GBH’s Post

In speaking with an international group of leaders today from 38 different countries at the Maryland State House, I was asked "what would be the Top 3 things I think countries should to to strengthen democracy?" My #1 was "bring back #Civics in K-12 to educate our future voters on how democracy works and that they each need to be engaged for it to be preserved". Here are some facts about #Civicseducation in #America.... its not pretty. >Eleven (11) states (22%) do not require civics classes for students: Alaska, Delaware, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont. While most states require some form of civics instruction, there are inconsistencies across the country: >#Highschool: Only eight (8) states and Washington, DC require a full-year civics course, while 30 states require a half year. >#Middleschool: Only five (5) states require a dedicated civics course, while 20 states have no requirement. >#Graduation requirement: Only 40% of states require students to take a civics exam to graduate. >#Assessment: Only 27 states assess civics, and most use the US Naturalization Test. >#Communityservice: Only Maryland and Washington, DC require community service for graduation, but nearly half of states allow credit for it. Some say that #civics education has been pushed aside in favor of #STEM education and high-stakes subjects like #reading and #math. https://lnkd.in/gVpg2FpY McIndoe Risk Advisory LLC

Investing in the learning and development of teachers means investing in the community. Creating a pipeline of success is what happens when community organizations comes together and open the access to resources.

Last Thursday, the Hammel Family Human Rights Initiative at Penn State hosted their annual #Inquiry Showcase which provided the space for educators across the country to share their insights, collaborate with colleagues, and celebrate the collective insights from participating in the yearlong programming. Over 50 educators joined, with over 25 presenters representing communities across our country and a variety of roles within K-12 school systems. Repeatedly shared was the profound impact on their practice and being re-energized in their roles. Those who shared about including students as co-inquirers discussed the positive impact on their students as agents of their own learning. While a quote can't capture the energy of the room or the deep learning throughout the year, I believe they can highlight some of the amazing work this network of educators is pursuing: "Every time I felt stagnant, or irrelevant to my students, or that I felt my students were not engaged enough in their own learning, I turned to inquiry to solve those problems." "... it was nice to grow and stretch myself this year to be a more proactive teacher for my students. This program is very worthwhile and has made me question my practices and protocols for the 2024-2025 school year and beyond." "Also, much of what we did in class were activities that could be done immediately with students, or adapted to my specific class needs. A less tangible aspect of this program is that I felt supported in my classroom and knowing that others were out there working on similar issues and topics made me feel less alone or that I am not an "island" in the educational stream. Being with other committed educators that want to teach children "how to think" and not "what to think" was uplifting. No matter how tired I was at the end of the day, once I got to our class, I always felt better." Pennsylvania Department of Education, Pennsylvania Association of Intermediate Units, U.S. Department of Education, ASCD, National Association of School Superintendents #difficultissuesnetwork #inquiry #traumainformed #pennstate #WeAre #teacherleaders #studentagency

In our refreshed Blueprint coming soon, we explore how high-performing education systems work hard to bring people and institutions across the community together on behalf of young people. This piece by Dr. Cassandra Herring of the Branch Alliance for Educator Diversity offers examples of just that. "Trough community partnerships, we can build a pipeline of educators equipped to thrive in today’s classrooms on day one, delivering a more inclusive and equitable education system for all." https://lnkd.in/gqXevdDh

The National Early Care and Education Workforce Center has released a new tool to assist higher education institutions in assessing their readiness and capacity to participate in programs that aim to create a pipeline of skilled, diverse early educators from within their local communities. Access the tool at the link below. This tool builds upon the center’s new brief, “Higher Education as an Essential Partner,” and provides a framework for reflection and discussion for faculty and leadership at institutions of higher education. Read the brief, which encourages institutions of higher ed to forge community partnerships to grow the ranks of local early educators: https://buff.ly/4baJPZf The National Early Care and Education (ECE) Workforce Center is a collaborative of five core partners, including the Institute for Early Education Leadership and Innovation. The others are Child Trends, the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment at UC Berkeley, the Delaware Institute for Excellence in Early Childhood at the University of Delaware, and ZERO TO THREE. The National Early Care and Education (ECE) Workforce Center is staffed by 80+ individuals across its partner organizations, representing researchers, technical assistance specialists, subject matter experts, communicators, and project managers who collectively bring decades of expertise to the National ECE Workforce Center. #EarlyEdMA #ECE #EarlyEd #GrowYourOwnECE

📚 Explore how schools measure students' readiness in civics education! This insightful article from Education Week emphasizes the importance of focusing on skills, not just facts, in civics education. https://ow.ly/LWi850QZyE1

Cultivating a Thriving Educational Ecosystem: The Power of Afrocentric Education Imagine a vibrant ecosystem teeming with diverse resources, expertise, and theoretical frameworks. This interconnectedness fosters growth and resilience – a perfect metaphor for Afrocentric education initiatives. Empowering Educators & Students: Educators crave practical tools. Our guide, "Empowering Our Students: A Practical Guide to Afrocentric Integration," equips them with actionable steps to incorporate Afrocentric resources, pedagogies, and perspectives into their classrooms. This fosters a sense of empowerment and identity within students, allowing them to thrive. Guiding Policy & Shaping a Just Future: Policymakers need a compelling vision. "The Power of Afrocentric Education: Cultivating Equity and Achievement Through Policy" speaks directly to their goals. This approach tackles educational inequities, ensuring all students flourish. Join the Conversation! By fostering an interconnected ecosystem of Afrocentric education, we can empower students, guide practice, and inform policy. Let's build a more just and equitable educational landscape together. #AfrocentricEducation #Educ

Dallas College, a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) in North Texas, is one of the largest community college systems in the state. While enrollment in teacher preparation programs has declined nationally, the opposite is true for Dallas College. In fact, more than 80% of students are aspiring educators of color, multilingual, and/or first-generation college students, helping to close the educator-to-student diversity gap. Dallas College is creating a pipeline of effective educators whose identities reflect the students and communities they will serve—and who will prepare all students to navigate the multicultural workforce of tomorrow.  How? By transforming Teacher Preparation with high-quality instructional materials (#HQIM). Here's their story: https://ow.ly/Twgq50RNTX0

Seventy years tomorrow! 🎉 On May 17, 1954, U.S. #SupremeCourt Justice Earl Warren delivered the unanimous ruling in the landmark civil rights case #BrownvBoard of Education, declaring that state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students to be unconstitutional. This transformed the landscape of American education and democracy. How can we draw upon the lessons from this pivotal case to inform the design of learning experiences that promote equity and inclusivity for individual learners of all ages? #LXD Here are some of my ideas: ------- Brown v. Board of Education highlighted the importance of ensuring equal access to quality education for all students, regardless of race or background. In designing learning experiences today, it's essential to consider not just equality (providing the same resources to everyone) but also #EquityInEducation (providing resources based on individual needs) to address systemic inequalities and ensure that all students have the opportunity to succeed.  ----- The case underscored the value of diversity and inclusion in education. Designing learning experiences that #CelebrateDiversity, incorporate diverse perspectives, and create #InclusiveLearning environments can help foster understanding, empathy, and respect among students from different backgrounds. ----- Brown v. Board of Education shed light on the pervasive nature of implicit bias and its impact on educational opportunities. Designing learning experiences that raise awareness of #ImplicitBias, promote #CulturalCompetence, and encourage critical thinking can help mitigate its effects and create more equitable learning environments. ----- The case emphasized the importance of #CommunityEngagement and activism in advocating for educational equity. In designing learning experiences, involving students, families, educators, and community members in decision-making processes can help ensure that the needs and perspectives of all stakeholders are considered and addressed. 

Love seeing this expansion of evidence-informed work between Educator Preparation Programs and school districts from Deans for Impact and proud that the FCPS/Hood/DFI Learning Science Consortium has been part of the inspiration. Adina Lopatin Cece Zhou Deans for Impact "When school districts and educator-preparation programs (EPPs) serving the same communities work together to ensure a continuum of instructional support for new teachers, they’re more likely to identify and mitigate challenges that early-career teachers may face." https://lnkd.in/eSTsDq-y