Posts by Gretchen Schultek Bridgers

Teacher leaders can help classroom teachers engage students in authentic, meaningful ways. As a matter of fact, student interaction is not the same as student engagement. A compliant class that interacts with each other and the content of the lesson translates to limited engagement and a low rate of learning. But, when teacher leaders provide…

There’s a very popular practice in the business world where movers and shakers get together to brainstorm new ideas and support each other in reaching new levels in their business. When many brilliant minds come together they create one MASTER mind. This think tank allows everyone to learn from each other’s experiences while gaining ideas,…

Teacher leaders can help teachers manage a classroom effectively and efficiently. As they partner together, they can pull back the curtain on an old myth- to be a good teacher, you must control your class. Control is not the same as manage. To take it a step further, to manage a CLASSROOM is more effective…

If you are leading teachers in any capacity, you will want to help them design lessons that are accurate, aligned, and impactful. Accuracy refers to teachers being able to deliver correct information to students in a lesson. They are able to take complex information and break it down into easy-to-understand snippets without losing any accuracy…

Student interaction is just the beginning of student engagement. If we want students to truly be successful in the classroom, we cannot let it end there. What’s the Difference? Interaction means students are responding in a limited form to each other and yourself as the instructional leader of the classroom. Engagement means students are authentically…

Classroom management is not synonymous with behavior management. One is reactionary and one is preventive. Based on that fact alone, one is easily received and widely successful. Why is that so? When a student feels like they are under a microscope for every move they make (and don’t make), they put their guard up. This…

Teachers write lesson plans, but rarely do they actually DESIGN a learning experience. Why is this? Traditional teaching programs focus on the theory of teaching with a sprinkle of actual techniques for how to teach. Part of that how-to process is writing a lesson plan. The emphasis is on all of the components necessary to…

Standards-based grading is an approach used to evaluate classroom performance for students. Many schools are beginning to adopt this method because it provides a more accurate snapshot of how students are performing against expectations for their specific grade level. Before diving into how a teacher can be successful in the classroom when implementing a standards-based…

Are you wondering how to set up learning walks in your building? It is actually easier than you might think! The term “learning walk” refers to the act of walking through various classrooms within the same school building to learn about instructional best practices used by your peer.  It allows for colleagues to share what…

Do you need quick “get to know you” ideas to implement into your professional development sessions for teachers? It might seem silly to play a game or plan an activity for staff to mingle and chat prior to diving into learning.  But in order for teachers to get the most out of a professional development…