Briefings
What Effective Professional Development Looks Like
with John Murray
Professional learning can be a powerful lever for school improvement, yet much of the PD that is conducted in schools has a limited impact. John Murray, author of the book Designing and Implementing Effective Professional Learning, joins us to explain how schools can change theirl professional development practices in order to support real teacher learning. Continue
Planning for Retirement
with Derek Wheaton
Derek Wheaton has been an educator for 32 years, including 18 years as a practicing principal. Honored by the NAESP as a National Distinguished Principal, Wheaton recently retired, and in this segment he provides his perspectives on planning for retirement … Continue
Flipping Teacher and Parent Communication
with Peter DeWitt
We’ve heard a lot recently about the value of the flipped classroom, where kids do their learning at home by watching videos online. Peter DeWitt, principal of Poestenkill Elementary School in Poestenkill, New York, joins us to talk about what … Continue
High Performing Teams
with Michael Chirichello
Michael Chirichello is a respected national and international consultant for school districts and he joins us to discuss the importance of high performing teams, their impact on school success, and how leaders can foster a school culture that values authentic … Continue
Great Leadership Creates Great Workplaces
with Barry Posner
Barry Posner, bestselling author of The Leadership Challenge and one of the Top 50 Leadership Coaches in America, joins us to provide his insights into the characteristics of great leadership and how school leaders can create great workplaces that will improve schools. Continue
Getting Teacher Evaluation Right
An interview with Linda Darling-Hammond
Linda Darling-Hammond, one of the country’s foremost authorities on education practice, joins us this month for our main interview, in which notable leaders in education pose their own questions on the topic of teacher evaluation. Participants include Gail Connelly (NAESP), Dan Domenech (AASA), Stephanie Hirsh (Learning Forward) and Tracey Severns, Chief Academic Officer of the New Jersey Dept. of Education. Continue
Better Ways to Use Technology in Schools
with Kristen Swanson
Technology holds significant potential when it comes to improving learning, but according to a recent report, most students are using tech in schools primarily to practice rote skills. Noted technology expert Kristen Swanson joins us to discuss how schools can … Continue
School Leaders and the Common Core
James Bellanca is nationally recognized as a practical innovator and as a leading advocate for 21st century skills. Jim is co-author of the book The School Leader’s Guide to the Common Core, and in this segment he outlines the practices … Continue
The Architecture of School Improvement
Many lessons have been learned over the last three decades when it comes to school improvement. Joseph Murphy, a leading researcher in educational leadership, joins us to talk about some of the essential ingredients common to all school improvement efforts … Continue
The Meaningful Use of Data in Schools
Edie Holcomb, author of Data Dynamics: Aligning Teachers, Teams, Schools and District Efforts, joins us once again this month for part two of her discussion of what the meaningful use of data in schools should look like. In this segment, … Continue
The Leader’s Checklist
An interview with Michael Useem
World-renowned leadership expert and bestselling author Michael Useem joins us to provide his insights into the most important qualities of good leaders and to explain how school leaders can develop their ability to make good and timely decisions in the … Continue
Bullying and Cyberbullying: What Every Educator Needs to Know
Bullying in schools and online is more pervasive than ever, fueled by the use of electronic devices and digital interaction. Nationally recognized expert Elizabeth Englander, who is the author of the book Bullying and Cyberbullying: What Every Educator Needs to … Continue
The 12 Touchstones of Good Teaching
with Bryan Goodwin and Elizabeth Hubbell
Checklists are an essential tool for managing complex tasks and are indispensable for airline pilots and surgeons. But how about for teachers? Can a checklist help teachers keep their classroom practice focused on the hallmarks of effective instruction? Bryan Goodwin … Continue
Teacher Rounds and Collaborative Learning
Medical rounds are a staple in teaching hospitals. Could a similar model enhance the professional learning of teachers? Tom Del Prete, author of Teacher Rounds: A Guide to Collaborative Learning In and From Practice, joins us to explain what teacher … Continue
Educating Students in Poverty: Effective Practices for Leadership
An interview with Mark Lineburg
More than 22% of American children live in poverty and well over a million are homeless. Virtually all attend public schools. Mark Lineburg, co-author of the book, Educating Students in Poverty: Effective Practices for Leadership, joins us to talk about the special needs of socioeconomically disadvantaged students and what schools can and should do to meet the needs of these kids. Continue
The Trust Factor: Strategies for School Leaders
with Julie Combs
Trust is a key factor that separates the school leaders who succeed from those who don’t. But what exactly does trust look like in an educational setting and how do you build it? Continue
Self-Driven Learning and Student Motivation
with Larry Ferlazzo
Efforts to improve our schools are typically focused on teaching, curriculum, and testing, but ignore a critical piece of the puzzle—the students. In this segment, Larry Ferlazzo, author of the book, Self-Driven Learning: Teaching Strategies for Student Motivation, joins us to talk about what it takes to create intrinsic motivation in our students. Continue
Rigor for Students with Special Needs
with Barbara Blackburn and Brad Witzel
The Common Core and updated state standards require a far more rigorous approach to teaching and learning for all students, but as rigor increases in our classrooms, where does this leave our special needs students? Continue
Towards Better Use of Data
with Edie Holcomb
As the use of data is emphasized more and more, school leaders must develop a better understanding of the most effective ways to use it to achieve school improvement. Edie Holcomb, an expert on the topic, joins us to talk about the common misuses of data that she sees, and what schools can do to avoid those situations. Continue
Teacher Inquiry and the Common Core
with Nancy Fichtman Dana
Nancy Fichtman Dana, co-author of the book,Inquiring Into the Common Core, joins us to explain the value of teacher inquiry—the systematic, intentional study by teachers of their own practice—in implementing the Common Core. Continue