RESOURCES

Keeping the Student at the Center of Instructional Leadership

Learn instructional-leadership strategies to help principals, coaches and central office leaders to keep students at the center of their work — and improve their ability to give feedback and plan professional development.

When giving feedback, planning professional development or leading PLCs, it’s easy to forget students. Instructional leaders are often so focused on supporting the development of teacher practice that they forget to check if their work has an impact on students.
 
In three webinars, CEL experts and school district practitioners will share strategies for principals, coaches and central office leaders involved in instructional leadership training to keep students at the center of instructional leaders’ work while improving their skill at giving feedback and planning professional development.

 

Webinar #1: Keeping the Student at the Center of Feedback Conversations

RECORDING (59 MIN)
Improving the ability to give feedback is one of the most efficient ways that leaders can improve student results. Research shows that feedback is most effective when it’s descriptive, timely and results-oriented.
 
But how do we give “effective” feedback? And how can time-strapped instructional leaders improve their skills and make a habit of giving better, more actionable feedback that results in student learning?
 
In this webinar, Jennifer McDermott, director of innovative initiatives, and Rebekah Kim, principal of Midway Elementary School in Des Moines, Wash., discuss strategies that develop feedback and how to implement those strategies in your daily practice.
 
In this webinar you will learn:
  • How to keep feedback concise and useful
  • How to connect teacher practice to a student result
  • How to use evidence to ground your feedback

 

Webinar #2: Planning Professional Development With the Student in Mind

Planning professional development is an important part of every instructional leader’s work.
 
But it’s also a task full of challenges. It requires a leader to look at both the big picture and the details. To really make a difference with professional development, leaders need to consider the needs of students and teachers, create clear expectations for implementation and provide the right amount of support for everyone.
 
Join Jennifer McDermott, director of innovative initiatives, and Laurie Cooper, director of teaching and proficiency learning at the Woodburn School District in Woodburn, Oregon, and learn how to approach this difficult task and learn specific skills to plan professional development to impact student growth.
 
In this webinar you will learn:
  • How to plan year-long and stand-alone professional development based on students’ needs
  • How to ensure effective results from short and long-term professional development
  • How to identify the resources to support successful implementation

 

Webinar #3: Keeping the Student at the Center of PLCs

RECORDING (52 MINUTES)
Professional Learning Communities or PLCs are a very common professional development method in today’s education world. But while many PLCs are incredible learning opportunities, others feel like time wasted.
 
As an instructional leader, you have to know how to plan and lead PLCs — and how to turn PLCs into events that truly support teacher learning and student growth. The good news: planning and supporting the effective implementation of PLCs is a skill most instructional leaders can learn with more knowledge and better preparation.
 
In this webinar, Jennifer McDermott, director of innovative initiatives, and Nicole Pete, K-12 teaching and proficiency learning coordinator at the Woodburn School District in Woodburn, Oregon, walk you through the specific skills you need to support the implementation of successful PLCs that impact student growth.
 
In this webinar you will learn:
  • How to create indicators of successful PLCs
  • How to observe for indicators of successful PLCs
  • How to support implementation of successful PLCs
  • How to identify the relationship between PLCs and student growth