Equity and Access: The Universal Design for Learning Guidelines

Just as we design buildings to be accessible by all people, we should design accessible learning opportunities. No two learners are alike – we are as unique as our fingerprints. If anything is a constant in education, it is that we can expect variability in the students and the adults with whom we work, each with individual strengths and goals. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework through which educators can intentionally plan for a variety of ways to access, engage with, and express learning. The learning is towards rigorous and meaningful goals. This is a huge move toward high outcomes for all learners. In this post, I want to share some thoughts and resources around UDL.

Continue reading “Equity and Access: The Universal Design for Learning Guidelines”

Shifting Language, Shifting Beliefs

We are living in extraordinary times. Six months into a pandemic, everything in our world seems to be changing. Some changes include: virtual learning, working from home for many, safe physical distancing and mask-wearing to protect others, and an increased awareness in how people feel belonging and community. At the same time, we have seen a growing focus on anti-racism through protesting, a commitment by many to center voices and experiences of Black people and people of color, and in some places – policy changes. In this post I want to share some of the shifts in language I am seeing as a result of our intention to the words we use. The words we use impact our beliefs, and our beliefs impact the words we use, so shifting language is imperative for a more just world and for expanding our beliefs toward shared humanity.

Continue reading “Shifting Language, Shifting Beliefs”