Here is a question that was submitted to me by an instructional coach requesting my thoughts: When working with teams during planning or PLCs, how do I encourage all teachers to participate?  I find that there are a couple of teachers who are there to plan and learn and the rest of them are closed […]

As I read the September 2015 ASCD Educational Leadership, which is focused on questioning for learning, I was struck with how many of the issues explored equally connected to coaching work with teachers. A research alert (page 8) cites a study from the journal, Neuron (October 2014), that indicates when a person’s curiosity about a topic […]

The title of a TEDxTalks video recently caught my attention: If you want to achieve your goals, don’t focus on them. Reggie Rivers illustrates that goals are of little value if they don’t lead to the identification and implementation of specific behaviors that will produce the desired goals. If I’m focused on the behaviors, the […]

I have had several requests this summer to explore PLC concepts with school administrators, coaches, and teacher leaders. I’m thinking that some of the questions and concepts we explored might provide you with ideas for beginning of the year staff conversations. I found this statement on twitter which gave me a great opening definition. That […]

I was recently asked to facilitate a 70 minute session at a leadership conference that addressed the following: The outcome of an effective instructional coaching program needs to be an increase in student achievement. The partnership of the coach and principal is crucial to a program’s effectiveness. Identify elements that should be part of your […]

As the school year wraps up or as possible summer retreats or fall start-ups happen, PLCs might spend some time in critical thinking conversations that more frequently get pushed aside under the immediate issues of student performance data on the agenda as the school year is underway. Principals, instructional coaches, and teacher leaders should consider […]