#VAis4Learners Innovation Network

Just like gifts, innovation comes in many shapes and and sizes. Sometimes we expect it, sometimes we make it, and sometimes it takes us by surprise. When you get a chance to rest your brain and reflect back on your VaLIN journey during 2020, we hope you will notice the innovations and take pride in ALL the innovations you shepherded forward with sheer will and determination to do what is best for your community. We thank you for your passions and commitment, and look forward to continuing the journey with you after the New Year.

Many thanks to our colleagues who were able to make time during the busy month of December to join a Birds of a Feather flock and continue the fall conversations. Our small groups grappled with big questions around promoting learner voice, career pathway alignment, and vehicles for sharing innovation. We encourage you to connect with those conversations through the resources below and invite you to join our January networking opportunities.

The Student Centered Learning flock had a great conversation on December 8th with Ms. Wanda Smith from Amherst and Mr. Davell Smith from Richmond talking about promoting student voice. Both are or will be engaged in PBL efforts which will help to increase the opportunity for more student voices in learning in their schools.

We talked about the value of recognizing that not everyone will jump into the deep end right at the beginning, and that both teachers and students may need some help to move along a continuum of providing increasing opportunities for student voice. This can be fewer are more structured choices at first so that both teachers and students develop skills that will allow them to promote more student voice. Over time, both teachers and students should feel more comfortable with increased student voice. For teachers who struggle to let go and promote student voice, consider helping those teachers think about the outcomes they have for students and/or the question "how else can a student demonstrate this?"

We are curious about other suggestions you have. How are teachers promoting greater student voice in your schools? Perhaps in this time of heavily remote or blended learning, greater student choice may actually lead to increased engagement. How are you leveraging that right now?

There is one more synchronous session and it's not too late to be part of the conversation. Please sign up to receive notifications and to contribute synchronously and/or asynchronously.

Topic 3: Gathering the right evidence to know we are assessing desired learning outcomes

Date/Time for Synchronous Sharing: Tuesday, January 12 (3:00 - 3:45 PM)

On December 3rd a small flock came together to continue to share ideas. We were joined by Chris Jacob, lead teacher in the Innovation Lab at Green Run High School in VA Beach. He shared some great insights into how they have designed a program that thrives on student voice and what impact that has on the facilitators and curriculum. If you weren't able to join us, you can see the video below. Additional resources are posted on the agenda available on the VALIN Innovation Hub There is one more session currently scheduled for this theme. Join us if you can.

Date / Time: 1/14/21 9:00-10:00

Network with colleagues to explore strategies (student-led PD, student facilitated board presentations, etc.) to activate the learner voice in scaling impact of the learner profile on learning, teaching and leading.

Click here to save your seat

The Community Connections Flock met on Monday, December 7th to talk through How to Align K-12 Curriculum & Career Pathways.

We are grateful to Keisha Tennessee & Kume Goranson from CodeRVA for sharing how they are leveraging the Curriculum Review Process to approach teaching and learning through the lens of relevant content, the dynamic nature of changing skill sets, and ongoing partnerships with industry partners.

Annah Bowen from Nottaway shared how they have developed areas of focus by level, with elementary students in an EXPOSURE phase, middle school students in an EXPLORE phase and high school students in an EXPERIENCE phase of career connection.

Maria Lawson-Davenport from Suffolk shared that, as a more rural district they have chosen a narrow focus to start this work within their CTE programming and worked to incorporate service learning a part of their curriculum as well.

Other takeaways from participant sharing:

• Partner Empathy- What is the partnership's capacity? Limiting the communication funnel to businesses may be one way to ensure you are prioritizing and matching the value of the partner and the greatest district need without overtaxing the partnership.
• Profile of an Industry Partner- Do you have one already? How might it help you be uber-concrete about what you are looking for in a partner in a way that aligns to curriculum? How might it be flexible enough to allow you to remain open about who might be an industry partner?
• Leveraging Technology- Organizations like Nepris.com allow for industry connections tied to specific content areas beyond local circles. How might technology create additional opportunities for partnerships based upon the needs in your learning communities?

Here's How You Can Help, #VaLIN Network:

Folks in our flock are looking to connect with others across the network around the themes below. Please reach out to Julie (julie@advancedpartnerships.com) if you are willing to connect as a collaborator.

• Insight on expanding partnership division-wide (primary and secondary)
• Expanding partnerships, Aligning content
• Building partnerships in core area courses

Information about our next session:

Topic 3: Teaching, Practicing & Measuring "Soft Skills"

Date / Time: 01/14/20 8:15- 9:00 am

Sometimes the most important skills are the hardest to measure. Grab a cup of coffee and join us to share ideas on how to teach, practice, and measure the “soft skills” of workforce preparedness. Click here to save your seat

Have something to share about Measuring Soft Skills? Would love for you to share on the 14th! Please reach out to julie@advancedpartnerships.com as soon as possible.

Thanks to our flock for sharing your experience and next level pursuits!

The Scaling Innovations flock wrestled with the question, What vehicle is best for scaling our innovation?

Three different divisions, Shenandoah, Richmond, and New Kent shared current vehicles being considered while also brainstorming new ideas that might be helpful. Have you considered these vehicles for scaling your innovation?

• Dedicated Website

• Online form - collection of data

• Dedicated Email

• Calendar

• Social Media

• Report

• Pilot Program

• Cohort

• Presentations / Webinars

• Events - internal / external / multi partner

• Programs

• Blogs or Articles

• Podcasts

• Grants

If you are interested in hearing the conversation please check out https://youtu.be/z1RLy4VwLpY

Remember we continue to add ideas shared to "Implementation Reflection Lens". A great resource for scaling your innovation.

Please visit https://sites.google.com/view/vais4learnersinnovationnetwork/home/scale-innovation for more information.

We hope you can join us next time:

Topic 3: How might the long term plan influence the short term? In our final session share and learn from others: Successful Small Steps that have Scaled

Date/Time for Synchronous Sharing: 01/13/20 12:00-12:40

Click here to save your seat

You may have heard that Ted Dintersmith has a new venture brewing. Check out the recently released website www.whatschoolcouldbe.org, as a precursor to the full platform that will launch in early 2021.

ALP is a partner, designer, and agent of change. We move beyond the expert mindset and one-size-fits-all, quick fix solutions.

Email: ALP@advancedpartnerships.com
Website: http://alplearn.com
Twitter: @alplearn

Virginia is for Learners is an initiative of the Virginia Department of Education, the Virginia School Consortium for Learning (VaSCL), The New American History Project at the University of Richmond, and James Madison University with support from Ted Dintersmith. Coaching is provided by Advanced Learning Partnerships , Dr. Scott McLeod from the University of Colorado at Denver, and Kaleb Rashad from High Tech High Graduate School of Education.