How well do you need to know a teacher to coach them well? I found myself pondering that question after reading Randi Brown’s Edutopia article on supporting teacher growth through trusting relationships. Brown describes two threads that exist in a coaching conversation. One is visible—the lesson plan, instructional strategies, student engagement, assessment results, and the […]

In part 1 of this blog, examined emotional feedback that supports student’s feelings, confidence, and mindset—how they feel about learning, themselves, and the task. In part 2 I’ll explore behavioral feedback that supports actions and habits, addressing effort, participation, and behaviors related to learning. It can target: Work habits (focus, effort, persistence) Collaboration and communication […]

Teachers looking for a strategy to increase students’ engagement in learning and instructional coaches looking to support those teachers can find ideas and encouragement from Katie Brooks. She shares her experiences that led her to say: “By making podcasting a part of my ELA curriculum, I’ve seen students finally comprehend complex materials, have a blast […]

Tim Seller, an educator with five decades of experience, shares his current practices as a middle school math teacher. Tim has a curriculum for his classroom management as well as for his math standards. Tim shares how he learns who his students are and creates a classroom environment of student ownership. A great quote from […]