Small Shifts: Cultivating a Practice of Student-Centered Teaching in Bloomington, MN

We are at a crossroads in education and the consensus is that we can do better by our K-12 students. Student-centered approaches to instruction can create that spark of joy in learning for teachers and for their students. We can tap into students' interests, engage them in meaningful projects, and prepare them for a changing world. But few have focused on how the adults in the system can create the conditions for student-centered learning.
Small Shifts
showcases bright spot stories from innovative educators making small but impactful changes in their instruction. What does this look like in practice?
Prioritizing student
Agency
to focus on students' passions and goals
Creating
Active Learning
experiences
Making space for students to develop their own expertise and
Authority
Finding opportunities to present to
Authentic Audiences
and
Scaffolding learning with models and support through
Apprenticeship
Each of these five As is a lens on learning, and together they form a framework for student-centered learning. With research support for each "A," reflection questions for refining practice, and a chapter on putting teachers at the center of their learning,
inspires educators to transform how we teach and to improve outcomes for all students.