“We do not learn from experience… we learn from reflecting on experience.” Whether or not Dewey wrote those exact words in that exact form is debated, but the concept runs throughout his work. Experience alone does not guarantee learning. Reflection turns experience into learning. Inquiry begins when we encounter uncertainty. This diagram from the Great […]

I’ve been facilitating a team of K-12 educators over the past several months in an exploration of teacher feedback and its impact on student learning because we all have too many examples of feedback not leading to learning. Initially we examined the need for effective feedback to be timely, specific, and aligned to learning goals. […]

By pairing an administrator with a systems-level view and access to resources with a teacher leader deep in classroom expertise and credibility, a school-based mentor program added support to teachers new to teaching or new to the school. Their partnership sent a message that mentoring isn’t something done to teachers—it’s something we do together. “The […]

Amber Chandler, the author of “Everything New Teachers Need to Know But Are Afraid to Ask,” shares a program her district implemented to address that 140 out of its 478 teachers have been with the district four years or less—and the ranks of untenured teachers are expected to swell to 250 in the next five […]

In part 1 of this blog, I explored three insights for coaches’ reflection that were presented by Sharron Helmke, senior vice president of professional services at Learning Forward and a professional certified coach with the International Coaching Federation. She shared these in her article, “6 things I wish I’d known as a new coach.” Those […]

Most teachers recognize that students must pass through discomfort to grow. When learners are challenged with new ideas, unfamiliar skills, or tasks that stretch beyond their current ability, it’s natural for them to feel uncertain, frustrated, or even resistant. This discomfort is not a sign that something is wrong. It’s a signal that real learning […]