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This episode walks through the steps of a practice in which instructional leadership teams can identify trends in pedagogy across classrooms. We’ll focus on how to collect data that centers student experience over teacher actions and what to do once the trends are identified.
Why? We know from Hattie’s (2018) research that collective teacher efficacy has a bigger impact on student learning than anything other factor studied. Teachers, like students, are also more invested in what they co-create or choose for their own learning. In a learning walk, a team visits several classrooms to identify team-wide or school-wide trends. Takeaways are shared out, highlighting strengths and successes and identifying a next step(s) to support an area of growth. The focus on broad trends instead of specific teachers’ skills lowers the stakes and fosters a culture of collective growth. What are the steps?
Final Tips
To help you implement Learning Walks in your school or district, I’m sharing my Learning Walk Protocol slide deck with you for free. And, if you’re looking for more details on the ideas in this blog post, listen to episode 143 of the Time for Teachership podcast. If you’re unable to listen or you prefer to read the full episode, you can find the transcript here.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out my YouTube channel where I embark on a policy change initiative:
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In this podcast episode, Crystal Frommert shares the importance of partnering with families in students' education.Crystal emphasizes the power of a simple phone call to build bridges and promote understanding. She also explores the complexities of navigating effective communication in these partnerships and discusses restorative practices for relationship-building with families.
Crystal Frommert, M.Ed, has over 20 years’ experience as an teacher, instructional coach, school board member, adjunct college instructor, technology coordinator, and school administrator. She is the author of "When Calling Parents Isn't Your Calling, a teacher's guide to communicating with parents." She currently teaches middle school math in Houston, where she lives with her husband, daughter, and dog. The Big Dream Crystal dreams of an educational system where teachers partner with parents and families. Alignment to the 4 Stages: Mindset, Pedagogy, Assessment, and Content She focuses on maintaining a mindset of empathy and understanding towards the families she works with. In terms of pedagogy and content, she stresses the importance of communication and respect for the diversity of families. Phone calls are specifically helpful to communicate with families about any of this because you can both listen to each other’s tone. Mindset Shifts Required We can work to overcome any apprehensions about communicating with families. It’s incredibly beneficial to take a moment to challenge any assumptions we have about family backgrounds. Action Steps Make the first contact positive and personalized. Show respect for family titles. (Look at the title on file and/or ask the child if they’re old enough. If you can’t find it beforehand, ask the caretaker once you meet them.) Utilize phone calls more often for better connection and understanding. Alternatively, you may prefer or need to use voice recordings or video.) Use sentence starters. (Crystal has several in her book!) Challenges? Not asking for help when emotions are high. Loop in an administrator if this happens. Set boundaries so families aren’t texting you at 11:00 PM. One Step to Get Started Administrators, invite your teachers to reflect on something dumb you did when you were a teenager (or whatever age group of students you have.) Teachers, be more mindful about when the communication should be an email and when it should be a phone call. Also, send a happy note home when you can! Stay Connected You can find this week’s guest on her website, Twitter, and LinkedIn. To help you implement these practices in your school, Crystal is offering Time for Teachership listeners a complimentary author Q&A for schools who are doing a book study of her book! (Reach out at any of the above links.) And, if you’re looking for more details on the ideas in this blog post, listen to episode 142 of the Time for Teachership podcast. If you’re unable to listen or you prefer to read the full episode, you can find the transcript here. Quotes:
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In this podcast episode, Dr. Judy Krause explores the principles and implementation of anti-bias education. She discusses the four core goals of anti-bias education, how Pacific Oaks classrooms handle bullying and racism, and the importance of empowering students to be active participants in their learning. She also discusses the support structures that enable teachers to do this work well such as regular team meetings and PLC time and the director's open door policy, which foster collaboration and help address challenges encountered in implementing anti-bias education.
Dr. Judy Krause serves as Associate Dean and Program Director for the Doctor of Education in ECE program in the School of Human Development & Education at Pacific Oaks College. Her research focuses on developmentally and culturally appropriate pedagogy. In this episode, Judy tells us about Pacific Oaks' four core goals and how they tackle challenging subjects like bullying and racism in age-appropriate ways. The Big Dream Judy's dream is to carry on the legacy of the "PO giants" who founded Pacific Oaks 80 years ago, using their values of social justice, inclusivity, diversity, and respect. This involves instilling an understanding of “what's right and fair” in children and young adults and fostering a safe and inclusive learning environment through collaboration and support among educators. Alignment to the 4 Stages: Mindset, Pedagogy, Assessment, and Content The four goals of anti-bias education are identity, diversity, recognizing what's right and fair, and advocating for what's right and fair. These goals are integrated into every aspect of Pacific Oaks' curriculum and instruction, ensuring that students develop a strong sense of self, an appreciation for the diversity of others, and the ability to stand up for justice and fairness. This could look like: Students “talking about something maybe that they saw in the news. Kids see a lot and hear a lot that we don't realize that they're hearing.” “If a child is seeing another child being bullied, being able to stand up for that child that's being bullied. It could be something as simple as that.” Mindset Shifts Required To successfully implement anti-bias education, educators must first have a genuine desire to promote inclusivity, diversity, and respect. This mindset shift can be achieved by seeking out education and resources, such as Pacific Oaks' anti-bias symposiums, which provide valuable insights and inspiration for creating a more just and inclusive learning environment. Challenges One potential challenge is resistance from teachers, parents, or community members who may not share the same commitment to social justice and inclusivity. In these cases, Pacific Oaks stands firm in the values of anti-bias education and continues to provide support and resources for those who are interested in making meaningful changes. Judy shared, “Whenever you're going to do change, it has to come from within. So if you have a teacher who really doesn't believe in inclusivity and diversity and respect or social justice, if that's something that they don't really believe within and that doesn't resound in them, you're not going to get a mindset change.” Action Steps What might it look like to bring the four listed goals to life in your school or district? Step 1: Start with small, manageable changes, such as incorporating more diverse books and materials into the classroom or discussing current events in age-appropriate ways. Start with the first two goals (identity and diversity) and then move to the third and fourth (recognizing what's right and fair, and advocating for what's right and fair). Step 2: Foster collaboration and support among educators by creating opportunities for regular discussions, feedback, and problem-solving related to anti-bias education. At Pacific Oaks, teachers have weekly team meetings on Fridays and also monthly Curriculum Depth Study Group meetings. Step 3: Engage parents and families in the conversation through town hall meetings, book clubs, and other educational events focused on social justice and inclusivity. One Step to Get Started To begin incorporating anti-bias education into your classroom or school, start by exploring resources like Pacific Oaks' anti-bias symposiums, the Social Justice Books website, and articles on anti-bias education. These resources can help you gain a deeper understanding of the principles and practices of anti-bias education and inspire you to take small but significant steps towards creating a more just and inclusive learning environment. Stay Connected You can find Dr. Krause on LinkedIn. You can learn more about the Pacific Oaks school on their website. Additional Links: The Invisible Classroom: Relationships, Neuroscience & Mindfulness in School by Kirke Olsen Pacific Oaks’ Anti-Bias Resource Page (not mentioned in the episode, but hosted by PO’s library) To help you implement the ideas we talked about today, Judy is sharing all of the past Pacific Oaks Anti-Bias Education Symposium videos with you for free! And, if you’re looking for more details on the ideas in this blog post, listen to episode 141 of the Time for Teachership podcast. If you’re unable to listen or you prefer to read the full episode, you can find the transcript here. Quotes:
If you enjoyed this episode, check out my YouTube channel where I show you this sample unit arc:
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In this podcast episode, Miriam Plotinsky discusses the essence of leadership in education. including the importance of humility and openness to change, and how to create effective teacher coaching programs that focus on simplicity and collaborative communication. She also discusses shared leadership and overcoming resistance, highlighting the importance of teacher and student voices in decision-making processes and providing strategies to navigate any resistance that may arise.
Miriam Plotinsky is an author and instructional specialist who addresses challenges in both teaching and leading across schools with a wide range of differentiated needs. A strong advocate for student-centered learning, she provides coaching and professional development for teachers and administrators. In this episode, we talk about curriculum, professional development, teacher coaching programs, and the importance of humility in leadership. The Big Dream Having a clear vision of where we're going—what we are teaching and why—and to communicate it effectively to students. Alignment to the 4 Stages: Mindset, Pedagogy, Assessment, and Content Mindset is like an umbrella, overarching all other aspects of teaching. Mariam stresses the importance of building a growth mindset, being open to different perspectives, and being willing to admit when we are wrong as leaders. Pedagogy, assessment, and content, she says, fall into place when teachers have a clear understanding of what and why they are teaching. Mindset Shifts Required Clarifying what and why you’re teaching prevents a lot of “classroom management” problems. Mariam says, “New teachers will say ‘I'm so worried about classroom management.’ But they don't mean that. They mean ‘I'm worried, I won't be able to control my class.’ And so one thing I've been trying to make a connection between is if your instruction is where it should be, you won't have as much to worry about.” Action Steps What can leaders do? Step 1: Start with identifying (and helping teachers to identify) what we are teaching and why. This clarity helps align all other aspects of the teaching process. Step 2: Implement effective teacher coaching programs. Harness the human resources within the building, let each teacher be a leader, and set up structures where they can help each other. Step 3: Adopt shared leadership. This involves including teacher and student voices in decision-making processes and avoiding the pitfall of surrounding ourselves with “Yes” people. Challenges? One of the hardest things is giving people the help they actually want. Mariam suggests getting “feedback on feedback.” One Step to Get Started Decide on your one thing, and stay focused on it. Stay Connected You can find Mariam on Twitter: @MirPloMCPS, Facebook: Miriam Plotinsky (author page), or her website. To help you get even deeper into the concepts Mariam discussed in this episode, she’s sharing this link to her articles published in Edutopia. And, if you’re looking for more details on the ideas in this blog post, listen to episode 140 of the Time for Teachership podcast. If you’re unable to listen or you prefer to read the full episode, you can find the transcript here. Quotes:
If you enjoyed this episode, check out my YouTube channel where I show you a sample unit arc on the topic of safety and freedom:
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Time for Teachership is now a proud member of the...AuthorLindsay Lyons (she/her) is an educational justice coach who works with teachers and school leaders to inspire educational innovation for racial and gender justice, design curricula grounded in student voice, and build capacity for shared leadership. Lindsay taught in NYC public schools, holds a PhD in Leadership and Change, and is the founder of the educational blog and podcast, Time for Teachership. Archives
January 2024
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