Craig Simmons, an assistant principal in Atlanta, discusses the setup and role of curriculum vetting teams in schools. When well-structured, he says, such committees can be effective in maintaining curricular alignment and quality at a time when many teachers download supplementary materials from the internet. They can also save teachers' time and…

Collaborative data inquiry can help schools serve their students better and improve student outcomes--but only if equity is prioritized. Researchers from Harvard's Data Wise Project discuss the importance of using an equity lens when engaging in collaborative data inquiry and what this can mean in terms of disrupting system inequities.

For well over a year, school shutdowns and sputtered reopenings have tested educators' resourcefulness and resolve. As the new school year begins, many are reflecting on small triumphs and lessons learned from that experience. One practice that proved central to many schools' resolve and resilience during this crisis was teachers' collaboration on…

Among the many elements that make up an effective educator, the most important is self-efficacy, writes ASCD author Chase Mielke. When schools support educators in developing a sense of efficacy, there's often a chain reaction.

Nearly every educational coach will encounter a teacher who is reluctant to partner. In this article, Cathy Toll outlines some of the reasons that might be behind this reluctance. She also gives strategies for developing coaching partnerships with reluctant teachers.

To build collective teacher efficacy, teams must agree to (constructively) disagree, say assistant superintendent B.C. Preston and educator-author Jenni Donohoo. Leaders who mindfully organize team actions, alongside the team itself, empower teachers through processes and protocols to confront ineffective instruction and assessment practices--and…

Our traditional professional development format at faculty meetings felt tired. While our schools--Constable and Monmouth Junction Elementary Schools in the South Brunswick School District in New Jersey--are known for their commitment to meaningful and innovative professional development for staff, weekly Monday faculty meetings didn't always…

To engage all learners, schools must offer career-pathway courses that combine academics and deeper learning. Gene Bottoms, until recently head of the Southern Regional Education Board, describes a transformation he believes must happen in US high schools--adopting curriculums that include intellectual rigor in career and technical education (CTE)…

Realizing that many teachers at her middle school struggled with classroom management--especially rather at sea with how to reach and motivate students of color--the author formed a teacher working group open to any colleague wanting to learn how to better reach the school's kids of color. This group reflected and learned together about working…

Using the Teach to Lead process and drawing on their own study of how teachers can lift their social-emotional skills, three elementary teachers in Connecticut created a plan to work with fellow teachers to increase everyone's camaraderie and regularly problem solve together. When their school closed to in-place learning, they pivoted to find ways…

A school's success is largely determined by the effectiveness of its principal--decades of research have made this clear. Less settled is the question of what principals need to know and do to drive positive outcomes in their schools. A recent report funded by The Wallace Foundation provides evidence on the connection between school principals and…

While collective teacher efficacy has potential to improve teacher practice and student learning, there's a risk this concept will be used to further burden teachers through assuming a positive, confident attitude can overcome all barriers to learning--even without good conditions for teaching in place. France argues that collective efficacy must…

When the members of a team of educators are confident they have the ability to make a difference in a school, it can have a significant impact on school culture and achievement. In this article, the authors discuss the ways that collective efficacy (or its absence) manifests in a school and offer suggestions for leaders on how to develop it. Key…

Over the last few years, the workplace, like school itself, has experienced change in unanticipated and disruptive ways. Many trends, such as a growth in the leisure and hospitality industry, came to a screeching halt while others, such as the demand for remote work, gained momentum. One thing that has remained consistent is this: the world of…

Teacher-led inquiry cycles--in which small groups of teachers study and address a promise--hold promise as a method of professional development, but only if they receive enough support. In particular, they need access to outside expertise that can help them meaningfully change instructional practices--often a difficult step for teachers working on…