High-Quality Learning
High-Quality Learning
Aligned with our vision to continue to be the leaders educating leaders, achieve the goals of MM2023 and also, following the recommendations from our accrediting agencies (CIS and NEASC), our school leadership and community worked diligently during three months, in order to develop an institutional definition of High-Quality Learning, that could be easily read and understood by all members of the school community.
This important endeavor is steered by two external consultants, Homa Tavangar and Will Richardson, both experts in the education field, and with vast experience in supporting schools in their transformation process.
The project involves 5 important steps:
This important endeavor is steered by two external consultants, Homa Tavangar and Will Richardson, both experts in the education field, and with vast experience in supporting schools in their transformation process.
The project involves 5 important steps:
1
Survey
We conducted an in-house survey to gauge understanding of learning at Marymount with the following four questions:- How do you learn most powerfully and deeply?
- What is present in that moment that makes it so powerful for you?
- How do you know that you’ve learned something?
- What makes learning “high quality”?
2
Guiding Coalition
Create a “Guiding Coalition” integrated by approximately 40 diverse school community members, including parents, students, faculty, leadership, and admin staff with representative participation from the three sections.This coalition took part in three 90-minute workshops, where they explored and discussed the way learning is understood and how it takes place, attempted to create their own definition of learning, figured out what high-quality learning really means, and reflected on how this definition would be applied in different areas of the school.
3
Definition
We review and discuss the details and components of the finalized definition of "High-Quality Learning."4
Socialization to teachers
We did a workshop led by the external consultants with the participation of teachers, so that they are able incorporate the definition in their class activities, planning and assessment, and make it a reality in their pedagogical tasks.5
Socialization to our community
Presentation of our "High-Quality Learning" definition to all the Marymount community.This school-wide exercise and grassroots approach to fulfill the building of a common understanding of High-Quality Learning at Marymount was and will continue to be possible because of the active involvement and valuable contributions of our community members.
This undertaking is not only part of the goals set forth in our strategic plan, but it also represents a significant milestone in our school’s history.
This undertaking is not only part of the goals set forth in our strategic plan, but it also represents a significant milestone in our school’s history.
Our definition of "High-Quality Learning"
"Learning is the social, active, and meaningful process of acquiring knowledge through authentic experiences."
Our definition of "High-Quality Learning"
"Learning is the social, active, and meaningful process of acquiring knowledge through authentic experiences."