Home

The Master of Applying the Principles of the Learning Sciences

There is a place where children receive an incredibly creative education, where all the lessons from the Learning Sciences are applied--and the teacher in that room has been there for 30 years.  In Hobart Boulevard Elementary School in Los Angeles, CA, where 78% of its students are reading below proficiency and where the majority of students are ESL, there is one classroom where one teacher gets 90%+ of his students to pass state exams and read Malcolm X at a high level.  Oh, and they play baseball and learn statistics at the same time.  And they run science experiments with actual science equipment.  And they write their own book over the course of the entire year.  Did I mention they also build rockets?  And that  they put on a Shakespeare play yearly?  Well, most importantly, their teacher actually turns his back to them--and they all pay attention!

This room is Rm. 56.  Their teacher?  Rafe Esquith.  The only teacher ever to win the National Medal of Arts.

Click on one of  the following Principles of The Learning Sciences and learn how Rafe applies and executes them in Room 56.

1. Metacognitive Awareness - The 6 Levels of Moral Development!

2. Scaffolding - Helping Struggling Readers Love Reading!

3. Project-Based Learning and Collaboration, Discussion, and Argumentation - Young Author’s Write a Book!

4. Nature of Expertise - Do Science like Scientists!

5. Externalization and Articulation - Learn Statistics and Applied Math by Playing Baseball!

Read his books to learn more!

Sources:

Esquith, Rafe. Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire: The Methods and Madness Inside Room 56. , 2007. Print.

Esquith, Rafe. Real Talk for Real Teachers: Advice for Teachers from Rookies to Veterans : "no Retreat, No Surrender". , 2013. Print.