Tips & Tricks Blog Series Overview The COVID-19 / Coronavirus Pandemic has changed so much about how we live our lives, socialize, and especially how we run our schools and classrooms. As we begin the next school year, things are different – but we can be better. As you continue to navigate the details for next school year, we need … Read More
3 Ways Mastery Learning Can Fix Learning Loss
TL;DR: This post shares 3 ways mastery learning can fix learning loss. Mastery and instructional frameworks allow students to work at their own pace. They help shift the focus to supporting learners wherever they are at. Mastery changes mindset. It accounts for learner differences. And it provides a framework where targeted and tiered instruction is built in. Let’s be honest, … Read More
3 Steps to Close the Math Gap, NOW!
TL;DR: We must meet students where they are. There is not a math gap, only a distance you must travel to meet your students. First, determine where the students are. Then plan, implement, reflect, adapt, and repeat. Be sure to advocate for your students, your method, and your plan. For many of us, this past calendar year has felt a … Read More
4 Steps to Create and Market Your School’s Brand
TL;DR: Plan and execute a strategic process for creating and communicating your school’s brand. Create a brand you want people to hear, see, and feel when they interact with your school district. Your school’s brand is how you do things. It is your culture. It is the WHY that drives you. And it’s the WAY you achieve your goals. Create … Read More
3 Suggestions to Make Evaluation More Meaningful
TL;DR: Reduce the teacher evaluation pressure by investing in more conversations and more time in classrooms. See tips for how to make a pre-conference more meaningful. Praise heaping, rating justification, and point proving are three conference styles. The best solution is to give 2-3 key goals for improvement. If anything, last year seemed to be EVERYTHING. I like to say … Read More