Learning Forward

Planning for effective professional learning proceeds in this sequence: What do students need to know and be able to do to achieve? Given that information, what knowledge and skills do educators need? Finally, what should professional learning address, and how should it be organized to ensure educators attain the necessary […]

The Sweet Spot in Professional Learning: When student learning goals and educator performance standards align, everything is possible. By Joellen Killion and Jacqueline Kennedy When student content standards and educator performance standards intersect and are surrounded with accountability and support systems that create the conditions for high degrees of educator […]

Tools for Learning Schools  A common question many educators ask about the Standards for Professional Learning is, “Where do I start?” It can be a daunting task to introduce a new, unfamiliar topic to school and district leaders. In the Fall 2012 issue of Tools for Learning Schools, Anthony Armstrong […]

Chidley Recipient Confronts Challenges in Rural Alaska Game changers are visionaries — dreamers and innovators with ideas that make a difference. Tonio Verzone, a recipient of the 2012 Chidley Fund Academy Scholarship, is a game changer. Verzone is lead facilitator for Avante-Garde Learning Alliance, a not-for-profit organization in Anchorage, Alaska, […]

Schools Can Change: A Step-by-Step Change Creation System for Building Innovative Schools and Increasing Student Learning By Dale W. Lick, Karl H. Clauset, and Carlene U. Murphy Foreword by Carlene U. Murphy Genuine effective school improvement requires leaders and teachers to be part of a broad-based, creative change system that […]

With a focus on standards, coherence, and outcomes, we can realize ambitious and necessary goals This summer, I was appointed superintendent of schools in Weymouth, Mass. Since starting this new role, I have focused on listening and learning from teachers and administrators, students and parents, and the partners who work […]

Investing in professional learning is crucial, and even more so when implementing a high-stakes initiative such as the Common Core State Standards. That’s why Learning Forward has published a new brief, Meet the Promise of Content Standards: Investing in Professional Learning.  The brief explores the growing needs of educators with […]

A student teacher recently observed a troubling interaction between two students in a 1st-grade classroom. The two students were talking as they worked on a project. One of the students said something about his mom and dad. The other student replied, “I have two moms.” The first student looked up at […]

Supplies  Paint chips in many colors, at least twice as many chips as there are participants. Paper and pencil. Striped beach ball. Steps Spread out paint chips on a table. Ask participants to choose a color they really like. Ask participants to write “I am” and insert the name of […]

The Backmapping Model for Planning Results-Based Professional Learning describes a seven-step process for planning professional learning. Use these steps and the key questions to consider for each step to help structure discussions and reflections. Discuss the questions and identify other questions to answer during each step.