What is Instruction for Deeper Learning?
Instruction for Deeper Learning is a school-wide approach to teaching and learning where students and educators are empowered to come together to create complex and impactful work. Every day, in each class, the leadership, ideas and reflections of young people drive our efforts to improve their education and achieve equity in schools and beyond.
Student Outcomes:
Belonging
All students grow and feel a sense of belonging as a result of the integration of academic, social, emotional learning that reflects their interests and identities.
Critical Thinking
All students demonstrate conceptual understanding, higher order thinking and criticality through work that matters to them, their future and communities.
Adventure
All students have access to daily, joyful challenge that feels like an adventure.
Reflection
All students have what they need to reflect upon and guide their own and peers’ learning, and adapt when needed.
At my school we don’t just learn — we learn why we learn. This educational philosophy reignited my passion for school, and as the years went by, the flame only grew stronger.
What It Looks Like in Practice:
Culturally Relevant Design
Authentic and Liberatory
Standards-aligned units are developed with information about students’ diverse interests, cultural contexts, and global futures to reflect an expansive understanding of what is relevant.
Agency
Unit skills and knowledge empower students with the conceptual understanding, higher order thinking, and criticality they need to lead and make change.
Backward Design
Units are backward-planned from at least one high-quality performance-based task/project where students generate and exhibit work that matters.
Inclusive and Challenging Daily Instruction
SEAD-Integrated Challenge
Lesson tasks are informed by the unit goals and designed to have students hold the cognitive load through ‘just right’ challenge. Intellectual risk taking is made possible as a result of the integration of academic, social emotional learning (SEAD).
Student-Centered
Daily routines focus on students engaging in active and ongoing inquiry and collaboration in service of the intended learning.
Access
Lessons support the development of literacy across content areas; tasks and texts are differentiated so skill levels are not a barrier to the lesson’s higher order thinking.
Immersion
Lessons regularly incorporate experiential learning that brings students in direct interaction with the unit’s people, places, and ideas to raise questions, investigate, gather evidence and connect with their communities.
Equity-Focused Assessment
Collaborative Data Analysis
Formative and summative assessments are designed to collect diverse evidence of student learning. Students and teachers partner to draw conclusions from the data, give and receive feedback, and design pathways for deeper learning.
Reflective Practices
Lessons offer regular opportunities for students and teachers to name lesson intentions, set goals and note progress on daily learning, long-term learning and preparation for the future.
See Instruction for Deeper Learning in Action
Watch the videos to see educators and students engaging in practices that showcase deeper learning in NYC Outward Bound partner schools.
How We Support Instruction for Deeper Learning
Our approach to supporting Instruction for Deeper Learning is two-pronged — through Coaching and Networked Learning.
Coaching
We work with partner schools to decide on an annual scope of coaching based on how leaders envision instruction changing within 1-3 years, as named in their strategic plans and vision for deeper learning.
Networked Learning
Communities of Practice gather teachers from across the pathway to collectively learn about and implement deeper learning classroom practices. We also offer Critical Friends Groups for Principals and Assistant Principals as a way to tap into the unique challenges of school leadership.
Cost
- 2-3 educators participating in twice annual Network Convening
- 2-6 teachers joining a Community of Practice
- Instructional and Leadership Coaching ranging from 15-23 days (based on anticipated scope of work)
Total cost: $25,615 – $50,874
To learn more about partnership, contact:
Aurora Kushner
Vice President, School Programming and Impact
[email protected]