Inspiring Excellence: Introduction

"Creating works of excellence starts with inspiring students." —From Inspiring Excellence Part 1: Overview, EL Education

Quality Products Through Quality Process

If there is one commonality to be found among the manuscripts, notebooks, and sketches of the creatives featured throughout this website, it is that quality work emerges through multiple drafts, revisions, and reflection.  Such insights apply to the classroom, as well.  By shifting the learning from product to process, we impart a message to students that learning is dynamic and multifaceted. Unveiling the skills and strategies of how one creates quality work empowers students to see themselves as agents of their own learning.

This article explores what quality looks like in the classroom and how the concept need not be a nebulous ideal.  The student work presented here also shows how working towards quality does not detract from the rigorous examination of concepts that lead to deep understanding. 

Driven by the belief that when kids are inspired they will engage in the effort needed to produce quality work, EL Education classrooms create opportunities for meaningful engagement.  Noble Oceans' Inspiring Excellence articles presents a six-part video series from EL Education. The video series captures a second-grade class as they research, design, and create a multimedia e-book on snakes.  Their approach of borrowing the methods of scientists, writers, musicians, and even actors, in preparing their book make the lessons here applicable to any grade level and subject.

Part 1: Overview

"I believe that creating beautiful and complex work is the most powerful thing that we can do as students. It transforms the sense of who they are, as scholars and as people. It's what inspires them to take on challenges, challenges like the Common Core or beyond. It's what motivates them to dig deeper to create something of value."  —Ron Berger, Chief Academic Officer, EL Education

Themes and Throughlines

Even though each video highlights a different phase and focus of the students' research project, similar themes run through each video. Each article in the series asks how the video relates to the following throughlines:

Is there a clear goal? Do students have a clear understanding of what they're expected to learn? 

How do experts in a similar field work? What thinking moves will help students transform information into meaningful content?

What methods and materials are useful for the learning process? How can students keep track of their learning?

Are the standards of quality made clear? Do students have a way of assessing their own work according to agreed-upon standards?

Sneak Peak

Watch the final project of one of Jenna's previous classes as they present their music video, "Snakes Are Born This Way."

 

Additional Resources

Visit the EL Education website to discover a range of videos, high-quality student work from all grade levels, and even professional development tools for teachers to explore topics such as student-engaged assessment, supporting English-language learners, or using data.