Giving Compass' Take:

· Writing for Getting Smart, Bob Lenz and John Larmer explain that meeting students' basic, physiological needs is the best way to support deep learning and comprehension. 

· How does the environment affect the way students learn? Why is it important for students to feel comfortable in the classroom? How does project-based learning encourage comprehension? 

· Learn how this unique learner profile helps meet the needs of students.

Regardless of whether it’s technically a federal constitutional right, students have the moral right to be provided with an education that prepares them for their futures. Such an education includes not only basic literacy and math skills but also what’s known as “deeper learning” competencies: Master core academic content; Think critically and solve complex problems; Work collaboratively; Communicate effectively; Learn how to learn; Develop academic mindsets. One of the best ways to teach these competencies, we believe, is by using PBL.

But students can’t learn if their overcrowded classroom is too cold or too hot or vermin-infested, or if they lack resources like books and pencils. Or if their teachers come and go and are not adequately prepared. Or if they fear for their safety. The situation is parallel to the familiar “hierarchy of needs” created by psychologist Abraham Maslow. At the base of the pyramid are physiological needs, followed by safety needs, social needs, esteem needs, and finally, at the top, self-actualization—achieving full potential and the ability to fulfill creative activities.

Read the full article about learning deeply by Bob Lenz and John Larmer at Getting Smart.