Breakthrough
- Michael Fullan
- Peter Hill - Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority, Simulation Industry Association of Australia
- Carmel Crévola - International Literacy Consultant
Foreword by Richard F. Elmore
School Change & Reform
"A clear and insightful look at why teaching must be conceived as constant learning about learning. The analysis of past failed reforms and the general conditions needed for success is well-stated and illuminating."
—Grant Wiggins
Authentic Education
Redesign classroom instruction to transform learning for both students and teachers!
Breakthrough presents a revolutionary new approach to educational reform, breaking away from the conventional paradigm to help educators create focused instruction, transform the classroom experience, and dramatically raise—and sustain—performance levels for students and teachers alike. This book provides the breakthrough concepts needed for developing precise, validated, data-driven instruction personalized to each and every student.
Synthesizing the best of current instructional models, this framework focuses on the components of the Triple P Breakthrough Model: Personalization—meaningful, student-centered classroom interactions; Precision—using formative assessments to monitor individual student progress; and Professional Learning—daily, ongoing learning for all educators.
Helping educators create expert instructional systems while breaking through the "prescription trap," the authors introduce unique elements of the Breakthrough model, including:
- Improvement by design
- Assessment for learning
- Critical learning instructional paths
- Mapping instructional paths
- Smart use of data to drive instruction
- Locking in ongoing improvement
Breakthrough establishes the tipping point for moving toward personalized, high-quality instruction and learning in the classroom to ensure continuous improvement and ongoing academic success.
"A clear and insightful look at why teaching must be conceived as constant learning about learning. The analysis of past failed reforms and the general conditions needed for success is well-stated and illuminating."
"A clear and insightful look at why teaching must be conceived as constant learning about learning. The analysis of past failed reforms and the general conditions needed for success is well-stated and illuminating."
"Breakthrough has the potential to make a significant contribution to our thinking in education. The call for personalization of teaching and learning is bold. It’s in our basements, and bringing it to the ground level is essential. The timing of the book is excellent."
“Those interested in finding the link between general school reform initiatives and specific strategies that will actually impact classroom practice will cherish Breakthrough. Fullan, Hill, and Crévola present a model that allows teachers to provide precise instructional strategies to specific students who need timely support in order to master specific skills—without falling victim to the ‘prescription trap.’ Their critical pathways concept provides teachers with a powerful framework for integrating pre-assessment, instructional focus, formative assessment, data analysis, and job-embedded professional development to deliver the precision teaching that leads to continuous improvement. Furthermore, they make a compelling case that this model is not only desirable, but also imminently feasible.”
"This is a timely and thought-provoking book. Fullan, Hill, and Crévola address the complexity of teaching and leading, and offer a compelling way forward that focuses on learning for all students through personalization, precision teaching, and professional learning for educators. By connecting assessment with learning, leading with teaching and learning, and classrooms instruction with district and government roles and responsibilities, the authors present an integrated approach that promises to ‘breakthrough’ the sterile standardization that plagues contemporary education."
"Breakthrough points the way to a new definition of effectiveness-one grounded in a powerful theory of action that brings together personalization, precision, and professional learning in new ways. Practical pathways are provided to help the readers apply this theory of action to their own circumstances. Before making any changes, read this book first!"
"Thanks for a provocative and conceptually rich piece. I enjoyed it and got a great deal out of it."
"An outstanding book for educators to transform classroom practice and learning strategies. It builds important perspectives on personalizing learning that will inform current practice. Highly recommended."
"Breakthrough is one of those few books that demonstrably understands the importance of personalizing learning and the need to mobilize the whole system towards this goal. Fullan, Hill, and Crévola provide a clear specification of what is required for a learner led curriculum and what it means to work from the classroom out. Their articulation of how assessment leads instruction and is integrated into curriculum design is exemplary."
"Breakthrough tackles several very thorny problems: how to nurture high quality classroom instruction on a large scale, and how to do so by building on existing professional know-how. Solutions developed in the book warrant careful study by all those with an interest in educational reform."
"Breakthrough explores interesting possibilities for us to radically individualize classroom instruction - and gives convincing reasons why. I especially like the concept of ‘critical pathways’ as a way of organizing learning."