One of the most powerful teaching and learning practices is providing specific, timely feedback (Hattie, 2008). Feedback can take the form of acknowledgement and praise or error correction to help guide learners in strengthening new skills. This week’s post and accompanying module focuses on best practices for respectful, dignified, and effective error correction. The linked… Read More Effective Classroom Practices to Get Ready for the New School Year: #4 Feedback for Growth: Error Correction
Effective Classroom Practices to Get Ready for the New School Year: #1 Procedures and Routines
As we embark on a new school year, most educators are planning to use a teaching matrix to develop and model expectations within the learning environment. Using a classroom matrix (Robbie et al., 2022, pg. 4) that aligns with the language of the school-wide matrix (Robbie et al., 2022, pg. 5) is critical for success…. Read More Effective Classroom Practices to Get Ready for the New School Year: #1 Procedures and Routines
Meaningful Mindset Shifts for Teaching, Learning, and Community
The way we view the world, education, our classrooms, and the students and families we serve is often influenced by numerous factors including the beliefs, values, and assumptions we have developed through our experiences and environments. We may often be unaware of them, yet they are one of the primary drivers of our actions. During… Read More Meaningful Mindset Shifts for Teaching, Learning, and Community
Mindset Shifts: Building Balanced Partnerships
Intentionally shifting our mindset around shared decision-making can be scary, yet can also be empowering. Ensuring your team embraces the power of including different voices to make changes can wield truly innovative, sustainable shifts in the culture of your school. Inviting stakeholders, those who are truly representative of your community, to be active participants in… Read More Mindset Shifts: Building Balanced Partnerships
Mindset Shifts: Expanding our View of Acknowledgement
Taking an instructional approach towards behavior is critical when establishing supportive, consistent learning environments. However, while behavior specific praise is a powerful tool that helps to shape behavior in the classroom, viewing acknowledgement through a broader lens can truly transform classroom communities. Consider how simple and welcoming gestures can also serve as a supportive strategy… Read More Mindset Shifts: Expanding our View of Acknowledgement
Mindset Shifts: Teaching for the Classroom and Beyond
An instructional approach to supporting students’ behavioral change and social skill acquisition isn’t just about decreasing referrals and the rate of off-task behavior in the classroom. At all ages and developmental stages, teaching learners new or needed skills to navigate the educational environment can positively impact their academic achievement and lifetime social experiences. This week… Read More Mindset Shifts: Teaching for the Classroom and Beyond
March Motivational Mondays
#4 Active Supervision Active supervision in schools involves the continuous monitoring of students by staff to ensure safety, engagement, and expected behavior. Key components include frequent teacher movement, scanning the environment, and routine interactions with students. This proactive strategy helps prevent disruptions, strengthens student-teacher relationships, supports positive behavior, and promotes academic success through close observation… Read More March Motivational Mondays
March Motivational Mondays
#3 Formative Assessments Formative assessment is an evidence-based practice that allows teachers to gather low-stakes information, or data, to monitor students’ learning. In doing so, they can use this information to adjust their instruction to increase understanding and achievement. A critical element of formative assessment is providing timely, specific feedback to benefit students. There are… Read More March Motivational Mondays
Leading Literacy Support through a MTSS Framework
Looking for a systematic approach to supporting literacy in your division or school that aligns with the requirements of VLA and doesn’t feel like “one more thing”? Consider how to support literacy through a MTSS framework and check out this helpful resource from the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE). The Multi-Tiered System… Read More Leading Literacy Support through a MTSS Framework
The ABCs of HLPs
In a field of ever-changing acronyms, how do educators know which techniques to use and how to implement them effectively? It can be overwhelming when best practices shift or new teaching strategies enter the chat. The good news is that you have likely used HLPs or seen them utilized during high-quality instruction. As leaders seek… Read More The ABCs of HLPs
March Motivational Mondays
#2 Acknowledgement with Behavior Specific Praise Learning is nearly impossible without feedback. Being acknowledged for doing something well is always appreciated, but if you aren’t really sure what exactly you did that was so great, it’s very hard to replicate or do it again. When educators give feedback along with the acknowledgement, this allows the… Read More March Motivational Mondays
Mapping HLP #1 to VLA
As special educators across Virginia aim to meet the diverse needs of students, the intersection of high-leverage practices (HLPs) and legislative requirements is more important than ever. One critical alignment that stands out is High-Leverage Practice #1 – Collaboration, and its synergy with the Virginia Literacy Act (VLA). This intersection can offer educators a framework… Read More Mapping HLP #1 to VLA
Looking for a Few Good Books?
Welcome to March and National Reading Month! Participating in literacy and reading activities is an important part of life. Through reading we learn academic content as well as having access to the joy of leisure reading. One strategy to improve reading skills is to increase reading enjoyable texts (Brozo & Flynt, 2008). To help educators… Read More Looking for a Few Good Books?
