As more practitioners and researchers recognize the importance of addressing students’ social and emotional learning (SEL) in schools, we can’t leave to chance the professional learning needed to make these efforts effective. Far too often, the professional learning linked to essential emerging topics is a distant afterthought in many educators’ contexts. We should also recognize…
Integrating social and emotional learning should be standard practice
Equity drives Learning Forward’s vision
At Learning Forward, we fundamentally believe every child deserves access to excellent teaching and learning every day, regardless of his or her ZIP code or family income. Socioeconomic conditions, race, ethnic background, and other factors should not be predictors for educational attainment. We believe school systems and other learning environments have to be relentless in…
Learning Forward Urges Rapid Passage of FY19 Spending Bill
Learning Forward Executive Director Stephanie Hirsh issued a statement about the bipartisan conference bill that funds defense, labor, health, human services, and education. “I applaud the bipartisan and bicameral agreement on the FY19 spending bill that provides level funding for Title IIA of ESSA, which funds critical support so educators can meet the needs of…
Share the good news about great schools as the new year begins
I have worked for 30 years at Learning Forward and that has required a tremendous amount of travel. On every trip, I ask the people I meet to tell me about their schools. While my data collection methods are quite unscientific, my findings are very similar to those highlighted in national polls. Taxi drivers who…
Intentional learning goals create the potential for transformational change
While engaged in cycles of inquiry or improvement, teams may collaborate to write SMART goals for students but skip the stage of writing goals for themselves. However, a deliberate focus on educator learning with intentional goal setting is what makes a learning cycle particularly valuable for educators and is unique to Learning Forward’s team learning…
What it takes to make a great start
By Stephanie Hirsh One of the most frequent questions I have been asked over the years is: What are the essential conditions for launching a new initiative? Often what people want to know is whether they should kick off their new program with volunteers or should they mandate total involvement. I typically answer with the…
The power of high-quality curricula
I remember how excited I was to begin my teaching career. My principal handed me my keys, my textbook teacher’s edition, and the district curriculum guide. I spent hours imagining how I would transform my classroom into an amazing learning space. I also assumed there would be guidance to ensure my success, but that wasn’t…
Leverage research on curriculum and professional learning to fulfill the vision of PLCs
Perhaps you’ve seen our recent blogs calling on professional learning communities (PLCs) to anchor their work in the deep study of their curriculum and instructional materials. At Learning Forward, we have always been explicit about the importance of focusing professional learning on the outcomes we expect for students and their teachers. Now, a growing body…
Whatever name you give it, the PLC plays an important role
In my view, no learning model has captured educators’ attention more than collaborative learning structures. Over the last few decades, they’ve had many names, starting with professional learning communities (PLCs). In some corners, they became professional learning networks or learning teams. We also use the terms communities of practice and networked improvement communities. The approach…
Why teachers embrace — or reject — technology tools
Every week, it seems, there are enticing new technology tools developed for educators, schools, and school systems. What is it that leads teachers to use such resources? Learning Forward recently concluded a study to understand the factors that drive teachers to embrace — or reject — the use of tools specifically created to help them…