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Resources » Staff Resources » MILES Information & Research » About MILES
About MILES
MILES
Metacognitive Initiative for Learning and Educational Success
The Liverpool Central School District introduced MILES, initially titled the Metacognitive Initiative for Liverpool Educational Success, and now the Metacognitive Initiative for Learning and Educational Success in September 2005 to the middle level, grades 7 and 8. MILES is a brain-based teaching and learning initiative that examines how the adolescent’s brain learns, and how to connect that knowledge to instruction and assessment. In Fall 2006, MILES was extended to early high school with training for grade 9 teachers, and as a primary component of the Induction program for new 7-12 secondary teachers. Asking teachers to think about their teaching, and teaching students how to reflect on their learning are central components of MILES.
MILES is an instructional model that provides a framework for teaching and learning. The template includes five steps for lesson planning and implementation. The MILES template focuses on the ‘rules of the road’:
1. Activating background knowledge - Pack the Car
2. Setting a purpose for learning - Map the Route
3. Providing active learning opportunities - On the Road
4. Transforming information into meaning - Write a Letter Home
5. Reflecting on the teaching and learning process - Use the Rear View Mirror
MILES is a teacher-empowered collaboration in the district. Teachers and administrators jointly developed MILES. Since the programÕs inception, this team has engaged in intense professional development that includes reviewing literature and research on brain-based education, and attending and developing workshops and conferences for self-improvement and collegial growth. The MILES team is immersed in creating a network of dialog to share, study, and create presentations. Study topics include metacognition, brain gym, brain research, HeartMath, to name a few. The efforts of this team are marked by weekly email messages to the 7-9 staff, monthly collaborative team meetings, and continued professional development opportunities, as well as evaluation of the use of the instructional model, and the impact on student performance. Future endeavors with MILES include action research, and presentations to area colleges and interested school districts.
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