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Tag: personalized learning

Posted
February 27, 2026
Category
Whole Child

This New AI Training Hub Could Redefine Education Through Strengths-Based Learning, If Implemented Thoughtfully By Al Rabanera

AI Implementation in Strengths-Based Learning and Education : A Pivotal Moment for Schools

The American Federation of Teachers recently announced the launch of the National Academy of AI Instruction, a $23 million training hub funded by Microsoft, OpenAI, and Anthropic. This represents a pivotal opportunity for schools. if AI in education is implemented thoughtfully and aligned with strengths-based learning, student engagement, and whole-child development.

As a high school math teacher, I’ve spent 21 years with alternative education students many navigating poverty, trauma, or systemic barriers who have often felt pushed to the margins. I’ve learned that education isn’t just about mastering content; it’s about connection, identity, and trust. True personalized learning begins when students feel seen.

I use AI not to replace connection, but to deepen it especially in math, where students too often feel unseen or unheard.

I routinely ask my students to keep journals. This may seem counterintuitive I teach math, not English. but I’ve learned that many students walk into my math class carrying untold stories of race, failure, shame, and invisibility. Supporting social-emotional learning (SEL) in academic spaces is critical to building both confidence and competence.

So when Jason, one of my 11th graders, wrote in his math journal: “It’s more important to me that my teacher sees me as a person than if I get all the answers right,” it stopped me in my tracks. Here was a teenager navigating complex equations and even more complex emotions, reminding me that meaningful learning is rooted in belonging.

Education isn’t about algorithms alone, it’s about student voice, identity, and trust.

I turned to ChatGPT to help summarize journal entries not to replace my professional judgment but to sharpen it. It surfaced patterns I might have missed: anxiety about speaking up, appreciation for kindness, and the importance of being seen. Used responsibly, AI can strengthen data-driven instruction by helping teachers recognize trends that support both academic growth and social-emotional development.

I first approached AI with skepticism. Would it replace teachers? Would students become over-dependent? But after two years of thoughtful use, I’ve discovered something unexpected: AI hasn’t made my teaching less human, it’s deepened it.

For example, AI helps me surface relevant data sets and generate student-centered questions, saving hours of prep time. That reclaimed time allows me to focus on building relationships, increasing student engagement, and helping students recognize their strengths as capable mathematicians. When implemented responsibly, AI can support college and career readiness by connecting classroom learning to real-world applications.

In a recent school-wide survey, my students showed striking awareness of the tool’s purpose. Luis shared, “I need to learn geometry to qualify for an electrician apprentice program, so I can’t have AI do the work for me. It’s something I need to understand.” Jeremiah reflected, “I know AI can help, but I have to be able to think for myself.”

These students understand what many adults are still realizing: AI is a tool, not a crutch.

When Myra asked, “When will we ever use math in real life?” instead of offering a generic example about calculating rate of change, I used AI to co-create a lesson using real data on gender, income, and education. AI pointed me to current datasets from the U.S. Department of Labor, but it was our class discussion that brought the data to life. Together, we explored economic mobility, opportunity, and choice.

The content mattered because it reflected their lived experiences a key component of personalized learning and whole-child development.

Any meaningful AI rollout must be driven by teachers and grounded in classroom realities. Thoughtful educator professional development is essential to ensure AI tools enhance instruction, support MTSS frameworks, and align with student strengths rather than replace human connection.

Jason’s voice is one of many calling us to rethink how we use AI in education. If we center students, elevate teacher expertise, and prioritize strengths-based learning, we won’t just innovate we’ll transform education.

About the Author

Al Rabanera teaches math at La Vista High School in Fullerton, California. He is a 2025-2026 Teach Plus Leading Edge Educator Fellow.

Posted
December 16, 2025
Category
Whole Child

More Than a Meeting: Reframing Parent-Teacher Conferences Through a Parent’s Eyes

Strengths-based parent-teacher conference focused on whole child learning and student identity

For years, as an educator and principal, parent-teacher conferences meant preparation. I’d spend hours analyzing data, pulling student work, and crafting talking points that would help families understand their child’s academic journey. I believed my responsibility was to inform, to outline strengths and challenges, to make sure every parent left with a clear picture of where their child stood. But when I sat on the other side of that table as a parent, everything changed.

What I once viewed as a structured conversation became something much more personal. I wasn’t walking in with spreadsheets and benchmarks. I was walking in with my heart. I wasn’t just hoping to hear about academic performance. I was hoping to hear that my child was truly seen—not just for what they can do, but for who they are.

Parent-teacher conferences have the power to shape how a child sees themselves. As a parent, I know how one sentence can change everything. When a teacher leads with, “Your child has a remarkable way of encouraging others,” or “I love how curious they are in class,” the tone shifts. The room feels different. My guard lowers. My heart opens. I feel seen too. That single moment turns a meeting into a partnership.

When strengths lead the conversation, it doesn’t erase the need to talk about challenges. It reframes them. Instead of a list of problems to fix, they become opportunities to build on what’s already strong. Strengths create a foundation of trust. Hope enters the room.

This is why Thrively’s work matters so deeply. Strengths-based conversations don’t just change outcomes—they change relationships. Thrively gives educators a way to see the full story of a child, to move beyond grades and assessments, and to speak to the identity of the learner sitting in their classroom. It gives families language for the things we’ve always known about our children: their kindness, their creativity, their determination, their spark.

I’ve led conferences as a principal where families walked away feeling overwhelmed. I’ve also experienced conferences as a parent where I walked away feeling empowered. The difference was simple: Did the conversation begin with strengths? Did my child feel valued? Did I feel like a partner?

This season, as educators prepare for conferences, I want to offer a gentle reminder from the parent side of the table. What you say matters. The way you lead matters. When you name a child’s strengths, you do more than share information. You build trust. You shape identity. You invite parents into something bigger than a report—you invite us into our child’s story.

Parent-teacher conferences are not just moments on a calendar. They are moments that echo long after the meeting ends. And when we lead with strengths, we’re not just talking about a student’s progress. We’re humanizing learning and building their belief in who they can become.

Thrively Resources

Thrively Overview Video: Learn how Thrively helps educators and families uncover student strengths and support the whole child.

Explore Thrively: Discover how Thrively supports strengths-based education and meaningful parent-teacher partnerships.

Author name: Jasmine Cox

( Customer success manager)

Posted
August 12, 2025
Category
Whole Child

Humanize Learning: How to Thrive in the New School Year

Starting the new school year strong is more than a routine tune-up—it’s an opportunity to humanize learning in transformative ways that produce positive, lasting impact. As the Chief Learning Officer at Thr​ively and someone who has spent nearly 25 years leading and learning in K-12 education—from classroom teacher to assistant state superintent—the start of the school year has always been an exciting time for me. As we begin the 2025-2026 school year, I am also excited to share insights on a few research-based (and practitioner-approved)  ways to start this academic year strong. 

Thrively was founded on a core philosophy that every child has a genius and they deserve to thrive. We begin with  “What’s strong with you?” Not what’s wrong with you. Our core mission is to bring a paradigm shift to education through asset-based learning; we do this by working with educators across the country to create strengths-based, joyful and hopeful learning environments that increase student academic outcomes.

Humanize Learning: Begin with “What’s Strong With You?”

Humanizing learning begins with understanding each student’s unique strengths, aspirations, and goals. Begin by asking students, “What’s strong with you?” This question shifts focus from shortcomings to strengths, creating an environment where students are celebrated for their capabilities. During my time as an elementary school principal, I hosted “Strengths Days,” where students showcased talents through performances, exhibitions, and workshops. Students lit up with pride, and the energy it brought to the school was palpable.

1. Know Every Student by Name, Strengths, Aspirations, and Needs

An essential first step in starting strong is knowing every student’s name, unique strengths, and personal goals and aspirations. This isn’t merely about collecting data—it’s about being genuinely curious and committed to understanding each individual’s contribution to the collective classroom and school culture. As a high school English teacher, I dedicated the first few weeks of the school year to engaging in one-to-one conversations with my students (yes, all 150+ of them), discovering what made them ‘tick’. Beyond fostering trust and rapport, it helped tailor lessons to better engage learners.

2. Create Inclusive and Safe Learning Environments

Creating a psychologically safe environment is foundational for learning. Inclusive spaces should prioritize student well-being. Real-time wellness check-ins can be critical in this process. For example, during my time as a superintendent of schools (this was during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic), we implemented daily wellness check-in sessions that gave K-12 students space to name, explain and explore their feelings and concerns. This approach fostered an atmosphere where students felt heard and respected, leading to a more engaged and  human-centered learning community.

3. Instill Hope through Goals, Agency, and Pathways

Hope isn’t just a feeling; it’s a cognitive trait that we can measure and nurture by helping students identify and pursue their goals. During my time supporting state-identified Priority and Focus schools as regional director of education, a student-led initiative called “The Pathways Project” was designed to enable students to create vision boards mapping out their academic and personal aspirations. Encouraging students to imagine and articulate their dreams and goals instilled in them a sense of purpose and agency, setting a tone of optimism and possibility for the rest of the year.

4. Monitor Student-Teacher Relationships: Connection Over Programs

School culture isn’t created by programs; it’s built by individuals who feel connected to a community. Deepening these connections should be intentional and systemic. As the chief academic officer of a 20,000 student school district, I introduced “Connection Cards,” where teachers noted and shared positive observations about each student weekly. This not only heightened awareness of student accomplishments but also provided students with a written acknowledgment of their contributions, strengthening teacher-student relationships.

There is a quote by Maya Angelou: “Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better.” I am reminded of this quote because during each phase of my professional career I implemented practices and resources to humanize learning (or what I knew at the time about this work); however, when I reflect on these experiences, I wonder how my actions and the actions of my colleagues would have been amplified and maximized if we had a systemic way to operationalize our efforts.  

What if there was a way to operationalize this work, to be provided with targeted resources to act intentionally, and to engage in professional learning designed to give you confidence to say, “we see and know everyone in our learning community.”

Join the Thrively ‘Connections’ Community of Practice

I invite you to join the Thrively  ‘Connections’ Community of Practice. As a participant you’ll gain access to exclusive resources, collaborative opportunities with innovative educators from across the country, and a learner-centered platform for professional growth—all designed to humanize learning and to help you create the conditions to start and stay strong this school year! 

Interested in learning more? Explore the following resources and contact me directly at marion@thrively.com: 

Your partner in humanizing learning,

Dr. Marion Smith Jr. 

Chief Learning Officer 

Every child has a genius and they deserve to thrive. 

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