Qualities of Effective Feedback for Educators

[bctt tweet=”Feedback is an opportunity for growth whereas effective feedback is the roadmap for getting there. ” username=”gschultek”] As educators, we want to continue to hone our craft by staying up-to-date on the latest best practices. We also want to know where we measure up in comparison to the expectation for our role. Seeking feedback helps…

How to Lead a PD Huddle at your School Site

PD huddles are one of many ways to engage teachers in learning opportunities. Sitting passively in a professional development (PD) meeting is wasting stakeholders’ time. As teacher leaders, we have to create learning opportunities for teachers that are engaging, but that also translate to more effectiveness in the classroom. This method will increase motivation, buy-in…

10 Alternative Options for Professional Development for Teachers

Teachers deserve ongoing learning opportunities. Although this is true, working in the Covid era has eroded the desire and brain capacity to take on new learning. Long gone are the ineffective, sit-and-get PD sessions for teachers. Teachers need alternative professional development options. If the goal of PD is to support the ongoing learning of teachers,…

Leading Valentine’s Day Festivities at your School Site

Valentine’s Day is coming! Students aren’t the only ones who love to celebrate either- adults get excited for the love holiday too. To infuse some fun, holiday celebration into the school day, teacher leaders can plan various Valentine’s Day festivities for educators. These efforts will strengthen the sense of community among staff by showering educators…

3 Ways to Level Up Your Leadership

To level up your leadership means you are a constant learner. You are willing to put in the work to hone your craft so that those you lead can be more effective. Being a learner ensures you stay current in the field and grow instead of stagnate. There are many ways to level up your…

How to Evaluate the Effectiveness of an Instructional Coach

The role of an instructional coach is to support the growth and development of teachers in the classroom. There are a variety of ways in which instructional coaches can provide support like leading professional development sessions, facilitating professional learning community meetings, implementing coaching cycles and more! It’s important to know whether these support efforts are…

Leading Quality Professional Development for Teachers

Leading quality professional development sessions for teachers is essential to their growth. When teacher leaders provide impactful learning opportunities, educators perform stronger in the classroom. This allows students to be lead by a more proficient teacher which in turn allows students to achieve at higher rates. In the past, professional development sessions have been “sit…

Using Social Media to Promote Your School

Social media accounts for schools can be powerful. They promote communication with stakeholders- parents, students, and community members. They showcase what makes the school unique while celebrating the strides made to become a positive, successful learning environment for children. One major drawback for having social media accounts for schools is the time requirement to set…

Coaching Cycles: Macro vs Micro Options

Coaching cycles support the growth of teachers in the classroom. They are a sequence of partnership opportunities between the teacher and coach that range from intensive to light support. What support opportunities included in coaching cycles is not black and white. Instructional coaches and other teacher leaders have the flexibility to create support options tailored…

Establishing Teacher Expectations of Instructional Coaching

Are there clear teacher expectations of what instructional coaching looks like at your school site? If not, you’re not alone. Many schools do not define, share nor uphold expectations for the role of an instructional coach. This does a disservice to teachers who have access to a support but no idea how to utilize it.…