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In this special end-of-semester wrap-up, Ashley and Dan reflect on the four major themes explored in this semester's podcast episodes: Planning, Creating Authentic Work Experiences, Collaborating, and Building Connections with Students. They share key insights from their conversations with instructional coaches, highlight strategies that resonated, and discuss practical applications for teachers and coaches alike.

Ashley reflects on what she's learned as a teacher, while Dan connects those lessons to coaching strategies that help teachers succeed. Whether you're a teacher looking to enhance your practice or a coach seeking ways to support your colleagues, this episode is packed with actionable takeaways.

Key Topics Covered:

• The power of intentional planning in saving time and improving teaching outcomes.
• Why authentic learning experiences engage students and how to incorporate them into your classroom.
• The role of collaboration in fostering deeper learning and teamwork skills.
• Strategies for building meaningful connections with students to improve engagement and achievement.

Resources Mentioned:

• Concept map
• Questions for collecting student feedback

Quotable Moments:

• "Your schedule represents your values." — Daniel Rock
• "The person doing the talking is doing the learning." — Ashley Shaw
• "If you want students to do what you want them to do, you have to make those connections." — Ashley Shaw

Don’t Miss:

• Ashley's creative teaching tip: Wikipedia Roulette—a game to help students develop critical thinking and research skills.
• Dan’s advice for coaches: How to effectively support teachers in collaboration and planning.

Enjoy your break and get ready for more exciting episodes in 2025! 🎉

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Rodriquez "Rod" Leonard, a coach with extensive experience in K-12 education, shares valuable insights on building a positive and productive classroom culture.

He emphasizes the importance of getting to know students as individuals, using those insights to inform instruction, and fostering student achievement. 

He encourages teachers to try one of his tips, starting with making a genuine effort to connect with their students. This can be accomplished through:

• Conversation: Engaging in meaningful dialogue.
• Inquiry: Asking questions to understand student perspectives and interests.
• Application: Using this knowledge to shape classroom activities and lessons.

Rod's episode provides practical, actionable advice for teachers looking to cultivate a supportive and successful learning environment.

The Southern Regional Education Board is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works with states and schools to improve education at every level, from early childhood through doctoral education and the workforce.

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Unlock the keys to fostering gratitude and encouragement in your classroom as we celebrate Thanksgiving with a special guest, instructional coach Shelly Gibson. This episode promises to equip you with practical strategies for showing appreciation to your students through listening, meaningful connections, and purposeful actions. Together with co-host Daniel Rock, we'll share how these practices create a nurturing environment where students can thrive, even when challenges arise.

Join us on a journey of personalized encouragement and its transformative effects. Drawing from Shelly's inspiring experiences, we'll illustrate how small gestures, like personalized notes and community involvement, can have lasting positive impacts on students and educators alike. Discover the story of how Shelly went above and beyond, organizing special sessions and even acquiring a bus license to ensure every student felt supported in their academic pursuits.

Explore effective coaching strategies that benefit both students and teachers. We'll emphasize the power of personal connections, constructive feedback, and genuine interest in students' lives beyond the classroom. Shelly shares insights on how instructional coaches can mirror this support to teachers, creating an uplifting atmosphere. As Thanksgiving nears, we encourage reflection on gratitude and look forward to reconnecting after the holiday break with renewed inspiration and insights.

Download the corresponding handout to remember these tips. 

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Unlock the secrets of effective note-taking in our latest episode, promising to transform how students and educators grasp and retain information. Our engaging conversation with Donn Kirkwood, a senior leadership coach with a specialty in literacy, provides a treasure trove of practical strategies designed to boost understanding and retention in classroom settings. We explore the pitfalls of relying solely on technology, like snapping pictures of slides, and delve into the power of translating information into one's own words for a deeper learning experience.

Discover innovative ways to enhance classroom discussions through diverse note-taking methods that encourage unique perspectives and peer interaction. We introduce dynamic activities such as "speed dating" and inner-outer circles, which create opportunities for students to share, validate, and refine their notes collaboratively. These approaches not only build confidence but also ensure that students are equipped to apply their notes to future learning situations, ultimately fostering mastery of the material.

Experience the impact of active note-taking strategies on student learning and memory retention. We highlight the importance of repetition and experiential learning, introducing the three-column note-taking format that encourages summarization, reflection, and real-world application of key concepts. With these tools, educators can better prepare students for assessments and assignments, ensuring that knowledge is solidified in long-term memory. Delve into the intricate dance between cognitive processes and instructional coaching as we reveal insights from our discussion with Dawn, setting the stage for future dialogues on mastering cognition in education.

Download Donn's Three-Column Notetaking handout.

The Southern Regional Education Board is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works with states and schools to improve education at every level, from early childhood through doctoral education and the workforce.

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Discover how to transform silence into vibrant conversations in your classroom with insights from our latest discussion. Join me, Ashley Shaw, alongside Dan Rock, as we unravel the secrets of fostering engaging student discourse with the help of Keisha King, a distinguished math instructional coach. Learn how to create a safe environment for students to express their thoughts and build confidence in speaking up. Keisha introduces her five practices for orchestrating productive mathematics discussions, offering a powerful framework that can enhance critical thinking and student interaction.

Through practical strategies like the jigsaw method, four corners activity and impactful sentence starters, we explore innovative ways to boost student participation and engagement. Our episode is packed with actionable advice and resources, including handouts on promoting meaningful discourse and the Think-Pair-Share strategy. Equip yourself with the tools to transform your classroom into a hub of dynamic discussions, where every student feels heard and valued. Tune in for a rich exploration of how to make your teaching environment more interactive and participatory.

Download our handouts for this episode:

1. 5 Practices for Orchestrating Discussions
2. Strategies to Promote Meaningful Student Discourse
3. Think-Pair-Share Strategy

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Unlock the secrets to transforming your classroom into a dynamic workplace simulation with insights from our extraordinary guest, Marty Sugerik. With a wealth of experience drawn from both military and educational realms, Marty delivers invaluable strategies to enhance students' communication and collaboration skills. Discover how we can extend the classic "think-pair-share" method by incorporating world language research's "three modes of communication," empowering students to adapt these skills across diverse subjects and careers.

Explore a structured, hands-on approach to cultivating workplace collaboration skills that goes beyond traditional classroom practices. With a practical three-step process, students first engage in independent problem-solving tasks before collaborating with peers to refine their approaches through visual tools like Venn diagrams. As educators, we step into the role of an employer, offering constructive feedback to help students elevate their presentations and communication skills, collecting qualitative evidence of student understanding to guide future instruction.

Gain valuable perspectives on preparing students for the realities of the workforce by simulating professional environments within the classroom. Learn how acting as an employer can set clear expectations and establish a connection between classroom activities and future career paths. Marty also shares innovative ways to adapt the "think-pair-share" strategy for digital hybrid environments, emphasizing the importance of customizing these techniques to suit your educational needs. Don't miss this opportunity to enrich your teaching methods with practical insights and resources shared throughout our conversation.

Check out Marty's Google folder to get all the materials referenced in this episode, and feel free to send him questions at marty.sugerik at sreb.org.

The Southern Regional Education Board is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works with states and schools to improve education at every level, from early childhood through doctoral education and the workforce.

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Unlock the secrets to effective school leadership with insights from George McFarland, an SREB leadership coach and seasoned educator with over thirty years of experience. Discover how establishing a clear purpose and fostering collaboration among stakeholders can transform school environments, even amidst the challenges of frequent leadership turnover. George shares his wisdom on the pivotal role of communication in aligning a school's mission with collective aspirations, ensuring teachers and staff feel valued and motivated. Learn how involving everyone from teachers to community members in shaping a school’s direction can create an environment where initiatives are not just understood but embraced.

We also explore the crucial development of teacher leaders and the "portrait of a graduate" concept that aligns educational goals with student outcomes. George offers practical advice for educators aspiring to leadership roles, highlighting the necessity of mentorship and resource utilization to hone leadership skills. Communication remains a key theme, as we discuss strategies for introducing change effectively in schools, emphasizing clarity and purpose in leaders' messages. This episode promises to equip you with actionable insights and inspiration for your professional journey in education.

Download our handout for more about this episode. 

The Southern Regional Education Board is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works with states and schools to improve education at every level, from early childhood through doctoral education and the workforce.

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Unlock the secrets to crafting impactful lesson plans and aligning assessments with the guidance of expert guest Debbie Robertson. Discover how Ashley seeks to refine her organizational skills with insights from senior leadership coach Debbie. Together, they unravel the art of starting with the end in mind, diving into the crucial process of revisiting educational standards. This episode promises to transform your approach to teaching by ensuring lessons are not just effective but deeply aligned with contemporary educational expectations and student needs.

From integrating real-world scenarios into your classroom to making cross-curricular connections, you'll learn innovative strategies that make learning both relatable and robust. We explore how blending subjects like English Language Arts and math can enrich students' understanding and problem-solving abilities. Plus, gain wisdom on effective coaching for educators, with techniques that prioritize understanding coachees' processes before offering guidance. With thoughtful analogies and practical advice, this episode is a treasure trove for teachers and instructional coaches eager to elevate their educational practices.

For more, make sure to download our handout.

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Where will I use this in the "real-world"?

If you've ever had a student ask you this, then you might be on the lookout for ways to create more authentic learning experiences in your classroom.

To help, SREB's Leslie Eaves came by to give Ashley some ways to build authenticity into her assignments.

We created a handout to go with the lesson. 

The Southern Regional Education Board is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works with states and schools to improve education at every level, from early childhood through doctoral education and the workforce.

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It's every teacher's biggest challenge: How can we get these students to engage with the material?

In this week's episode, SREB Coach Erin Anderson-Williams stops by the studio to teach Ashley how to better engage her students by considering their cognitive, behavioral and emotional needs.

Download our handout to get an overview of the lesson. 

The Southern Regional Education Board is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works with states and schools to improve education at every level, from early childhood through doctoral education and the workforce.

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