What can we learn about proficiency from special education?
Equitable access for each & every student Many of us doing proficiency work in the state see it as a
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Search Results for: proficiency
The crucial role of practice in a proficiency-based environment
Practice makes proficient What’s special about a proficiency-based environment? Practice, that’s what. I know, it sounded weird to me too.
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4 key concepts for families about proficiency-based reporting
Parenting students in a world without grades Proficiency reporting is a set of legal requirements that all Vermont high schools
Read moreProficiency-based teaching and learning in Vermont: who, why and how
Two examples of implementing proficiency-based scales of learning Vermont educators and their students are on a journey. Let’s look at
Read moreAssessment in Proficiency-Based Classrooms
3 examples using blended learning Let’s explore how some Vermont teachers are shifting their instruction and assessment practices to move
Read more4 shifts for student-led conferences in a proficiency-based environment
Student-led conferences are for students Student-led conferences are a key strategy in personalized, student-centered educational practices. And they’re even more important
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Flexible pathways in proficiency-based learning
Standard 3-part story-driven post: 1) what it is, 2) what it looks like in a school, 3) how to do it in your school
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3 visualization exercises for proficiency-based learning
Outcomes, process and automaticity I worked with a group of teachers this summer to re-think goal-setting with their students. We
Read moreHow proficient are you with proficiency-based learning?
#vted weighs in again on twitter Is your school implementing proficiency-based learning? It’s an idea that’s taking hold all over,
Read moreChapter 7: PLPs and Proficiency-Based Assessment
Foundations & Connections What is Proficiency-Based Learning? Vermont Agency of Education A New Era for Educational Assessment, David T. Conley,
Read moreSummative Assessment
What is summative assessment? Summative Assessment is the opportunity for students to show what they know and demonstrate what they
Read moreLooking at proficiency-based assessment for students with disabilities
Making sure Proficiency work includes all students Recently, I was in a middle school team meeting walking folks through some
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Using PearDeck in a proficiency-based environment
Looking at tech tools for formative assessment In a proficiency-based learning environment, frequent, flexible, and transparent assessments become cornerstones of
Read moreLearning Goals
What are Learning Goals? Learning goals define what proficiency looks like in concise, student-friendly language. While educators may break down
Read moreTracking proficiencies in Schoology
3 ways Schoology supports sustainable Proficiency-Based Learning A learning management system (LMS) can be used to manage classroom workflow, create
Read more#vted twitter chat recap: proficiency-based graduation requirements
Now with more school board selfies #vted twitter chat takes place every other Wednesday from 8-9pm EST, and is moderated
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Paths to proficiency
Choose Your Own Adventure with 3 easy tech tools Students in blended learning classrooms benefit from taking control over the
Read moreProficiency-Based Education
Our core beliefs: All students can learn. Measure what matters: the purpose of assessment is to determine the next steps
Read moreDo you know where you are?
Taking stock on implementing Vermont’s Act 77 “Do you know where you are?” Usually it’s a question medical professionals ask
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8 ways feedback makes proficiencies work
Meet Grace Gilmour, and her proficiency-based classroom. “Oh yay. I was like: yay, my heart.” This was Grace Gilmour’s response
Read moreHow to use these resources
With and without the book Our new book, Personalized Learning in the Middle Grades: A Guide for Classroom Teachers and
Read moreWinooski’s Graduate Proficiencies & Graduate Expectations
What proficiency-based learning looks like Winooski Middle and High School, in bustling Winooski, VT, has been quietly making the journey
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#vted Reads: Personalized Learning in the Middle Grades, with Penny Bishop
HELLO! I’m Jeanie Phillips and welcome back to vted Reads! We’re kicking off our second season of the podcast with
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Read moreFormative Assessment
What is formative assessment? Feedback empowers learners to have agency over their learning! Formative assessment is a strategy used by
Read moreMeaningful Instruction
What is meaningful instruction? Meaningful instruction is the heart of the proficiency based education model. Educators know that good teaching
Read more4 ways to begin using scales for assessment
Getting started assessing proficiency School systems in Vermont and elsewhere are in the midst of a shift to proficiency-based learning.
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Community Based Learning in Vermont: What’s going on?
4 lessons from a recent gathering On Friday, March 11, more than 50 participants from public and private schools, community
Read moreX is for eXtra credit
How does edtech affect extra credit? Is extra credit still a valid notion as we move towards ubiquitous learning, and grapple
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#vted Reads: Protocols in the Classroom, with Terra Lynch
Welcome back to #vted Reads! Now, I recorded this episode back in September out in San Antonio, at the School
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Read moreAct 77, Flexible Pathways and best middle level practices
Grappling with implementation In my current work with a number of Vermont middle schools, we have been trying to grapple
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Creating a self-paced Spanish class
Experiment with flexibility: tech + assessment At Edmunds Middle School, in Burlington Vermont, Sarah Wright is rethinking assessment to create a
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#vted Reads: We Got This, with Kathleen Brinegar
Cornelius Minor likes to ask himself three key questions. One: what are his students trying to tell him? Two: What
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How do you measure success with project-based learning?
“A Tale of Three Projects” Two Vermont educators share how they measure success with project-based learning units… in space! Allan
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“The Culture Code”, with Bill Rich
Why do certain groups add up to be greater than the sum of their parts? In this episode of our
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#vted Reads: The Power of Moments, with Rachel Mark
Thank you for joining us for another episode of #vted Reads. This time we will be discussing The Power of
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Getting started with cooking videos
A recipe for video-making proficiency The ubiquity of the digital camera, whether mounted in smartphone, tablet or Chromebook, is getting
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3 types of videos for showcasing content areas
Structures & examples for student filmmakers Many students love working with video. Students can create videos for any subject to
Read moreWhat is Learning Lab?
Welcome to Learning Lab VT Vermont’s schools are home to some of the most innovative, passionate and skilled educators
Read moreInnovative VT educators in the news
#vted = #vtexcellence A number of Vermont educators have been in the news lately, achieving and being recognized for the
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#vted Reads: Dreadful Young Ladies, with Sarah Birgé
Listeners: how do you talk to your students about the special love that exists between a woman and a Sasquatch?
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Read morePhys ed 2.0: More learning, less suffering
Personalizing PE In this era of personalized learning, it’s not just the jocks that find P.E. enjoyable. At Crossett Brook
Read moreUsing Schoology for differentiated learning
Addressing student mastery and learning targets in an LMS Kristi McKnight, a 9th grade teacher at Harwood Union High School in
Read moreDigital badges as evidence of flexible pathways
Realizing the promise of micro-credentialing As teachers and students grapple with how to implement proficiency-based assessment, flexible pathways and personalized
Read moreP is for Performance Tasks
Using performance tasks as a way to measure student knowledge When working with a group of middle school science teachers recently
Read moreProviding support for goal-setting in a PLP
3 strategies shared by local educators At Manchester Elementary Middle School, sixth grade students speak fluently about their Personal Learning
Read moreFinding joy in the classroom
Is joy in learning an innovation? Recently, I was charmed and inspired upon seeing a first grade student’s take on
Read moreJ-Term at Hazen Union
Personalized, proficiency-based PBL or bust During a faculty meeting in late December of 2016, educators and staff talked about the
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Welcome to Learning Lab VT
Welcome to Learning Lab VT Ever wonder whether you’re really up to the task of meeting your learners’ needs? We
Read moreClimate, Community and Voice from Day 1
Starting up with our students Another exciting year is upon us. It may be difficult to wrest our attention from these glorious
Read moreThe tech-rich social studies classroom
Standard 3-part story-driven post: 1) what it is, 2) what it looks like in a school, 3) how to do it in your school
Read moreThe student-centered art classroom
Standard 3-part story-driven post: 1) what it is, 2) what it looks like in a school, 3) how to do it in your school
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Hitting learning targets in Vermont hunter education
My twelve-year-old son is becoming a hunter. Myself, I’ve never even fired a gun, but Henry has been interested in
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On the cutting Edge of student-centered education
What would you do if you were given the time and space to create a school where students could tell
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#vted Reads: The Benefits of Being an Octopus
This one goes deep, folks. On this episode educator Corey Smith joins me to talk about The Benefits of Being
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Personalized Learning in the Middle Grades
How do educators personalize learning to engage, inspire & motivate students? We’re pleased to share that our new book,
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Equity, identity & art
Tracing a middle level social identity unit Identity. Oppression. Social justice. Structural racism. Liberation. These are some intense ideas to
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Getting started with protocols
Be better at team conversations You know that spirited colleague of yours who dominates, practically filibusters, staff meetings with her
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All about service learning
with Katy Farber From real and relevant to what to do in the event of a mountain bike accident, the
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What’s your inquiry question?
The why and how of personalization An inquiry question forms the backbone of action research in the classroom. It guides
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Voice + choice = a better math classroom
Start by listening to students Elizabeth Tarno asked her students for feedback about their math class at the end of
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The shifting role of the teacher in a blended learning classroom
Adding playlists into the mix We often hear about the need to move from the sage on the stage to
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A tale of two tech tools
Students test drive tools to enhance & amplify project work When Stowe Middle Level educators met to plan for the
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Using protocols for equity
Tools for tough talks So, maybe you’ve been using protocols at faculty meetings or professional learning community sessions. Perhaps you’ve
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#vted Reads: Troublemakers with Mike Martin
In this episode of #vted Reads, we talk about Troublemakers, a book by Carla Shalaby. We touch on what we’re
In this episode of #vted Reads, we talk with South Burlington curriculum coordinator Mike Martin,about Troublemakers, a book by Carla Shalaby. We touch on what we're really doing when we ask our students to code-switch, Black Lives Matter, and the trouble with classroom norms, and we pose the question: 'How do school systems bestow unearned privilege on some, and un-earned hardship, on others?' Oh, and we talk about Harry Potter. Naturally.Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed
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