have a chair and a body, you can learn to breathe and improve your mental and physical health.”

In the ideal situation, Caleda said she and her team prefer to work with entire school staff over multiple years. However, she said they see themselves as capacity builders who often work with educators, as well as healthcare professionals, mental health staff, social workers, counselors, occupational therapists, physical therapists and even parents or the occasional yoga teacher.

The connections between this work and student success are highly correlated, according to Caleda. She sites research studies from well-known academic institutions such as Harvard, Yale and CSU Fullerton that support the work her team does.

“All of these studies examined student and teacher outcomes,” said Caleda. “They consistently found when teachers feel better, both physically and mentally, they perform better and so do their students.”

User Experience

School site leaders are also seeing the value of this type of training for both their staff and students. Drew Giles, Director of Educate at Franklin-McKinley School District in San Jose, California, describes the benefits of Yoga Ed. in terms of skills. For staff, he said this is about equipping them with the mindfulness to be present, aware and engage. For students, Giles said we can teach them how to use their own breathing exercises, along with other yoga-related endeavors, in order to support one’s brain and body.

“On flights, we’ve been trained that in the event of an emergency, we are to secure your own mask before assisting others. The same is true for us as educators and human beings,” said Giles.

Giles added that in order for educators to do their challenging, yet rewarding work, they must prioritize self-care into their organizational culture.

“What greater gift can we give our teachers and students?” asked Giles. “If we prioritize these experiences, the rest of the learning and life skills will come.”

Perceived Barriers

Yoga Ed. realizes that the perceived challenges are usually about time and money. However, she said schools might be surprised how affordable and customizable all this really is. Caleda said funding from the CARES Act and many other funding sources are perfectly aligned with supporting this type of work.

The value, according to Caleda, is that Yoga Ed. is part of a global community of educators focused on wellness. Indeed, when someone registers for the course, they get 6-8 weeks of instruction, access to the course for a year, coaching and personalized support, as well as access to over 500 lessons that can be used with students.

“Some might say that they don’t have the money or time for self-care,” she said. “But this is a way to take care of everyone and make our lives better. Can we afford not to do it?

The Current Shift

There is a paradigm shift happening, according to Caleda. Traditionally, we have prioritized academics over wellness. But now, we are beginning to realize that wellness is the pathway to academic success.

“How can students learn to read if they have unresolved trauma? What are we doing to prepare teachers to support all of this collective trauma?” asks Caleda. “Time is a roadblock, but learning how to do this will actually give you more time.”

For more, see:

• Trauma-Supported Education and Educator SEL Training is Vital for The Classroom
• Opportunities in Wellness: A Key to Learning
• Helping Teachers Prioritize Social-Emotional Learning

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The post Yoga Ed. Addresses Trauma Through Teacher, Student Self-Care appeared first on Getting Smart.