The first session in a four-part professional learning series hosted by TxLx, Getting Smart, and the Learner-Centered Collaborative facilitated a discussion on accelerating learning. We discussed shifting both the narrative and mindset from a focus on learning loss to accelerating learning focused on equity.

The session featured representatives from Dallas Independent School District (DISD) and Ector County Independent School District (ECISD) to share their journey.

“We are not lowering expectations but changing our strategies to support learners and their needs”, said Lisa Wills of ECISD.

“What you measure is what you focus on,” said Kristen Watkins of DISD.

Session Resources

The following resources were shared during our session and referenced within our slides:

• Liberatory Education
• Getting Clearer: Schooling Loss, Not Learning Loss
• Tracking COVID Learning Loss
• The Importance of Strong Relationships
• Why We Need Differentiation Now More Than Ever
• Prioritize Building Relationships With Your Students: What Science Says
• Student Experiences with Technology in the Pandemic
• Are You Putting Learners First? Here are 8 Ways to Check Yourself
• Design Principles for Schools
• Personalized Learning DISD
• DISD TxLx Case Study

Host Your Own Accelerated Learning Session

If you are interested in hosting your own Accelerated Learning session, you can find the slide deck here:

Once you’ve reviewed the intro content or watched the session video as a group, it’s time for breakout sessions.

For the breakout rooms, we recommend giving each group a slide template or piece of paper (if in person) and having them work through a start, stop, and continue protocol. The groups will all share and discuss what they want to continue doing, stop doing, and start doing as it relates to accelerating learning. The groups should each pick a presenter and be prepared to share out! Once all the groups have shared collectively, end the session by discussing next steps and commitments you can make toward learning acceleration.

We’d love to hear how your sessions go and what you’ve learned! Send your thoughts, growth, and feedback to info@txlx.org.

Upcoming Sessions

The TxLx project team is excited to announce the next three sessions in our professional learning series:

• October: Measuring What Matters
• November: Meaningful Learning Experiences
• December: Learning From One Another