Teachers are taught to differentiate their instruction to meet the needs of all students. But what does that even mean? It's not about lowering standards and expectations so one person's mastery is different from another's. Instead it's about adding more supports for students who need it while keeping targets the same.

The only way to do this is to be more intentional about teaching, more learner-centered. We need to talk to our students more and truly listen to the feedback we receive from them. And then act on that feedback.

This week on the podcast I'm talking to author and instructional specialist Miriam Plotinsky about the challenges that exist in classrooms today and how we can navigate this new high-tech, post-Covid world our youth are coming of age in.

Listen in as we discuss the importance of leading schools from a teacher's perspective, how to make student interactions more valuable, what's going on with youth mental health, how to give students voice, and so much more.

About Miriam Plotinsky:

Miriam Plotinsky is an author and instructional specialist who addresses challenges in both teaching and leading across schools with a wide range of differentiated needs. A strong advocate for student-centered learning, she provides coaching and professional development for teachers and administrators. She has written Teach More, Hover Less: How to Stop Micromanaging Your Secondary Classroom and Lead Like a Teacher: How to Elevate Expertise in Your School (W.W. Norton, 2022 & 2023). Miriam is widely published in education publications such as Education Week, Edutopia, ASCD Express, Middleweb, The Teaching Channel, EdSurge, K-12 Talk and Education World and is a frequent guest on education podcasts internationally. She is also a National Board-Certified Teacher with additional certification in administration and supervision. She can be found on her website or on Twitter: @MirPloMCPS.

Jump in the Conversation:

• [1:40] - Evolving school transformation for Miriam
• [3:04] - Where in the world can you start with differentiating learning and teaching
• [4:49] - It's not about lowering expectations; it's about giving students the supports they need
• [5:30] - How to let learning be more learner-centered
• [7:15] - Where do we have structure to offer more choice
• [8:46] - Why student voice is more than choice
• [9:30] - Student voice is something we need to empower them to express by building a level of trust that goes beyond personal relationships
• [11:20] - What to focus on to help kids develop a sense of identity
• [14:55] - Youth mental health: what's going on and what can we do about it in our schools
• [18:35] - Student learning and voice are important tools in supporting well being of youth
• [19:01] - Safe classroom space is even more important
• [20:07] - Grades should be based on how they are in relation to a learning outcome
• [22:40] - Lead schools from a teacher perspective
• [24:08] - Turbo Time
• [26:32] - What people need to know about how teens learn
• [27:38] - Something positive that's come out of Covid
• [29:34] - Miriam's Magic Wand
• [31:01] - Maureen's Takeaways

Links & Resources

• Miriam Plotinsky's website
• Connect with Miriam on LinkedIn
• Follow Miriam on Facebook and Twitter
• Teach More, Hover Less: How to Stop Micromanaging Your Secondary Classroom by Miriam Plotinsky
• Lead Like a Teacher: How to Elevate Expertise in Your School by Miriam Plotinsky
• The Power of Belief Mindset
• Email Maureen

• Maureen's TEDx: Changing My Mind to Change Our Schools

• The Education Evolution
• Facebook: Follow Education Evolution
• Twitter: Follow Education Evolution
• LinkedIn: Follow Education Evolution
• EdActive Collective
• Maureen's book: Creating Micro-Schools for Colorful Mismatched Kids

• Micro-school feature on Good Morning America
• The Micro-School Coalition
• Facebook: The Micro-School Coalition
• LEADPrep