TL;DR: Curriculum design teams should begin with the end in mind. Empower curriculum design teams by providing time for them to become crystal clear about the standards before debating essential skills, key concepts, content, or assignments. When a district team identifies transfer goals, it will support teachers across schools. Formative assessments will support decisions about teaching and learning. Make sure … Read More
5 Thought-Provoking Questions About Assessment
TL;DR: Teaching and learning should be framed around a desired set of learning targets. Identify how teachers will measure student understanding. The classroom should be a safe place where students are receiving feedback from their teacher, peers, and own reflections. 4 key reflection questions to consider before and after a unit are shared. Find ways to celebrate small wins in … Read More
Planning Series Part 3—The Beliefs That Get In The Way
Today, you will learn to figure out what’s holding you back when it comes to laying out your aspirations. If you haven’t taken time to do more PD because you’re worried about spending any time away from grading and your students, you are not doing yourself or your students a favor. Research shows the amazing benefits your students can have … Read More
Planning Series Part 2—All the Tips
Welcome to part 2 of the Planning Series! Today I am sharing all the tips with you on how to set and accomplish your goals using some tried and true strategies. If you’ve set action steps before and haven’t been able to keep up with it, don’t despair because it is possible to get things done without feeling overwhelmed. … Read More
How Can Schools Build a Roadmap for the Future?
TL;DR: As school teams begin to build a roadmap for the future, they should identify priority standards and learning targets. It is also important that they establish common formative assessments. The strongest instructional plan is based on the needs of the learners and the experience of professional educators. “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get … Read More