Who We AreNew Classrooms was born from the belief that today’s model for delivering education—one teacher and 28 or so students in a classroom—does not sufficiently account for each student’s needs and assumes that each student arrives on the first day of school with the same academic foundation and way of learning. For a teacher, this presents the nearly impossible challenge of teaching grade-level curriculum while also meeting the needs of each student. |
 |
 |
To address this challenge, we design new instructional models that reimagine the role of educators, the use of time, the configuration of physical space, and the use of data and technology to better meet the needs of each student. We then collaborate with educators to support the implementation of these models within traditional public, charter, and independent schools. |
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is New Classrooms?
New Classrooms is a non-profit (501(c)3) organization that designs innovative personalized instructional models for schools. We are not a school management or charter management organization, nor are we a software company. Rather, we design personalized instructional model that help teachers personalize learning to the needs of each student. We then partner with existing schools to customize these models to their school community while sharing in the accountability for student outcomes.
2. What is Teach to One: Math?
Teach to One: Math is New Classrooms' flagship personalized instructional model focused on middle school math (students in grades 5-8). The model replaces a school's traditional textbook-based math program with a reimagined way of teaching and learning - one that is both aligned to Common Core State Standards and personalized to each student's unique academic needs and way of learning.
3. What's the difference between New Classrooms, School of One, and Teach to One: Math?
In 2009, Joel Rose and Christopher Rush started the innovative personalized learning program, School of One, at the NYC Department of Education, where it operated in three New York City middle schools and was named one of TIME magazine's top 50 inventions of 2009. Recognizing a need for personalized learning beyond NYC, Joel and Chris launched a new non-profit called New Classrooms Innovation Partners in January 2011. Now, New Classrooms' Teach to One: Math is providing personalized learning to over 6,000 middle school students across the country. Teach to One: Math now also powers the School of One program in five New York City schools.
4. How does the model work?
Teach to One: Math redesigns the physical classroom to create several learning stations that teachers and students move between throughout a single class period. Students receive a targeted, individualized learning experience, at the right academic level, using the most appropriate instructional format. Over a single session, students may work on one of several instructional approaches, or learning modalities - including live teacher-led instruction, student collaboration, software, or virtual instructors. Students are assessed daily to determine whether they have mastered a skill or need more time on that skill. Such daily assessments determine what each student will work on the following class day.
5. How do you measure student learning?
In a Teach to One: Math class, students learn only what they are ready for and do not move on to more advanced material until they have mastered a skill or set of skills. Student learning is monitored on a daily basis to gauge each student's progress. Students who do well on their daily "exits slip" move on; those who don't will continue to receive instruction on the same skill the next day. Teachers are also able to assess student growth learning through group projects, cumulative assessments, and nationally normed assessments such as NWEA's Measures for Academic Progress (MAP).
6. What types of schools do you work in?
Teach to One: Math is designed to operate within a variety of school contexts and conditions. Our partnership schools include traditional district and charter schools, urban and suburban schools, schools with student enrollments that range from 200 to over 1,000 students.
7. How do you choose schools? What makes Teach to One: Math a good fit with an individual school?
There is no "cookie cutter" approach to implementing Teach to One: Math; we work with teachers and schools to figure out how and whether our model can successfully fit within the DNA of each school. When assessing potential partner schools, some of the indicators we look at include: teacher buy-in and enthusiasm for the model, a collaborative working environment among the staff, and leadership.
8. How does New Classrooms train and support teachers?
Teach to One: Math changes the way instruction is delivered. To do this well, New Classrooms provides ongoing support to partner teachers and leaders through local, on-site and remote support from its central office. Teacher support generally begins with a program simulation conducted the spring before the full program begins, followed by extensive teacher orientation over the summer; and then through ongoing professional development, coaching and daily logistical and operational support throughout the year.
9. What does the teacher's role look like in a Teach to One: Math classroom?
The Teach to One: Math Teacher Portal provides teachers with real-time information about student performance, access to high-quality instructional content and unique daily schedules. This leaves more time for teachers to develop and refine their instructional strategies, to support individual students with targeted interventions, and to engage parents in their child's progress.
10. Is your program designed to support students with special needs and English Language Learners?
Teach to One: Math successfully serves students with special needs and English Language Learners in all of our partnership schools.
11. How much does the program cost?
New Classrooms is a non-profit organization and strives to keep our program as affordable as possible for interested schools and districts. Costs to schools include two types of expenses: (1) fees to New Classrooms to implement and operate Teach to One: Math on a daily basis, and (2) school-based investments in technology and infrastructure. The precise costs will vary from school to school, and we encourage those interested in learning more about how your school, charter network or district can partner with New Classrooms and Teach to One: Math to contact info@newclassrooms.org.
12. How is New Classrooms funded?
New Classrooms is funded by a team of national philanthropic partners and supporters who make our work possible; and by fees paid locally by either school districts or local philanthropists to bring our innovations to local communities.
If you would like more information about supporting New Classrooms' efforts or bringing Teach to One: Math to your community, contact info@newclassrooms.org.
Our Values
- A Student-Centered Orientation. We are committed to innovations that help students learn in ways that are personalized, engaging, meaningful, and measurably effective.
- Support for Great Teaching. We are committed to innovations that help teachers spend more time and energy focusing on the quality of their instruction.
- Bold Solutions for Schools. We are committed to innovations that are more than simply tools for educators to use. Rather, we aspire to develop new models for delivering instruction that are both bold in their design and flexible in their adaptability to specific school contexts.
- A Culture that Fosters Innovation and Learning. We are committed to organizational culture that values imaginative thinking, superior execution, and open and purposeful collaboration.
- Responsible Growth. We believe in learning by doing. We incubate early-stage innovations in summer- and after-school environments where we can rapidly iterate, troubleshoot, and closely measure impact. With success, these innovations migrate to in-school programs where they are implemented in highly supportive, pioneering environments. Widespread scale comes after these innovations have been validated.