Does Your Feedback Help or Hinder Learning? An Inquiry into Effective Feedback
“We all need people who will give us feedback. That’s how we improve.” -Bill Gates talking to business leaders Initial thoughts There are two basic forms of feedback. Numerical or letter grades rank a student’s relative standing among classmates. The student feels good with a high grade or poorly with a low grade, but it […]
Redefining Coaching in the Science Classroom
By Michael Mohammad Just over 2 months ago, my district moved to a virtual learning model with our students in response to the COVID-19 Outbreak. We will continue with virtual learning through the end of the school year. That means 13 weeks total of a virtual learning model for students (and teachers) who […]
Coaching Learners to Bolster Engagement and Action
By Scott Wright As many of us so often do while reflecting on the people and conditions we interact with, questions often lead us to new learning and motivation. This is one that I have been repeatedly asking myself as my role continues to change. How might teachers and parents provide feedback that […]
Two Educational Leadership Frameworks: A Toolbelt and a Pair of Glasses
By Scott Weinstein If you are an educator, you are familiar with the phrase, “one more thing!” It is a fair sentiment by educators describing the plethora of initiatives and different forms of accountability that often leave teachers scrambling and dealing with time-consuming work that frequently does not have a tangible impact on their […]
Remaining Open to Continuous Learning
By Arthur L. Costa and Bena Kallick “All of the top achievers I know are lifelong learners… looking for new skills, insights and ideas. If they’re not learning, they’re not growing…not moving toward excellence.” Denis Waitley Successful people are in a continuous learning mode. Their confidence, in combination with their curiosity allows them to […]
Mind over Matter: Overcoming Learning Obstacles by Building Habits of Mind
By Jacquelyn Whiting Educators and students all bring particular habits of mind with them when they enter their schools and classrooms. And under the pressure of data crunching and competition for high scores, some of those habits — developed over an educational lifetime — become self-sabotaging. As a public high school Social Studies teacher, […]
Setting the Record Straight on Growth Mindset: Part 2
By James Anderson Last week, I spoke about the first of two crucial points that must be understood about the Growth Mindset that allow us to respond thoughtfully to current criticisms. That is, the Growth Mindset is not growth – it is simply the understanding that growth is possible. The second point we need to understand […]
