An inspiring story of the student-centered learning that can take place in a democratic, caring school.A Good Little School pays homage to Jefferson County Open School, a public school of choice with a thirty-year history of providing an alternative education for students in K-12. Chronicled in this book are the personal experiences and anecdotes of teachers, parents, and students within the school, and how their contributions make it unique. In so doing, these reflections demonstrate to others that there is more to education than conventional subject areas such as math and reading. Also examined are the ways in which the school preserves the core elements that support the students' best personal, social, and intellectual interests. These self-reflective accounts create a learning environment with humanity at the center, giving students the skills necessary to lead compassionate lives.

As a field, education has focused on changing teachers’ instructional knowledge and skills and the content that students learn. Yet, our education system is not reliably delivering quality learning experiences and outcomes for nearly enough people and communities. In The Next Education Workforce: How Team-Based Staffing Models Can Support Equity and Improve Learning Outcomes, Carole G. Basile, Brent W. Maddin, and R. Lennon Audrain argue that we need to redesign how schools organize educators and learners. The authors highlight how the normative one-teacher, one-classroom model underserves both learners and educators. They then make the case that, to achieve more equitable learning outcomes for students and better working conditions for teachers, schools should create teams of educators with distributed expertise that can deliver deeper and more personalized learning experiences for students.This book then addresses practical steps for school and system leaders to take by outlining core elements of Next Education Workforce models, including new ways for educators to specialize and advance in the profession; offering concrete actions to help leaders navigate and facilitate sustainable systems change; and offering a provocative prescription of how teacher preparation, professional learning, and human resource systems will need to change to support team-based models.

As a field, education has focused on changing teachers’ instructional knowledge and skills and the content that students learn. Yet, our education system is not reliably delivering quality learning experiences and outcomes for nearly enough people and communities. In The Next Education Workforce: How Team-Based Staffing Models Can Support Equity and Improve Learning Outcomes, Carole G. Basile, Brent W. Maddin, and R. Lennon Audrain argue that we need to redesign how schools organize educators and learners. The authors highlight how the normative one-teacher, one-classroom model underserves both learners and educators. They then make the case that, to achieve more equitable learning outcomes for students and better working conditions for teachers, schools should create teams of educators with distributed expertise that can deliver deeper and more personalized learning experiences for students.This book then addresses practical steps for school and system leaders to take by outlining core elements of Next Education Workforce models, including new ways for educators to specialize and advance in the profession; offering concrete actions to help leaders navigate and facilitate sustainable systems change; and offering a provocative prescription of how teacher preparation, professional learning, and human resource systems will need to change to support team-based models.

Using the scientific method as a tool for learning and discovery, children explore such topics as birds, habitats, and biodiversity and are led into the study of all major areas of ecology. Students formulate hypotheses, collect observational data, draw conclusions, and analyze their data using a variety of mathematical representations. Opportunities for language arts, visual arts, social studies, parent involvement, and authentic assessment have been integrated for further development of student skills. This is a complete resource that includes background information and reproducibles. Grades K-3 (adaptable for higher levels).

An inspiring story of the student-centered learning that can take place in a democratic, caring school.A Good Little School pays homage to Jefferson County Open School, a public school of choice with a thirty-year history of providing an alternative education for students in K-12. Chronicled in this book are the personal experiences and anecdotes of teachers, parents, and students within the school, and how their contributions make it unique. In so doing, these reflections demonstrate to others that there is more to education than conventional subject areas such as math and reading. Also examined are the ways in which the school preserves the core elements that support the students' best personal, social, and intellectual interests. These self-reflective accounts create a learning environment with humanity at the center, giving students the skills necessary to lead compassionate lives.

Stories from participants in Professional Development Schools.A Professional Development School (PDS) offers unique university-school relationships that can change the culture of learning and add value to students and the community. Initially created in the 1980s, the PDS movement is growing across the country and is now a respected teacher education model. In this book, Carole G. Basile has collected stories written by people connected to the University of Colorado Denver, which has one of the longest-standing PDS partnerships (established in 1993). The site professors, site coordinators, teachers, and others describe in engaging detail the work they do and its impact. By providing a framework situated in the notion of intellectual capital, PDS faculty from the university and K–12 share how the PDS model adds value to schools and students.

An inspiring story of the student-centered learning that can take place in a democratic, caring school.A Good Little School pays homage to Jefferson County Open School, a public school of choice with a thirty-year history of providing an alternative education for students in K-12. Chronicled in this book are the personal experiences and anecdotes of teachers, parents, and students within the school, and how their contributions make it unique. In so doing, these reflections demonstrate to others that there is more to education than conventional subject areas such as math and reading. Also examined are the ways in which the school preserves the core elements that support the students' best personal, social, and intellectual interests. These self-reflective accounts create a learning environment with humanity at the center, giving students the skills necessary to lead compassionate lives.

As a field, education has focused on changing teachers’ instructional knowledge and skills and the content that students learn. Yet, our education system is not reliably delivering quality learning experiences and outcomes for nearly enough people and communities. In The Next Education Workforce: How Team-Based Staffing Models Can Support Equity and Improve Learning Outcomes, Carole G. Basile, Brent W. Maddin, and R. Lennon Audrain argue that we need to redesign how schools organize educators and learners. The authors highlight how the normative one-teacher, one-classroom model underserves both learners and educators. They then make the case that, to achieve more equitable learning outcomes for students and better working conditions for teachers, schools should create teams of educators with distributed expertise that can deliver deeper and more personalized learning experiences for students.This book then addresses practical steps for school and system leaders to take by outlining core elements of Next Education Workforce models, including new ways for educators to specialize and advance in the profession; offering concrete actions to help leaders navigate and facilitate sustainable systems change; and offering a provocative prescription of how teacher preparation, professional learning, and human resource systems will need to change to support team-based models.

As a field, education has focused on changing teachers’ instructional knowledge and skills and the content that students learn. Yet, our education system is not reliably delivering quality learning experiences and outcomes for nearly enough people and communities. In The Next Education Workforce: How Team-Based Staffing Models Can Support Equity and Improve Learning Outcomes, Carole G. Basile, Brent W. Maddin, and R. Lennon Audrain argue that we need to redesign how schools organize educators and learners. The authors highlight how the normative one-teacher, one-classroom model underserves both learners and educators. They then make the case that, to achieve more equitable learning outcomes for students and better working conditions for teachers, schools should create teams of educators with distributed expertise that can deliver deeper and more personalized learning experiences for students.This book then addresses practical steps for school and system leaders to take by outlining core elements of Next Education Workforce models, including new ways for educators to specialize and advance in the profession; offering concrete actions to help leaders navigate and facilitate sustainable systems change; and offering a provocative prescription of how teacher preparation, professional learning, and human resource systems will need to change to support team-based models.

Using the scientific method as a tool for learning and discovery, children explore such topics as birds, habitats, and biodiversity and are led into the study of all major areas of ecology. Students formulate hypotheses, collect observational data, draw conclusions, and analyze their data using a variety of mathematical representations. Opportunities for language arts, visual arts, social studies, parent involvement, and authentic assessment have been integrated for further development of student skills. This is a complete resource that includes background information and reproducibles. Grades K-3 (adaptable for higher levels).

An inspiring story of the student-centered learning that can take place in a democratic, caring school.A Good Little School pays homage to Jefferson County Open School, a public school of choice with a thirty-year history of providing an alternative education for students in K-12. Chronicled in this book are the personal experiences and anecdotes of teachers, parents, and students within the school, and how their contributions make it unique. In so doing, these reflections demonstrate to others that there is more to education than conventional subject areas such as math and reading. Also examined are the ways in which the school preserves the core elements that support the students' best personal, social, and intellectual interests. These self-reflective accounts create a learning environment with humanity at the center, giving students the skills necessary to lead compassionate lives.

Stories from participants in Professional Development Schools.A Professional Development School (PDS) offers unique university-school relationships that can change the culture of learning and add value to students and the community. Initially created in the 1980s, the PDS movement is growing across the country and is now a respected teacher education model. In this book, Carole G. Basile has collected stories written by people connected to the University of Colorado Denver, which has one of the longest-standing PDS partnerships (established in 1993). The site professors, site coordinators, teachers, and others describe in engaging detail the work they do and its impact. By providing a framework situated in the notion of intellectual capital, PDS faculty from the university and K–12 share how the PDS model adds value to schools and students.