Michigan's Approach to Education

Accelerating Learning vs Remediation with audio

Estimated read time: 1:20

    Summary

    The Michigan Department of Education discusses the shift from remediation to acceleration in learning strategies. Traditionally, schools have focused on remediation, delaying grade-level content until students catch up. However, this approach can widen the academic gap. Acceleration, conversely, keeps students progressing at grade level by preparing them for current content with timely support. This method promotes equitable education, focusing on high expectations for all students and integrating essential skills in classroom instruction. The video encourages using the pandemic as an opportunity to reinvent more equitable and empowering educational practices.

      Highlights

      • Acceleration focuses on student's current grade-level success 📚.
      • Remediation is often based on lower expectations and can hold back students 🕰️.
      • Educational reform should leverage pandemic disruptions for equity 🌟.
      • Effective instruction involves essential skills and tier one teaching 🖍️.
      • Support in acceleration is just-in-time, timely, and strategic ⏰.

      Key Takeaways

      • Acceleration keeps students on grade-level trajectory, unlike remediation, which can widen gaps 🎯.
      • Acceleration supports are targeted and timely, focusing on current needs rather than past gaps 🚀.
      • Equitable education is about high expectations and access to effective instruction for all students 🌍.
      • Reinventing schools in the pandemic's wake can foster a more empowering learning environment 💪.
      • Tier one grade-level instruction and social-emotional support are crucial for accelerated learning ❤️.

      Overview

      In a compelling discussion led by Ruth Anne Hodges from the Michigan Department of Education, educators are introduced to the innovative shift from traditional remediation to dynamic acceleration. The old method of remediation often placed students behind, delaying access to grade-level work and inadvertently widening achievement gaps. Acceleration, on the other hand, focuses on moving students forward with strategic preparation and support for current grade-level content, ensuring they stay on track with their peers.

        Acceleration is reshaping educational mindsets by expecting high standards from all students rather than settling for less in remediation. This forward-thinking approach involves providing tier one grade-level instruction and targeting essential skills that align with current classroom teachings. Furthermore, this strategy is underpinned by a strong framework of just-in-time support, using evidence of students' needs and upcoming lessons to tailor teaching effectively.

          The Michigan Department of Education sees the pandemic's disruption as a golden opportunity to revamp educational practices. By encouraging systems to adopt acceleration, schools can become more equitable and empowering. To succeed, this shift will require a blend of rigorous instruction, socio-emotional support, and a comprehensive understanding of each student's learning trajectory. Dedicated educators in Michigan are poised to make substantial strides in making education more inclusive and effective for every student.

            Chapters

            • 00:00 - 00:30: Introduction The introduction chapter features Ruth Anne Hodges, the manager of the Education Experiences Unit at the Michigan Department of Education. She discusses her role in developing informational guides on accelerated learning, which are based on the latest research and evidence. These guides aim to aid educators in supporting Michigan students' success. Hodges also highlights the historical trend in schools of focusing on remediation of learning gaps.
            • 00:30 - 01:00: Remediation vs Acceleration This chapter discusses the educational strategies of remediation and acceleration. Traditional remediation focuses on catching students up on missing learning before they proceed to grade-level work, but research indicates it might actually widen the academic gap between these students and their peers. Acceleration, conversely, involves strategically preparing students to succeed in their current grade level content, thereby keeping them on their intended educational trajectories without delay.
            • 01:00 - 01:30: Reinventing Schools Post-Pandemic The chapter discusses the opportunity to reinvent schools post-pandemic. It suggests using the disruption caused by the pandemic to create more equitable and empowering educational systems. A significant focus is on shifting from 'remediation' to 'acceleration,' where acceleration involves maintaining high expectations for all students.
            • 01:30 - 02:00: Differences between Acceleration and Remediation The chapter discusses the differences between acceleration and remediation in educational practices. Acceleration focuses on providing all students with access to effective grade-level instruction, emphasizing essential skills and concepts. It is characterized by 'just in time' supports that are integrated into the regular instructional process. In contrast, remediation is based on lower expectations for some students and often involves removing students from grade-level instruction to focus on fundamental skills separately, which is particularly aimed at those who are most academically vulnerable. Acceleration thus aims to keep all students within the mainstream learning path, whereas remediation often sets aside regular instruction time for targeted help.
            • 02:00 - 02:30: Just-in-Time vs Just-in-Case Support This chapter explores the strategic differences between 'Just-in-Time' (JIT) and 'Just-in-Case' (JIC) educational support methods. It emphasizes JIT support as an approach tailored to provide students with exactly what they need for upcoming lessons, focusing on grade-level learning objectives. JIC, associated with remediation, attempts to cover all missing skills under the assumption that students must master past material before progressing. The chapter critiques JIC support for potentially being inefficient or overly broad compared to the targeted nature of JIT support.
            • 02:30 - 03:00: Benefits of Acceleration Acceleration aligns supports with current classroom instruction, focusing on grade level essential skills and concepts.
            • 03:00 - 04:00: Conclusion and Contact Information The chapter 'Conclusion and Contact Information' emphasizes the importance of providing engaging and grade-appropriate learning opportunities. It highlights several key educational strategies such as focusing on essential skills, utilizing diagnostic and formative assessments, offering targeted tutoring, and addressing students' social and emotional needs. Additionally, it directs readers to the MDE webpage under the Flexible Learning tab for more information and provides an email contact for further inquiries.

            Accelerating Learning vs Remediation with audio Transcription

            • 00:00 - 00:30 Hello I am Ruth Anne Hodges, manager. The Education experiences unit here at the Michigan Department of Education. I have been part of the development of a series of informational guides on accelerated learning based on the most recent research and evidence. These guides are intended to support the amazing educators who are dedicated to ensuring success for all Michigan students. Historically, there's been a strong tendency for schools to want to remediate student learning gaps.
            • 00:30 - 01:00 And delay access to grade level work until they are all caught up with any missing learning. Research shows that this approach moves students backwards by continuing to widen the academic gap between students who are being remediated and their grade level peers. Acceleration, on the other hand, keeps students moving forward on their intended grade level trajectories by strategically preparing them for success and current grade level content.
            • 01:00 - 01:30 Education researchers are encouraging systems to leverage the disruption caused already by the pandemic to reinvent schools so that they are more equitable and empowering for our children. One important piece of that reinvention is to move from remediation to acceleration. So what's the difference between acceleration and remediation? Acceleration is based on high expectations for all students,
            • 01:30 - 02:00 whereas remediation is based on low expectations for some students. Acceleration provides all students with access to effective grade level tier one instruction focused on the essential skills and concepts for that grade. Remediation supplants tier one instruction for the most academically vulnerable by pulling students from the tier one instruction for remediation. Acceleration is just in time. Support meaning supports are
            • 02:00 - 02:30 based on evidence of what a student knows and what they need for upcoming lessons based on clear grade level learning goals for those lessons. Contrast that to remediation, which is just in case support. With remediation there is an attempt to re teach every missing skill based on the misconception that before students can learn new information, they must go back and master everything they missed.
            • 02:30 - 03:00 Acceleration provides more exposure to grade level essential skills and concepts because it aligns the supports with current classroom instruction. Remediation is often focused on drilling students on isolated skills that might not be relevant to current grade level lessons. In order to accelerate learning, students must be provided
            • 03:00 - 03:30 engaging learning opportunities, Tier one grade level, instruction, a focus on essential skills, diagnostic and formative assessments, targeted tutoring, and attention to students social emotional needs. For more information you can go to the MDE web page and click on the Flexible Learning tab, or you can contact me at the email
            • 03:30 - 04:00 address shown on your screen. Thank you for everything you do for students in Michigan.