In my last blog post , I asked instructional coaches to consider themselves something far greater than the title “coach” suggests. I asked you to consider yourselves the leaders you are. In my experience, when an instructional coach evolves into an instructional leader, her potential to unlock change and teacher growth skyrockets. In my work, I lead educators through the process of learning how to become an instructional leader. There’s always a magic moment where I can see t

Anytime we sit down to coach a teacher, we are asking her to trust us. We are asking her to join us on a vulnerable process of growth, where we will ask her to push herself farther than she thinks she can go. To take learning leaps of faith with us. To honestly assess her strengths and opportunities for improvement. All of us know how challenging, sometimes even scary it can be to self-assess and acknowledge we need to improve. Yet it takes enormous courage. It also takes gre

For a school to move towards becoming a true learning organization, school instructional leaders must focus on leading, and not simply managing, instructional growth. Undoubtedly part of leading instruction growth is managing the work during the process. Leaders can manage and managers can lead. However when trying to create a culture of continuous growth, it is critical to reflect on the amount of time spent managing versus leading. Here are a few differences to consider:

Team contracts are a staple in any good project-based learning experience. When written correctly and implemented effectively, team contracts provide an invaluable support for both teachers and students.  They not only provide an avenue for students to take ownership of their learning but they also build real-life skills such as coordinating with others, communication, people management, and negotiation, all skills noted as needed in the World Economic Forum’s “The Future of

While conducting classroom visits in an elementary school in Saipan, a young boy started quizzing me about who I was, where I was from, and if I liked his work. As I bent down to answer his barrage of questions, he said, “Why are you here?” I explained that I was helping his teachers, to which he replied, “Do you really think we are worth flying so far to help?” Without hesitation, I looked into his beautiful brown eyes and said, “Yes, you are quite special.” And I meant it.

Many schools are now trying to integrate the Next-Generation Science Standards into their classroom practices.  A part of the standards are the eight Science and Engineering Practices that depict the actions taken by scientists as they investigate the world and by engineers when building systems. They are designed for implementation in K-12 classrooms. As I conduct classroom visits for schools and help instructional leaders consider how to fully implement the Practices, the q

In my coaching of instruction, I will frequently help schools design more relevant learning experiences for their students.  Relevant learning tasks help students utilize the content skills teachers have taught them while also developing much needed career skills.  It moves instruction from the abstract to the concrete.  There are three main types of relevance one should consider:  1) Personal Relevance is connected to a student’s individual aspirations, interests and experie

Group work can help students develop valuable skills such as communication, teamwork, management skills and responsibility for their own learning but if not implemented properly, group work can be chaotic and lead to disengagement. Here are some tips that might help plan effective groups. 1. Consider the Group’s Size When groups are too large, you can almost guarantee some students will be disengaged. Groups of four or less typically work best for most classroom learning ex

Many of you have asked, “Sherry, how can I follow your work?”  After a year of answering, “I hope to have my blog up soon,” I think I’m finally at a point where I can stop talking about blogging and actually write! It is my hope that the topics in this blog will help you become more reflective in your practice, whether as an educator or school/district administrator.  I know implementing the Common Core State Standards is on the mind of many educators these days so I hope to

In our Teaching with the Next-Generation Science Standards series, we focus not only on teaching science content but also teaching students to think like scientists.  The standards are divided into three dimensions-practices, cross-cutting concepts and disciplinary core ideas.  It’s important to keep all three dimensions in mind when planning science instruction so students have access to the correct content at the correct level of rigor.  In our workshop series, we share man

Integrating technology into the classroom is part of Reflective Learning, LLC Common Core State Standards Implementation Workshops.  Writing Standard 6 is part of those workshops.  This standard asks students to “explore a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers” with guidance from adults.  This standard progresses to the point where in grade 11-12, students are asked to utilize technology to “produce, publish, and update

As a part of the Speaking and Listening Standards, students are asked to listen to and evaluate the thoughts of others.  To help educators teach this skill, we’ve placed a few activities on our website.  Use the password “ccss” to login to our workshop area where you will not only download the printable activities but directions on how to use them.  It is a part of our continued effort to help teachers implement the skills of Common Core State Standards via effective instruct