The Missing Piece: SEAD Pyramid of Growth

Why Every Learner Deserves to Be SEEN

Picture this: A student sits quietly in the back corner of the classroom. They complete their assignments, follow directions, and never cause disruption. To most observers, this student appears to be doing "just fine." But beneath the surface, they're struggling with executive functioning challenges that make organization feel impossible, or perhaps they're academically advanced but emotionally overwhelmed by the pressure of perfectionism. This student, like millions of others, is invisible in our current educational system.

They're not failing dramatically enough to trigger intensive interventions. They're not excelling visibly enough to be identified as gifted. They exist in what we've labeled as the "middle" or "average" categories that, frankly, don't exist when it comes to human learners.

The Myth of Average

Here's the uncomfortable truth: there is no such thing as an average learner. Todd Rose, in his groundbreaking book The End of Average, demonstrates how the concept of average fails to capture the reality of human individuality. Every learner brings a unique constellation of strengths, challenges, interests, and needs to the classroom. Yet our educational systems continue to design for this mythical middle, leaving countless learners underserved and overlooked.

The research from scholars like Barbara Pape on learner variability confirms what educators see daily: every person has vast arrays and shades of variability. We are complex beings who cannot be reduced to simple categories or single data points.

Beyond MTSS: A Framework to Grow ALL Learners

Many schools have adopted Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) as a proactive approach to meeting diverse learner needs. While well-intentioned, MTSS often falls short in practice. Time constraints, personnel limitations, and bureaucratic red tape prevent many learners from receiving the support they need. Even more concerning, the focus remains heavily weighted toward learners performing below grade level, while gifted learners and those elusive "middle" learners receive minimal attention.

What if we had a framework that eliminated the red tape? What if we could provide every learner with individualized support without the need to first prove they're struggling enough to warrant help?

Introducing the SEAD Pyramid of Growth

The SEAD Pyramid of Growth framework operates on one fundamental belief: every learner should grow and be seen, supported, respected, and valued.

SEAD stands for:

• Social/Emotional Learning

• Executive Functioning

• Advanced Learning

• Developing Learning

  
  

This framework recognizes that learners are multifaceted beings who need support across all areas of their development, not just academically, but socially, emotionally, and in their executive functioning skills. Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs reminds us that learners must have their basic social and emotional needs met before they can be cognitively available for learning. The SEAD framework builds on this research-based understanding by systematically addressing these foundational needs alongside academic growth.

The pyramid is built on three tiers of support, similar to MTSS, but with a crucial difference: it's a four-sided pyramid that addresses the whole learner. Two sides focus on academic needs (one for developing learners who need foundational support, another for advanced learners who need challenge, depth, and complexity), while the other two sides address social/emotional needs and executive functioning skills.

Perhaps most importantly, the SEAD framework is proactive, fluid, and responsive to learners’ ever-changing needs. Learners don't get stuck in categories or tiers. This approach ensures that we're not just looking at learners through a single lens, but considering their complete educational profile.

Why Now?

In our current educational climate, we cannot afford to leave any learner behind, whether they're struggling, advanced, or anywhere in between. The SEAD Pyramid of Growth framework offers educators a practical, research-backed approach to truly differentiate instruction and support every learner in their classroom.

The framework provides a streamlined structure that uses existing curricula, assessments, and resources more effectively to ensure every learner can grow without limits. At Beyond the Ceiling, I believe every learner will grow when we eliminate the ceiling that keeps them from reaching their true potential.

Ready to learn more about implementing the SEAD Pyramid of Growth in your classroom, school, or district? Contact Angie Fugate at angiefugatebtc@gmail.com.