Curriculum Based Professional Learning: The State of the Field

In recent years, promising open-source, high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) have presented exciting opportunities to enhance students’ engagement and agency in their learning, expand access to grade-level content, and narrow the boundaries between home and school —all without increasing the cost that schools and districts incur for curricula. However, research suggests that curricula, on their own, Read more about Curriculum Based Professional Learning: The State of the Field[…]

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How Learning Forward’s Professional Learning Standards Are Associated With Teacher Instruction and Student Achievement: A Meta-Analysis

In 2022, Learning Forward released a revised set of Standards for Professional Learning for teachers. Since the setting of Learning Forward’s 2011 Standards, a growing body of research and implementation in the field surfaced, revealing additional areas of interest salient to teacher professional learning. These areas emerged as Learning Forward engaged in ongoing discussion with Read more about How Learning Forward’s Professional Learning Standards Are Associated With Teacher Instruction and Student Achievement: A Meta-Analysis[…]

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Coaching Improvement Resources

When told with the perspective of hindsight, many improvement stories can seem relatively clear and straightforward– a team isolates a problem, does some tests, learns some things, and a few iterations later, they’ve made progress. In practice, however, applying improvement science principles, tools, and methods to solve a problem in an educational context can be Read more about Coaching Improvement Resources[…]

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Equity in Student-Centered Learning Design

A new guide from Education Evolving is designed to help teams design learning that equitably honors the unique assets and needs of students. It provides tips, stand-out examples, and discussion questions for teams to work through, focused on each of Education Evolving’s seven principles of student-centered learning. The guide draws wisdom from 11 brilliant educators Read more about Equity in Student-Centered Learning Design[…]

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Data matters, but only if it leads to effective teaching action

Recently, The Hechinger Report published an article that reviewed research showing that data analysis has not significantly improved student outcomes since the No Child Left Behind Act ramped up national data collection. Data — even high quality data— is of no value if it isn’t used effectively. In a response piece, Chris Minnich explains that Read more about Data matters, but only if it leads to effective teaching action[…]

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Transforming Education into a Learning System: Reflections on the Pandemic

In a new brief, Carnegie Corporation of New York and EducationCounsel explore how the American education system responded to the COVID-19 pandemic, identifying gaps (missed opportunities and systemic shortcomings that deepened the challenges our schools faced) and bright spots (existing and new efforts where learning system approaches supported more effective action). Drawing on those lessons, Read more about Transforming Education into a Learning System: Reflections on the Pandemic[…]

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Teacher Professional Development Is in a Rut, but Better Research Can Help

For years, researchers have found teacher professional development programs to be largely ineffective. But a  new and growing body of research suggests that professional learning, done well, can both increase teacher morale and raise student outcomes. This means it is: Grounded in the content and curriculum of the teachers receiving it; Dependent on the expertise Read more about Teacher Professional Development Is in a Rut, but Better Research Can Help[…]

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Scaling the Site Coordinator Role

As educator preparation programs prepare teacher candidates to be successful in the classroom on day one, they recognize that they must anchor that preparation in teacher residencies – high-quality clinical experiences where candidates receive a full year of practice under an experienced, highly effective mentor teacher in a K-12 classroom. What’s more, these experiences optimally Read more about Scaling the Site Coordinator Role[…]

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Using Evidence to Support Innovation in Teacher Professional Development

A new research-and-development partnership, led by AIR, focuses on an innovative program for K-12 teacher professional development. With support from a federal Education Innovation and Research grant, AIR is helping two organizations at the forefront of K-12 teacher professional development—The Danielson Group and Learning Forward—to develop, refine, and test the Professional Learning With Impact program. Read more about Using Evidence to Support Innovation in Teacher Professional Development[…]

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When Is the Right Time to Make Changes in Education?

Dr. Kim Fleming, President of Core Education, LLC, recently joined Jeff Ikler and Kirsten Richert on their Getting Unstuck: Educators Leading Change podcast to discuss changes that may persist in education beyond the pandemic and new innovations on the horizon.    Kim on why this conversation matters: “There is something really urgent about the moment Read more about When Is the Right Time to Make Changes in Education?[…]

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High-quality Curriculum Doesn’t Teach Itself

Recently in Fordham’s Flypaper, Robert Pondiscio reviewed the new “Professional Learning Partner Guide” published by Rivet Education. Excerpts of the piece appear below: A new initiative is taking up the challenge of reviewing and rating professional learning in a more rigorous way, centered on the adoption and use of “high-quality instructional materials” (HQIM), and with Read more about High-quality Curriculum Doesn’t Teach Itself[…]

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K-12 Professional Development Trends to Watch in 2021

Writing for K-12 Dive, Katie Navarra recently reviewed new trends emerging for K-12 educator professional learning. Excerpts from the piece appear below: The coronavirus has required teachers, like their students, to shift how they receive training and support. Even when schools can return to “normal,” these forced changes may result in long-term benefits. Following are Read more about K-12 Professional Development Trends to Watch in 2021[…]

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Principal Preparation Guidebook

The George W. Bush Institute Education Reform Initiative has released a new resource for districts, policymakers, and funders based on the initiative’s five-year research collaboration with four school districts. The newly released Principal Preparation Guidebook, the fourth in a series of guidebooks, provides guidance on how to effectively prepare a strong pool of principal candidates. Read more about Principal Preparation Guidebook[…]

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Social, Emotional, and Academic Development through an Equity Lens

The majority of public schools and districts in the U.S. report they are working to support the social and emotional learning of students. But in too many places, the approach is to focus narrowly on changing student behavior rather than implementing practices that build relationships and create learning environments that support positive social and emotional Read more about Social, Emotional, and Academic Development through an Equity Lens[…]

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The Elements: Transforming Teaching through Curriculum-Based Professional Learning

A new report by Carnegie Corporation of New York calls for transforming teaching and student learning by anchoring professional learning in high-quality curriculum materials. Teachers’ jobs are changing in real time. Over the past decade, new academic standards have dramatically shifted expectations for student learning. It’s no longer enough to raise a hand and give Read more about The Elements: Transforming Teaching through Curriculum-Based Professional Learning[…]

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Responding to Crisis With A Tiered Support System

Eric Nentrup, writing for Getting Smart, reviews Turnaround Children’s new tiered support toolkit for educators who are supporting children and families in crisis. Excerpts of the piece appear below: Turnaround Children recently released a tiered support system action pack that takes advanced learning science and makes it accessible for educators to respond to the crises Read more about Responding to Crisis With A Tiered Support System[…]

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