What is the Impact of the Portrait?
Battelle for Kids
We empower educators so that every student has hope, resilience, and the knowledge and skills to be future-ready.
The following is excerpted from the Battelle for Kids "The Future of the Portrait of a Graduate" report that was published in June 2024.?
Download your copy of the Futurecast report at https://bfk.me/future .
By Colon Lewis, Ed.D. , Chief Learning Officer, Battelle for Kids
What if I told you that most students will say that school is not working for them? People are aware that the world has changed, but rarely do they think about what this means for children in schools. There is still a portion of the population that believes the industrial revolution model of education is sufficient to prepare students for an uncertain future. That’s where the Portrait of a Graduate comes into play.
The ultimate purpose of the Portrait of a Graduate is to equip students with durable skills that enable them to thrive as either employees or entrepreneurs upon entering the workforce. It should also align with the demands for durable skills across local, regional, and national economic landscapes. It should position students to be “owners” of their learning and drivers of the experiences that prepare them for life and workforce Readiness.
To accomplish this, the Portrait of a Graduate should be created from a diverse array of community members to create a collective, unifying vision. The Portrait can never be completed without community voices, including the students who this vision will impact most.
The community should also expect to be accountable for assisting the district in providing and developing opportunities for students to hone the durable skills they have selected to be the core of their Portrait of a Graduate.
From an educator perspective, the Portrait initiative aims to transform educators into facilitators of learning, moving beyond the confines of standardized testing. It encourages educators to embrace innovative teaching methods, allowing for a more dynamic and exploratory learning environment. This shift enriches the student learning experience and revitalizes educators by empowering them to experiment and take risks in their teaching Practices.
Ultimately, the Portrait seeks to foster a more engaging and relevant educational atmosphere, preparing students for future challenges while invigorating the teaching profession.
Over the years, I’ve had the honor of leading numerous communities, from expansive urban districts to quaint rural areas, through the Portrait of a Graduate design process. This process transcends merely producing a poster or a set of terms. When communities come together for the purpose of shaping a vision of the future they want for their children, the outcome is a unifying experience. This shared vision paves the way for reimagining education and optimally preparing students for a dynamic and intricate world.
How the ‘Portrait of a Graduate’ Infuses Student Learning with Joy and Hope
Read the latest article published by BFK’s Shannon King on Getting Smart.
Battelle for Kids Chief Learning Officer Shannon King recently published an article on Getting Smart titled “How the ‘Portrait of a Graduate’ Infuses Student Learning with Joy and Hope .”
In her article, Dr. King writes about infusing learning environments with joy and hope to ignite students’ passion for learning and increase their motivation and satisfaction.
“Without joy or hope, students can become disengaged from school. These two elements — joy and hope — are essential for student success. To fully engage students, we must restore joy to learning and cultivate a sense of hope for their future.”
She identifies key strategies to foster joy and hope in learning and explains how the Portrait of a Graduate can help. Dr. King also offers lessons learned from years of working with districts across the country to develop and implement their Portraits of a Graduate.
About Battelle for Kids
Battelle for Kids (BFK), a national not-for-profit organization, is proud to support school districts from across the country, empowering educators to prepare every student for tomorrow’s world. We partner alongside school districts, state agencies, and strategic partners to solve the complex issues in education. Learn more at bfk.org .