30 Seconds to Success: Boost Classroom Engagement with Positive Narration
30 Seconds to Success: Boost Classroom Engagement Want to create a sense of belonging in your classroom for every student, every day? Want a strategy that won’t require any more of your already limited time? Positive narration, simply noticing aloud the positive actions and behaviors of your students, ensures students are seen and acknowledged. […]
Maximizing ESSER Funds: Empowering Educators and Sustaining Student Success Beyond 2025
Maximizing ESSER Funds With less than seven months remaining until January 28, 2025, the countdown to the expiration of federal aid through the Elementary and Secondary School Relief Fund has begun. This impending deadline looms over school districts, threatening the loss of crucial funding intended to support students in their recovery from pandemic-induced learning loss. […]
Harnessing the Power of Mindfulness: How School Principals Can Use Meditation to Become Effective Educational Leaders
In the dynamic landscape of K-12 education, particularly in underserved communities, school principals stand at the forefront, shouldering the responsibility of steering their schools toward success. They not only manage day-to-day operations but also provide vision, guidance, and support to their staff and students. Amidst these demanding roles, maintaining focus, resilience, and effectiveness becomes paramount. […]
AIC Feedback
Providing feedback to adults can feel daunting. Some of us may not know how to begin or might run out of time. However, these concerns shouldn’t hinder us from delivering valuable feedback. Constructive feedback is essential for educators’ growth. It empowers them to reflect on their practice and enhance student outcomes. Despite any reservations, we […]
Improving Communication with Disgruntled Parents: A Guide for School Leaders
Engaging with disgruntled parents can be a challenging aspect of school leadership, but with the right approach, these interactions can lead to positive outcomes. Drawing from my own experiences and learning from past mistakes, here are some strategies for successful communication with upset parents: Schedule a Meeting: Set aside a 30-minute block for the meeting […]
How to Hook Scholars In and Keep Them Engaged
As an instructional coach, the perennial question that often surfaces from teachers is, “How do I keep scholars engaged throughout an entire lesson?” This concern is not only valid but also fundamental to fostering a positive and productive learning environment. In this blog post, we will explore six impactful strategies to not only capture the […]
Accountability Practices During Independent Work Time
A 5th-grade teacher has just started small group instruction in the back of the classroom. He has set the expectation that the remainder of the class is to work in groups of 3-4 to collaboratively develop a solution to two math tasks. As he ushers those in his small group through work that is specific […]
Enhancing Student Engagement Through Individual Check-Ins: A Pathway to Student Ownership
When was the last time you met one-on-one with your students to discuss their academic progress? Could your students effectively articulate their strengths and areas for growth if questioned? If your responses lean towards infrequent or never, you might be overlooking a potent strategy for fostering student ownership of their learning journey. The National Institute […]
Leadership Confessions
Sometimes, the pressure for school leaders to know all the answers is overwhelming. Most of us have been taught that to be a good leader we have to lead from the front, never alongside and never behind those we serve. As a teacher, I would often tell my students, “I don’t know the answer to […]
Evolution: “Management or Die” is a Thing of the Past
Classroom Management For What? Compliance is NOT the goal When it started, CT3 Education (then, the Center for Transformative Teacher Training) partnered with districts, schools, and organizations across the nation, with a focus on improving classroom management. All of our work was rooted in the No-Nonsense Nurturer® Four Step Model, an approach to engaging students […]
