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]]>During our recent webinar, The Mississippi Miracle: Key Strategies for Improving Reading Achievement, Dr. Carey M. Wright, former State Superintendent of Education in Mississippi, shared her insights and experiences leading efforts to significantly improve reading outcomes across the state.
Just before Dr. Wright came to Mississippi, the state legislature passed the Literacy-Based Promotion Act (LBPA), which placed an emphasis on students meeting grade-level benchmarks by third grade. Dr. Wright was tasked with overseeing this legislation. Over the course of her tenure as state superintendent, Mississippi went from having some of the nation’s lowest reading scores to being spotlighted as the state with the highest reading gains according to data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).
Here are some highlights from this engaging and inspiring discussion with Dr. Wright.
1. All reading pedagogy and resources must be based on evidence and proven by research to effectively promote literacy development.
One of the guiding principles of Dr. Wright’s work was ensuring effective and proven resources were in place. She shared, “Children’s lives are too valuable to use things that don’t work.” Dr. Wright described that one of her first actions as state superintendent was to create a team of experts in effective reading instruction who relied on scientific research to oversee these efforts. The team recognized the need to implement the research-proven Science of Reading approach across the state to transform reading outcomes.
When asked about the approach to eliminating practices or resources that are not research-based, Dr. Wright explained that she and her team regularly posed the question, “Are you demonstrating positive student outcomes? If the answer to that is yes, and there is a research base to support that, then that’s something you need to look at. If the answer is no or the results are mixed, you need to look for something else.”
2. Educational leaders should act with urgency and intention.
At one point during the conversation, the engaged audience asked, what would you have done differently? Dr. Wright remarked, “I sure wouldn’t have gone slower… My sense of urgency has never wavered, and that is what I tried to lead with.” Dr. Wright emphasized that, “You’ve got to go in every single day like it’s the only day you’ve got because the little ones are depending on you as the professionals that are standing in front of them and parents are depending on you…When the day is over, you can’t go back and grab that day.” Each day matters and Wright shared that she and her team focused energy on creating systems to ensure that every student was getting what they needed to maximize the impact of instructional time and move their literacy growth forward.
3. Building the capacity of educators with high-quality, ongoing professional learning sets the foundation for success.
All leaders know that teachers are an instrumental piece to transforming reading outcomes. And Dr. Wright emphasized that point, “Teachers and leaders come in every day wanting to do the best that they can” but many did not have the background on research-based practices to effectively teach reading to all students. Because of this, professional learning was at the core of her team’s plan. She explained the approach to teacher and administrator training “was not a finger-pointing exercise” about what had not been done in the past. Instead, her team framed the strategy around how they could best build teacher capacity.
Mississippi teachers needed to be educated about the Science of Reading so they could understand the why and the how. This includes the five major components of learning to read and how to teach them in concert with one another, rather than independently. This approach worked and the improvement in outcomes followed. Dr. Wright shared, “We are proof positive. We’ve trained all of these teachers and trained all of these administrators. People are feeling so much more confident about their teaching ability.” Beyond the initial professional development, Dr. Wright’s team continuously asked administrators and educators how else they could support them to refine their approach and support educators.
4. Empowering educators with information, materials, and guidance more deeply embeds evidence-based practices across schools and districts.
Dr. Wright shared that beyond simply teaching educators about the Science of Reading, it was necessary to equip them with an understanding and guidance on how to evaluate practices and materials to ensure alignment and success. She explained, “We wanted them to have not only the grounding of that work, but [to also understand] here’s what you can do with it.” To that end, Dr. Wright’s team created rubrics to evaluate instructional materials, resources, and curated lists of vetted high-quality curricula. She described that, as a leader in the state, “We were there to be in service to our districts, our teachers, our leaders, and our families. We asked, what do you need? and began creating what they needed to do their job even better.”
5. Sharing data is a powerful way to show what is working and build momentum.
During the conversation, Dr. Wright acknowledged that this effort to improve reading outcomes requires hard work, time, and buy-in from a cross-section of stakeholders. She explained that sharing data to show tangible measures that these efforts were yielding significant, positive results was crucial in building momentum and a continued investment in these literacy efforts. She noted that “proving that what we were doing was working–that speaks volumes.” The data “solidified a belief system” in the overall initiative. She also reflected that having this data be public and widely celebrated has made long-term state investment in literacy success much more likely: “The state has seen such great gains; I think they might be hesitant to not want to fund something that has been so successful.”
6. A commitment to prevention and intervention keeps the focus on improving student learning.
During the Q&A session of this event, an audience member asked about ways to support students who were reading below grade level. Dr. Wright responded, “Intervening early is critical. You’ve got to be able to meet individual needs. That’s the critical part–using your data to identify the kids that need the extra help.” Dr. Wright spoke of the heightened importance of intervention for students who are not meeting grade-level benchmarks by third grade–regardless of whether they are retained or promoted. She shared, “Children that are retained don’t need another year of the same thing. They need a more solid, intensive reading intervention and a solid 90-minutes of instruction and intervention.” And, children who are promoted to fourth grade, but not reading at grade level, also need additional instruction and support. To that end, Wright and her team provided supports for teachers of struggling third and fourth grade readers that included specialized professional development on how to provide the instruction and intervention that these students need.
7. Families, parents, and caregivers add tremendous value to literacy growth.
“Parents are critical in this whole endeavor,” Dr. Wright pointed out. She described that it is important to “invite parents in in a meaningful way…more than at a back-to-school night or parent conference night. It’s involving them as volunteers, it’s working with small groups, it’s having them serve on your leadership team. I think it’s important that they see themselves as a value add.” Wright and her team created information to engage parents including family success guides in multiple languages, an informational website, and resources to support schools engaging with families around literacy. She also noted that families can be great advocates for reaching out to decision-makers such as legislators–who listen to their constituents in prioritizing decisions and initiatives.
8. High-quality early learning dramatically improves the likelihood students will read on grade level by third grade.
As a true believer in the power of high-quality early learning opportunities, Dr. Wright explained, “Early childhood…is so critical, especially in states like Mississippi, which has the highest poverty rate in the nation, with spots that have very little access to high-quality learning.” With funding from the state’s Early Learning Collaborative Act, Dr. Wright was able to expand access to early learning in areas of the state that had the lowest scores on statewide assessments and had the fewest opportunities for high-quality early education. And by simply adding a question to kindergarten registration throughout the state, Dr. Wright and her team were able to see that those students attending the state collaborative programs were significantly outperforming their counterparts on literacy outcomes. With this success, she continued to find ways to “keep expanding those programs because we knew how well they were functioning” and was able to make the case to the state legislature to provide additional funds.
9. Community and legislative buy-in can catalyze transformational change at scale.
Dr. Wright credited support from the state legislature and the LBPA legislation with sparking the state-wide focus on literacy growth and creating the context that allowed for this remarkable progress. Throughout her time as state superintendent, she continued to partner with state legislators to generate funding and public support for the initiative. She shared that “Establishing relationships with legislators and elected officials to really believe that the department could lead this work went a long way in us being able to garner additional funds for what we were trying to do.”
10. Lean into instructional materials with a proven track record of research and efficacy.
There are hundreds of ed tech solutions in the market right now, but few organizations can demonstrate their products are research-driven and have data to prove they are moving the needle on student learning. Dr. Wright urged leaders to look to organizations committed to showing real data, not simply anecdotal results. When an organization leads with research, she shared, “It’s a telling piece that the leader that runs the organization has children in her heart and the power of what they are trying to get done with their product speaks volumes.”
11. It is essential to keep a laser focus on student learning and outcomes.
In reflecting on the lessons learned throughout this literacy transformation in Mississippi, Dr. Wright noted that all decisions, strategies, and plans should come back to the singular question of “Are children learning?” She emphasized that this central tenet “is the key–and you’ve got to keep that first and foremost in your mind at all times.” Wright went on to explain that if the answer to this question is no, educators must ask “Why not? And what else can we be doing that we’re not doing? If they’re not learning, how are we, as adults, changing what we’re doing to ensure that children are learning?” This unrelenting commitment to improving reading outcomes is inspiring educators and legislators around the country to implement an evidence-based and research-proven approach to accelerate reading growth for their students.
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]]>The post How to Start a Tutoring Program: Building Strategic and Effective Support for Students appeared first on Discovery Education.
]]>Think outside the classroom—tutoring programs give students the extra math and reading practice they need to start the new school year on track.
Many districts have turned to tutoring to support their students and provide necessary one-to-one instruction. Tutoring can effectively provide students with extra support and supplemental instruction. Further, research indicates that strategic and thoughtful tutoring programs via supplemental one-on-one or small group instruction can offer students positive learning experiences that can contribute to academic growth.
However, additional research into the efficacy of tutoring programs has indicated that although tutoring can be an effective method to provide students with learning acceleration, specific challenges may affect the impact of tutoring programs.
Educators should consider the following 3 strategies as they implement tutoring programs.
1. Provide Quality Curriculum
Challenge: Districts are experiencing teacher shortages. They must leverage any available instructional support among their staff. In many cases, districts have called on administrative staff, student peers and volunteer tutors to meet learning needs and produce tutoring programs. While helpful, often tutors work outside of their area of expertise. As a result, they must use established, reliable curriculum to drive student success.
Pro tip: Many educators have identified research-based personalized learning platforms in their schools to ensure program reliability and control over curriculum and content. Although these programs can’t replace the critical mentor-student relationship of a live instructor, they do allow faster differentiation for individual students or small groups. Further, educators and subject area experts develop the content and curriculum for such learning programs, ensuring quality control.
2. Ensure Widespread Access
Challenge: Many students benefit from high-dosage, one-on-one tutoring. However, these services can be a substantial investment, for districts and families. The average cost for a private math tutor currently ranges from $25 – $80 per hour. Further, if one-on-one tutoring is only available in person or at third-party tutoring centers, students’ families may incur additional transportation costs.
Pro tip: To offset some of these costs educators can adopt programs that offer online, 24/7 access to instruction that allow students to practice and build academic skills from any place, at any time. Students receive intervention or enrichment opportunities at home, during breaks or from any internet-connected device at school.
Schools can also work with community partners to implement learning solutions within their facilities during school hours. They also can offer tutoring sessions during, before and after school with paraprofessional tutors and on-staff teachers. This practice ensures that students receive the high-quality help they need without an out-of-pocket expense to their families.
3. Gain Insight into Effectiveness of Tutoring Services
Challenge: Traditional tutoring only allows educators to measure the efficacy and impact after tutoring concludes. They do this by analyzing summative assessment scores. Unfortunately, if tutoring was ineffective, students potentially will need increased intervention. Learning interruptions urge educators to leverage both formative and summative data to gauge the effectiveness of each program and monitor student progress. Without ongoing progress monitoring, students risk falling further behind during critical learning recovery periods.
Pro tip: Programs that offer data reports and formative assessments throughout instruction are key to ensuring that students receive effective and beneficial support and instruction. Educators can choose adaptive learning software that can be implemented during tutoring services or after-school programs. Many such programs offer robust reporting capabilities. These reports enable improved progress monitoring, rapid remediation, and turnkey lesson differentiation.
Educators and students have already demonstrated resilience through a variety of learning challenges. However, the impact of disrupted instruction begs for educators to respond with effective programs and tools that help students excel in their individual learning paths.
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]]>The post The Real Magic: How Relationships Drive Students Success appeared first on Discovery Education.
]]>Jessica Aue is the principal of Emerson Elementary School in Owosso, MI. She, along with her colleagues, have taken an innovative approach to addressing the intervention needs of the students at Emerson. It starts with building strong relationships between the teachers, the leaders, the parents, and the students. Read on to learn more about what Emerson Elementary School is doing to set up all their students for success.
We all know there are kids in our schools that need a little extra support to help them be successful. Unfortunately, there is no magical intervention program or one-size-fits-all solution to help them. At Emerson Elementary School, we have learned that the best way to help all students is to do everything we can to get to know them and their strengths. Once we know their strengths, we can move them forward.
We created the “Child Study Team” (CST) to accomplish the need to help all students succeed. Every month, our dedicated CST, which includes our reading and math Title I teachers, school psychologist, social worker, speech pathologist, and myself, meets with general education teachers and parents to collaborate on students who need additional support. We then use the outline below to set up a plan of success for our students and incorporate the critical importance relationships play in the process.
Child Study Team Process Outline: Steps to Set Students Up for Success
Identifying Concerns:
When a general education teacher or CST member feels that a student isn’t making expected progress, they reach out to me, the principal. I then initiate an initial packet to begin our focus on that student.
Gathering Insight:
The team collaborates to complete the packet, often conducting further assessments to understand the student’s current abilities more deeply.
Involving Families:
Once we’ve gathered enough information, we schedule a meeting and invite the student’s parents. At Emerson, we know that parents’ insights into their child’s personality, experiences, and motivations are invaluable, often revealing things that assessments cannot.
Celebrating Strengths, Addressing Concerns:
We begin our meetings by celebrating the student’s strengths. These celebrations lay a positive foundation, and they highlight that we’re here to support every child based on what they can do, not just where they may need help.
Collaborative Solutions:
Together with families, we brainstorm ways to support the student. This might involve extra intervention groups, Check-In Check-Out systems, mentoring, or even helping families address attendance barriers.
Creating an Action Plan:
We end each meeting with a clear action plan, detailing who will do what and setting a date to review progress. This step ensures accountability and gives us a chance to adjust as needed.
There may be no magical program to meet every need. The real “magic” is in our commitment to understanding each child and working together as a team—educators, parents, and support staff—to celebrate their strengths and overcome their challenges. It’s the relationships that matter most, and it’s these relationships that help our students move forward.
Jessica Aue
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]]>The post How Principals Can Lead Instruction Without Leaving Management Behind appeared first on Discovery Education.
]]>I sat in the back of a second-grade classroom, watching students being offered a choice.
They could respond in two different ways to a text that the whole class had read—a folktale depicting a family’s annual tradition from another culture. Students could write a review of the story or create a how-to essay about an activity they are familiar with. Because the students’ choices were authentic, when they embarked on their writing, every one of them was engaged.
As the school’s principal, I regularly conduct formal observations like these. No matter how good the instruction is, I always try to look for possibilities for professional growth.
In this situation, one literacy choice stood out for its quality and meaningfulness: students could describe in writing their own family traditions. This activity was rife with possibilities. What if the teacher modeled for students the steps for successful memoir writing? Could she demonstrate with a personal family tradition of her own? How might this reading/writing experience connect with social studies and maybe even a deeper study into family traditions from around the world?
During this session, I briefly stopped documenting evidence of instruction and instead started jotting down these ideas and questions on a pad of paper. There was no reason to put this information in the teacher’s observation; I didn’t intend to make these recommendations without an initial conversation about how the teacher thought the lesson went. Our follow-up discussion would take place later that day. The formal observation became the impetus for a conversation about embedding better literacy practices throughout the school day.
This example conveys how important it is that principals have the necessary time, knowledge, and experiences to be the instructional leaders in their schools. It doesn’t happen by accident.
Ensuring that the principal is a constant, effective presence in school demands three essential strategies: identifying school priorities, making classroom visits a habit, and using these visits to guide future professional learning.
Management should not be separate from instructional leadership. They are inseparable and support one another.
The Truth Behind #NoOfficeDays
Old-school thinking when it came to building leadership was clear One could tick off a principal’s duties with the ABCs: attendance, behavior, classroom observations, discipline, evaluation of staff, etc. Recently, these managerial tasks have been somewhat rejected by school leaders.
Principals are engaging in “no office days”, as evidenced by tweets of their experiences with the hashtag #noofficeday. Sometimes they will shadow a student for a day to gain a learner’s experience. Principals have even become a teacher for the day, giving one of their staff members the day to grade papers and plan for future instruction.
“There is nothing that I can do in my office that I could do in a classroom instead.” Be with kids! #noofficedays @mrsfadeji #gafesummit
— Jesse Woodward (@jessecwoodward) January 24, 2016
A3: be a part of the culture. Get out of the office. Ask the Ts, Ss, & Ps. Why I love #noofficedays embed yourself in the work #leadupchat
— Matthew Arend (@matthew_arend) February 20, 2016
These efforts by building leaders to be more present and visible in their schools are admirable. I’ve tried it myself, participating in a day of independent reading to promote literacy. The reality, however, is that principals don’t get subs.
Unless a building administrator has an assistant principal, there is no one qualified to fill in for us. The less spectacular tasks that are relegated to the office will still be there when we get back. Staff are left covering for us. Making #noofficedays a habit could breed resentment with one group while we try to be more present for another.
I suggest a better approach for being an instructional leader in our schools while still addressing the day-to-day managerial tasks: Find the right blend. This means understanding the context of our school and what needs to get done on the office end, so we are a more consistent presence in the classrooms and on building grounds.
Every school has a unique mix of class size, diversity, climate, needs, and strengths. With this information, we can align our work with a few priorities. Finding the right blend also means scheduling our days so classroom visits are habit instead of an event. A smart integration of management and leadership duties can lead to improved teaching and learning. The following strategies can be applied to any school context.
3 Ways to be an Effective Structural Leader
1. Develop a Priority Plan
We can only focus on a few goals at any one time and still be successful as school leaders. In my school, I am new to the position. That means that building trust is a priority. I’ve done a lot of listening. I’ve asked staff about their thoughts and needs, and ensured I am visible throughout the school day. Our other priority is literacy, specifically around reading comprehension and fluency. The data was clear in this area. Our leadership team has responded with facilitating monthly professional development around authentic reading and writing experiences.
The idea of aligning our actions with our priorities into a plan comes from The Together Leader by Maia Heyck-Merlin. She defines a priority plan as, “a three-month extraction from your yearly goals that names what matters most for you and your team.” I look at my priority plan regularly as I prepare for upcoming work.
Having our priorities laid out and aligned with our goals and objectives accomplishes two things. First, the faculty are clear about what we will support regarding professional development opportunities and teaching resources. Second, it is easier to say no to requests that aren’t aligned with our priorities. It’s not a subjective or personal decision, but based on a clear rationale.
For example, I was recently asked why STEM is not a focus. The response: “It seems like that’s all education talks about.” I listened and then asked this person how literacy might support the STEM areas. We ended up agreeing that if students wanted to pursue studies in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics, they had to be literate.
2. Make Classroom Visits a Habit
To ensure a school’s priorities are put into practice, school leaders must make classroom visits a habit. If we are successful in redistributing nonessential tasks to other personnel, this can happen every day. I put classroom visits on my calendar, which is shared with my assistant. The minimum is one hour per day, getting into every classroom for at least a brief time. Staff understand that this is protected time. Any interruptions should be an emergency. (I’ve learned that the term “emergency” also requires conversation to develop a common understanding.)
Being visible in the classrooms daily serves our dual priorities of building trust and increasing effective literacy instruction. To build trust, I make sure my visits are focused on teachers’ strengths, and that I let teachers know what I am noticing. The feedback can be given verbally or in writing. I ordered a stack of professional notepads with my name and school information. I will write down what I notice is going well and leave the note in the teacher’s classroom or mailbox. In addition, I will name the effective practice using common language we have learned together during our literacy-based professional development program.
Trust relies on open communication. This goes for the parents and community as well as the teachers and students. That is why I also use Twitter to post the excellent work happening in classrooms. My school tweets usually consist of a brief description, at least one image of the learning in action, and the hashtag #PointerNation so it shows up on our district’s social media feeds. Using the same process of noticing and naming, I can now recognize and celebrate teaching and learning around literacy in an open forum. An additional benefit is all this information can be archived digitally to document and organize artifacts for our professional evaluation systems.
3. Use Instructional Walks to Reinforce Professional Learning
As trust increases and literacy instruction improves, windows open in which I can start offering feedback about teacher instruction. During my regular classroom visits, I will sometimes sit in for a longer period to write a narrative of what is currently happening. It is noticing what is happening and then naming the practice. These one-page write-ups are referred to as “instructional walks,” in which “the principal notices what’s going well in the classroom—environment, management, engagement, level of student independence, lesson content, grouping arrangements, quality of student work,” writes Regie Routman. Like the brief notes, the goal is to build on teachers’ strengths and create a relationship in which they are open to future guidance.
Because my walks are habit, I can address our collective instruction instead of conferencing with each teacher individually. The information gleaned from my daily visits is used to inform future professional learning experiences.
What if teachers are not applying the skills learned during professional development into practice? Certainly, I could note this during our formal observations for the state-mandated evaluation system. Yet I find the rubrics and evidence gathering to be limited at best—helpful for teachers in one or more areas, but unnecessary when teachers are already doing well. Formal observations and evaluations can even be detrimental to the daily classroom visit process. Trust can deteriorate when there is too much of a focus on ratings and rubrics. Also, evaluation systems are time-intensive. They used to monopolize my days, which is why I now do the bare minimum in this area.
Instead, as much as I can, I am a learner with staff and students. One way is by asking lots of questions. Whether during an instructional walk or formal observation, I will make inquiries about why teachers are doing what they are doing. For example, instead of leaving a vague, summative statement, such as “This was an effective activity, because…,” I might ask “What about this activity do you feel had the greatest impact on student learning?” Whether the learning experience was excellent or otherwise, the responsibility is now on the teacher to self-assess their instruction. Follow-up probes, such as “Why do you believe that? ,” guide teachers to cite evidence from their lessons to support their rationale. My wonderings also happen during professional development. Instead of positioning myself as an expert, I might question a belief or a statement as if I were also teaching.
Management and Leadership are Not Mutually Exclusive
During the post-observation conversation with the 2nd grade teacher, I started by asking a series of questions, starting with “How do you think the lesson went?” and “Why do you think that?” Once we affirmed that the lesson was a success, I started to probe with wonderings to unpack what was possible for the future. “Of all the choices, which literacy activity might lead to future learning?” was the inquiry that led to a professional conversation about expanding on the family traditions writing activity. The teacher suggested a personal family tradition that she could use for a writing demonstration. I held off recommending that she tie in social studies with a deeper understanding of the concept of traditions. Knowing that my priorities were in place, that my classroom visits were a habit, and that I had a team to guide faculty in professional learning, I knew that I would have more opportunities in the future.
About the Author
This column was submitted by Matt Renwick. This is Matt’s seventeenth year in public education. He started as a 5th and 6th grade teacher in a country school outside of Wisconsin Rapids, WI. After seven years of teaching, he served as a dean of students at a junior high, which developed into an assistant principal position and eventually head principal at an elementary school. Now as an elementary principal for the Mineral Point Unified School District, Matt enjoys the curriculum, instruction and assessment side of education. You can also connect with Matt on Twitter at @ReadByExample.
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]]>The post Key Takeaways from the CGCS Fall Conference appeared first on Discovery Education.
]]>The Discovery Education team recently attended the Council of the Great City Schools’ 68th Annual Fall Conference in Dallas, Texas. Hosted by Dallas ISD, the event joined educators from large urban schools under the inspiring theme "Leading Innovation & Transformation, We Do Urban Education." The conference featured a series of compelling sessions where education professionals shared concrete ideas and strategies to solve their biggest challenges together. We listened carefully to what district leaders had to say, and were excited at how closely their priorities align to key findings in our new Education Insights Report. Read on to learn more.
High-Quality Instructional Materials: Content Matters Because "Skills are Boring"
A popular session was “Big Things Happen Here: Using High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) to Drive Achievement in Urban Schools.” Among the highlights were Charissa Govan and NaTonya Huff from Dallas ISD reaffirming that “content matters because skills are boring.” This simple, yet profound statement captures the heart of effective teaching—specifically that engaging, meaningful content is the right vessel to deliver skills mastery and standards mastery.
Embedding foundational skills into engaging content makes them more accessible, relevant, and exciting to learn. But don’t forget to lead with the standard(s) being taught so that the critical connection can be made as students are engaged with their learning.
Making the Connection
A key finding from The Education Insights Report shows ~90% of students are motivated to learn new things, while nearly half of teachers (46%) report student engagement has declined compared to 2019. This means the desire to learn is there, yet it’s not being realized. Researchers believe that by focusing on what makes their students curious, teachers will see greater student motivation and engagement. The report offers several ways to accomplish this.
Open All Lines of Communication to Align Goals
The Discovery team also attended the session, “How the Harvard Accelerating Board Capacity Summer Institute is Strengthening Urban School Board Members.” Presented by individuals from districts like Cleveland and Boston along with Harvard, this insightful conversation focused on how school board decisions do not always align to a district’s goals. This can lead to purchasing programs that don’t move the needle for student achievement. If school boards take an academically centered ROI approach to programs, with invaluable input of their educators, they can move the needle in the right direction.
Making the Connection
Another key insight from the report found that only 25% of teachers say the district provides support to make teaching engaging. Yet, 86% of superintendents say they do provide those necessary supports. This disconnect aligns with that between the district and the school board. Collaboration is key to solving these challenges, as leaders and educators agree, so let’s open the lines of communication with all stakeholders.
Focus on Targeted Professional Development
Equally enlightening was the “Jolly Ranchers: Developing Urban School Leaders Through Principal Pipelines” session. Presented by Jefferson County Public Schools and Philadelphia Schools, the discussion focused on leadership pathways and the critical importance of supporting stable and qualified teachers and principals.
Making the Connection
According to the report, teachers’ top four PD interests focus on student engagement, meeting individual student needs, new trends in education, and stress reduction. These also align with teachers’ top reported challenges. By focusing on these areas, school and district leads can ensure they are supporting a stable, qualified, and happy workforce.
Overall, the conference provided the Discovery Education team with rich insights to bolster urban education initiatives. Participation in thought-provoking sessions and exchanges with fellow educators reinforced our commitment to fostering transformative educational experiences. We left Dallas energized and equipped to continue driving excellence in urban education.
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]]>The post High-Impact Teaching Strategies & Resources for Today’s Classroom appeared first on Discovery Education.
]]>I clearly remember the first day of my first year of teaching.
I walked into the high school… I was 22 years old, about to teach 18-year-olds. How could anyone think that was a good idea? I knew no one and was surrounded by so many veteran teachers who had been around for such a long time. It was a mix of emotions—excited, nervous, curious, unsure—but, I had landed my dream job and I was ready for whatever came to me.
Maybe you remember that feeling from a few years ago, or 30 years ago, or maybe this is you now. If you’re in your first year of teaching, congratulations and thank you! You’ve got a great year ahead of you. And, even if you’re not new this year, every year is a fresh start to try new things in your classroom and connect with your students in new and creative ways.
At the heart of Discovery Education is the desire to support teachers—new and veteran—in finding creative ways to engage students in their learning. So, whether you’re brand-new this year or returning, here are some effective teaching strategies and resources to help you in your classroom this year.
SOS Instructional Strategies
Oh, you thought I was going to start talking about our amazing digital resources? Yes, we have those, but if you’re here you probably already know that. Let’s dive into how you can use those resources with your students, starting with SOS Instructional Strategies. These research-based teaching strategies are designed to help educators integrate digital resources in creative, innovative, and engaging ways. Gone are the days of students sitting passively in front of a video. My favorites include:
Those are just a few of my go-to teaching strategies, but we have over 100 in the DE platform. Many of them come with accompanying graphic organizers and student videos. Not sure where to start? Check out our support resources which includes Top 10 Lists for hot topics and subjects, like developing literacy, ELL, or the 4Cs—just to name a few.
Hear how Emily Strickland, a teacher in South Carolina, uses SOS Instructional Strategies in her math classroom.
Ready-to-Use Activities & Quizzes
The right strategy can serve as a check for understanding, but sometimes you may also want something formal to keep track of student learning. Our pre-built activities combine our high-quality content with SOS Instructional Strategies, giving you that magic formula for engaging lessons. Use them for quick turnkey assignments or customize in Studio to fit your classroom needs. Find lesson starters, background builders, writing prompts, Virtual Field Trip activities, and so much more!
Here are a few to help you get started:
- Life Science Choice Board (3-5)
- Relationship Skills (6-8)
- Understanding Defense Mechanisms (9-12)
- Virtual Field Trip Student Activity: Mars Exploration
You can also take advantage of our Quiz Library, packed with over 400 pre-built video and standard quizzes. Just search your topic, review the quiz, make edits if needed, and launch! Students can take it live in class with you facilitating or it can be assigned for them to take on their own. Some of my favorite quizzes are:
- The Very Cold, Freezing, No-Number Day
- Cut the Drama, and Use a Comma
- Growth Mindset: Growth Reflection
These ready-to-use activities and quizzes are created in our Studio and Quiz tools, which you also have access to. Create your own activities and quizzes from scratch or use one of our templates to get started right away!
Professional Learning
Free time. What’s that? Bet you’re thinking, ‘I barely have enough time to plan my lessons, you think I have time for professional learning?’ We hear you. Which is why DE has developed a collection of microlearnings—little bursts of learning designed for you to do whenever and wherever you can. Have a few minutes at the end of your planning period? Want to just listen while you’re in the car? We’ve got you!
The start of a school year can be an exciting yet nerve-racking time. Take a deep breath. You’ve got this. And know that you can count on DE to support you every step of the way.
Have you found a resource or new way of using DE in your classroom? Be sure to share us by tagging @DiscoveryEd on Twitter or Instagram or in our DEN Friends Facebook group!
About the Author
Ann Crilley is the Senior Manager of Community Engagement at Discovery Education. She started her career as a high school math teacher, before spending five years as an Instructional Technology Coach for elementary school teachers. She’s since served in a number of roles at DE, all focused on empowering our educators through professional learning, impactful resources, and the DEN Community. Read more >
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]]>The post Balancing Human Intelligence with Artificial Intelligence appeared first on Discovery Education.
]]>The emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a useful technology with many possibilities has led to questions around how to use AI in the classroom. Educators and students alike are curious about the applications of AI in teaching and learning and recognize the importance of balancing the use of AI with existing (and budding) human skills. Read on to learn more about AI’s potential and consider how to pair this exciting technology with human skills for maximum impact.
Understanding AI's Potential
One overwhelming part of Artificial Intelligence is its seemingly endless potential. There is a wealth of opportunities for AI use, but at its center, AI should be viewed the same way we consider other technology—as a support for human work. When considering implementation in the classroom, AI can support both educators and students, and should be introduced thoughtfully. For example, generative AI can help create thought starters and inspiration for projects, or it can help refine work in the later stages of a project. While it may not be immediately obvious to educators as to how and when to introduce AI into their classrooms, starting with a clear list of options for AI use is step one. By considering practical, and ethical, uses of AI, educators will then be prepared to take advantage of its supportive uses, and pass those learnings on to their students.
Emphasizing the Importance of Human Input
Technology evolves to assist humans in working faster and more efficiently, and its use should be filtered through the lens of how it can support and pair with human efforts, not replace them. The same way a word processing program helps speed up writing long reports, AI should be viewed to work and think faster, not a way to stop thinking. Generative AI can help someone gather information, but without human analysis, reflection, and fact-checking, the information can be rendered useless. Dr. Tim Hudson, Chief Learning Officer at Discovery Education, explains in his new eBook on AI, “Regardless of whether students are analyzing an AI-written article, or an article written by a human, they need to have the skills to assess the validity of that content and respond appropriately.” AI can be a great time-saver in the research and information-gathering process, but it can’t replace human judgement when it comes to analysis of results or steps for editing and presenting these results.
Education frequently adopts new technologies to enhance learning experiences for students and assist educators in efficient lesson planning. AI is the latest addition to a growing collection of technology tools educators may consider adding to their classroom practices, and like any new tool, its implementation calls for consideration and support.
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]]>The post 4 Key Components of Quality STEM Projects appeared first on Discovery Education.
]]>As educators, it is our role to create an environment conducive to high student engagement. In my classroom, one way I have learned to maintain student interest in a subject is by putting them in the driver’s seat.
Developing quality STEM projects requires an investment from the student in their learning. By giving students ownership of the content, they’ll be more motivated to learn.
Rather than asking students to memorize abstract concepts, STEM-based projects allow students to solve problems in the context of the real world. Using real-world problems answers the commonly asked question, “Why is this important, especially if I can Google it?” However, as educators embarking on a new way to approach lessons, we have to reverse our ways of planning with the end in mind. STEM-based projects cannot be planned in a traditional format where teachers have a specific end goal for students to reach. I have discovered that learning with STEM is a journey, and it cannot be confined to preconceived barriers.
When launching a quality STEM project, consider the following four components.
1. A Driving Question
What part of our curricula is most attractive to our students? This answer will be different depending on each and every student. Structuring the lesson around a driving question will direct the path of your students’ learning. A driving question can be around a real world phenomenon or a topic which students have some knowledge of, but want to explore further. Some driving questions I have used in my classroom include, “How have human choices impacted the environment?” and “How can we help reverse the effects of pollution on our local environment?”
2. Solve A Problem
Problem-based learning creates a context for students to relate their knowledge to the problems of the real world. Solving a problem helps to instill a confidence in students that they can impact change. I have found this success is incredibly rewarding to students. It piques their interest and cultivates curiosity in the solutions to other real-world problems.
3. Opportunities to Redesign
Teaching and learning with a question in mind takes patience and effort. Students need opportunities and time to process feedback and use the feedback to reflect, revise, and refine their work. This cycle will highlight areas that can be improved through redesign. For example, I have former students tasked with designing rain barrel models to help conserve water and limit runoff pollution. After building their initial model, students tested their model with water. Several groups noted some leaky areas and used this evidence to redesign the next version of their rain barrel model.
4. Multiple Assessment Methods
Driving questions lend themselves to a variety of assessment methods. One student’s findings may be represented using a Google Slides presentation, while another student may need to create a physical model to explain his work. In an increasingly digitally dependent world, many students are more engaged and comfortable with using digital technology to share their knowledge. Both methods are acceptable as long as the same criteria for success are used to assess each project.
A sample criteria for success may be:
- The project accurately and appropriately answers the driving question.
- The project shows deep understanding of the unit concept.
- The project includes a minimum of two cited research sources.
A driving question hooks your students and pulls their learning into a real world format. STEM projects facilitate connections to be made in the journey of learning rather than at the beginning or end of an instructional sequence. This sense of ownership helps to build the 21st century learners that are leading our future.
About the Author
Ginger Berry is a middle school teacher in Montgomery County Public Schools.
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]]>The post 7 Ways to Combat Teacher Shortages appeared first on Discovery Education.
]]>Numerous academic studies have shown that high-quality teachers are critical for student, school, and district success. Recruiting, training, and retaining effective educators is perhaps the most impactful contribution school and district leaders can make toward long-term student growth and achievement. Unfortunately, schools and districts around the country are grappling with unprecedented teacher shortages and high rates of educator turnover. The National Education Association recently reported that job openings are outpacing educator hires, with a minimum of 314,000 teaching positions currently unfilled or filled by noncertified teachers across the nation. This represents an astounding one out of ten teaching positions being vacant or without a certified teacher. While this crisis has impacted some districts more than others, this problem is affecting districts everywhere.
During our recent webinar, Combating Teacher Shortages: Strategies for Classroom Balance and Learning Success, a panel of school and district leaders shared best practices and strategies for preventing educator burnout and increasing teacher retention rates. Angie Reeves, Principal of Sedge Garden Elementary, Sean Gaillard, Principal of Appalachian State University Academy at Middle Fork, and Jenny Alyn Key, Curriculum and Instruction Director at Yadkin County Schools shared insights from their experiences nurturing supportive work and learning environments for educators.
Here are seven key takeaways from this important and timely conversation:
1. Build a culture that honors teachers’ work and reinforces their critical role in student lives.
All of the panelists noted that, in order to address current teacher shortages and promote higher retention rates, it’s essential to create a transcendent culture where educators feel valued. Gaillard explained that this needs to go beyond superficial declarations or performative acts of teacher support. “It can’t just be confetti and jeans days” but, instead, we need to do “something in a real, intentional way because teachers choose us—choose our school to work at” when they could be choosing to practice their craft elsewhere or use their time differently.
Educators put in an incredible amount of time and energy every day because they care deeply about students. However, they often do not get positive feedback or realize the fruits of their labor. It’s important to create mechanisms for teachers to feel connected to their work and to see the impact they have on students. Key shared that she reinforces the value teachers contribute to student success by specifying a teacher’s decision or action and connecting it to a positive outcome for the students.
2. Involve teachers in decision-making.
During the webinar, the expert panel agreed that it’s important to include teachers’ voices in decision-making. Doing so honors the contributions of teachers and ensures that decisions consider their unique and insightful perspectives. Gaillard described his experience, “Any decision that we make is often best when we have many voices and many hands at the table building consensus.” He explained that his school has design teams rather than committees, because administrators want to ensure that, “everyone feels they have a hand in the designing, creating, and decision-making processes.” Key concurred and noted that, as a guiding principle, her district “[tries] to build voice and choice as often as we can, getting feedback from teachers.” They regularly ask teachers, “What do you need?” and then find ways to respond to those needs. This approach ensures that teachers feel included, especially because it will uplift those working with students each and every day.
3. Specifically, teachers should help inform any resources selection process.
Empowering teachers to share their experiences and insights to guide tool and resource selection communicates that administrators respect those experiences. Reeves explained she firmly believes that teachers “need to be a part of any large budget decision that we make.” She continued, “I don’t like making decisions in a vacuum . . . Even though I try to see it from a teacher’s perspective, I don’t always get that right.” To build this inclusion into the decision-making process, she has created a budget team at her school with teachers from different grade levels and specialties so that they can effectively consider a wide diversity of teacher input in budget decisions.
Key strongly agreed with this approach. She shared that her district involves teachers in every step of resource evaluation and selection, and as a result, they have seen tremendous benefit. “What we have found is that their buy-in has been so much greater” than when they were left out of the selection process. Teachers are more likely to feel invested in program implementation when they are part of discussions about the program’s potential to drive student learning.
4. Free up capacity for new program implementation.
Gaillard described the overall challenging context of the current state of education. “School as we know it, education as we know it, has shifted dramatically. The needs of students have intensified, and the demands on teachers have also intensified.” Because of this, schools and districts persistently ask teachers to do more. Key added, “We must be mindful of capacity issues in what we are asking of our teachers. As we keep adding to teachers’ plates, we need to be evaluating what is having the biggest impact. And whatever those things are, we must provide the time so teachers can actually process, learn, and grow together, avoiding that burnout before it gets here.”
The panelists agreed that technology can be an effective resource to support teachers, build capacity, and enrich what they do. But site and district leaders must be careful to identify high-quality tools that are easy to use and implement. Key cited that her district has found success using digital adaptive resources to provide student interventions or respond to the diversity of student needs within a classroom. She explained, “We have worked really hard to find products that support [intervention] needs” as well as small group instruction, in a way that seamlessly complements classroom instruction and educator expertise. In adopting these digital resources, her district explicitly communicated to teachers that these resources are meant to support their efforts, not replace them. “We were transparent and communicated clearly with our teachers. We want you to use the technology, but you are the expert, you are the magic.”
5. Create time for meaningful, relevant professional development and growth.
When teachers feel that their work is truly impacting students and that there is room for learning and professional growth, they’re more likely to stay. The panel described the importance of professional development for all teachers to ensure that they have the necessary tools and support to be effective and expand their expertise. Gaillard succinctly described that “professional development has to be part of any conversation” about teacher retention. The group discussed how important it is to fit this professional development into their school schedule in a way that works for teachers. In other words, professional learning cannot feel like something teachers have to squeeze in or displace other important planning time. They noted the value of setting aside professional development days regularly to create this space for learning and collaboration with other educators.
6. Elevate and encourage teacher leadership.
Finding ways to contribute to the broader community of educators is a powerful spark to reignite enthusiasm and energy in the classroom and beyond. Gaillard pointed out that “Teacher leadership . . . is one of the keys to retention.” He called on teams to “really look at how you are distributing your leadership” and noted that “empowering your teacher leaders, tapping into the strengths-based leadership, and doing some things to make [teachers] feel empowered” encourages teachers to remain in the profession. He explained that not every teacher wants to become an administrator, but that there are other pathways for experienced teachers to lead including lead teacher roles, curriculum coaches, and grade-span leaders.
The panelists also discussed the value of creating smaller scale opportunities for teachers to share best practices with colleagues. Gaillard mentioned implementing instant PD opportunities where any teacher who wants to share an idea can do so during dedicated 15-minute slots. Key agreed, noting that “collective teacher efficacy has proven to be so beneficial. If we can use each other’s strengths to build a better impact, what better way to grow professionally.”
7. Communicate—with words and actions—that you care about teachers as professionals and humans.
During the conversation, the educational leaders discussed strategies for caring for their teachers and creating a community based on respect to ensure educator wellbeing. Reeves described the goal simply, “Teachers have to know we care about them as people.” She went on to talk about the importance of balance and recognizing that teachers have full lives outside of school. As a principal, she guides teachers to set boundaries between their time at school and at home. She tells her teachers, “Have a time where you shut off at night. Make sure you are spending time with your family, away from that phone, away from that email. It can wait until tomorrow morning. It can wait until Monday morning.” She tries to avoid sending them emails over the weekend, explaining that “I really want them to disconnect. If you’re on the go all the time, you are going to burn out quickly.”
Gaillard added, “Teachers have to see and feel that we believe in them . . . Just as we encourage our teachers to believe in the kids, we have to be visible and visceral in our belief in our teachers as well.” The panel went on to list additional ways to honor the work of teachers and to let them know that they are important, effective, and needed. They discussed leaving handwritten notes in teacher mailboxes, writing a quick affirmation on a teacher’s white board, making phone calls to teachers and their families acknowledging their hard work, and even mailing a picture and note to teachers’ families outlining the impact their work has on students.
Gaillard pointed out that these seemingly small gestures have a major impact on how educators feel about their job and role in the school community. “I find that those kinds of small simple [acts] go a long way in building that culture of a sense of belonging for teachers.” This kind of culture of connection and respect sets the foundation for embedded practices that yield high rates of teacher retention and collective investment in long-term educator and student success.
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]]>The post 9 Essential Steps for Superintendents Leading a Districtwide Digital Transition appeared first on Discovery Education.
]]>Laying the Foundation for a Modern Digital Learning Environment
School administrators may be excited by the prospect of students learning at their own pace on devices loaded with interactive, customized lesson plans; or envisioning teachers as facilitators in classrooms where students are empowered to lead their own learning. But the step-by-step process of transitioning to a digital curriculum can be daunting. It requires much more than simply providing devices to students. A digital transition is a multi-faceted, multi-year process that must be carefully considered, planned and communicated.
We are three superintendents with 16 years of superintendent experience and 20 years of K-12 teaching experience among us. As heads of school districts—one small, one medium and one large—we have steered the transition to digital learning. We know firsthand what works and what doesn’t. We’ve experienced setbacks and successes. Sometimes we moved too fast, other times we wished we had been bolder. We’ve learned a lot along the way, and we’ve brought our experiences together to provide helpful steps as others consider making the transition to digital.
Digital transition is the shift from physical textbooks and paper handouts to digital, interactive learning tools.
9 Steps for Superintendents to Lead a Districtwide Digital Transition
1. When Planning a Digital Transition, Start with the "Why?"
In our experience, this crucial first step is the foundation for a successful digital transition. Consider how digital learning will align with standards, add value for teachers, and enhance the student learning experience. Then make sure you broadcast this message clearly and frequently. Begin by involving all stakeholders — principals, teachers, parents, students, the Board of Education, local businesses and community residents. Is the goal of digital learning to provide education for all levels of learners? Is it to prepare students for the workplaces they will encounter? Is it to engage and challenge students with inquiry-based lessons? Your answers will be tailored to your community and school.
Why we took the digital leap:
“We wanted to level the playing field and make sure all students have access to the technology that prepares them for the future.” — Susan Allen, superintendent of East Irondequoit Central School District, NY
“We knew the future of our students was going to change, and we wanted to make sure we could provide our students with the best learning tools that were available.” — Christine Johns, superintendent of Utica Community Schools District, MI
“In Las Vegas, teachers had a lot of learning levels in their classrooms. Technology allowed teachers to bring more differentiation into their instruction.” — Dwight Jones, former superintendent for Clark County School District in Las Vegas, NV
2. Assess Your District's Readiness for a Digital Transition
Spend time building broad-based understanding and support through meetings with the board of education, principals, teachers, parent teacher associations, and other local stakeholders. Develop and communicate a roll-out plan that takes into account which schools in your district are most ready for digital transition as well as which schools are most in need of digital investment. Some school districts will start with a particular grade or subject, while others will begin with the teachers who are most eager to learn about and use digital learning tools.
3. Make Sure Your Digital Resources are Standards-Aligned
Just like printed materials, digital materials must deliver on the standards that students are expected to know and be able to do. There are many great resources—both print and digital—that generate highly engaging classroom experiences, but have nothing to do with the curriculum. Invest in digital resources that enhance your teachers’ abilities to deliver the learning objectives they’re expected to teach.
4. Clearly & Relentlessly Communicate Your Vision
As you embark on a digital transition, use the communication tools you already have to provide a framework, and make answers to questions easily available to all stakeholders. There is no such thing as over-communication. Your district must be relentless in its effort to explain the importance of the digital transition you are planning. Do not expect anyone in the district, not even teachers or principals, to automatically know the value of digital tools.
In addition to proactive communications describing the goals and benefits of the initiative, it is important to keep lines of communication open throughout the process. Be transparent about challenges, setbacks, and promises with all stakeholders. Listen to concerns, and address them as they arise. For example, a common concern about digital transition is that students will be distracted by devices in the learning environment. Anticipate this concern, acknowledge it, address it and then let stakeholders know exactly how it was addressed. An effective strategy for handling this type of concern would be to provide professional development around it for teachers, and a book study for parents, and then write a blog post about it to share what has transpired with your community.
5. Engage Your Navigators
Purchasing digital content without someone who deeply understands the nuances of different providers truly is flying blind. Dedicate knowledgeable staff to guide the purchasing process, for both hardware and digital curriculum, and to help steer and encourage professional learning opportunities. These navigators will become the champions to help your district move this project forward and to provide answers throughout the process. Before they begin their work, encourage them to reach out to colleagues in other school districts to learn about their experiences.
6. Transition Slowly. Target a Grade Level & Iterate
Ask teachers who are enthusiastic about the digital transition to opt-in to the process, and allow them to pilot the transition. Those teachers can then serve as resources who can share their insights and experiences with other teachers preparing for digital learning. Honor this learning by celebrating teacher leaders who are risk takers, leading every day by example.
7. Provide Ongoing Professional Learning
Professional learning should be embedded and ongoing so that teachers and other system staff gain a real facility with utilizing technology and digital content to create self-directed student learners. Administrators must become versed in digital learning so they can observe and evaluate teachers. Focus on nurturing digital learners and provide professional development beginning the spring before roll out, then continue through the summer.
Once the school year begins, bring a curriculum mentor into the classroom to work with students and teachers. Professional learning can be offered in person, online and through webinars. Teachers can be pulled out of their classrooms for instruction, or instructor/mentors can provide digital learning guidance during the instructional day. Make sure teachers have access to resources throughout the school year so they always have a place to turn with questions or when seeking lesson ideas. Some teachers are going to be skilled and eager digital instructors, while others will be wary of change to their established lesson plans. Full-scale professional learning should be based on the content that will be taught, not on grade levels or familiarity with the intricacies of the devices. Teachers want to know how to teach content effectively and with ease. Show them how.
8. Prioritize Learning Over Technology
Demonstrate to teachers how technology can be used to support a variety of teaching styles, including small-group collaboration, rotating through technology stations, student presentations and teacher-led instruction. The goal is to create classroom environments where students are directing their own learning and teachers are guides, not dispensers of information.
9. Embed Lessons of Digital Citizenship
Ensure students learn digital citizenship and sourcing skills. Devote classroom instruction time to teach students how to be good digital and global citizens. That includes knowing how to interact online without bullying, how to advocate responsibly and how to evaluate the trustworthiness of sources. Students also need to learn how to resist the siren call of a device. One student said a digital learning environment helped him learn how to resist distraction: “I had a choice to make. I could remain distracted and my grades could go down, or I could use this tool to get better grades.”
About the Authors
Dr. Christine Johns is the former superintendent of Utica Community Schools District, MI, a position she held for 14 years.
Susan K. Allen formerly served as the superintendent for East Irondequoit Central School District, NY
Teachers are always looking for new and creative ways to engage students.
Dwight Jones, former superintendent for Clark County School District in Las Vegas, NV
The post 9 Essential Steps for Superintendents Leading a Districtwide Digital Transition appeared first on Discovery Education.
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