21st Century Teaching & Learning Initiative

21st Century Teaching & Learning Initiative began in 2012 with the goal of creating a collaborative model between public schools and universities to improve learning and teaching across the preschool to doctorate spectrum.

21st Century Teaching & Learning Initiative Goals and Benchmarks

The 21st Century Teaching & Learning Initiative extends this goal with an emphasis on 21st century learning and teaching through the following initiatives. Innovation through each of these initiatives is helping to shape the picture of what twenty-first century learning and teaching looks like from preschool through doctoral level education.

Digital Learning

The intent of our collaboration with the University of Montana around Digital Learning is to increase student engagement and academic outcomes by building staff skills in blended learning, integrating technology into the classroom and digital resilience. The collaboration and funding in the Shape 2.0 grant will offer opportunities for:

MCPS staff to take a 3-credit Blended Learning course from UM Faculty member Ryan Schrenk,
MCPS staff to participate in an annual technology festival,
MCPS staff to participate in a year-long Google Cadre,
MCPS staff to learn Read-Write for Google, a technology tool to support Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in every classroom K-12

By the end of the grant period, at least 70% of MCPS teaching staff will have experienced professional development in digital learning.

Dual Language Immersion

Paxson Elementary School School is a Dual Language Immersion Program that is working to create critical thinkers who are prepared for today's global world. Our mission is to guide students to becoming contributing and compassionate members of society. We seek to challenge every student, every day, through a challenging and engaging dual-language curriculum that will set our students up for a fulfilling and enriched lives.

MCPS DLI Schools

The following MCPS school is a DLI school.

Paxson Elementary School School

Early Intervention

Kindergarten teachers in MCPS are implementing two innovative programs designed to strengthen trust between families and schools, encourage parents to set high academic expectations, and support student learning at home. At Rattlesnake Elementary School, kindergarten teachers have launched the Parent Teacher Home Visits (PTHV) program, while kindergarten and first-grade teachers at Paxson Elementary and Franklin Elementary have introduced Academic Parent Teacher Teams (APTT).

These programs replace traditional parent-teacher conferences with collaborative family meetings, where parents and teachers share data, set individualized academic goals, and learn engaging activities and games to reinforce classroom skills at home. By building strong partnerships with families early in a child’s education, MCPS is laying a foundation for long-term academic success.

Global Competence

Global Learning Pathways–Missoula (GLP–M) connects students from the International Baccalaureate (IB) programs at Hellgate High School and Big Sky High School with the Franke Global Leadership Initiative (GLI) at the University of Montana. The Franke Global Leadership Initiative is a four-year certificate program that empowers students to make meaningful contributions to their communities while developing as global citizens. Through GLI, students have opportunities to study abroad, engage with diverse cultures, and apply their experiences to address some of the most pressing challenges of the 21st century.

International Baccalaureatte

STEAM - STEM/ PLTW, Arts Integration

The integration of science, technology, engineering and mathematics - STEM - forms a trans-disciplinary subject content in MCPS that is a vehicle for developing 21st century skills. The heart of STEM education is authentic learning and student empowerment, where students take action in their lives and communities based on their learning. STEM education integrates an inquiry approach that provides opportunities to enhance student success, engagement, self-esteem, and a desire to communicate. Inquiry promotes critical thinking skills, high levels of responsibility for learning, and a passion for writing about and sharing what has been discovered. MCPS elementary, middle, and high school teachers use Project Lead the Way (PLTW) for developing STEM innovations where all MCPS students develop the skills needed to succeed in the global economy.

MCPS STEM Schools
Resources

MCPS STEM Schools

The following schools spotlight STEM in their curriculum.

Chief Charlo Elementary School highlights the the arts integration in STE(A)M.
Hawthorne Elementary School highlights PLTW learning in the classroom.
Meadow Hill Middle School spotlights Automation & Robotics as well as Design & Modeling.
Big Sky High School promotes the district's Health Science Academy.

Resources

Universal Design for Learning

Universal design for learning is a scientifically valid framework for guiding educational planning, lesson preparation, learner experience and practice that provides flexibility in the ways information is presented, in the ways students respond or demonstrate knowledge and skills, and in the ways students are engaged. It also reduces barriers in instruction and maintains high achievement expectations for all students, including students identified as gifted and talented, those with specific learning challenges and students who are limited in their English proficiency. In this framework, educators transform instruction to meet the needs of all learners.

Yearly Reports

The following reports were written in partnership between University of MT and MCPS. Quarterly reports celebrate the progress made within each initiative.

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In This Section

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Digital Learning

Dual Language Immersion

MCPS DLI Schools

Early Intervention

Global Competence

International Baccalaureatte

STEAM - STEM/ PLTW, Arts Integration

MCPS STEM Schools

Resources

Universal Design for Learning

Yearly Reports

Year 4 - 21st Century

Year 3 - 21st Century

Year 2 - 21st Century

Year 1 - 21st Century

Year 3 - SHAPE

Year 2 - SHAPE

Year 1 - SHAPE

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