Creating Student-Centered Classrooms & Schools
An item from a K-12 blended learning organization.
At the end of June, our #100DistrictConversations initiative crossed the threshold of Conversation #50!
Please join us in acknowledging and celebrating the district leaders from across the country who have generously shared their time with us over the past six months. Their insights on the challenges and joys of professional learning have been motivating and unflinchingly honest.
You can read a summary of each leader’s perspective, focus areas, and innovative solutions on our blog.
Creating the conditions for students and adults to thrive at all levels of the education system is no easy feat. Every district leader we speak to is approaching it differently, listening to the needs of their stakeholders and personalizing based on their local context. We’ve embarked on our next 50 conversations in earnest and as always, we welcome your suggestions!
Do you know someone we should feature? Nominate a district leader from your network!
As we look ahead to the start of a new school year, thank you to all of the district leaders who share stories of both success and struggle to benefit the education field. Your willingness to ask “How might we do things differently?” is incredibly necessary as we navigate a complex combination of expectations, budgets, and new technologies.
Overwhelmingly, districts are focusing on transforming traditional school structures and teacher-centered classrooms into student-centered learning environments.
This transition makes sense, as many schools continue to face the long legacy of COVID-19, the shift to and from remote instruction, and attempts at learning acceleration. But for the majority of leaders, it’s about recapturing something more intangible — bringing joy, curiosity, creativity, and enthusiasm into the learning process — for both students and adults. When this goal of centering positive, engaging student experiences is at the heart of a district’s vision, it’s a strong compass for working toward what really matters.
Students Carrying the Cognitive Load
“This school year, our coaches have been grappling with a problem of practice around engagement strategies that our teachers can implement with students. We’ve pulled ideas from the book Total Participation Techniques and we’ve crafted this year’s instructional rounds based on our learnings by designing observational practices / “look fors”. We know that engagement relates directly to carrying the cognitive load, and that in all future pathways beyond school, our students will need to be self-regulated, will need to be independent, and will need to be able to teach themselves.”
— Heather Smith, Assistant Superintendent, Teaching & Learning, Dedham Public Schools, MA
Innovative Learning Spaces, Pathways, & Real World Applications
“We asked our kids, ‘How do you want to experience school?’ We brought the staff to the table and had them listening to the kids. Then we asked the adults, you’ve now heard the kids, ‘Who wants to try?’ We know there are some who want to lecture 8 hours a day. There are also some teachers who want to be flexible and try things with students in new ways. It’s a scheduling challenge – but because we control how we spend our teaching and learning time, we could create these 4 modalities: traditional, cross-curricular, self-paced, and fully customized where students craft their own daily schedules. While it was certainly a risk, it had the potential for high reward, and we’ve had tons of interest. It’s been a great success and our student scores are benefiting.”
— Michael Barnes, Superintendent, Mayfield City Schools, OH
Building the Future, Together
Making progress toward student-centered learning is arguably more important than ever, as our education system braces for the impact of artificial intelligence. If you want to support teacher innovation and student well-being, we can help. Our work is grounded in research-backed instructional practices that honor student strengths and experiences while addressing root causes of underperformance. We have over 15 years of experience designing action plans aligned to diverse district needs and local contexts. Connect with us today to learn more.
Free Summer Webinars on AI – 2 Chances to Join!
Cognitive Development + AI: Leading with Pedagogy & Your Values When Using AI Tools
Are you interested in learning ways that AI can support instructional priorities, but don’t know where to start? Don’t miss our free summer sessions designed to support educators at the intersection of research, practice and AI technology.
In these free, hands-on webinars, you’ll learn the fundamentals to begin building practical AI tools for your school or classroom! We’ll explore what truly matters to you and your students as we navigate the evolving landscape of AI in education. We’ll share a story from the field of educators using AI to foster deeper student understanding, boost engagement, enhance rigor, and empower student agency. Experiment with a sample AI lesson planning tool and leave with actionable strategies to begin integrating AI into your practice immediately.
Questions? Contact mmurray@throughlinelearning.org. Attendance certificates available for participants for 1 PLU hour.
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