Academics

Universal Design for Learning

  • Universal Design for Learning (UDL) 

    UDL assists teachers in designing lessons to meet the needs of all students.  The basic definition of UDL in lesson design and delivery is thoroughly knowing the concept one is going to teach and presenting that concept in different ways while engaging students and encouraging them to express their knowledge in different ways.  Teachers work to eliminate barriers to learning by proactively and deliberately planning curricula in a way that all students can access.  UDL has three guiding principles:

    Principle I: Provide Multiple Means of Representation (the “what” of learning)

    Learners differ in the ways that they perceive and comprehend information that is presented to them. For example, those with sensory disabilities (e.g., blindness or deafness); learning disabilities (e.g., dyslexia); language or cultural differences, and so forth may all require different ways of approaching content. Others may simply grasp information quicker or more efficiently through visual or auditory means rather than printed text.  Also learning, and transfer of learning, occurs when multiple representations are used, because it allows students to make connections within, as well as between, concepts.  In short, there is not one means of representation that will be optimal for all learners; providing options for representation is essential.

    Principle II: Provide Multiple Means of Action and Expression (the “how” of learning)

    Learners differ in the ways that they can navigate a learning environment and express what they know.  For example, individuals with significant movement impairments (e.g., cerebral palsy), those who struggle with strategic and organizational abilities (executive function disorders), those who have language barriers, and so forth approach learning tasks very differently.  Some may be able to express themselves well in written text but not speech, and vice versa. It should also be recognized that action and expression require a great deal of strategy, practice, and organization, and this is another area in which learners can differ. In reality, there is not one means of action and expression that will be optimal for all learners; providing options for action and expression is essential.

    Principle III: Provide Multiple Means of Engagement (the “why” of learning)--

    Affect represents a crucial element to learning, and learners differ markedly in the ways in which they can be engaged or motivated to learn. There are a variety of sources that can influence individual variation in affect including neurology, culture, personal relevance, subjectivity, and background knowledge, along with a variety of other factors presented in these guidelines. Some learners are highly engaged by spontaneity and novelty while other are disengaged, even frightened, by those aspects, preferring strict routine. Some learners might like to work alone, while others prefer to work with their peers. In reality, there is not one means of engagement that will be optimal for all learners in all contexts; providing multiple options for engagement is essential.

Treasures Reading Information

Eureka Math Information

  • EUREKA MATH: A new curriculum for a new day...

    Eureka Math connects math to the real world in ways that take the fear out of math and build student confidence—while helping students achieve true understanding lesson by lesson and year after year.

    The team of teachers and mathematicians who wrote Eureka Math took great care to present mathematics in a logical progression from PK through Grade 12. This coherent approach allows teachers to know what incoming students already have learned and ensures that students are prepared for what comes next. When implemented faithfully, Eureka Math will dramatically reduce gaps in student learning, instill persistence in problem solving, and prepare students to understand advanced math.

    Eureka Math serves teachers, administrators, parents, and students with a comprehensive suite of innovative curriculum, in-depth professional development, books, and support materials for everyone involved.

    What Eureka Math is and is not...

    Using real-world problems Not endless exercises without context
    Understanding why Not isolated memorization
    Explaining your reasoning Not working alone
    Doing math in your head Not relying on a calculator

    “Aligned” is not enough

    While many curricula and textbooks on the market today describe themselves as being “aligned” with the new standards, the content is virtually unchanged from the past. Publishers have merely associated elements of the outdated content with various new standards. Eureka Math was developed specifically to meet the new standards.

    Eureka Math is truly different

    Eureka Math offers a comprehensive suite of curriculum, in-depth professional development, texts, tools, and support materials that work together to provide teachers, parents, and students with a cohesive approach to the ultimate goal: students who are not merely literate, but fluent, in mathematics.

    Better design yields better results

    It’s not enough for students to know the process for solving a problem; they need to understand why that process works so they can use it anytime. Teaching mathematics as a story, Eureka Math builds students’ knowledge logically and thoroughly to help them achieve deep understanding. While this approach is unfamiliar to those of us who grew up memorizing mathematical facts and formulas, it has been tested and proven to be the most successful method in the world.

Social Emotional Learning

RULER

  • What is RULER?

    RULER is an approach to social and emotional learning (SEL) that teaches emotional intelligence to people of all ages, with the goal of creating a healthier, more equitable, innovative, and compassionate society.

    Emotions Matter

    Research shows that emotions influence:

    • Attention, memory, and learning
    • Decision making
    • Creativity
    • Mental and physical wellbeing
    • Ability to form and maintain positive relationships
    • Academic and workplace performance

    By acknowledging the value of emotions in our everyday effectiveness, RULER aims to infuse the principles of emotional intelligence into the immune system of each school, informing how leaders lead, teachers teach, students learn, and families support students.

    The RULER Skills

    RULER is an acronym for the five skills of emotional intelligence:

    • Recognizing emotions in oneself and others
    • Understanding the causes and consequences of emotions
    • Labeling emotions with a nuanced vocabulary
    • Expressing emotions in accordance with cultural norms and social context
    • Regulating emotions with helpful strategies

    RULER skills help people of all ages to use their emotions wisely, opening opportunities for us to succeed in school, at work, and in life. These skills are both personal and social, such that a network emerges with positive changes reinforced.

    The RULER Tools

    RULER skill development relies on four core tools, which are introduced to all stakeholders in the school community—school leaders, teachers, staff, students, and families.

    Charter: Builds and sustains positive emotional climates by creating agreed-upon norms for how people want to feel and how they can help each other to experience those feelings.

    Mood Meter: Enhances self- and social awareness and supports the development of a nuanced emotion vocabulary and a range of strategies for regulating emotion.

    Meta-Moment: Provides a process for responding to emotional situations with strategies that align with one’s best self and that support healthy relationships and personal well-being.

    Blueprint: Supports the development of empathy and conflict resolution skills by serving as a guide for reflecting on conflict and restoring affected communities.

    To learn more, click HERE.

     

Toolbox

  • What is Toolbox Project?

    Toolbox Project is a simple and practical metaphor directing children to the experience and awareness of 12 innate Tools that already exist inside them. Opening the door to authentic relationship to self and others, Toolbox Project naturally encourages social equity through empathy, understanding, and 12 skills or practices to navigate the complexities of everyday life.

    It’s a research-based, community-tested Kindergarten through sixth grade social and emotional learning (SEL) program that builds and strengthens children’s inherent capacity for resilience, self-mastery and empathy for self and others through its curricula, methods, and strategies.

    The power of Toolbox Project resides in the moment-to-moment invitation to the “common language'' and "practices" of Toolbox Project. A strength/asset-based vocabulary shared among children, educators, and parents that gives children their own solutions using the 12 strategies and practices of Toolbox Project.

    Innate Capacity

    The discoveries and research of Toolbox Project has led to a paradigm shift showing that children have an innate capacity for self-mastery, kindness, and empathy. It is an inside-out approach illuminating children’s ability to manage their own emotional, social, and academic success by giving them access to the inner tools that empower them. In turn this allows them to create a new story bringing hope for a more positive future.

    Common Language

    The power of Toolbox Project resides in the moment-to-moment invitation to the common language and "practices" of Toolbox Project. The shared practices and vocabulary among children, educators, and parents gives each member of the community access to their own internal resources and solutions using the 12 strategies and practices of Toolbox Project.

    Trauma-Informed

    Toolbox Project is both prevention and intervention addressing the trauma and/or Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE’s) children experience in life. Toolbox Project creates safety by inviting empathy and understanding. It is an intervention giving children a path forward through life's deepest complexities and difficulties.

    Advanced Mindfulness 

    Toolbox Project creates a pathway for children to practice being mindful through 12 rich domains of their lives—the 12 Tools, strategies, and skills—building a critical foundation for personal wellness in relationships, academics, and family life. Through self awareness and a growth mindset Toolbox Project builds a natural bridge to social equity and kindness to self and others.