Rhythm-01

Educational Directions has developed a student-focused approach to the school year based on learner needs.
The model is call The Rhythm of the Learner Year. In this approach, instructional leaders look at students as both Learners (processing information into long term memory) and Performers (accessing that memory and using it at the level they will be assessed).

The Opening Period

  • Enculturing
  • Preparing all students for success in class
  • Mastering management and academic rituals and routines
  • Building adult access to students
  • Establishing work and performance expectations
  • Jump starting critical reading, thinking and writing

The Formative Period

  • Building an independent learner and increasing potential as performer
  • Building operational language
  • Using critical reading, writing, and thinking strategies
  • Building basic reading and performing competencies
  • Building a best effort comfort zone
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The Calibrating Period

  • Building proficient performance
  • Mastering uses of content
  • Successful equivalent performance
  • Operational language fluency

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The Testing Period

  • Enable long term memory
  • Ensure best effort
  • Transition to the End of Year work

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The End of Year (EOY) Period

  • Establishing student ownership of learning and performing
  • Enabling successful transitions
  • Establish summer expectations

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The Summer Period

  • Reduce performance loss
  • Encourage interests and talents
  • Build access
  • Review of data
  • Planning, planning, planning

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Educational Directions has a just-in-time professional development series that presents these concepts just before entering a new learning period. The strength of having a common session to introduce concepts and critical vocabulary and then follow up with onsite coaching to help the leadership teams apply those concepts in the real context of their schools is one of the greatest strengths of our turnaround programs.

Free Toolkits for Educators

In our most recent book, we have an array of tools that educators can use to improve student performance.

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