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Thematic inquiry is a great way to connect different pedagogies and learning styles

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Thematic inquiry is a great way to connect different pedagogies and learning styles

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The Arc | Brightworks (sfbrightworks.org)

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Brightworks' learning model centers real-world experiences and open-ended questions over rote memorization and test-taking, and fosters students' critical thinking and empathy in asking questions and solving problems.

We are an engagement-driven school that gives kids the tools and experiences that help them become the best versions of themselves and fosters their development as contributors to society. We emphasize process over product to help students think critically, explore deeply, challenge themselves, contribute positively to their world, and learn from their failures and successes.

Since it was founded in 2011, our school has been known for its unique project-based curriculum.

Project Based Learning is a teaching method in which students learn by actively engaging in real-world and personally meaningful projects.

This definition comes from the Buck Institute for Education's PBL Works, and it's one we follow quite closely! Learn more about project-based learning here.

Through group work and individual passion projects, our curriculum is designed to unleash students' potential to learn and apply knowledge, to pursue and refine their talents. Our graduates are the kinds of lifelong learners they will need to be for success in the balance of the 21st century. Their education at Brightworks has built their sense of agency, intention, and drive to pursue what they are most passionate about, because we know that passion and drive lead to change, and making the world a better place.

To guide our students in this journey, we follow what we call the Arc.

The Arc is the fundamental rhythm of a Brightworks education. With two to three major arcs each year, students move through a diverse course of study in a series of intensive immersions, emphasizing depth over breadth, integrating and contextualizing the development of skills and domain knowledge.

The Arc allows students to contextualize their learning in real-world scenarios and connections between ideas, which creates pathways in the brain for longer-lasting learning.

Each arc is framed by a specific topic that each student, kindergarten through high school, approaches at a level and perspective appropriate to their age.

The Arc for early elementary students looks a little different.

Through play and provocations, our youngest students explore ideas, materials, and questions. This exploration leads to discovery related to the arc topic. Through those discoveries, students collaborate to create an artifact that is a reflection of their learning. They test these prototypes, give and receive feedback, then continue to work together to finalize their group project. During Expo night, students share their findings and their creations. This process lays the foundation for individual projects in the later elementary years.

Regardless of a child's stage of development, the arc topic is an instigator of student learning. Too broad and the topic becomes unwieldy and metaphorical; too small and it can be limiting. But the right balance of familiar, surprising, and specific creates learning magic. Topics are familiar to students and are often simple, everyday objects like salt, clocks, or coins.

We think of arc topics as keyholes. From a distance, the keyhole appears to be merely a spot of light, as we get closer we see that it has a distinct shape. When we lean down to look at it, we may see some small portion of the room beyond, and if we put our eye to the hole we see even more of the room. But, if we had a bite of Alice's mushroom and shrank down so that we might pass through the keyhole, we would see that the whole world is on the other side of the door-- a myriad of opportunities for curious and engaged people to question and study.

The beginning phase of the arc is Exploration, a time to delve into the fundamental questions about a topic - What is it? What does it mean? Why is it important? Central to Exploration is a group project that gives students motivation and context for the core skills that they are developing. This is a time to model of the important aspects of project work, like collaboration, growth mindset and project management.

In the next phase of the arc, Expression, students build on what they learned in Exploration by creating anything from a structure or art object to an experiment, a research project, or a performance, centered around whatever facet of the arc topic has caught their intellectual interest. Collaborators and experts support students in project management, documentation, collaboration, and specific skills to complete their project.

The final phase, Exposition, requires students explain their work to their community and themselves through written and oral presentations, question sessions, and demonstrations. In doing so they develop robust and flexible communication skills and integrate their most recent work into their continuing intellectual and social-emotional growth.

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Brightworks' learning model centers real-world experiences and open-ended questions over rote memorization and test-taking, and fosters students' critical thinking and empathy in asking questions and solving problems. We are an engagement-driven school that gives kids the tools and experiences that help them become the best versions of themselves and fosters their development as contributors to society.

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More time is beneficial to positive outcomes

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More time is beneficial to positive outcomes

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Students seem excited and more engaged during our outdoor learning time.  

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Students seem excited and more engaged during our outdoor learning time.  

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SEL utilizing student values and perspectives is more powerful (and culturally responsive!) than telling/didactic SEL

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https://peacelearningcenter.org/program-offerings/peace-learning-circles/

I use this in my class to encourage community involvement, SEL practices, and also build community in my classroom

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The next chapter of Tribes Learning Communities The same process you love with a refreshed look and timely best practices! Peace Learning Circles will continue to have all of the team building and Social Emotional Learning strategies that everyone loves, plus additional considerations and activities to help youth-serving organizations build

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Deep learning comes from deep saturations in sensory experiences. Get adolescents outside and the learning will follow.

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Trying new things to connect with students

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Trying new things to connect with students

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Students need authentic audiences with whom to share their ideas, process, learning, goals, etc... Bring in the greater community!

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CPA's new Job Developer is amazing!!

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I watched this video earlier today and it was really thought-provoking re: how we need to get kids into trade skills and not screen out some of our greatest mechanical/artistic minds due to not being able to learn algebra. I also looked at the first 25 pages of her newest book on Amazon and I plan on giving my students the screener just to remind myself of the variety of minds.

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NPR (National Public Radio) and a BBC Special - "The Woman Who Thinks Like a Cow" . She has also appeared on National TV shows such as Larry King Live , 20/20, 60 Minutes , Fox and Friends , and she has a 2010 TED talk .

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Working on learning activities for our students at CPA to promote better understanding of racial equity.

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Students need to be involved in all aspects of learning including assessment. As educators we need to involve them in the process via 2-way dialogue that is clearly communicated and consistent.

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Here is a link to the All Digital School. I have only begun to look at this collection but it appears to be vast and comprehensive. You might find something great or affirm choices you have already made

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The Ultimate Collection of Digital Tools and Resources Worldwide Our Latest Guides

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Yes, looking at a similiar position at our school so may reach out and get your job description of the Job Developer.

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Yes, looking at a similiar position at our school so may reach out and get your job description of the Job Developer.

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Question: How do we continue to build our transition programs to not only support students into and through 9th grade, but beyond into a more traditional HS setting?

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Question: How do we continue to build our transition programs to not only support students into and through 9th grade, but beyond into a more traditional HS setting?

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OSPI has a workshop coming soon about getting students certifications. CPA will attend.

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Would love to get this job description

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Question: How do we find times that work for elementary teachers and middle school teachers who come from schools with very different time schedules to get together and collaborate?

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Question: How do we find times that work for elementary teachers and middle school teachers who come from schools with very different time schedules to get together and collaborate?

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When it comes to transition, SEL embedded in content area classes and opportunities for students to process their feelings are essential.

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Thinking forward requires hope from students and a belief that they are valuable & worth it. Continue addressing barriers and don't give up!

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Save the Date! The next OSPI-WSAC webinar has moved from February 1st to March 22nd.

This move was motivated by our team’s desire to provide the counseling community with the best learning experience possible in trade for your valuable time.

Official details are still being solidified, but the main focus of the webinar will be on Apprenticeships, including specific information on opportunities created by SB5600, and opportunities to access ESSER funds that support students taking professional-technical courses through Running Start.

Registration information will be accessible on OSPIs Career and College Readiness webpage soon but mark your calendars now for this 9-10:30am webinar on 3.22.23!  More details will be shared in our February newsletter.

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How will we be able to capture the data that we want most effectively?

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Collecting samples of student voice is an effective measure of SEL growth.

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Collecting samples of student voice is an effective measure of SEL growth.

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Excited to hear about other schools getting students outside!  Inspiring

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Excited to hear about other schools getting students outside!  Inspiring

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Community partners are SO important!

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I want to time warp to next session to listen to how all that we are doing now is coming to fruition!

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From health care to manufacturing and everything in-between, industries worldwide are leveraging virtual and augmented reality to create compelling, real-time experiences. Get a glimpse of the revolutionary technology that is bringing the world to your doorstep.

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From health care to manufacturing and everything in-between, industries worldwide are leveraging virtual and augmented reality to create compelling, real-time experiences. Get a glimpse of the revolutionary technology that is bringing the world to your doorstep.

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Students are really invested in our pilot work because of how we've been able to facilitate the learning in partnership with students and an amazing community org.

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Students are really invested in our pilot work because of how we've been able to facilitate the learning in partnership with students and an amazing community org.

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Seattle Team

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Even simple stretching, seated, can be a supportive offering for students who have been hunched over computers.

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Even simple stretching, seated, can be a supportive offering for students who have been hunched over computers.

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We'll be reflecting and implementing on conducting student interviews as a part of our data collection and reflection through our PDSA cycle. Gaining more anecdotal feedback from students directly.

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The cold temperatures can be tricky for the journaling time. Learning through active movement is best but has less evidence.

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Good to hear from other districts and learn and share their accomplishments and weaknesses in implementing outdoor learning and sharing ideas how to overcome those weaknesses and shortcomings.

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What happens when you give Transitional Kindergarten students magnifying glasses on a hike? Curiosity and exploration! Ms. Northstrom’s TK class from Voyager Elementary took a hike at Kopachuck State Park today and found some amazing things in nature. Learn more about transitional kindergarten at bit.ly/transitionalkindergarten | Peninsula School District | Cavendish Music · Funny Song

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2.7K views, 42 likes, 6 comments, 10 shares, Facebook Reels from Peninsula School District: What happens when you give Transitional Kindergarten students magnifying glasses on a hike? Curiosity and...

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Getting outdoors is crucial to SEL! So outdoor learning and SEL are connected! We have been trying to flex our lesson plans based on the weather--taking advantage of sunny windows to get outside and do a sensory walk, for example. 

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Getting outdoors is crucial to SEL! So outdoor learning and SEL are connected! We have been trying to flex our lesson plans based on the weather--taking advantage of sunny windows to get outside and do a sensory walk, for example. 

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https://drive.google.com/file/d/1c3oJD1EcjwgZENkHzWT4mak9Pxj9cFis/view

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Our data will best be reflected in the concluding summary/ the narrative write up of it. (This was in relation to the question of how to quantitatively capture increased student agency.) 

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Our data will best be reflected in the concluding summary/ the narrative write up of it. (This was in relation to the question of how to quantitatively capture increased student agency.) 

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Working and communicating with other districts who are doing similar projects.

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Working and communicating with other districts who are doing similar projects.

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We talked about using tools to tell a story. 

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We talked about using tools to tell a story. 

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Since we will be sharing results, and hopefully helping other districts to improve learning outcomes, we should capture data so that it shares that story effectively

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In what ways can intentional feedback loops increase engagement?

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In what ways can intentional feedback loops increase engagement?

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We are committed to building  trust and engagement with our parent community while making changes

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We are committed to building  trust and engagement with our parent community while making changes

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Great to connect with Edmonds Heights. Look forward to learning more about their program.

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Didn't know where else to put this comment...would have been a better experience if you had given us the chance to provide constructive feedback long the way. This process does not honor us as participants and does not allow for us to choose options that really work for us. The lack of differentiation for groups that already understand the PDSA cycle and data use is also frustrating. I do hope there is an opportunity for more feedback as we proceed, and that you will consider more UDL for adults in your future sessions.

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Didn't know where else to put this comment...would have been a better experience if you had given us the chance to provide constructive feedback long the way. This process does not honor us as participants and does not allow for us to choose options that really work for us. The lack of differentiation for groups that already understand the PDSA cycle and data use is also frustrating. I do hope there is an opportunity for more feedback as we proceed, and that you will consider more UDL for adults in your future sessions.

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https://padlet.com/CSTPWA/career-exploration-breakthroughs-barriers-and-learning-summa-xwnlvjgvodc2dx6a

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https://padlet.com/CSTPWA/community-connected-learning-breakthroughs-barriers-and-lear-ozmmabk63aktf10f

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https://padlet.com/CSTPWA/hybrid-online-learning-breakthroughs-barriers-and-learning-s-em0ogoaqjthelk04

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https://padlet.com/CSTPWA/outdoor-learning-breakthroughs-barriers-and-learning-summary-wugjgbxa6nqs0s8b

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https://padlet.com/CSTPWA/social-emotional-wellness-breakthroughs-barriers-and-learnin-icw57ygwgt645eg5

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https://padlet.com/CSTPWA/student-agency-breakthroughs-barriers-and-learning-summary-787mgosv6r492n0e

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https://padlet.com/CSTPWA/transition-breakthroughs-barriers-and-learning-summary-6474w4mrx6lpyd9e

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https://padlet.com/CSTPWA/movement-physical-activity-breakthroughs-barriers-and-learni-xmamjla2cfc3ysje

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Barriers: chronically underfunded and overstretched as a staff, including our admin team
Breakthroughs: Students' level of participation & excitement are high, and they're feeling ownership of and commitment to this work.
Learning summary: Always center student voice! Talk with kids about their input on what is important to them, what do they need?

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Barriers: picking/finding good industry partners

Breakthrough: when great industry partners are found; they are amazing!

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Breakthrough- Mindfulness seems to fit well in math class
Barrier- Consistently practicing mindfulness in math class. Getting kids to try new things in a new context.
Impact for what's coming up- shift focus again to Visual, Interactive Math Stories' impact on students' math disposition and skill achievement