The Hidden Gaps in Your Professional Development Plan (And How to Fix Them)

Chad OstrowskiBlog, Leadership, Professional Development

Let’s be honest: Professional development planning is tough. You’re juggling state mandates, teacher needs, budget constraints, and dozens of competing priorities. So, it’s no surprise that even the best school leaders sometimes overlook critical gaps that quietly undermine their PD efforts. Here’s the good news: Once you uncover these gaps, you can fix them. What we’ve found is that most … Read More

The Hardships and Highlights of A Middle School Teacher: A Thank You For ALL You Do!

Andrea BitnerBlog, Leadership, Reflect Better, Student Engagement

Teaching Middle School is hard. There are layers and layers of developmental science that teach us educators all about the why’s and how’s and when’s and wow’s of adolescence. Socially, new social circles are emerging. Diverse opinions are converging. Physically and emotionally, young emerging adults feel like roller coasters who are operating at unstoppable and slow moving speeds (that often … Read More

How Do I Know If I Am Ready To Lead A PD Session?

Alex T. ValencicBlog, Leadership

TL;DR: Presenting at an education conference or district professional development day can be scary. You are the only one who can tell your story. You can design professional learning that informs, inspires, and invites change. I still remember the first time I led a teacher professional development session. My district had done a call for presenters for a teacher institute … Read More

The Impact of A School Administrator

Susan JachymiakBlog, Leadership

It is the start of a new year, and I have been thinking about habits and goals that I want to see myself accomplish this year. I started habit tracking last year, and I have been exercising at the gym for 30 minutes a day, reading for at least 20 minutes a day, and doing a Duolingo Spanish lesson each … Read More