“The history of classroom design has been to focus on teaching, with students being able to face the front of the room for lessons; but what if, instead, we design classrooms that focus on learning, with an emphasis on ensuring growth in executive function that will lead to student achievement?” asks Dr. Sulla in a […]
#LATICInsights: Teach Consensus-Building!
In the Learner-Active, Technology-Infused Classroom, students have many opportunities to make decisions that affect groups, including when to meet, the roles different group members will take, which solution is best for a problem, how to present the solution, and so forth. It’s a perfect opportunity to teach young people how to build consensus rather than relying […]
Hour of Code for Raising Student Achievement
As a former computer programmer, who believes that programmers run the world, I have a particular fondness for the first full week in December, known as “Hour of Code.” Coding deserves a lot more respect than it gets for raising overall student achievement. Coding is the art and science of giving commands to a computer to make […]
Rethinking Success: Engagement, Empowerment, & Efficacy
Like it or not, to most schools, achievement means strong performance on state tests. Some claim to value life preparation and social-emotional growth over test scores, but that never plays well in the annual newspaper articles. What if you could have it all? What if you could rethink success and have happy, healthy, excited students […]
“If, Then” Plans: Building Executive Function
One of the most important characteristics for success is the ability to delay gratification: to persist in a task or goal in spite of tempting distractions. How do we build this valuable executive function skill in our students? For starters, here is an “If, Then” planning sheet to use with students; but read on . . . […]