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Collaborating with experts to support schools and deliver professional development, ensuring the success of all students.



Culture, Caring and Character – All Linked to Student Gains

While the emphasis on school transformation focuses on standards, cognitive skills, and teaching strategies, research is mounting that character, culture and social/emotional development may be just as important.

The programs described below may emphasize different qualities and have somewhat different strategies but they have strong common themes and have all been associated with increases in student progress and/or improved student behavior, perseverence, etc.

  • Character education focuses on a curriculum teaching students qualities like honesty, kindness, perseverence and responsibility.
  • Social/emotional development programs key on relationships, problem solving and caring.
  • Some efforts put the focus on increasing positive feelings and interactions.
  • Other efforts  put the focus on school culture and look to apply similar qualities into the whole school environment. (more…)

An Interview with Daniel Pink: Selling Students to Become Self-Directed Learners

Teachers as Persuaders, Problem-Finding vs Problem-Solving and Learning Goals vs Performance Goals

One of our favorite authors, Daniel Pink (Drive), has a new book and was recently interviewed by Larry Ferlazzo for Education Week.  Pink’s new book is titled: To Sell is Human: The Surprising Truth about Moving Others.  In this conversation with Ferlazzo, Pink talks about how teachers can “sell” more to students to help them to become self-directed lifelong learners and how current education practices, assessments, etc. help or hinder us in this goal. (more…)