Core Practices and Benchmarks
“Expeditionary Learning's Core Practice Benchmarks provide the perfect structure and help to define Lighthouse's shared practices and pedagogy.”
-Stephen Sexton, Lighthouse Community Charter School Oakland, CA
The Core Practice Benchmarks describe Expeditionary Learning in practice: what teachers, students, school leaders, families, and other partners do in fully implemented Expeditionary Learning schools. The five core practices--learning expeditions, active pedagogy, school culture and character, leadership and school improvement, and structures--work in concert and support one another to promote high achievement through active learning, character growth, and teamwork.
The Core Practice Benchmarks serve several purposes. They provide a comprehensive overview of the Expeditionary Learning practices, a planning guide for school leaders and teachers, a framework for designing professional development, and a tool for evaluating implementation.
Each of the five core practices is comprised of a series of benchmarks. Each benchmark describes a particular area of practice and is organized by lettered components and numbered descriptors. In the table below, click on a benchmark to view it in more depth.
I. LEARNING EXPEDITIONS |
II. ACTIVE PEDAGOGY |
III. CULTURE AND CHARACTER |
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IV. LEADERSHIP AND
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT |
V. STRUCTURES |
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To read more about how the core practices are implemented in Expeditionary Learning schools, visit our Bookstore where you can download the complete Core Practice Benchmarks document (for free) or order a print copy.
You can also download a printer-friendly version of the overview chart of the Core Practice Benchmarks.
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