Kurtis Hewson's journey from classroom teacher to international education consultant reveals a startling truth about our schools: the isolation educators experience despite being surrounded by colleagues. As co-founder of Jigsaw Learning and co-author of "Collaborative Response," Kurtis shares how this recognition shaped his mission to ensure no teacher works alone and no student lacks a team of advocates.

The conversation unpacks a framework that's transforming schools across North America and beyond. Kurtis explains how the traditional Professional Learning Community model, while valuable, often leaves gaps that allow students to slip through the cracks. His Collaborative Response framework addresses these gaps through three interconnected components: collaborative structures and processes, data and evidence, and continuums of support.

What makes this approach revolutionary is the four-layer collaborative structure it introduces. While most schools have case-by-case meetings for struggling students, Kurtis introduces a game-changing middle layer—the collaborative team meeting—where teachers from different departments come together not to solve individual student problems but to expand their collective teaching toolboxes. The focus shifts from "what's wrong with this student?" to "what strategies might help with this type of challenge?"

The results speak volumes. One school district reported their referrals for specialized services dropped from 25-30 to just four after implementing this framework—not because student needs diminished, but because teachers felt better equipped to handle challenges. Teachers who were counting down to retirement found renewed passion for their work. Achievement scores climbed. All because the expertise already present in the building was being effectively leveraged.

Whether you're battling teacher burnout, struggling with intervention systems that don't seem to catch everyone, or simply looking to harness the collective wisdom in your building, Kurtis offers actionable insights for educational leaders. As he powerfully states, "Stop tiering kids. Tier your supports." This mindset shift alone could transform how we approach student needs in our schools.

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Jigsaw Learning:

Access an Overview of Collaborative Response article:

Access the introductory chapter of the bestseller Collaborative Response

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