Unfolding the Potential of Every Child - Blog 1

Last evening the Benton Community Design Team met at GWAEA with other district teams from across the area to continue working on developing the message on building a strong learner-centered culture and egaging all stakeholders of the school district in this "great conversation".  What is this "great conversation" all about?

There is no question that the global economy and complex world that we live in today has changed the demands on public education.  Today it is essential that all students must be able to think critically, communicate effectively, collaborate with others, and analyze information and sources while experiencing a more rigorous curriculum to prepare them for college and the work force. 

To assure that this takes place we must shift the culture of expectation to be learner-centered with an intense focus on every student.  Learner-centered instruction has several characteristics that help prepare students for college and a career including:

• Rigorous instruction based on college and career-ready expectations
• Personalized instruction
• Collaborative, relevant, and applied instruction
• Flexible instruction, with learning taking place anytime, anywhere.

This is the first in a series of blogs that I will share periodically during the school year regarding our efforts in engaging Benton Community stakeholders in the "great conversation" with the goal of unfolding the potential of every child!