
Less Teacher Talk, More Student Voice: Elevate Student Talk to Deepen Understanding
Want to increase student engagement and deepen understanding in your classroom? It starts with one simple shift: less teacher talk, more student voice. This guide breaks down four structured levels of student discourse, from answering questions clearly to leading their own academic conversations. With practical strategies like turn-and-talk, sentence starters, and gradual release, teachers can build strong discussion routines without chaos. Start small, stay structured, and watch your students take ownership of their learning.

Instructional Coaching Data: How to Identify and Solve School-Wide Problems
If instructional coaches keep reteaching the same priority skills, that is not a coincidence. It is a system signal. This post explores how to analyze coaching data trends, diagnose root causes, and move from isolated teacher support to school-wide solutions.

January Teacher Goal: Consistency Over Chaos
While January often pushes educators toward big goals and bigger reinventions, the most effective reset is far simpler. The foundation of “just good teaching” is built on consistent, predictable routines that support a productive learning environment. This month, focus on strengthening the skills that bring clarity and efficiency to your classroom.

Student Engagement: A Mirror, Not a Magic Fix
In my previous blog, I argued that vaguely instructing teachers to ‘increase student engagement’ isn’t helpful feedback. This week, after a few classroom observations, I realized something else: sometimes what we call an engagement problem isn’t just about engagement.

Stop Saying “Increase Student Engagement”
“Let’s all work to increase student engagement so that students can own their learning!” has been a collective rallying cry for a while now. But, if we are making it a priority and going so far as to add it to lesson planning requirements , why isn’t it translating to classroom practice or higher student outcomes? I’ve realized that giving general feedback to “increase student engagement” just isn’t good practice. Here are some feedback strategies that will get you the results you want to see.

Success Criteria: 2 Questions to Make This Process Feel Less Like Rocket Science
There has been a sudden interest and requirement for teachers to post success criteria for lessons. These two words paired together have set the current educational world on fire, but many teachers are left wondering: what IS success criteria exactly, and why do my students need to know what it is?

Start Strong: 4 Power Moves Every Instructional Coach Needs in August/September
Where should instructional leaders start at the beginning of the school year? Should there be a specific structure or rhythm to begin their coaching and support? While there are no scientifically proven answers to those questions, our team has learned firsthand some instructional leadership moves that make a massive difference in learning outcomes. Here are our top four recommendations.

Stick It, Sort It, Solve It: Leading Smarter into Year Two Curriculum Implementation
First-year curriculum implementation can feel like drinking from a firehose for teachers and leaders alike. But buried in the chaos are clues to what’s working and what needs a reset. During a reflection activity with instructional leaders, we asked one simple thing: write down two implementation challenges you’ve seen and heard from teachers.

Setting the Stage: Why Framing Your Lesson Changes Everything
When students understand what they’re learning and why it matters, everything changes. This post explores how lesson framing—done with intention—can bring clarity to your instruction, boost student ownership, and make your teaching time more impactful.