About This Project
For two and a half years, Fig Education and Datability Education Consulting studied how two public charter schools put practices in place to support the wellbeing of students, teachers, and staff.
Wellbeing, or the experience of contentment and purpose, is at the heart of student learning and teacher retention. Schools that are "well" are those where students and teachers have the support to be successful, where they feel care and belonging, and where they have opportunities for input and choice. Schools where students and teachers have these needs met are places where student learn and teachers stay. ​​
Creating Support for Wellbeing
We developed an empirically-derived model of wellbeing that any school can adapt to their own unique context. Using our framework, schools can assess and reorient organizational choices, pedagogical techniques, and school practices.​​​​
However, schools cannot act alone. We recommend three actions that district leaders, nonprofits, and state leaders can take to support schools in creating environments where students and teachers thrive:
(1) Help schools measure wellbeing
​(2) Support school leaders to effectively use their decision-making authority
(3) Learn how other schools promote wellbeing​​​
Student-Focused Practices
1
Restorative Discipline
Collaborative Conversations: A Skill-Building Restorative Practice
Learn about a skill-based restorative practice, Collaborative Conversations, that uses dialogue between an adult and student to address disciplinary issues. This relationship-based practice empowers students to co-create solutions to behavior challenges. We provide clear guidance for the systems and structures you need for successful implementation.
2
School-Based Mentoring
Cultivating Connection: Designing School-Based Mentoring
Students benefit from having protective relationships with school-based adults. Connection to students is also important for teacher and staff wellbeing. We show you how to implement goal-based mentoring in a way that is most likely to result in positive student outcomes. The simple practice can be done with any school-based adult.
3
Wrap-Around Services
Social Health: A New Model for Wrap-Around School Services
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Many schools use wrap-around services to meet basic resource needs for students and families. We describe a unique model that intentionally builds relationships, skills, and knowledge, in addition to providing resource access. In this way, students and families cultivate the social support, social capital, and skills to own the resource access process.
Teacher-Focused Practices
4
Station Rotations
Station Rotation: Grouping Students for Individualized Learning
Schools often struggle to meet students' individualized learning needs. Station rotation, or having multiple small groups during a class period, is one common approach. We provide a unique version of station rotation. This guide describes how to combine students across multiple grade-level classrooms to ensure every student is receiving just-right instruction.
5
Co-Teaching
Co-Teaching for All: Using Two Educators in a Classroom
Our study school reimagined co-teaching to partner one lead and one apprentice teacher in every classroom. This guide helps schools implement co-teaching as one lead and one apprentice teacher in every classroom. This innovative approach builds a homegrown teacher pipeline and provides ample opportunity for small group and individualized learning.
6
Teacher Community Building
Summer Professional Development: Creating a Foundation of Teacher Relationships
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Learn how schools can use professional development to build staff relationships and create the foundation for a successful learning environment. This guide shows how leaders can help teachers build cultural competencies to mitigate bias when working with peers and students who have different lived experiences from their own.