R.E.A.L. Discussion

Too many to list! Since its launch in 2021, R.E.A.L. Discussion is proud to have partnered with over 40 leading US-based private schools ... and that number is growing by the day! In the Fall of 2022, we are expanding and seeking our visionary international schools to be our first global partners.

Our signature experiences are online courses - R.E.A.L. Certification, Level 1 (for classroom teachers) and R.E.A.L. Certification, Level 2 (for PD Leaders who will be trainers). We also offer virtual presentations to faculty and limited on-site engagements. We are proud to have worked with over a dozen school Associations in the US!

R.E.A.L. is high-impact because it stands on the shoulders of research giants; it is a method that integrates and operationalizes what experts say works best in a variety of fields. For example, when it comes to SCIENCE OF TEACHING AND LEARNING, we use work of John Hattie, Ron Ritchhart (and all things Project Zero), Kath Murdoch, and Glenn Whitman. When it comes to EQUITY + INCLUSION, our practices build on recommendations by Zaretta Hammond (Protocols for Equity), Joe Feldman (Grading for Equity), and Rosetta Lee. Since conversation is highly social, we also use key WELLBEING studies (CASEL, Luthar, Yale CEL, Dweck, etc). Finally, the model is informed by FUTURE-OF-WORK research (Deming, WEF, McKinsey, etc.). If your teachers are familiar with any of this work, they will recognize how REAL operationalizes principles articulated in the research.

Of course not, though 92% of participants to date have done so within six weeks. Our goal in our courses is to offer you a framework that we hope and expect you will adapt to fit your personal style and school context. All of our materials are IB-aligned and easily integrated with other popular curriculum.

R.E.A.L. is a set of skills, routines, and reflections that makes student-led discussion easier and deeper. For most teachers, it streamlines the logistical headaches of FishBowl one day, Harkness another, Socratic Seminar the next. For IB schools, R.E.A.L. offers a common language and shared routines for teachers to authentically integrate ATL skills into their units.

Some students bristle at the level of structure (though most appreciate it over time, especially as they find themselves surprised by the ease and depth of the discussions). Some teachers feel that the learning curve for students is too steep (which we have worked hard to address through solutions like an online, video-based orientation for students). Others wonder at the relevance of a system that relies on handwritten portfolios in the age of screens (we would respectfully refer those skeptics to the research, perhaps beginning with Mueller and Oppenheimer (2014) or Morehead, Dunlosky, and Rawson (2019)).

No, not at all! But it is a system that approaches discussion differently. Using a combination of lived classroom experience and research about conversation that extends beyond educational contexts, we have reverse-engineered a system that solves for common pain points and structures students for success. It doesn’t promise perfect discussions, but approaching Discussion as a Discipline does guarantee growth.

R.E.A.L. training has been designed by teachers, for teachers. There's a reason why 90% of our workshop alumni say it's in the top 3 best PD experiences of their career! Our Certification Course for Teachers includes 6 hours of instruction, based on classroom footage, and interactive exercises. We cover topics such as: >> Philosophical Basis in Discussion-Based Learning >> Common Language and Habits (Relate, Excerpt, Ask, Listen) >> Routines for making Discussion Visible >> Assessment: Support designing evidence-based, developmental tools for assessment >> Support aligning R.E.A.L. with your existing curriculum >> Access to global community of discussion-based learning leaders