Professional Learning
Cognitive C.A.L.M.™
Cognitive static is real, and it is costing schools and students opportunities to learn. Cognitive C.A.L.M.™ gives educators a clear, practical framework for creating the conditions for focused, high-value learning in every classroom for every student.
A practice and principle for teaching and learning
Cognitive c.a.l.m.
Uncover the most common sources of academic "noise" in schools today and discover how Cognitive C.A.L.M.™ creates the conditions for focused, high-value learning in every classroom for every student. Each principle serves as a specific module that features best practices for elevating student learning and enhancing teachers' instructional practice. These modules can be addressed individually as a single professional development training, as a full or mult-day workshop, or as a series of trainings.
Clarity
What Exactly and How Deeply Must Students Learn to Demonstrate Proficiency and Perform Successfully?
Examine what exactly and evaluate how deeply students must comprehend and communicate their learning to demonstrate proficiency in a specific subject and perform successfully at a given grade level.
Clarity Signals
- Communicating Learning Expectations
- Unwrapping & Unpacking Standards
- Deconstructing Depth of Knowledge (DOK)
- Crafting Learning Targets & Success Criteria
- Implementing the Language of Learning
- Evaluating Evidence of Student Learning
Alignment
How Closely Do Activities and Assessments Address the Expectations for Learning?
Ensure curricular activities, assessment items, instructional practices, and learning tasks address both the ceiling of assessment set by a standard and over a range of levels that lead to, through, and beyond its expectations.
Alignment Signals
- Conducting Alignment Studies
- Measuring Cognitive Rigor
- Balancing Difficulty & Complexity
- Standards-Based Mapping & Pacing
- Vertical & Horizontal Articulation
- Designing Assessments & Rubrics
Learning
How Could Students Think About and Transfer Their Learning?
Engage all students in teaching and learning experiences that target instruction, tier interventions, and extend learning based on the cognitive demand of the standards and the diverse strengths, interests, and needs of students.
Learning Signals
- Designing Rigorous & Relevant Lessons & Units
- Promoting Active Student Engagement & Inquiry
- Providing Tiered Instruction & Personalized Learning
- Posing Good Questions to Stimulate Thinking
- Making Student Thinking & Learning Visible
- Building Authentic & Disciplinary Literacy
Mindset
How Can All Students Achieve and Exceed Expectations for Learning?
Empower all students to rise to, reach, and exceed the rigorous learning expectations of the standards and encourage all students to realize their potential to learn.
Mindset Signals
- Ensuring Standards-Based Learning
- Emphasizing Student-Supportive Instruction
- Establishing High Expectations for All
- Enhancing Teacher Capacity & Collective Efficacy
- Encouraging Student Agency & Voice
- Enacting Instructional Leadership & Vision
Our Approach
Training Formats
Half-Day Session
An intensive introduction and overview of Cognitive C.A.L.M.™ as a concept, framework, and method. Ideal for faculty meetings, professional development days, or conference sessions.
Full-Day Workshop
A comprehensive deep dive into all four components of Cognitive C.A.L.M.™ — Clarity, Alignment, Learning, and Mindset — with collaborative practice and planning time.
Professional Learning Series
An extended and sustainable professional learning series that builds Cognitive C.A.L.M.™ practices and principles over multiple sessions followed up with coaching and support.
Train-the-Trainer
Equip your instructional coaches and teacher leaders to facilitate and implement Cognitive C.A.L.M.™ professional learning internally to build and strengthen sustainable capacity.
Bring Cognitive C.A.L.M.™ to Your School
Schedule a consultation to learn how this one-day professional learning experience can transform teaching and learning across your organization.
Schedule a Consultation