Getting Started As An Instructional Coach

Are you a new instructional coach? Trying to figure out how to organize yourself but not sure exactly where to start? Let me show you some of the forms and tools I use as a coach. First off, figure out your priorities. You can’t do everything all at once. If you’re new to your school, take some time to observe…

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3 Different Approaches to Instructional Coaching and When To Use Them

Choosing the appropriate coaching approach depends on various factors, including the coachee’s needs, the coaching context, the coach’s style and expertise, and the specific goals and objectives of the coaching. Jim Knight’s book The Impact Cycle identifies three different approaches to coaching: facilitative, dialogical and direct. Coaches often adapt their approach, and they may incorporate elements of each of these…

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Create a Shape Robot STEM Challenge

I love doing STEM challenges with kids. They can be a low-prep, highly engaging activity to pull out when you have some extra time, you have a substitute or you find your students’ attention dwindling during certain times of year. STEM challenges are great for summer break as well! Did you know that some studies estimate 70-80% of students experience…

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Is Your Grading Fair? How to Assess Your Rubric

A rubric is supposed to make grading projects or presentations more fair. But do they always? No, they don’t always grade as fairly as we hope. That’s why it’s important to reflect after you grade projects with a rubric for the first time. You can do the following activity to check. Do on your own using several examples of student’s…

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teacher in classroom

3 Data Collection Tools to Use During Informal Observations

Data collection allows administrators, school leaders, and educational researchers to assess and evaluate the effectiveness of teachers. By observing teachers in action, they can gather evidence about instructional practices, classroom management, student engagement, and overall teaching quality. This data helps provide constructive feedback to teachers, identify areas for improvement, and support professional development efforts. Classroom observations, combined with data on…

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The Importance of Critical Thinking in the Classroom: Strategies for Teachers

Critical thinking is a crucial skill for students to develop in school. It is the ability to think deeply, logically, and independently about a topic, problem, or situation. The importance of critical thinking in education cannot be overstated, as it empowers students to become more effective learners, thinkers, and problem-solvers. 5 Reasons Why Critical Thinking Is So Important To Teach…

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Ways Parents Can Prevent Summer Learning Loss

Summer learning loss, also known as “summer slide,” refers to the loss of academic skills and knowledge students may experience during the summer break. Parents may not be aware that the summer slide even exists but educators know it’s a real thing. This phenomenon occurs amongst almost every student of every age, but it has a particular tendency to occur…

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How to Value Diversity in Your Classroom

What is Culturally Responsive Teaching? Culturally responsive teaching isn’t just about racial ethnicity. It is a set of intentional teaching methods, lesson plans, activities, and attitudes that include students from diverse backgrounds equally. As schools around the world become more and more diverse, helping students to connect learning to their own backgrounds continues to be one of the top ways…

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Ways to Calm a Loud Class and Regain Attention

A noisy classroom isn’t always a bad thing, sometimes it means students are excited and actively involved in hands-on, group activities. However, teachers always need a way to regain student’s attention so they can give further directions, answer questions or just transition the class to another activity. Here are some strategies to calm a loud class and regain their attention.…

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Preparing Students for the Real-World with Project-Based Learning

As the world continues to evolve, so must the educational methods that prepare students for the real world. One such methodology that has been gaining popularity is Project-Based Learning (PBL). PBL is a student-centered approach where students learn by applying concepts to solve real-world problems. In this post, we will discuss what PBL is, the benefits of using PBL in…

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