Open Way Learning

05/28/2026

How might we redesign the workflow of school so learning feels more human, relevant, and connected to the world students are actually living in?

In this article for Getting Smart, David Ross challenges schools to think beyond simply adding AI tools into traditional systems. The question is not just what technology we use, but whether we are willing to rethink the structures, schedules, and experiences that shape learning every day: https://www.gettingsmart.com/2026/05/11/changing-work-flow-of-schools/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

AI in schools won’t matter until school workflow changes—shifting from fixed instruction to adaptive, personalized learning systems.

05/26/2026

Honoring the expertise in the room and elevating the voices of students and classroom teachers are central to Open Way Learning’s approach to improvement.

But once those voices are heard, what happens next?

Not much, unless we also create images of possibility, gather evidence of what is working, and build the leadership conditions that allow good ideas to move.

In Ben Daley’s article, the improvement review is one place where that shift happens. It is not just a protocol for giving feedback to the team doing the work. It is also a structure for helping senior leaders see the system-level barriers they may need to own, resource, and change.

That feels especially relevant for schools trying to move from feedback to action. For grassroots improvement efforts, student voice and teacher voice are not just collected. They help shape the goals, reveal the conditions that need attention, and clarify the leadership moves that make deeper learning possible.

Read the full article from High Tech High Graduate School of Education here:

Ben Daley explains how his instinct to avoid reinforcing hierarchy kept him from getting the full benefit from improvement reviews.

05/21/2026

If you could fix one thing about the world or your community, what would it be?

At lunch, students answered this simple question on sticky notes. Their responses ranged from world hunger and climate change to bullying, sports, screen fatigue, and wanting more time outside. One 5th grader wrote: “Less online/digital, more paper… more social time being outside and hanging out with friends.”

Student-centered classrooms do not have to start with a huge project. They start with simple routines that help teachers learn what students care about, then connect those insights back to core content, daily conversations, and classroom practice.

Join Open Way Learning’s Student-Centered Classrooms Cohort to catalyze engagement at your school or district.
Info Session: June 1, 4 PM EST

RSVP HERE: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfY_d5dfP5ocquqz-jKfzJ3j4t1VQwfuSy_VEwb1ob1jUkFCA/viewform

05/19/2026

Last Friday evening, downtown Marshall was full of energy as Madison Early College High School students turned creativity into community action through a thrifted fashion show at Marshall High Studios.

Supported by a WNC Resilience Project microgrant, students used upcycled fashion to raise awareness and support for Beacon of Hope, connecting sustainability, food security, and student leadership in a way that felt joyful, local, and real.
Earlier this year, during a school visit, one MECHS student described resilience this way: “It helps to be able to help others.”
One way schools can help young people build resilience during times of recovery is by giving them real opportunities to make a difference in their own community. That can happen through clubs, service projects, and core content when students are invited to connect what they are learning to the people and places around them.

As Beacon of Hope thrift store manager Anna Anderson put it: “It’s really inspiring that the kids in our community are thinking about the intersection of sustainability and food security.”

Read the article: https://www.msn.com/en-us/education-and-learning/general/it-s-really-inspiring-madison-early-college-students-fight-food-insecurity-with-fashion/ar-AA23hLIL

Madison Early College High School

Madison Early College High School is putting together its first fashion show at Marshall High Studios on May 15 to benefit Marshall’s Beacon of Hope.

05/18/2026

Exam review doesn't have to mean worksheets and cramming. In this video, Michelle explores four research-backed practices that help students retain learning, stay engaged, and build deeper understanding leading up to assessments!

05/14/2026

School improvement scales through systems that make great teaching visible, collaborative, and repeatable.

In this new OWL blog post, we explore how radical collaboration and experiential learning can become a catalyst for school cultures where innovation spreads naturally from the inside out.

If you’re a school leader wondering how to move from “one amazing classroom” to a culture of powerful learning across an entire building, this article is for you: https://bit.ly/4u5ZguZ

How do schools move from one exceptional teacher to a culture of great teaching across the entire building? This article explores how school leaders can use experiential learning, lesson study, continuous improvement, and collaborative practice to spread innovation from the inside out—without rely...

05/12/2026

When students feel known by the adults around them, they engage more fully in the work. They take risks and stay with challenging material. The relationship is not separate from the learning. It is what makes the learning possible.

These are the kinds of conversations we’ll be exploring with educators through our Student Centered Learning Cohort as schools think about what meaningful engagement can look like in practice: https://bit.ly/480Fecz

05/11/2026

Is extended test prep actually getting in the way of student learning?

In this conversation, we explore a challenge many schools face at the end of the year: when classrooms shift into weeks of passive exam review, students can become less engaged and retain less of what they’ve learned.

Instead of stopping meaningful learning to “prepare for the test,” what happens when students continue engaging with new ideas, authentic tasks, discussion, and deeper thinking right up until the end?

We believe engagement and achievement are deeply connected. Learning sticks when students stay curious, connected, and actively involved in the work.



https://www.instagram.com/reel/DYM5y-jxJx2/?igsh=b291dDE3NHlkZmN3

05/07/2026

Student voices aren’t just part of recovery, they’re helping lead it!

Through the Western North Carolina Resilience Project, students are not only sharing their experiences, they’re influencing decisions, contributing ideas, and helping communities rebuild in ways that are more connected, responsive, and human.
This is what learning can look like when it’s grounded in real life: students as contributors, not just participants.

We’re grateful to be part of a broader network making space for this kind of work and to see what’s possible when schools and communities listen closely to the people most impacted.

Read more in this article from Education NC by Sophia Luna: https://bit.ly/4d8Cj2Z

A student panel told attendees of The WNC Resilience Project's spring convening how schools can help students become more resilient.

05/05/2026

At the Spring Convening, we asked students how school has changed since Hurricane Helene. One student described it as an opportunity. Not because it was easy, but because of how people showed up for each other. Students talked about returning to school more thankful for their teachers and more ready to learn. In a moment where the conversation often focuses on learning loss, students named something else. They described strength, connection, and growth.

Read the full blog post here: https://bit.ly/4n0V50N