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Professional Development Tools

Whether you’re looking for something as simple as the perfect icebreaker, or a plan for a full-day in-service session for 100 teachers at many grade levels, this is where we share our tried and trusted tips for successful professional development sessions.

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Professional Learning Accountability Partners

Jen Court offers a strategic way to create and support professional learning accountability partners in schools.

Five Books to End the Year Coaching Strong

Stephanie Affinito offers five picture books to end the year coaching strong. Each offers an opportunity for teachers to enjoy a book together, reflect on the year, and walk away with a book to share with their students. 

Mini (But Mighty) Ways to Connect with Teachers

Gigi McAllister gives tips to help maintain consistent communication and connections with teachers in a way that respects their time when sharing information.

 

It’s Time to Pause: A PD Session to Reconnect with Core Values

Heather Fisher guides a reflective practice exercise to begin a professional meeting that gives space for participants to pause and consider their core values. This simple experience has the potential to powerfully energize educators.

Coaching Minute: Be Aware of How Your Presence Affects the Room

Ruth Ayres shares the importance of being aware of how your presence affects the room. This is part of a series about the importance of norms.

Coaching Minute: Expect and Accept a Lack of Closure

Ruth Ayres shares why it is important to expect and accept a lack of closure. This is part of a series about the importance of norms.

Aiming for a 5 on a Scale of 1–10

Gwen Blumberg adjusts her expectations to a 5, rather than a 10, as she sets a big assessment project in motion. This small shift in mindset allows the team to expect and embrace bumps and shifts along the way.

Coaching Minute: What’s Said Here Stays Here; What’s Learned Here Leaves Here

Ruth Ayres shares the importance of having a place for instructional coaches to learn, as well as process their own situations. This is part of a series about the importance of norms.

Coaching Minute: Be Wholly Present

Ruth Ayres shares the the importance of setting a norm about presence. This is part of a series about the importance of norms.

Coaching Minute: The Importance of Norms

Ruth Ayres shares the reason why norms are important for professional learning sessions. This is the first installment in a series about the importance of norms.

Bite-Sized PD

Jen Court shares a “sweet” idea for practical and meaningful professional learning. Download a template to tailor professional learning for your school.

Three Books that Changed How I Teach and Think About Reading

Matt Renwick reflects on three essential professional books for understanding how to teach and think about reading instruction.

One Powerful Way to Improve Your Strategic Plan

Matt Renwick offers one powerful strategy to improve your strategic plan by considering the obstacles and how to overcome them.

Five Business Books Every Leader Should Read

Matt Renwick shares five business books every school leader should read.

Resisting the Scripted Curriculum

Matt Renwick offers four suggestions on how to make literacy tasks from a scripted curriculum meaningful.

Three Expectations Regarding Grammar Instruction

Ruth Ayres outlines three expectations for school leaders to hold regarding grammar instruction.

Summer Work: Absorb the World

How will we prepare to lead strong literacy initiatives next year? Nawal Qarooni Casiano makes a case for recharging and disconnecting to allow ourselves to be naturally thoughtful, literate individuals.

Welcome Slides Set Professional Learning in Motion

David Pittman uses welcome slides to set a purpose and orient participants to the professional learning session.

Wrapping Up the School Year: Start, Stop, Keep

Nawal Qarooni Casiano leads educators through a reflection on equity and access by considering what we want to start, stop and keep in our practices.

Soft Starts to Meetings That Build Empathy

Tara Barnett and Kate Mills share soft starts to professional learning meetings designed to build empathy by providing opportunities for teachers to do the work of readers and writers, as well as connect with one another.

Virtual Icebreakers: Part 1

In this first installment of “Virtual Icebreakers,” Heather Fisher shares creative ideas for opening meetings in order to maintain strong staff relationships while meeting virtually.

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