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Unveiling the Power of Belonging: Essential Strategies for Student Success
What is belonging? According to Cornell University’s Department of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging, belonging is ‘the feeling of security and support when there is a sense of acceptance, inclusion, and identity for a member of a certain group.’ In school communities, belonging occurs when individuals can bring their authentic selves into the learning environment. When…
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Differentiation Tricks and Treats: High Impact, Low Stress
I just finished listening to a podcast entitled “Six high-impact, low-burnout strategies to differentiate your lessons for neurodiverget kids with Dr. Laura Fitzpatrick” (on the Truth for Teachers podcast). With Halloween around the corner I thought it would be the perfect time to share Dr. Fitzpatricks tricks for differentiation with all of you! In this…
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5 Days of Professional Learning- We’ve Got Your Back
Last Thursday, we all learned that by Executive Order, our students will not be returning to our buildings for the remainder of the year. Many of us we will be embarking on a new journey of teaching our students at a distance. Many districts are planning to utilize their five days of professional learning as…
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Top Ten Posts of 2019
As we begin a new year it is a great time to reflect on what we shared last year and catch up on what you may have missed. We shared topics on literacy, diversity, mental health, personalized learning, leadership, and so much more! Here are the ten most visited blog posts of 2019: Dr. Kilpatrick…
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$500,000 Awarded for Competency-Based Education Programs
Written by: Steve Nemeckay and Jeff McNeal, MDE Districts competed for grant funding for the purpose of providing enhanced choice to pupils and parents for the completion of the requirements for kindergarten through high school diploma, including the Michigan Merit Curriculum. The grant provides for a three-year opportunity for districts to explore, develop, and implement…
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Redefining Learning
Written by David Richards, Ph.D. There is a learning renaissance happening in education. Today, educators are witnessing a disruptive convergence of access to mobile devices, online content, demands for choice, and increased access to high-speed bandwidth. Our new reality includes the fact that teachers are everywhere, content is king, and students are increasingly expecting to…
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Equitable Education through Personalized Learning
In conversations around equity, we often see the image above used as a metaphor to describe how it is different from equality. As educators, we know that every student is unique and their needs diverse. This image depicts that when we provide the same supports to each learner regardless of their unique needs, only some…
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Small Wins for Growing Habits and Skills with Diverse Learners
Let’s be real. One of the hardest things for people to do is build a new habit. It takes commitment, focus, drive, and a constant reminder or way to trigger that action. In the learning environment habits play an equally important role as mastering curriculum. For many students habits may come naturally and become part…
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Individuals First, Learners Second
It’s the beginning to a new school year. As you start the year take into consideration this mind-blowing fact. Did you know that the term “didaskaleinophobia” is the acute fear of going to school? And, that it affects about 2.4% of all children? I bet you didn’t know that, or are asking yourself why I…
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Personalized Learning Conference: #PLCON18 Call for Proposals is OPEN!
UPDATE: This conference is being postponed until May 1, 2019. Please save the date. We are still accepting proposals, but it will be for the 2019 conference. We will still be holding the 2018 site visits at Kent Innovation High and Kenowa Hills. Click here for more information on site visits. Kent ISD is pleased…