In many of my presentations I discuss two beliefs behind my work in schools: Teaching is a team sport and Teaching needs to be a public act. Both of these beliefs reinforce the need for schools to have a culture of coaching that defines staff relationships. This week I was in Rochester, NY providing a […]

SREB/High Schools That Work recently published an article based on a presentation that I provided at their last conference. Instructional Strategies Motivate and Engage Students in Deeper Learning is an 18 page downloadable resource where you’ll find the following article and many others.  It is important for teachers to find the “sweet spot” for engaging […]

This summer I am having several opportunities to provide training to educators who are entering a new phase of their career as an instructional coach. I am also working with school based administrators who are responsible for coaching teachers as part of their leadership role and supporting the work of instructional coaches in their schools. […]

I am a strong advocate for the Principal Coach Partnership  (see earlier blog). Agreement defining student learning outcomes (vision) builds trust and focus among the leadership team at a school. An administrator can build increased shared leadership knowing that time the coach spends with teachers and decisions made in PLCs will focus on the shared, desired […]

Feedback was the focus of my research and reading this week as I worked to design a presentation I was asked to do for middle and high school teachers. I first turned to Dylan Wiliam’s work which I had remembered from earlier studies. Among five elements for assessing student learning he includes this: Provide feedback […]

This week I was working with teacher leaders from a GA district who were studying with instructional coaches and administrators from their buildings. We examined teacher leaders’ roles in facilitating PLCs, building team cultures, and promoting a culture of coaching. One of the areas that emerged from our conversations was how to assist teachers in […]