In 2020, the Christa McAuliffe Charter School stands strong. We proudly work with diverse young scholars from across the Metrowest region to help them find their inner passion and sense of obligation to others. We ask them to become agents of their own learning, to develop robust HOWLS (habits of work and learning), and to... Continue Reading →

  This is the time for leadership to capture how educators have navigated this experience and broadened their classroom resources, teaching strategies, and creative communication practices. The New Normal: Five Insights from GOA's COVID-19 Leadership Roundtable

Two recent pieces suggest essential elements for critical and innovative thinking. We could debate priorities, or we could simply agree that we want to offer students a content-rich milieu in which to scaffold their growth from novice to expert learners. I vote for the latter! In order to compare and contrast, the brain has to... Continue Reading →

Recently, an online article pointed me to a Reddit discussion thread (I know, I know … stay with me). With some reticence, I clicked the link. The question: “What part of being an adult were you absolutely not prepared for?” Some answers: Being sick and not having someone to help Filling out forms … lots... Continue Reading →

Originally published on 9/13/19 On Thursday, September 12, Gann Academy history students presented the culmination of their 2018-2019 work associated with the Fernald School: the MetFern Yizkor Project, a 298 page book with the stories of those that were buried in the 298 unmarked graves at the MetFern cemetery. In addition to the book, the... Continue Reading →

Originally published on 9/11/19 "September 11th is not an event that any of you, our current students, remember, but it is seared into the memories of the adults who are part of this community," remarked Assistant Head of School Frank Tipton. In a somber commemoration marking the 18th anniversary of September 11, the entire school... Continue Reading →

Originally published on 8/25/19 As we prepare for a new academic year, I invite all of us to appreciate the “daily charges” that our colleagues offered last week, while also finding our own message to inspire us in our work. In my case, a short internet piece in Getting Smart led me to this academic... Continue Reading →

Perhaps the most important reason for developing metacognition is that it can improve the application of knowledge, skills, and character qualities in realms beyond the immediate context in which they were learned... Research has identified three levels of reporting on metacognitive processes: 1. Verbalization of knowledge that is already in a verbal state (such as recalling what... Continue Reading →

One of the joys of working at Gann Academy is the opportunity to share a reflection on the Torah portion of the week. We offer these reflections at our "town meeting" each Friday morning, and we also send them to parents via email. Here's my contribution from this past Friday, March 5, 2019 (Leviticus 12:1-13:59).... Continue Reading →

Schools in the Mastery Collaborative have long been doing the heavy lifting required to achieve what the mayor and chancellor’s initiatives seek to promote: equity in both admissions and academic achievement. Without additional support, the question is whether an approach with a promising record of success can spread to schools with like-minded leadership, or whether... Continue Reading →