HIGH-IMPACT INSTRUCTION

When it comes to improving instruction, teachers, instructional coaches, and administrators have literally hundreds of options.  But what teaching practices are the few that show the greatest potential to improve student learning and engagement?  Researchers at the Instructional Coaching Group have been exploring this question for the past decade. The result is High-Impact Instruction: A Framework for Great Teaching. This framework focuses on the instructional areas of content planning, formative assessment, engaging instruction, and community building.  This session will provide an overview of the teaching strategies constitute each part of the framework, also known as the Big Four. Participants will also get access to resources they can use to promote use of the Big Four in their school or district, including observation forms and coaching checklists. Anyone interesting in learning how to improve the quality of instruction should find this workshop useful.

FOCUSING ON TEACHING: USING VIDEO FOR HIGH IMPACT INSTRUCTION

As video has become more affordable and portable, school districts across North America are exploring ways to use the technology for improving teaching effectiveness. They are discovering how powerful video can be for self-reflection, coaching and teamwork. However, if video is not implemented effectively, its impact will be significantly decreased. 

During this presentation, participants will learn strategies from the new book Focus on Teaching: Using Video for High-Impact Instruction.  Participants will learn what should be done when implementing video in their district or school to increase teaching effectiveness – including suggestions for teachers coaching themselves, instructional coaches coaching teachers, teams, and principals conducting evaluation. We will explore what to do and what to avoid to ensure that video is implemented in a way that makes a real, positive difference in teaching and ultimately for students.

HOW INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES & PRINCIPALS SHOULD WORK TOGETHER TO IMPROVE INSTRUCTION

For the past ten years, researchers at the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning (CRL) have been studying instructional coaching. CRL’s instructional coaching model has been adopted by school districts and state agencies in more than 25 states across America. Participants will learn about the partnership philosophy that is the theory behind this approach, and the research that has been conducted on this model to coaching.

This workshop is designed to enable participants to answer the following questions: (a) What is an instructional coach? (b) How do coaches enroll teachers, identify coaching goals, model, observe, discuss data, and reflect about their practices? (c) What is the philosophy behind instructional coaching? (d) How can principals and coaches work together to ensure successful professional learning in schools? (e) How should professional learning be structured within schools to get maximum impact on teaching and learning, (f) How should the impact of coaching be assessed?

Instructional Coaching:  What we are learning about effective coaching practices

Researchers at the Kansas Coaching Project at The University of Kansas have conducted several studies recently to identify what and how coaches should act to have maximum positive impact on teaching and learning. Participants attending this workshop will learn about this research and also learn about the “nuts and bolts” of instructional coaching. Topics will include: (a) enrolling teachers, (b) modeling lessons, (c) using effective questioning techniques to surface difficult issues, (d) using micro-video cameras within the coaching process, (e) high-leverage teaching practices that can dramatically improve instruction, and (f) the partnership philosophy that is the theory behind this approach.  The presentation will “hands-on” and participants will explore the content while discussing video recordings of instructional coaches working in their schools collaborating with teachers.

Session Objectives

This workshop is designed to enable participants to answer the following questions:

• What is an instructional coach?
• What are the components of instructional coaching?  How do coaches enroll teachers, identify coaching goals, model, observe, discuss data, and reflect about their practices?
• What are effective questioning techniques coaches can use?
• Why are Flip Cameras or other micro cameras essential tools for coaches, and how should coaches use those cameras?
• What is the philosophy behind instructional coaching?
• What does research say about how instructional coaches should surface difficult issues?

Partnership Communication

What is the Purpose of This Institute?

Effective communication strategies are essential for success in the workplace. Leaders that make an impact communicate their message clearly, build healthy emotional connections with others, and maneuver through emotionally complex situations in ways that save the allow them to speak the truth while also maintaining relationships.  

Effective communication strategies are even more important in people’s personal lives.  We live our lives in relationships, and much of the joy or unhappiness experienced is the direct result of our relationships with others.  Effective communication strategies enable us to live happier, more fulfilling lives by enabling us to experience healthier personal relationships.

This institute offers an intensive two-day exploration of eight essential communication strategies that can help anyone communicate more effectively at work or at home.

What Content is Included in This Institute?

This institute will provide intensive professional learning in eight simple but powerful partnership communication strategies.

Topics to be covered include:

• Listening
• Effective Questioning
• Controlling Destructive Emotions
• Taking The Partnership Approach
• Finding Common Ground
• Building Emotional Connections
• Empathizing
• Speaking Truth to Power