Third Coast Learning Collaborative: Building Student Agency in Michigan Middle Schools

Open Way Learning and the Human Restoration Project are helping Michigan middle schools build student agency through interdisciplinary PBL, portfolio-based assessment, teacher collaboration, and sustained coaching. Early results point to stronger engagement, belonging, and student well-being as the Third Coast Learning Collaborative continues to grow.

openwaylearning.org

Learner-Centered Ecosystem Research Databook

This databook shares early findings on how learner-centered ecosystems are developing and operating in practice.

education-reimagined.org

As fewer young people choose college, this district wants to ensure they have career options

In Niagara Falls, New York, a town with shrinking job options, students are encouraged to consider their careers in ninth grade

hechingerreport.org

Chris McNutt on the Power of Empathy Interviews

Explore Getting Smart podcasts featuring conversations with educators, innovators, and leaders reimagining learning for the future. New episodes weekly.

gettingsmart.com

The True Purpose of of School

and the human revolution

schoolofthought.substack.com

Why Coloring Helps Calm Your Nervous System | Self-Care Tips for Teachers

What if one of the simplest ways to regulate your nervous system was sitting right in front of you? Coloring isn't just for our students! Repetitive, creative activities like coloring can help activate the parasympathetic nervous system the body's "rest and restore" response by slowing breathing, reducing stress, and giving the brain a chance to reset. While coloring doesn't directly "calm the vagus nerve," it can support vagal regulation by creating the conditions for relaxation and mindfulness. As educators, we spend so much time caring for others that we often forget to care for ourselves. Taking just a few minutes to pause can make a meaningful difference in how we show up for our students, colleagues, and communities. #EducatorWellbeing #StudentCenteredLearning #WNCRP #TeacherSupport #MindfulTeaching #OpenWayLearning #ProfessionalLearning

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Dr. Douglas Yacek on True Engagement in Learning

Douglas Yacek explores civic education, student engagement, and how authentic teaching can bridge the stimulation gap.

gettingsmart.com

Vagus Nerve Exercises #3: Reduce Stress, Improve Focus, and Support Emotional Regulation

Part 3 of our Vagus Nerve Exercises series, featuring simple practices that can help calm the nervous system, improve focus, and support overall well-being. How might we create learning environments where both students and educators can thrive? Sometimes the most powerful tools are also the simplest. Vagus nerve exercises can help regulate stress, improve focus, and support emotional well-being, important reminders in a profession that asks so much of educators every day. In this short video, we're sharing a few simple practices that can help bring calm, connection, and balance into your day. #EducatorWellbeing #SocialEmotionalLearning #WholeChildEducation #TeacherWellness #StudentCenteredLearning #MindfulSchools #EducationLeadership

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At This Ohio High School, Students Can Skip Lectures and Work On Their Own

Mayfield High School makes it a priority to let students choose how to learn, whether through internships, self-paced learning or traditional classes.

the74million.org

Perspective | What’s working: Early insights from the WNC Resilience Project

The Western North Carolina Resilience Project demonstrates how communities can are strengthened by educator-leaders who listen to students.

ednc.org

Humming and the Vagus Nerve: What Educators Should Know About Stress and Well-Being

How might we build small moments of regulation into our day? In our latest video, we explore the connection between humming and the vagus nerve, part of the nervous system that plays a role in how we respond to stress and return to a state of calm. While simple, practices like humming can serve as reminders to pause, breathe, and reconnect with ourselves throughout the day. Supporting well-being isn't just an individual responsibility. It's also about creating school cultures where educators and students have the tools, relationships, and conditions they need to thrive. #TeacherWellBeing #EducatorWellness #VagusNerve #StudentCenteredLearning #SchoolCulture #WNCResilienceProject

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Podcast: 11 Ways to Improve Teacher Well-Being

Laurie Santos, the renowned Yale professor, cognitive scientist, and host of The Happiness Lab, shares a science-backed toolkit for busy educators in need of a wellness tune-up.

edutopia.org

Changing Work Flow of Schools

AI in schools won’t matter until school workflow changes—shifting from fixed instruction to adaptive, personalized learning systems.

gettingsmart.com

Two Tips for Improvement Reviews: Listen to Experts, and Make Senior Leaders Uncomfortable

Ben Daley explains how his instinct to avoid reinforcing hierarchy kept him from getting the full benefit from improvement reviews.

hthgse.edu

'It's really inspiring': Madison Early College students fight food insecurity with fashion

Madison Early College High School is putting together its first fashion show at Marshall High Studios on May 15 to benefit Marshall’s Beacon of Hope.

msn.com

4 Research-Backed Strategies for Better Exam Review

Exam review doesn't have to mean worksheets and cramming. In this video, Michelle explores four research-backed practices that help students retain learning, stay engaged, and build deeper understanding leading up to assessments! #StudentEngagement #Assessment #StudentCenteredLearning #TeachingStrategies #ProjectBasedLearning #LearningScience #EducationLeadership

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School Leadership and Experiential Learning: How to Scale Great Teaching From the Inside Out

How do schools move from one exceptional teacher to a culture of great teaching across the entire building? This article explores how school leaders can use experiential learning, lesson study, continuous improvement, and collaborative practice to spread innovation from the inside out—without relying on top-down mandates. Grounded in research on collective efficacy and real-world school change, it offers practical strategies for scaling engagement, collaboration, and learner-centered teaching.

openwaylearning.org

What If Authentic Learning Is the Real Test Prep?

Is extended test prep actually getting in the way of student learning? In this conversation, we explore a challenge many schools face at the end of the year: when classrooms shift into weeks of passive exam review, students can become less engaged and retain less of what they’ve learned. Instead of stopping meaningful learning to “prepare for the test,” what happens when students continue engaging with new ideas, authentic tasks, discussion, and deeper thinking right up until the end? At Open Way Learning, we believe engagement and achievement are deeply connected. Learning sticks when students stay curious, connected, and actively involved in the work. #OpenWayLearning #StudentCenteredLearning #DeeperLearning #EducationInnovation #Assessment #AuthenticLearning #ProjectBasedLearning #LearningThatSticks

youtu.be

Student voices help shape post-Helene recovery efforts through the WNC Resilience Project

A student panel told attendees of The WNC Resilience Project's spring convening how schools can help students become more resilient.

ednc.org

Registration | Zoom Info Session for Student Centered Classrooms Cohort 2026-27

Join us to learn more about Open Way Learning’s Student-Centered Classrooms Cohort, a yearlong experience designed to help schools shift learning to be more engaging, relevant, and student-driven. This virtual info session will cover what the cohort experience looks like, what participating schools can expect, and how this work supports meaningful, lasting change. To receive the Zoom link, please complete this form.

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