Teaching & Learning
The Opportunity Culture: Extending Great Teaching
Research shows that, on average, students who have the best teachers make about three times more progress than students who have the least effective teachers. Bryan Hassel, co-director of Public Impact, joins us to explain how to create an Opportunity Culture in schools, where the excellent teachers are able to reach many more students and these teachers are rewarded with higher pay within the existing budget. Continue
Unlocking the Doors to Top Teacher Performance
Improving school performance begins with school leaders who are motivated instructional leaders, but it won’t get far without teachers who are also highly engaged. So how do you get your teachers to become engaged? Award-winning principal and leadership expert Cathie … Continue
Evaluating America’s Teachers
As teacher evaluation becomes a reality around the country, all school leaders must address a fundamental concern: what do sound teacher evaluation practices actually look like? What does it take to provide balanced, accurate and rigorous evaluations that take into … Continue
5 Tools for Principals to Increase Rigor
How can school leaders make higher expectations for all students a reality? It begins with making the classroom a far more rigorous place. Barbara Blackburn, an authority on rigor, joins us to provide her insights into the topic this month. Continue
A School Leader’s Guide to Improving Teacher Quality
Candi McKay, author of the new book, You Don't Have to Be Bad to Get Better: A Leader's Guide to Improving Teacher Quality, joins us to discuss how to bring out the best in teachers through strong instructional leadership, and to talk about the role that school leaders need to play if we are to create and sustain a learning environment where all students can succeed. Continue
Character Education and Student Success
Is character development important to student success and can schools actually teach character? Scott Seider, the author of the book, Character Compass: How Powerful School Culture Can Point Students Toward Success, joins us to talk about why character matters and how character education supports positive student outcomes. Continue
Answers to Essential Questions About Grading
Thomas Guskey, co-author of the new book, Answers to Essential Questions About Standards, Assessments, Grading, and Reporting joins us to discuss why many grading practices leave much to be desired when it comes to helping students to succeed. Continue
Supporting Teachers with the Common Core
Sarah Tantillo joins us to offer some very practical advice for school leaders as they implement the Common Core, especially as it relates to supporting teachers as they unpack the new standards and begin to understand what the standards mean both literally and for instructional purposes. Continue
Failure is Not an Option, It’s a Necessity
Everyone fears failure —students, teachers and school leaders—and we all do our best to avoid it at all costs. But as Ron Krause explains in this segment, failure is an integral part of learning. Ron was a successful principal for over 25 years and now serves as a nationally certified principal mentor, a national coach for principals completing their certification in mentoring, and an adjunct instructor at Lewis University. Continue
Developing a Growth Mindset in Students and Teachers
John D’Auria, President of Teachers21, an organization working to ensure that all students learn from effective and caring teachers and that competent and persistent leaders guide every school, joins us to talk about the topic of developing a growth mindset in students and teachers. Continue
Supporting Learners With the Common Core
Barbara Blackburn joins us to talk about some of the issues that the Common Core State Standards raise when it comes to providing support and scaffolding. Along with the rigor that the new standards bring, there are going to be gaps that have to be addressed between what is taught now and what teachers will be expected to teach, as well as the lack of prior knowledge that will impact most students as the new standards are phased in. Continue
Literacy Skills and the Common Core
Amy Benjamin is a nationally recognized consultant specializing in improving student performance through literacy in all subject areas. She has given workshops, courses, and keynotes throughout the United States and Canada, and is the co-author of the new book, Big … Continue
School Systems That Learn
with Paul Ash and John D'Auria
Why is it that even high-performing districts can’t close achievement gaps? Paul Ash, superintendent of the Lexington Public Schools in Lexington, MA and John D’Auria, the president of Teachers21, join us to discuss how schools can improve student achievement by … Continue
Instructional Leadership: Saying No to Business as Usual
Drawing on 35 years of experience as a teacher and principal, Dr. Alan Jones believes that if school leaders truly want to improve schools they can no longer perform their jobs as if it were business as usual. The traditional view of instructional leadership sees it primarily as a management function, but Jones challenges school leaders instead to look at instructional leadership as an educational function. Continue
Making the Common Core Standards Work
with Bob Manley and Rich Hawkins
What should the role of school leaders be in making the Common Core State Standards work? How can school leaders engage teachers so that they become the critical thinkers and problem solvers who truly bring the new standards to life in the classroom? Dr. Bob Manley and Dr. Rich Hawkins, both former school superintendents, and the co-authors of the new book, Making the Common Core Standards Work, join us to answer those questions and more. Continue
The Common Core: Teaching Students to Dig Deeper
Ben Johnson, author of the book, Teaching Students to Dig Deeper: The Common Core in Action joins us to talk about why students must learn how to be curious and opportunistic and, as the title of his new book suggests, "dig deeper," if we wish to increase the number of college and career-ready graduates. Continue
Effort: How to Get Students to Work Harder
We tell kids that if they want to succeed in school they need to work harder, but what does working harder really mean? Howard Pitler explains in this segment that teachers can get students to work harder by clearly defining what effort means and why helping students to see the connection between effort and achievement is essential. Continue
World Class Learners: Educating Creative and Entrepreneurial Students
To succeed in the new global economy, students need to be able to think like entrepreneurs and be resourceful, flexible, creative, and think globally, but how can we turn out students with these skills in a world driven by high stakes testing and standardized curriculums? Yong Zhao joins us to explore the issue. Continue
Why Teacher Effectiveness Matters
Dr. James Stronge discusses the positive impact of highly effective teachers on students, and conversely, the damage that ineffective teachers can cause. He also explains the influence that effective principals play when it comes to learning. Continue
The School Leader’s Guide to Improving Classroom Instruction
Thomas McCann, co-author of the book, ,Teaching Matters Most: A School Leader’s Guide to Improving Classroom Instruction, challenges school leaders in this segment to rethink their approach to instructional leadership, so that teachers can move towards a more engaging and rigorous style of instruction. Continue