Connecting real-world scenarios to classroom content creates wonderful learning opportunities for students — but it also requires that teachers make many decisions about how to organize, sequence, and assess their instruction.

Dr. Adele Bruni Ashley and Dr. Cristina Compton — both of whom lead CPET's project-based learning initiatives — talk with us this week about what sets project-based learning apart from traditional assessments, and how to build relevant instruction for students.

How can you locate effective teaching tools without spending hours combing through the internet? With website after website of education resources, it can be hard to tell which have been vetted and will be most useful for your practice.

This week, we're chatting with two members of our coaching team — Dr. Cristina Compton and Lauren Midgette — about the resources they're currently using, and how they navigate the world of online teaching tools without becoming overwhelmed.

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Resources discussed in this episode:

Making the Case for Project-Based Learning

(https://cpet.tc.columbia.edu/news-press/making-the-case-for-project-based-learning)

The Believing Game: Fostering Empathy in the Classroom

(https://cpet.tc.columbia.edu/news-press/the-believing-game-fostering-empathy-in-the-classroom)

Engagement is Everything: Three Pillars of Student Engagement

(https://cpet.tc.columbia.edu/news-press/engagement-is-everything-three-pillars-of-student-engagement)

What Makes a Rigorous Question?

(https://cpet.tc.columbia.edu/news-press/what-makes-a-rigorous-question)

Coaching for equity is personal, and more complex than simply providing new information about a teaching strategy or protocol. At CPET, we ground this important work in four entry points that allow for educators to create a cultural shift within a community toward diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Dr. Sherrish Holloman joins us this week to discuss the focus and potential challenges of each entry point, approaches to culturally relevant professional learning, and the recommendations that emerge as we coach toward change.

Given its complexity, conversations about grading for equity often dwell in highly theoretical spaces. Although these spaces can be conducive to nuanced discussion surrounding equity, they can also become distanced from practices used in real classrooms.

To achieve more equitable grading practices, theory and practice must come together — how can we implement culturally relevant, responsive, and sustaining pedagogy in our schools and with our students?

We’re talking with Michael Fram — Principal of New York City’s Repertory High School — about how they’re bringing grading for equity to life.

Cultural and language diversity have an impact on how students are able to demonstrate what they know and understand — but how do implicit or institutional biases impact how we interpret and evaluate student learning? Dr. Sherrish Holloman returns this week to talk with us about the importance and complexity of culturally responsive grading.

Teachers have a lot of power to determine what and how they’re developing grading systems that reflect students’ knowledge, skills, and progress — but the process is complicated, and can sometimes cause harm. In this episode, we’re talking with Ashlynn Wittchow about systems of grading, and assessing the benefits and drawbacks of different models.

Whether you entered the spring semester with the same students and staff, or are starting fresh, developing and maintaining a positive community is critical to maximizing the potential of students and adults.

If you haven't been focusing on communities of practice, you may feel it's too late — or you may have communities of practice in place and are wondering what you can do to move to the next level. G. Faith Little, CPET's Initiative Director for 21st Century Learning, joins us to talk about the challenges and possibilities of creating and supporting these essential community groups.

Whether it’s the result of a single traumatic event, or one that's prolonged, the impact of stressful situations can spread to students' cognition, emotional regulation, and ability to connect with others.

In this episode we’re talking with Adam Wolfsdorf and Kristen Wedlock, authors of the book Navigating Trauma in the English Classroom. What is trauma, and how does it show up in school? How can we create space to process trauma together?

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To further explore how theorists and therapists approach trauma, please see below for references and resources that are mentioned in this episode:

• Peter Levine, PhD: Somatic Experiencing & Pendulation: https://traumahealing.org/

• Bessel van der kolk: PTSD and Memory; The Body Keeps the Score: https://www.besselvanderkolk.com/

• Stephen Porges, PhD: Polyvagal Theory & Neuroception: stephenporges.com

• Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD: Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction: https://www.mindfulnesscds.com/

• Arielle Schwartz, PhD: Somatic Therapy & Post Traumatic Growth: https://drarielleschwartz.com

• Nkem Ndefo: Resilience Tool Kit: lumostransforms.com

• Staci K. Haines: Politics of Trauma & Trauma and Social Justice: www.thepoliticsoftrauma.com, www.generativesomatics.org

• Scott Lyons: Founder of the Embody Lab: https://www.theembodylab.com/

• Elizabeth Dutro, PhD: Trauma and Pedagogy: https://elizabethdutro.com/

• Naropa University Faculty: Contemplative Pedagogy: https://www.naropa.edu/the-naropa-difference/mindfulness-and-contemplative-education/

• The Association for Contemplative Mind in Higher Education: professional development opportunities: https://www.contemplativemind.org/programs/acmhe

Whether we’re starting from scratch or resetting expectations, the new year always presents an opportunity to embrace the humanity of our students and the important goals we’re aspiring to. This week, Roberta and Cristina share their experiences of returning to school after a holiday break, and the strategies they’ve found effective for connecting with themselves and their students at the start of a new year.

We look back at some of the best shortcuts, insights, motivations, and aha moments that we published to help educators meet their professional goals this year.

Mentioned in this episode:

Centering Students for Literacy Engagement

https://cpet.tc.columbia.edu/news-press/centering-students-for-literacy-engagement-student-voice-choice-and-identity

What Makes a Rigorous Question?

https://cpet.tc.columbia.edu/news-press/what-makes-a-rigorous-question

What to Do When Kids Aren't Working

https://cpet.tc.columbia.edu/news-press/from-off-task-to-on-what-to-do-when-kids-arent-working

Adapting Packaged Curricula: Making It Your Own

https://cpet.tc.columbia.edu/news-press/adapting-packaged-curricula-promising-practices-for-making-it-your-own