Authentic Lessons for 21st Century Learning
Sherry Franklin
Director of Learning Support - GEAR UP for LIFE
K20 Center
Professional learning communities (PLCs) foster educator collaboration, data-driven inquiry, and shared leadership to improve student outcomes. Grounded in the IDEALS framework, PLCs emphasize trust, self-efficacy, and authentic learning to drive continuous instructional improvement. Read more »
This three-part series is designed to help teachers tutor students. The series begins with a resource designed to help teachers build relationships with students and guide them through the process of setting goals for tutoring. The "General Session" resource is intended to be used in each meeting the... Read more »
This tutoring resource is designed to provide personalized academic support to students based on their current needs in a specific course, such as math or English Language Arts. This resource focuses on clarifying content-related questions, evaluating the student’s current learning strategies, and collaborating... Read more »
Created by: Sherry Franklin
Date Updated: September 11th, 2025
In this resource, students and tutoring session facilitators build relationships. Students set goals for the semester, plan action steps to achieve those goals, and consider any factors that could impact those steps. Read more »
Created by: Sherry Franklin
Date Updated: August 28th, 2025
In this resource, students celebrate their progress and successes during tutoring sessions. Students also have the opportunity to reflect on the goals they set for tutoring. Read more »
Created by: Sherry Franklin
Date Updated: August 22nd, 2025
The literature review highlights the need for inclusive, community-based entrepreneurship education in K–12 settings, emphasizing university engagement, the lack of K–12 entrepreneurial access, and the potential to expand opportunity through early exposure. Read more »
This strategy has students reflect and show what they have learned at the end of a unit or lesson. They create a written and visual explanation. Read more »
Created by: Sherry Franklin
May 29th, 2025
The literature review highlights key components of postsecondary readiness, emphasizing the importance of supportive environments, college-going culture, and quality extracurricular activities. It underscores the need for academic and non-cognitive skills, family involvement, and early preparation,... Read more »
This brief outlines key strategies from Smith, Gosky, and Li's research on the relationship between campus visits and postsecondary enrollment in rural school districts. It highlights the importance of early and consistent campus visits, both formal and informal, in increasing college enrollment rates. Read more »
This brief explores the effectiveness of university STEM summer bridge programs in improving first-year GPA and retention rates. It highlights the importance of intensive STEM coursework, tutoring, research opportunities, and mentorship, providing actionable steps for schools to replicate the intervention. Read more »