Great teachers never stop learning

A good place to start this analysis, I thought, was to look at some research reports and read articles written by experienced educators to establish the characteristics that are unique to education establishments which are defined as “high performance learning environments”. Interestingly enough, almost all these reports and articles had five things in common: 1.        Clear objectives and focus on shared learning 2.        Setting high standards and expectations of all students 3.        Effective leadership 4.        High levels of collaboration and communication 5.        Regular assessment and learning The first video where Donna Migdol’s STEM students are working on a Roller Coaster project, is what I would describe as a complete student centered, high performance learning environment. The...

“We are the sum total of our experiences. Those experiences – be they positive or negative – make us the person we are, at any given point in our lives. And, like a flowing river, those same experiences, and those yet to come, continue to influence and reshape the person we are, and the person we become. None of us are the same as we were yesterday, nor will be tomorrow.” ―  B.J. Neblett While laying the foundation of learning for our children we must remind ourselves that what and how they learn today will make them the people they will become tomorrow. It is therefore our primary responsibility as educators to create and foster an environment where children feel safe, happy and free to express themselves through words, actions or play. The core elements of this learning environment are the teacher, classmates and infrastructure. When we look back at our school days, what do we remember the most – the building, the desks, the swimming pool or our favorite teachers and our ...