Our ELA Guiding Principles
Building knowledge to nurture critical thinking and agency
Effective literacy instruction builds students’ reading/writing skills and knowledge, develops students' identity and agency, helps students understand the world around them, and creates independent critical readers.
Centering diverse, relevant, and rigorous texts
Every student, regardless of background and reading level, should read complex, engaging texts written in a variety of genres and by diverse voices, to highlight the diversity and richness of the human experience.
Prioritizing student voices and ideas
Engaging in regular academic discourse is essential for students to synthesize texts and content, spark their curiosity, develop original ideas, and find their own voice.
Learning to write, writing to learn
Writing and language skills are best taught in context, allowing students to authentically analyze an author’s craft and structure, develop their own voice as writers, and build deeper meaning with the texts and ideas.
Preparing teachers to support students
Intellectual preparation allows teachers to do their best teaching: when teachers deeply understand the text and unit themes they can help all students master grade-level content and standards.
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