Best Practices for Student-Centered Classrooms

This workshop is designed to empower educators to create classrooms that encourage student ownership, foster meaningful academic conversations, and promote collaboration. Participants learn strategies for developing a supportive classroom culture, implementing effective academic discourse, building community through assessment and feedback, and creating opportunities for purposeful collaboration. By engaging in various interactive activities and viewing practical examples, teachers gain insights into facilitating inquiry-based learning environments, fostering deeper learning and student engagement.

‍

‍

• Lack of student ownership and engagement in learning.
  
  
• Insufficient use of structured academic discourse among students.
  
  
• Limited collaboration and ineffective group dynamics in classroom settings.
  

1. Classroom Culture Development: Participants will learn strategies to create a safe, inclusive environment that encourages student voice, risk-taking, and positive student-teacher relationships, that support student autonomy and confidence.
   
   
2. Academic Discourse Skills: Educators will acquire methods for explicitly teaching and supporting students in using precise, evidence-based language, developing clear explanations, and effectively engaging in structured academic conversations.
   
   
3. Collaborative Practices: Teachers will learn how to design and facilitate collaborative tasks that are meaningful, standards-aligned, and driven by student data, including effective techniques for grouping students strategically to maximize learning outcomes.