The foundation for revisiting instructional design is provided by newly developed state standards and assessments, and the 21st century skills movement. Parents need to feel secure in knowing that their children are not involved in a pilot program or untested approaches but rather are in a classroom in which teachers are implementing a variety of research-based strategies with the intent of fostering personal empowerment in their students.
We recommend:
- letters of introduction to some of the new or different strategies being used in the classroom
- ongoing communication with parents
- use of the book Students Taking Charge: Inside the Learner-Active, Technology-Infused Classroom™ with parents
- Back-to-School simulations
- posting of ALU tasks, rubrics, and activity lists on classroom websites
- regular updates on student progress to parents, where possible through technology means
The LATI Classroom™ is a collaborative learning community that thrives on the engagement of adults with students. However, the outside visitor who presents from the front of the room gives way to an Outside Expert Corner that allows small groups of students to engage with an outside expert to gain insights into their solutions to problems. Imagine if math students are designing a dream house and an architect is on hand to offer suggestions; imagine if students are writing original poetry and poets are on hand to critique their work and offer suggestions.
Additionally, with the advent of videoconferencing, students can avail themselves of outside experts through scheduled conferences.