Dr. Larry Myatt has over three decades of experience in education and will be the Honorary Conference Chair of the upcoming conference INSPIRE 2013. The founder and President of the Education Resources Consortium, and the co-founder of Boston’s Center for Collaborative Education, Dr. Myatt was also the founder of Fenway High School in Boston, a model small school for the nation, and its head of school for 20 years before accepting an assignment to advise Boston’s High School Renewal … [Read more...]
Interview: Matt Holzer, Assistant Headmaster, Boston Green Academy
Charter Schools in the Public School System In Massachusetts, there are more than 45,000 students on waiting lists for the state’s 68 charter schools (source). Clearly, there’s interest and demand.In Boston, Mayor Thomas Menino and Superintendent Carol Johnson have embraced Horace Mann Charter Schools as a promising method of school reform. While traditional charter schools compete with public school districts for students and funds, Horace Mann Charters are part of the district. Teachers … [Read more...]
Interview: Ken Haynes, Cofounder of BoomWriter
Ken Haynes, former public school teacher and current specialist in the emerging field of digital education, participated in a NISCE professional conversation held at Boston Green Academy. This group had a round-table discussion exploring the concept of ‘student-centered education,’ and Ken shared his varied experiences in creating effective learning environments in a variety of settings. He offered the following thoughts in response to questions drawn from that conversation.You were a teacher … [Read more...]
What’s Your School’s Culture
Central to delivering student-centered education is the continuous feedback loop reflected in the NISCE Instructional model. Thoughtful assessment guides developmentally appropriate differentiated instruction, which promotes student engagement which in turn leads to success as defined for each individual student. Positive and supportive school relationships permeate and sustain each element of the model.In Part 1 of 6, we offer brief tips to help individuals and schools support a true focus on … [Read more...]
NISCE Hosts Boston Screening of “Bully”
The film "Bully" premiered on March 30th in New York and Los Angeles, but on April 13th NISCE will host the inaugural Boston-area screening of the film at the Landmark Kendall Cinema in Cambridge. Immediately following the show, Dr. Richard Weissbourd, Harvard lecturer, will provide commentary and lead a short discussion with the audience.The documentary, which follows five students who are bullied over the course of one year, seeks to expose the tragic effects of bullying. By giving intimate … [Read more...]
Movement in the Cybersphere
The launch of theNISCE website has been under production for the last month. The team has beendeeply focused on developing content as it pertains to: our mission, thedefinition of student-centered learning, models to be used as part of thestructure of the initiative, events that we will host, and building the foundationof a movement.Please join NISCE by liking our Facebook Fan Page or following us on Twitter at: @NISCE_. We will betweeting, starting discussions, and linking to interesting … [Read more...]
Quotes that Inspire Us
During our NISCE Launch and Workshop there were many quotes that stood out.Here are two that reflect on the simple and joyful moments that sustain an educators passion for teaching:Helping a struggling young student (16 years old)to read a clock for the first time, and watching his face light up when he did.I was talking to a student in counseling about him moving from the middle school and how he would be “fine without me.” He looked at me and said, “Are you kidding me?! You are the voice … [Read more...]
Part 1 – Do You Know What Inspires and Motivates Your Teachers?
In Part 1 of the brainstorming session at the NISCE Launch event the focus was on the educators.When asked to give brief examples of what makes them feel successful after a day's involvement with students:Watching a student truly engage with a lesson Watching students achieve goals they set Watching a student demonstrate self awareness in a tough class projectWhen asked to give brief examples of what helps them feel energized and inspired, they noted the following:Being a mentor to … [Read more...]
National Institute for Student-Centered Education Launch and Workshop
The National Institute for Student Centered Education (NISCE) Launch Reception and Workshop took place on Wednesday,February 8th at the Arlington Town Hall.In attendance were over 60 people from the Schools for Children community, including educators from Lesley Ellis School, Dearborn Academy, Seaport Academy, and STEP, along with many members of the Board of Trustees. Inspired bythe camaraderie, participants openly provided insights into their everydayexperiences, including what inspires them … [Read more...]
Launching a Broader Dialogue
With an expertise in developing new educational services and innovative practices, experience in consulting with other schools, school districts and human service providers, and with a history of constantly focusing on ways to enhance the quality and performance of their own four programs, Schools for Children found itself seeking a way to describe approaches and educational practices that would linked all of their schools and programs: Lesley Ellis School, Dearborn Academy, Seaport Academy and … [Read more...]
