Search results for: planning
How to Set Up Your Instructional Coaching Space
Just like a teacher sets up a classroom, an instructional coach needs to set up their coaching space. The process is very similar in terms of what you must consider about those you lead, whether it be students or teachers. Not every coaching space is identical in size and shape. Most commonly, instructional coaches utilize…
Read Full Post10 Ways to Prepare for the Upcoming School Year during the Summer
The summer is the perfect time to prepare for the upcoming school year. There are 2.5 months, on average, where teachers are able to work at their own pace gathering ideas and preparing their classroom for instruction in the fall. The following 10 tips are tried-and-true strategies veteran teachers use to prepare for the upcoming…
Read Full PostHow to Lead an Efficient & Engaging Professional Development Session
Teacher leaders are often creating professional development [PD] sessions for the staff that they lead. These PD sessions historically have been meetings that are lengthy, rarely applicable, and have a “sit and get” mentality. This is an ineffective way to equip teachers with instructional best practices and knowledge of current pedagogy. Teachers need opportunities to…
Read Full PostConduct a Classroom Observation with Clarity & Precision
There is an art to conducting a classroom observation that fairly depicts a teacher’s performance in the classroom. Nothing is more frustrating for a teacher than having an outsider watch you teach for a small snippet of time, come to a conclusion about your instructional proficiency and then put that rating score in your permanent…
Read Full PostLearning Walks- A Peer Observation Tool
Use this learning walk guide to help you organize your visit to another teacher’s classroom to get ideas for your own instruction. Learning walks are not to be used as an evaluation, rather a peer-peer “idea borrowing” avenue. Included: clear definition & suggestions on how to implement benefits of implementation materials needed note taking sheet…
Read MorePreparing for an Interview in Education
Prepare for a career in education by reviewing these commonly asked interview questions for new teachers, veteran teachers and/or teacher leaders. These questions have been compiled from a variety of school settings and principal leadership types. INCLUDED: – 3 sets of 20 interview questions + rationale for every question – planning space for each interview…
Read More161: Finding Magic in Every Kid, Every Day
There are moments throughout the day where kids reach out to an adult hoping to make a connection. Oftentimes, these attempts are not recognized by busy adults and in the end opportunities go unnoticed for a child to fulfill their potential. Tune in to hear a powerful story about Les Brown who defied all odds…
Listen to EpisodeA List of ‘Must Have’ Supplies for a FIRST YEAR Teacher
Many new teachers are entering the educational profession this year and it is such an exciting time for these folks. They most likely have dreamed of their future classroom and teacher persona for quite some time, but now it becomes a reality. Recently, a new teacher had a question about “Must Have” classroom supplies that…
Read Full Post159: Snag a Piece of Humble Pie
No one arrives at greatness haphazardly. It takes time, dedication, patience and FEEDBACK. But, feedback can be hard to swallow, especially if it points out a weakness. It’s important to remember that even the best of the best receive feedback on a daily basis and because of that they are effective. Without the perspective and…
Listen to EpisodeThe Inside Scoop on “Looping” with your Students
Administrators are always trying to find innovative ways to increase teacher efficacy and student achievement in the classroom [see my last post on the departmentalizing model of instruction.] Looping tends to be another popular strategy to also address those two important levers. What is ‘Looping?’ There comes a time in a teacher’s career where they…
Read Full Post