Ensuring future student success: Defining and assessing 21st century skills
School districts around the country share the goal of preparing their students to succeed in the future, regardless of where these students’ individual [...]
Beyond style: Playing a variety of consultant roles to meet clients’ needs
A colleague recently asked me to describe my “consulting style.” I interpreted their question as wanting to learn more about how I see and enact my role [...]
How deepening client relationships supports systemic change
Have you ever thought about the kinds of questions your doctor asks you and how strange it would seem for you to ask the same questions back to [...]
Researching Lyrics2Learn’s potential impact on literacy instruction
Since 1992, The Nation’s Report Card (NAEP) has indicated minimal improvement in reading. One of every three fourth-grade students cannot read or understand text at a basic proficient [...]
How can you tell if literacy instruction is working across a district?
States from Tennessee to Wyoming have passed laws aimed at ensuring that all students can read. The laws require a variety of specific actions from [...]
Get your house in order: Preparing for change through curriculum mapping
To undertake any major change, the critical first step is to take stock of where you are and get your house in order. In the case of [...]
Three ways to improve your listening skills to build trust and understanding
“You can listen like a blank wall or like a splendid auditorium where every sound comes back fuller and richer.” ―Alice Duer Miller, American poet “The word ‘listen’ [...]
Piloting and validating a new educator evaluation system in Wyoming
When state education agencies and school districts set out to build new systems, programs, and tools, it’s helpful to have a trusted partner to help [...]
Rural schools are already the hub: How a community schools approach can capitalize on this strength
The rural schools that I’ve visited across the country are each unique—from Newhalen, Alaska, where as a visiting researcher I flew in on a bush [...]
Outcomes matter: Helping school teams maintain focus and achieve their goals
I feel grounded and most productive when my house is well-organized and tidy. But using an annual “spring cleaning” approach doesn’t work for me—I start with great gusto [...]