Equip teachers to provide value beyond school In spite of numerous reforms to improve rigor and relevance in the classroom, our schools have been slow to change. Backed by over 20 years of research, the Authentic Intellectual Work (AIW) framework helps school-based teams improve the quality of instruction, assessment, and curriculum for higher and more equitable student learning. This work provides A research-validated, field-tested framework that can be applied across grades and disciplines A powerful professional learning component that emphasizes teacher collaboration Detailed examples of lessons, assignments, assessment tasks, and student work

Build teacher capacity to promote students′ authentic intellectual work In spite of numerous reforms to improve rigor and relevance in the classroom, our schools have been slow to change. This work provides A research-validated, field-tested framework that can be applied across grades and disciplines A powerful professional learning component that emphasizes teacher collaboration Detailed examples of lessons, assignments, assessment tasks, and student work Backed by over 20 years of research, the Authentic Intellectual Work (AIW) framework helps school-based teams improve the quality of instruction, assessment, and curriculum for higher and more equitable student learning. "Newmann and colleagues offer a refreshing approach to research and professional development, which deeply honors teachers′ critical inquiry and collaboration. Thanks to their insights, educators finally have a framework for promoting rigor and relevance across all grades and subjects. Those who join this journey will reap the rewards of increased teacher engagement and improved student learning." Linda Darling-Hammond, Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education Stanford University "Authentic Intellectual Work enables educators to overcome challenges to Common Core implementation. Newmann, Carmichael, and King explain how the AIW approach builds the culture of collaboration and trust required for successful school reform. Importantly, they show how collective professional development among teachers and school leaders can enhance educators’ learning and practice, leading to more equitable student outcomes." Greg Anrig, Senior Fellow The Century Foundation

Meet challenging standards by promoting students' authentic intellectual work There is no such thing as a simple formula for school improvement, but the Authentic Intellectual Work (AIW) framework presented in this book will help school- and district-based teams improve the quality of instruction, assessment, and curriculum for more rigorous and more equitable student learning. This book provides: Richly detailed case studies of successful AIW implementation at the statewide, districtwide, and individual school levels Illustrations of collaborative teaming to advance higher-order thinking, disciplined inquiry, and value beyond school Exemplars of how AIW transforms professional development and evaluations and increases coherence and alignment of initiatives

This new book presents the findings of a five-year, federally funded study that examined the connection between school restructuring and student achievement. Investigating twenty-four elementary and secondary schools from twenty-two districts across the country, the researchers found that restructuring efforts fail when there is too much focus on structure and technique and not enough attention paid to the intellectual quality of student and teacher work and to the vitality of the school community. Using a wealth of examples, the authors provide a vivid picture of the conditions under which innovations in a school's organization contribute to student achievement - extending learning beyond rote memorization of isolated facts to thinking, disciplined understanding, and complex communication.

This book examines, through case studies of elementary and secondary schools, how five schools have developed “authentic,” performance-based assessments of students’ learning, and how this work has interacted with and influenced the teaching and learning experiences students encounter in school. This important and timely book reveals the changing dynamics of classroom life as it moves from more traditional pedagogy to one that asks students to master intellectual and practical skills that are eminently transferable to “real-life” social settings and workplaces. “The issue of assessment comes first, but we see in the following case studies how it becomes powerfully enveloped in the processes of learning and teaching, of informing students, teachers, parents, and others of ‘how the children are doing.’ The portraits explicitly and implicitly suggest a deep, fair, and defensible way to answer the question ‘How’m I doing?’ in a manner that helps this child and eventually every child.” —From the Foreword by Theodore R. Sizer “Informative and thought provoking.” —American Journal of Education

A bold, brain-based teaching approach to culturally responsive instruction To close the achievement gap, diverse classrooms need a proven framework for optimizing student engagement. Culturally responsive instruction has shown promise, but many teachers have struggled with its implementation—until now. In this book, Zaretta Hammond draws on cutting-edge neuroscience research to offer an innovative approach for designing and implementing brain-compatible culturally responsive instruction. The book includes: Information on how one’s culture programs the brain to process data and affects learning relationships Ten “key moves” to build students’ learner operating systems and prepare them to become independent learners Prompts for action and valuable self-reflection