Jean Kirshner holds a Ph.D. in Education and Human Resource Development from Colorado State University and specializes in literacy and teacher education. Jean started her career as the Early Childhood Director at Saint Ignatius Grammar School, Chicago in 1988. After two years she joined the Child Opportunity Program in Denver as a Head Start…

Language and culture are central to learning and human development, as they shape the ways in which people all learn and grow together. Individuals learn as members of a community that values their participation and is respectful, productive, and inclusive. This report tells the story of the UCLA Community School (UCLA-CS), a public school in…

The City of Philadelphia has identified improving early literacy as a key civic priority. The goal is to support children's literacy development in school, at home, and in the community--regardless of where students live or attend school in Philadelphia. For this reason, civic efforts have sought to engage families, communities, and the city's…

This research project promoted a collaborative model of professional development between lead teachers from three schools, supported by a project coordinator and a researcher from a local university. Each lead teacher worked with their head teacher to design, lead, and evaluate an innovative, personalised, and school-based mathematics continuing…

Science education has undergone extraordinary change in recent years. The Smithsonian Science Education Center has been producing world-class science curriculum for decades that integrates the arts, history, culture, and science of the Smithsonian. In the growing global marketplace, American students need to excel in science, technology,…