Key points:
The end of the school year naturally inspires a period of reflection among educators, particularly as we close the door on a year that saw challenges around equity, continued learning gaps, and uncertain funding with the impending expiration of ESSER.
But it's not all bad: Educators have achieved success by dedicating their efforts to improving student engagement and achievement, creating community-based approaches to learning, and inspiring students to become lifelong learners.
Here's what educators have to say about the 2023-2024 school year:
Improve Engagement and Test Scores with Phenomenon-Based Curricula
April Pence, edison high school
Last year was the first time I used phenomenon-based units aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) in chemistry. As with any major change, there were some ups and downs, but overall I saw increased engagement. This year, with the support of my team, I have improved my timing, which has smoothed out the obstacles I encountered last year, and the commitment is even greater. I feel like my students understand chemistry better, our school is scoring well above the state average in science, and I have even had more students ask how they can continue in science than in previous years because they are more comfortable with the material. .
I know that as a teacher I bring energy to the classroom, but so do my students, and when they are excited about the topic, we all become energized. I'm definitely one of those teachers who loves class discussions, so I didn't have to change much to bring more discussions into the classroom, but since I started using Kognity's phenomenon-based curricula, I have been able to adapt instruction to share more real-life examples and experiences. We've been discussing wildfires, for example, and linking them to combustion, discussing what fuels and limits a fire, and also linking them to climate change.
My students talk more than before in class because they know that I will ask the same question about every topic in the unit. They know what to expect and start thinking, “How does this all connect?” even before asking. They are more willing to think ahead and tie their ideas to each concept rather than waiting for me to push them forward.
I was terrified of the switch to phenomena-based curricula and NGSS, but two years later, I would tell other teachers who are about to make the switch not to be afraid. If you work at it gradually, have a collaborative team, and are willing to put in a little work, it will make a big positive difference in the long run and not only be better for your students. It has renewed my enthusiasm for teaching because my students feel connected to the material. I have more confidence in my instruction because I'm not always asked, “Why are we learning this?” Students already see the connection and understand why it is important.
April Pence is a science professor and department co-coordinator at edison high school in Huntington Beach, California. You can contact her at [email protected].
A culture of continuous learning.
Wendy W. Amato, K12 Coalition – Teaching Channel
As the 2023-2024 school year comes to a close, I find myself thinking about how educators are role models for students, whether they are in a classroom or not. When we commit to participating in a culture of continuous learning, we live by phrases like “It's okay not to know,” “Everyone has things they're still learning,” or “We all make mistakes.” We can also show our own curiosity, struggles and successes, which are natural parts of learning, regardless of our stage in life or the role we play.
Continuous learning does not always mean being enrolled as a student in a formal class. Learning is about growth, reflection and improvement. It is based on exploring new ideas, testing our knowledge and applying information in new contexts. Learning can happen in many ways! Some of my favorite ways include using videos for self-reflection and peer feedback. Even a few moments of video can provide rich content that can accelerate my learning as an educator. I can evaluate how clearly I give instructions, how purposefully I manage time, how meaningfully I convey the importance of the work, or whether I call on students fairly.
Ultimately, however, good teaching is only measured by student learning outcomes. As I reflect on the past school year, my advice to teachers is to prioritize work that has the greatest impact on their students' progress toward their learning goals. Is it more important for them to finish their work by a certain deadline than to take the time to understand the concepts? Is it more important to finish all problems than to solve them accurately? And while you ask yourself all these questions, remember to breathe. Remember that it's okay to pause when you need to, ask for help, and make changes that support not only continued learning but also your long-term well-being.
Wendy W. Amato is the academic director of K12 Coalition: Teaching Channel. She holds a doctorate in curriculum and instruction from the University of Virginia, where she continues as an instructor in the School of Education and Human Development. Prior to her doctoral work, she served as an administrator and classroom teacher in a K-12 program. Her publications, presentations, and research interests focus on culturally sustainable pedagogies and teacher education. She drinks a lot of coffee and plays pickleball. She can be contacted at [email protected].
Make school attractive to today's students (and teachers)
Nancy Chung, Orchard Hills School
This year I have seen the lasting impact of the year and a half of remote learning. During that time, students did not have the opportunity to develop strong learning routines or academic resilience. As a result, many of them seem to crave constant stimulation and entertainment to stay engaged. In response, I have adapted my teaching approach to make the tasks more interactive. By integrating technology and art into my lessons across the curriculum, I am tapping into more student modalities and gaining more interest.
It has taken some trial and error to find what really produces results, and I have had to be adaptable and flexible to find the most effective ways to foster student growth.
These days, I'm assigning far fewer tasks and have moved from intense work to more enriching and purposeful activities. I have significantly reduced my reliance on physical documents and transitioned most of my tasks to digital formats. This has not only simplified processes but also increased student engagement by offering them a more engaging way to learn. To help my students develop essential skills such as critical thinking, collaborative teamwork, effective communication, and creativity, I actively promote various small group activities. I get my students excited about digital storytelling. We start by planning everything: each one has a specific role on the team. They then put together a small storyboard to visualize their story. After that, it's show time! They bring that storyboard to life by producing a short film to teach the topic to the rest of the class. It's a fun way to be creative, work together, and delve deeper into the topic.
By making these changes, I discovered significant benefits. Spending less time grading piles of work has left me more energy to improve my teaching and allowed me to create interactive lessons tailored to my students, creating a more engaging learning experience for everyone. My students are deepening their understanding of the standards in a fun and memorable way, making this a win-win situation.
Nancy Chung is a fifth grade teacher at Orchard Hills School and host of The Schoolyard Podcast by School Specialty. She can be contacted at [email protected].
Use disruption as an opportunity to build a community approach to mathematics
Courtney Smith, Heritage Elementary School
At Heritage Elementary, a K-5 school in Tustin, CA, our 2023-2024 academic year was interrupted when a nearby fire forced us to temporarily close our campus and relocate students and teachers to various host sites. When we were finally able to return to campus, we greeted students and teachers with a series of newly implemented strategies.
These included a deeper integration of ST Mathematics, which has changed the rules of the game. As a principal, I have seen a significant increase in student engagement and achievement levels in mathematics across all grades. Students don't just learn mathematics passively; They are actively participating.
The shift toward deeper understanding and application of mathematical concepts is palpable across the board. When presented with new topics, students build on their experiences and demonstrate a solid understanding of the material.
To further reinforce this commitment to engagement and learning beyond the traditional classroom, we are building a community-based math culture through initiatives like the ST Math Lunch Bunch, where I meet with students every Friday to guide them on their journey into mathematics. while eating lunch and completing puzzles, and special recognition during our Friday flag ceremony for students who have completed 100 percent of their math puzzles.
As students engage more independently in their learning, teachers have found themselves with greater opportunities for targeted interventions and individualized support. This change has resulted in tangible improvements, as evidenced by the correlation between the use of ST Math and increased STAR growth points.
Looking ahead, I anticipate these positive trends to continue into the upcoming school year. With a continued focus on personalized instruction, I foresee greater gains in student achievement and overall academic growth at all grade levels.
My advice to educators facing the type of disruption we have is to use it as a catalyst for student engagement and learning. By effectively leveraging innovative technology tools and creating intentional learning environments, educators can empower students of all levels to take ownership of their learning journey, ultimately leading to better outcomes and academic success.
Courtney Smith is the principal of Heritage Elementary School in the Tustin Unified School District (TUSD). She began her TUSD career teaching in a magnet school for 20 years. She has also been an instructional coach and intervention specialist. Among her many accomplishments, Smith was named TUSD Teacher of the Year and Orange County Teacher of the Year in 2016, was nominated for California Teacher of the Year in 2017, and was named a 2024 Top Five Leader in Orange County. by OC Parenting magazine. She can be contacted at [email protected].
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