Peeling the Onion: The Layers of a Professional Learning Community

Steven WeberBlog, Innovation, Leadership, Reflect Better

TL;DR: Teachers now teach in collaboration as they network with other educators all around the world. If starting something new, make sure you put thought into how to lead change in a way that will sustain the initiative. Reserve time for reflection. Your team must trust one another to move anywhere together. Celebrate together as a team! Professional Learning Communities … Read More

8 Qualities of People Who Build Great Relationships

Dana GoodierBlog, Leadership, Reflect Better, Teach Happier

TL;DR: People who build great relationships listen, make time, are present, admit when they’re wrong, give good advice, are empathetic, commit to trusting others, and think of the other person. Eight Qualities of People Who Build Great Relationships While we enter our second or third month of school, many of us have already well-established relationships with our students to have … Read More

The 3 C’s of Curriculum Leadership

Steven WeberBlog, Differentiation, Grading & Assessment, Leadership, Lesson Planning, Reflect Better, Student Engagement

TL;DR: Our world is changing and we need to stay relevant. Curriculum leaders help us narrow our focus. School leaders should be able to curate resources to help with various situations. Allow student choice. Make sure to have common formative assessments. Our Changing World The world is changing and the rapid pace of change is impacting teaching and learning. A … Read More

5 Myths of Continuous Improvement

Steven WeberBlog, Leadership, Reflect Better

TL;DR: Find the right priorities and develop goals around those priorities. What do we want students to be able to do? What are the learning targets? How do we determine progress? Don’t wait for all staff to be on board. Allow all staff to have a voice. Success of Students The work of school teams determines the success of the … Read More

The Uncomfortable Truth About School

Teach Better TeamBlog, Grading & Assessment, Innovation, Lesson Planning, Mastery Learning, Reflect Better, Student Engagement

TL;DR: Students forget most of what they “learn” in school. Acknowledging this gives us the freedom to focus on powerful learning experiences. Wrestling with the impermanence of some school “learning” challenges our core values as educators. What is Learning, Really? Educational thought leader Will Richardson loves to invite teachers to share their definitions of learning. His observation: most of us … Read More