Pennington’s Take on Next Generation Learning
Colorado’s vision of next generation learning is
aimed at helping students develop the academic,
professional, entrepreneurial, personal, and civic
competencies that a modern society and economy
demand; supporting educators in creating learning
environments designed to maximize these
outcomes for students; and promoting systems that
support and incentivize educators in this effort.
Here’s how Pennington is actualizing the five
components of next generation learning:
Competency-based
Pennington flexibly groups students based on
mastery of districtwide competencies.
Personal and Personalized
At Pennington, student data is used to ensure
students are learning and to provide them with the
interventions or extensions they need in core
academic subjects. Students get to choose their
enrichment schedule, ensuring it’s personalized to
their passions.
Co-created
Students, parents, community partners, educators,
and staff built Pennington’s Expanded Learning
Time model together. Student, family, and
community voices continue to help drive
conversations; three times a year all stakeholders
meet to discuss what’s working and what needs to
be improved in future iterations of the school’s
model.
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Time, Talent, and Technology-enabled
Pennington’s model expanded the school day to
make time for more and better learning. With the
change, it was imperative that the school
community also reimagine talent to determine how
adults in the building would be organized to
support student learning.
Safe and Healthy
If students don’t feel safe and their basic needs are
not taken care of, learning can’t happen, says