Learning Forward

A revolution took place in staff development in the late 1980s and into the 1990s. It was not reported on the evening news. Very few knew it was happening. I was a rebel, along with others I had not yet met, in the rebellion that resulted in learning communities, the dominant […]

Effective professional learning communities are based on the assumption that collective learning and problem solving are key to improving educator practice and student learning. Effective professional learning communities promote the spread of better practices from teacher to teacher as well as school to school, ensuring that more students experience instruction […]

A Tapestry of Inquiry and Action: Cycle of learning weaves its way through Washington district. By Harriette Thurber Rasmussen and Kathryn Karschney  The West Valley School District in eastern Washington wanted a way to cultivate a culture of rigorous and relevant instructional practice, driven by data, to raise achievement for […]

Learning School Alliance  View profiles of participants in the Learning School Alliance, a collection of individual schools committed to collaborative professional learning with educators in their school and others around the country and in Canada. The Learning School Alliance helps create environments where professional learning is embedded in the job, […]

The Learning Forward Foundation has announced its 2012 grant winners. These awards provide recipients opportunities to develop their expertise in leading professional learning within their schools and districts and to engage them in the broader Learning Forward community for ongoing professional collaboration and support. Learning Forward Foundation is dedicated to […]

On Board The concept of learning communities is at the core of effective professional learning. Learning communities provide the structure for ongoing collaboration, set the stage for deep inquiry and problem solving, and promote collective responsibility and goal alignment among educators. Learning Forward promotes the Learning Communities standard as one […]

The 2nd-grade team at McWhirter Elementary Professional Development Laboratory School, Clear Creek Independent School District, Webster, Texas, is the winner of the Shirley Hord Learning Team Award. Presented by Learning Forward and Corwin Press, this award is given to a team of teachers that demonstrates Learning Forward’s definition of professional […]

Most professional development in diversity focuses on two aspects: recognizing issues of inequity and building cultural knowledge. While these are important and necessary steps in developing cultural proficiency, they are not enough. In order to address systemic inequities and create culturally responsive classrooms and schools, educators must take action to […]

About a decade ago, I came across the following passage from Haim Ginott, child psychologist and psychotherapist and a parent educator. “I’ve come to a frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It’s my personal approach that creates the climate. It’s my daily mood that makes […]

Learning communities can use this tool to gain a deeper understanding of the Standards for Professional Learning. Purpose The purpose of unpacking the Standards for Professional Learning is to explore the essential components that describe what educators should know and be able to do for effective professional learning. Materials  A […]