Leadership Series

We provide opportunities for leaders to engage in authentic practice of the skills and understandings essential to improving the quality of teaching and learning.  

You Don’t Have to Be Bad to Get Better: Practical Ideas and Strategies for School Leaders

What do school leaders need to know and do to improve teacher quality? How are they able to effect changes in teaching practice that has remained virtually the same for decades? Based on the book, You Don’t Have to Get Better: A Leader’s Guide to Improving Teacher Quality, this practical session offers school leaders at every level the guidance, specific tools and resources they need to increase teacher—and student—success. School leaders will develop:

• Strategies for transitioning from a culture of fear and criticism to a culture of learning
• Essential skills that move teaching from good to great
• Professional conversation strategies that engage and empower teachers
• A blueprint that builds capacity for continuous teacher learning and collaboration

Evaluator Training and Calibration: Shifting from Compliance to Growth
Authentic Practice!

This series provides leaders with the authentic practice they need to shift teacher evaluation practices from compliance to growth. The first of this two part series includes small group classroom visits to collect and discuss authentic evidence of teaching and learning. Participants will sharpen their skills in using evidence based observation techniques to collect and interpret evidence of teaching through brief Calibration Walks and small group conversations.

In part two, participants engage in collaborative review of completed observation reports using a scoring rubric designed specifically for this purpose. This training is essential for administrators and school leaders at every level who conduct observations and oversee evaluations.

Strengthening Instructional Leadership
Blended Learning for School Leaders

This fifteen hour course targets leaders and teacher evaluators at every level who are committed to improving the quality of teaching and learning in their schools. It provides the understandings and skills needed to train and recertify teacher evaluators. The course begins with six hours of facilitated, onsite learning followed by nine hours of virtual learning that occurs at a time and place of the learner’s choosing. This format allows leaders to connect via group chats, wikis, blogs, forums and e-collaborate sessions. Content includes creating cultures of learning, instructional practice that empowers and engages students, collecting and calibrating evidence of teaching and learning, and leading evidence based conversations that promote growth. Participants will demonstrate the impact of their learning by sharing authentic examples and lessons learned with colleagues throughout the course.

Throughout the duration of the course, participants can ask technical questions and get support in the Blended Learning platform. Monitoring tools such as usage reports, performance dashboard and a summary of user activity help keep learners on track throughout the duration of the course. Participants will also have the opportunity to go through a multi-media orientation course for each Blended Learning experience they have. It is our goal that Blended Learning participants will be fully supported with using the virtual platform. – Learn more