7.14.22 7 steps to empowered data coaching Data is often drudgery for many educators. Much too often, student data is approached in a way that disempowers teachers—the primary influencers of student learning. In some cases, administrators... Read more
7.12.22 3 ways to support ambitious instruction in your school For school leaders, the task of rebuilding faith in the education system may never have been greater than it is today. As communities and schools struggle to recover from the challenges faced during... Read more
7.7.22 Helping students get to the truth with the News Literacy Project John F. Kennedy once stated, “Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.” Those words still ring true today. Since the advent of college- and... Read more
7.5.22 Inspiring learners to act on formative assessment evidence As you may have seen in my previous post, I like to replace the word “data” with the term “learning evidence.” This helps me stay focused on making sure information is gathered and used in... Read more
6.30.22 Clear, shared, and focused: How to envision successful professional learning initiatives If you’re a state or district leader looking at the data on how kids are doing across your system, chances are you’re longing to see some improvements. Whether your main concern is literacy,... Read more
6.28.22 Diary of a co-teacher, chapter 2: 5 takeaways It has been several weeks since I cleaned up my classroom and shut the door for summer. With time and space away from my building, I have been able to sit back and truly reflect on what a year it... Read more
6.27.22 The value of assessments: A conversation with NWEA and Illinois’ LUDA At NWEA, we have many in-depth conversations about the role and purpose of assessments with our district partners, state and federal leaders, and other key members of the educational community. I... Read more
6.24.22 Using opportunity to learn data to bring more meaning to state assessment results When I was a middle school English language arts teacher in Washington state, I was an advocate for migrant, bilingual students and Title I supports. I spent a lot of time thinking about factors... Read more
6.23.22 5 SEL strategies that can help with behavior trouble My first job in southern Oregon was in what is colloquially known as a “behavior classroom.” It was a self-contained special education classroom for students with emotional regulation struggles.... Read more
6.21.22 The science of happiness: How to practice gratitude, including for yourself Happiness may seem like a weird word to look up, but I looked it up. Merriam-Webster defines it as “a state of well-being and contentment.” Happy is defined as “enjoying or characterized by... Read more
6.16.22 How to make coaching cycles the center of instructional coaching work Coaching research, evidence-based data, and teacher surveys show that coaching cycles are the key coaching action that improves student learning. However, if you’re an instructional coach, you... Read more
6.14.22 20 LGBTQ+ books for K–12 readers during Pride Month and throughout the year Please believe me when I tell you there are stacks, shelves, rows, and whole stores’ worth of amazing LGBTQ+ books for kids right now. It’s a golden age of sorts, and as a Black, queer woman,... Read more