What do our stakeholders say about Different Ways of Knowing?

Principals

“With the help of Different Ways of Knowing coaches, we now have a language with which to have conversations about professional practice that extend into practical applications in the classroom with students.”
—Allison Couch, Principal, Clarendon Elementary School, Portland Public Schools, Oregon

“Different Ways of Knowing works for kids because it offers them different avenues to express themselves. We have more than ten different languages and cultures represented in our school, and Different Ways of Knowing provides another vehicle for expression for students who are still learning language skills.”
—Christine Bogdanow, Principal, Jason Lee Elementary School, Portland Public Schools, Oregon

“Different Ways of Knowing has helped our school by bringing in the concept of multiple intelligences, teaching us to work as a team, and showing us how to institute school change over time for sustainability. It’s been a lot of hard work . . . but our [test] scores show that it has paid off.”
—Alfonso Gamino, Principal, Eastside Elementary School, Eastside Union School District, California

“The tremendous gains at MS 296 result from a combination of factors: our teachers’ openness to a new way of teaching and learning, the incredible support given by Different Ways of Knowing coaches, and an increase in teacher motivation due to Different Ways of Knowing’s new and innovative methods.”
—Linda Faucetta, former Principal, Halsey Middle School 296, Community School District 32, New York City

“We had three overriding goals at the beginning of our partnership with Different Ways of Knowing: to enrich student instruction, to promote student involvement and engagement in their learning, and to provide unique professional development for the teachers. Different Ways of Knowing helped us meet each one.”
—Denise Yates, former Principal, Minadeo Elementary School, and Senior Program Officer, Literacy Plus, Pittsburgh Public Schools, Pennsylvania

“We have been implementing the Different Ways of Knowing strategy of teaching for the past seven years and feel that this philosophy and practice contributes greatly to our professional development of our teachers and to the success of our students.”
—Larry Lock, Principal, Adairville Elementary School, Logan County School District, Kentucky, 2000–2001 National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence

“As an experienced principal, I have never seen a more uniting force in a curricular arena than Different Ways of Knowing.”
—Ron Bouchie, Principal, Central Elementary School, Bemidji School District, Minnesota

“My teachers frequently tell me that all students are engaged in learning activities and that more and more kids are seeing themselves as learners. One of the most appealing aspects of Different Ways of Knowing for us is the match with our essential objectives and state standards.”
—Jolene Heibel, Principal, Betz Elementary School, Bellevue Public Schools, Nebraska

“Even though we attempt to embed best practice instruction into our school, we have never had a model or exemplar to use to make that our philosophy. To continue the path to proficiency, we feel systemic change must occur. We feel Different Ways of Knowing is the vehicle to accomplish this.”
—Mike Hurt, Principal, Auburn Elementary School, Logan County School District, Kentucky

“One of our main goals is to teach a standards-based curriculum. That’s one of the reasons we chose Different Ways of Knowing as our school reform initiative—the curriculum is well aligned with our district and state standards.”
—Teri Abbot, former Principal, Carson Street Elementary School, Los Angeles Unified School District, California

“Different Ways of Knowing has shown us just how wonderfully students can learn.”
—Dayla Sims, Principal, F.D. Roosevelt/Carson Elementary School, Lawndale School District, California

On-site Facilitators and Teacher Liaisons

“Different Ways of Knowing has opened the avenue for teachers to explore and use new techniques and styles in the classroom, and with the assistance of coaches they have learned to become better craftsmen in their classrooms.”
—Aubrietta Woodall, On-site Facilitator, grades 6-8, Auburn Elementary School, Logan County School District, Kentucky

“One of the Seattle Public School standards is to have students evaluate their own learning, and to set personal goals. I think that the ’knowing you know’ activities embedded in Different Ways of Knowing match up perfectly with this goal because they involve students reflecting on their own learning.”
—Jim Buckwalter, third grade teacher, Concord Elementary School, Seattle Public Schools, Washington

District Personnel

“Different Ways of Knowing is effective in changing the culture of a school and empowering teachers to empower children and young adolescents. It allows students to be recognized as individuals.”
—Rose P. Molinelli, former Executive Assistant to the Superintendent, Community School District 27, New York City, and President, Middle School Principals’ Association of New York City

Teachers

“I can’t begin to express all that I have learned from Different Ways of Knowing. I’ve learned to assess student work in ways that are helpful to students. I’ve learned to create a student-centered classroom. I’ve learned how to teach so that the students really get it!”
—Tina Craig, second grade teacher, Couch Elementary School, Couch R1 School District, Missouri

“I really like Different Ways of Knowing because it validates what I believe about teaching. By incorporating the arts, my students have another avenue to express what they are learning, especially those who don’t speak English or who are beginning to learn English. Different Ways of Knowing brings learning to a higher level.”
—Marianne Shibly, ELL teacher, Gregory Heights Elementary, Highline School District, Washington

“When students use art materials in math, it makes their solution come alive to the rest of the class. It’s a lot of fun. It focuses more on the students’ thinking and their solution strategy.”
—Dr. Robin Ittigson, mathematics resource teacher, Pittsburgh Public Schools, Pennsylvania

“I’m learning that kids learn to understand in different ways—some need to see it, some need to hear it, some need actually to touch it. I give my students time, help them along the way, and eventually they show me just what they know.”
—Maricela Padilla, former fourth grade teacher, Roy P. Benavidez Elementary School, Houston Independent School District, Texas

“Different Ways of Knowing allows the whole being of the child to flower. It nurtures the total child to more fully appreciate himself or herself as a unique and esteemed individual. At the same time, it prepares the student to have a global perspective and become a fully actualized adult of the twenty-first century.”
—Mary Arndt, Library Media Teacher, Edison Elementary School, Salt Lake City, Utah

“Our children show they know by writing, telling, drawing, singing, and moving. They know that being literate involves more than having the ability to read and write. Helping my students see mental pictures and search for more descriptive language improves their literacy skills. I am more conscious of my inquiry methods by probing deeper in my questioning.”
—Patricia Abernathy, first grade teacher, John Essex High School, Marengo County School System, Alabama

“I’ve seen significant progress from my students this year, particularly among my second language learners.”
—Ronald Walker, teacher, Long Middle Community Education Center, St. Louis Public Schools, Missouri

Students

“It’s a fun way of learning. I learned a lot.”
—Sixth grade student

“Teachers are more alive. They come to class and say, ‘Hey! This is what we’re doing.’”
—Eighth grade student

“You can learn visually . . . you can do different things. No one wants to sit and work from a textbook all day!”
—Sixth grade student

“Visual learning makes it easier to understand science and math, and it helps me have fun in class while I learn...”
—Eighth grade student

“Different Ways of Knowing works well because it lets us [students] get each other’s insight and educate each other on what we learn.”
—Seventh grade student

“When I’m doing something with art, it makes me want to read more about it to get a description and put it in my artwork…If I do a hands-on activity, it sinks in more, I can remember it more.”
—Eighth grade student

“Using the arts helps us memorize things because it makes it more fun and interesting.”
—Sixth grade student

“The arts help us understand better and stay awake in class.”
—Seventh grade student

“We learn more from projects and other student presentations because we see it in more ways than just the book.”
—Seventh grade student

“Different Ways of Knowing is a program that teaches teachers other ways to teach children.”
—Sixth grade student

“It inspires kids to not just sit in class, but use computers, do projects.”
—Sixth grade student