Leading Beyond Walls: The Role of Teacher Leaders in Education

In the book Teacher Leadership That Strengthens Professional Practice, Charlotte Danielson defines teacher leadership as a “set of skills demonstrated by teachers who continue to teach students but also have an influence that extends beyond their own classrooms to others within their own school and elsewhere.”  

The Role of Teacher Leaders

Teacher leaders inform, inspire, and impact students and staff as they strive toward collaboration to carry out their school’s goals and mission of improving student achievement.  

Danielson explains that although some teacher leaders have a formal role, “teacher leadership is spontaneously exercised by teachers in response to a need or an opportunity through work with colleagues.”  

Boost Your Teaching: How to Meet Teachers’ Needs with an Early Literacy Collection

When I was a first-grade teacher at a Title I school on the east side of Michigan, I often spent time with the media specialist and librarians at the local public library trying to find a wide range of books to use for interactive read-alouds that also connected to science or social studies content and standards. I would walk away with many engaging recommendations and titles that made my heart sing. Not to mention the incredible relationships I came to foster with those talented and knowledgeable librarians! I tapped into these resources because I knew my classroom library collection wasn’t robust enough, the provided science and social studies curricular resources were not always high quality or were missing, and getting funds to cover the cost of new resources was sometimes a challenge.

Engage All Learners: 5 Must-Know Tricks for Accessible Presentations

As I was catching up on the latest episode of the For the Purpose of… podcast on Accessible Design, it struck me—how can I, as a graphic designer, ensure my slide decks cater to all learners? Crafting inclusive and captivating presentations is essential for anyone who shares information. After all, if your audience can’t grasp the visuals or decipher the text, your message might get lost in translation.

In this blog post, let’s explore five simple yet effective tricks to enhance your slide show for all learners. Our journey will revolve around universal design, ADA compliance, and, of course, equity.

How Can Social Studies Inspire Student Inquiry and Civic Engagement?

Significant shifts are reshaping social studies instruction, and they’re here to stay. Have you encountered the transformative framework known as the College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies? You’re likely familiar with its impact, even if you don’t recognize the formal name. The C3 Framework serves as a guiding light, ushering in dynamic changes in how we approach social studies education.

Unleashing Inquiry: The Role of Social Studies Frameworks

These shifts in social studies instruction encompass the concept of inquiry, emphasizing skill application through social studies-centered content. They promote the integration and expansion of literacy, mainly through civic media, within the social studies disciplines, culminating in actionable insights. The C3 Framework fosters a culture where students are encouraged to actively inquire about their social studies learning. It challenges them to seek credible evidence to address these inquiries and actively share their findings with others.

Unveiling the Power of Belonging: Essential Strategies for Student Success

What is belonging? According to Cornell University’s Department of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging, belonging is ‘the feeling of security and support when there is a sense of acceptance, inclusion, and identity for a member of a certain group.’ In school communities, belonging occurs when individuals can bring their authentic selves into the learning environment. When students, teachers, and staff feel a sense of belonging, they thrive in a learning community that embraces diverse backgrounds and life experiences. Belonging impacts performance significantly and is a critical factor in enhancing engagement and achievement across social, emotional, cognitive, physical, and behavioral domains at home, in school, and in the broader community.

Survey Insights: Kent ISD’s Approach

Within Kent County, schools and districts taking the MI Student Perception survey measure belongingness by assessing how strongly students feel they belong in school, how well they perceive others understand them, and the extent to which students feel connected to their peers. Our students’ holistic experiences and well-being beyond test scores are the focus of this anonymous survey. It aims to comprehend students’ perceptions of belonging, social and emotional learning, and engagement. While participation in the survey is voluntary, robust data collection efforts facilitate informed decision-making. Recognizing and fostering a culture of belonging is the cornerstone of an effective teaching and learning process, ultimately enhancing students’ educational experiences. 

Guiding Sustainable Learning: Empowering Educators for Powerful Impact

“Powerful learning for children requires powerful learning for educators.” 

-GELN Organizational Practices Values 

Stop and consider what it means to learn something new. When was the last time something you learned changed your behaviors? What makes learning so hard? This year, we are tackling these questions at our Michigan Math Educators (MichME) network. Using the text Intentional Interruption, we are taking a hard look at adult learning- how it happens, why it’s hard, and practicing how to rewire our brains to overcome bad feelings to change classroom practice. Intentional Interruption describes learning as “a permanent change in thinking or behavior.” Considering this definition, with the time and money spent on professional learning to improve classroom practice, it is easier to see why professional learning alone rarely impacts student learning. 

Unlocking Student Success: The Power of a Balanced Assessment System

Within education, assessments serve as a crucial foundation for evaluating student progress and measuring the efficacy of instructional methods. However, the conventional perspective of assessments, often limited to standardized tests or final exams, falls short of providing a comprehensive understanding of a student’s capabilities and journey. In response to this limitation, the concept of a balanced assessment system has emerged, highlighting the importance of diverse assessment tools and methods to assess a student’s learning experience accurately.

A balanced assessment system takes a multifaceted approach, incorporating various forms of assessments, including formative, summative, interim, and performance-based assessments. This approach aims to offer educators a holistic view of a student’s strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. As renowned educator Margaret Heritage noted, “A balanced assessment system consists of a range of assessments, each designed to serve a specific purpose, and together providing a complete picture of student learning.”

Teen Tobacco Realities: Key Insights from 2023 and Effective Strategies for Change

In the latest 2023 data, a concerning reality surfaces: more than 2.1 million teens nationwide are currently using e-cigarettes, with a surprising 1 in 4 engaging in daily vaping, as reported by the FDA (FDA, 2023). In Michigan, around 14 percent of high school students are into electronic vapor products, slightly lower at 13.6 percent in Kent County (YRBSS and MiPHY).

Michigan’s Progress and Persistent Challenges

Although rates of high school students in Michigan who have ever used electronic vapor products decreased from 2019-2021, dropping from 50 percent to 33 percent, tobacco use is still the number one cause of preventable death in Michigan (YRBSS).

How Can Mentorship Transform Your Teaching Career? Explore the Art of Guiding Growth and Success!

Have you ever considered the people and experiences that influenced your journey and shaped your life? You could write their names on the feathers of your gratitude turkey. Recently, one of my children brought home a construction paper turkey with feathers holding the names of different things he was thankful for. I wasn’t surprised that he was grateful for “PlayStation and pizza.” However, what intrigued me was the number of feathers that contained people’s names. So, during dinner, I asked him about the people he included in his turkey feathers. He had specific reasons for each person, but some common themes were feeling supported, cared for, acknowledged, and encouraged. These common themes got me thinking about who I would put on my turkey feathers. Initially, family and friends came to mind. Still, upon reflecting on my professional life, my mentors rose to the surface as the people I am most grateful for.

CSEdWeek in Michigan: Bridging Gaps in Computer Science Education

Written by Keith Tramper, Education Technology Consultant

December is one of my favorite times of the year. It’s a time to break from our daily routine, be with our loved ones, celebrate holidays, and welcome (or weep) the colder weather. But my favorite part is that it starts with Computer Science Education Week! To observe this year’s CSEdWeek happening December 4-10, millions of people around the globe will engage with the Hour of Code, celebrate leaders in computer science, have thoughtful conversations about technology’s impact on our communities, and more. How will you be celebrating CSEdWeek? 

Michigan’s Push for K-12 Computer Science Education

In Michigan, there are over 14,000 job openings in computer science, with an average salary of $95,000. To prepare students for these opportunities, districts across Kent County and the state strive to create K-12 computer science programs. According to the annual State of CS Education report, 55% of public high schools in Michigan offer computer science courses, which is 9% higher than in 2021-22. While these efforts move Michigan in the right direction, we still fall below the national average (57.5%). Preparing all Michigan’s 1.4 million students for computer science requires a commitment beyond the education and industry sectors.