Student-Centered Learning

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Teaching Opinion How to Facilitate Student-Centered Instruction: One Nonprofit Leader Shares Lessons
Most educators want rigorous, differentiated, student-centered classrooms. The trick is actually creating them.
Rick Hess, February 5, 2024
8 min read
Illustration of a group of individual students in an abstract textural background
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Teaching Opinion How to Manage Emotional Distress in the Classroom
Four strategies for bringing student-centered instruction to your classroom.
Kareem Farah, May 30, 2023
5 min read
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Image shows two children ages 5 to 7 years old and a teacher, an African-American woman, holding a digital tablet up, showing it to the girl sitting next to her. They are all wearing masks, back to school during the COVID-19 pandemic, trying to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
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Personalized Learning Why Personalized Learning Works in Some Schools, But Not in Others. What Test Scores Say
Educators worry that changing up instruction to better fit students' interests could jeopardize their school's progress on state tests.
Alyson Klein, October 29, 2021
6 min read
Quin, Ezra, and Owen participate in genius hour in teacher Melisa Hayes’ 2nd grade class at Avery Elementary School in Hilliard, Ohio.
Quin, Ezra, and Owen participate in genius hour in teacher Melisa Hayes’ 2nd grade class at Avery Elementary School in Hilliard, Ohio.
Maddie McGarvey
Teaching 'Genius Hour' Lets Kids Take Charge: Would Einstein Have Liked This?
Teachers open doors for students to fuel their curiosity and pursue passion projects, but educators warn against making it a free-for-all.
Madeline Will, November 5, 2019
10 min read
Student Well-Being 5 Ways One Middle School Is Making Itself More Student-Centered
Through a series of changes—both philosophical and practical—Principal Hamish Brewer and his team are working to make Fred M. Lynn Middle School in Prince William County, Va., a place where students' needs drive every decision they make. Here are five things they've already done to move toward that goal.
Lydia Thompson, March 25, 2019
3 min read
Teaching Video How One Principal Transformed His School With Student-Centered Learning
When Principal Hamish Brewer came to Fred M. Lynn Middle School in 2017, the school was considered one of the most challenged in Prince William County, Va. The school had lost its accreditation. Forty percent of students at the school are English-language learners and 87 percent are low-income. But through a series of changes—both philosophical and practical—Brewer and his team are turning the school around. With a laser-focus on the needs of students—including how the school looks and feels—the school has earned back its accreditation in just over a year and a half.
March 25, 2019
3:00
Special Report What Student-Centered Schools Look Like
What does it take to assure that a school serves the student—rather than the other way around—in everything from engagement and security to clean air and the lunch schedule? This special report takes an in-depth look.
March 13, 2019
Principal Betsy Gavron of Wayland Middle School, in Wayland, Mass., takes part in an un-birthday celebration for the school’s 6th grade advisory group, which sets aside unstructured time for students to build relationships and bond with each other.
Principal Betsy Gavron of Wayland Middle School, in Wayland, Mass., takes part in an un-birthday celebration for the school’s 6th grade advisory group, which sets aside unstructured time for students to build relationships and bond with each other.
Gretchen Ertl for Education Week
Student Well-Being How Schools Can Make Advisories Meaningful for Students and Teachers
Advisory periods—that common block of time in middle and high school schedules intended to strengthen relationships in schools—often feel burdensome to teachers and useless to students. But some schools are finding ways to make advisories matter.
Evie Blad, March 12, 2019
8 min read
Teaching A Student Advises His Teachers on How to Improve
Zion Freeman saw positive changes in his history class after a conversation with his teacher on how to make the lessons more engaging and collaborative.
Denisa R. Superville, March 12, 2019
2 min read
Lila Berg, a 6th grader in Wayland, Mass., said her advisory group has helped her form friendships with other students and provides a source for academic help.
Lila Berg, a 6th grader in Wayland, Mass., said her advisory group has helped her form friendships with other students and provides a source for academic help.
Gretchen Ertl for Education Week
Teaching New 6th Grader Finds Friends, Support in Advisory Group
Lila Berg was starting middle school in a new town, making the often rocky transition to 6th grade potentially even more fraught.
Evie Blad, March 12, 2019
1 min read
School & District Management Opinion Learners Front and Center for Learner-Centered Design
Student designers in Fall River, Mass., take a leadership role in reimagining learning at their school.
Contributing Blogger, February 15, 2019
8 min read
School & District Management Opinion 20 Signs of Progress at Singapore American School
A look at the progress seen at Singapore American School when it comes to prepping students for life and college and 20 signs of progress in talent development, care and guidance, and high impact teaching.
Tom Vander Ark, November 7, 2018
9 min read
Equity & Diversity Opinion Five Reasons Author Visits Are More Than Just Cool
Reading a book and meeting the author is not just a cool event to shake up the regular school routine--it's a powerful learning opportunity that can affect students academically and personally.
Ariel Sacks, October 31, 2018
9 min read