Synthesis report from the REAL (Respecting Everyone's Ability to Learn) initiative implemented in four high schools. Lessons from REAL inform Boston's current data-driven inquiry approach, in particular the approach to using early warning indicators to improve outcomes for struggling students.
Lee Elementary School teacher, Leslie Ryan, shares how she sets up the structures and expectations that make her classroom workshop run smoothly for students with a variety of academic and behavioral strengths and needs. The accompanying viewers' guide provides additional information about the workshop approach to instruction and questions and considerations for using the video in teacher professional development.
In this video (viewable in three parts), teacher Sarah Blanusa pilots the readers' workshop approach to teaching with her 9th grade class. Students work on comprehension strategies through independent reading and book talks. The attached viewers' guide provides additional information about readers' workshop and suggestions for using the video in teacher professional development.
Independent baseline evaluation of Boston's High School Renewal initiative, a multi-year effort funded by the Carnegie Corporation and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to improve instruction and performance.
A teacher at the Jackson-Mann Elementary School organizes her classroom as a “workshop” to teach reading, writing, and math, and this lesson was part of an introductory unit, “Reading is Thinking,” designed and used by the second grade team. During this unit, Ms. Ahearn did a series of read alouds to model comprehension strategies readers use. At the time of this video, students had just begun to take part in conversations about their own thinking.
The accompanying viewers' guide offers additional information about the workshop approach to instruction and questions and considerations for using the video in teacher professional development.
An independent evaluation of a pilot project using the Developmental Studies Center's Making Meaning curriculum to support reading comprehension within workshop instruction in a small group of schools.
Independent baseline assessment of student perceptions of and attitudes toward their school and their English language arts classrooms, conducted as part of the district's High School Renewal initiative.
Prepared by BPE in collaboration with the district, a request for funds to create small learning communities in large high schools and to improve instruction through instructional coaching.
