Schoolin' Around

In this episode, Larissa interviews Lisa Marquardt-Krol, an instructional design manager, about professional development (PD). They discuss the importance of case studies in PD and how they help educators put themselves in the shoes of students and practice interventions. They also highlight the need for real-world examples and experiences to make learning sticky and relevant. Lisa emphasizes the importance of assessing educators' ability to execute on learning targets and success criteria through case studies. They also discuss the significance of providing choice and relevance in PD, including for educators in specialized subjects. The episode concludes with a reminder to choose initiatives that apply to everyone and empower educators to gather relevant knowledge.

Takeaways:

- Case studies are a valuable tool in professional development as they allow educators to put themselves in the shoes of students and practice interventions.

- Real-world examples and experiences make learning sticky and relevant, helping educators apply new knowledge in their classrooms.

- Assessing educators' ability to execute on learning targets and success criteria through case studies is crucial for effective professional development.

- Providing choice and relevance in professional development ensures that educators in all subjects and roles can benefit from the learning experience.

Other Resources:

https://standards.learningforward.org/

https://csaa.wested.org/resource/learning-progressions-supporting-instruction-and-formative-assessment/

https://needastory.com/

Learn more about MTSS and Branching Minds by visiting our website Branchingminds.com, or Sign up for our weekly newsletter on all things MTSS with this link. (https://hubs.la/Q02g9lwV0) Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn @BranchingMinds.

Time Stamps:

00:00 Introduction to Professional Development

01:08 The Importance of Case Studies in Professional Development

03:16 Real-World Examples in Professional Learning

04:25 Making Learning Sticky

05:24 Applying Case Studies in Professional Development

07:50 Relevance and Choice in Professional Development

09:24 Including All Educators in Professional Development

11:28 Choosing Initiatives that Apply to Everyone

11:57 Conclusion

In this episode, Larissa Napolitan and Trudy Bender discuss the top concerns for school leaders, with a focus on creating a safe and supportive environment for both students and staff. They emphasize the importance of building a positive school culture and the role of administrators in modeling the behavior they expect from their staff. They also highlight the need for administrators to be present on the ground and understand the challenges faced by teachers. Small gestures of care and concern, such as providing special lunches or allowing teachers to dress comfortably, can make a big difference in improving staff morale. Additionally, seeking feedback from staff through anonymous surveys can help identify areas for improvement and create a more positive work environment.

Trudy is the Senior Manager of Thought Leadership Content at Branching Minds, but comes to us as a District MTSS Leader and Behavior Coordinator. She serves the state of Texas as a Restorative Discipline Facilitator. Trudy is a Licensed Specialist in School Psychology and a Nationally Certified School Psychologist.

Takeaways

-Creating a safe and supportive environment is a top concern for school leaders.

-Building a positive school culture is essential for both students and staff.

-Administrators should be present on the ground and understand the challenges faced by teachers.

-Small gestures of care and concern can make a big difference in improving staff morale.

Chapters

00:40 Top Concerns for School Leaders

02:08 Creating a Safe and Supportive Environment

03:01 Building a Positive School Culture

04:21 Understanding Teachers' Challenges

06:02 The Importance of Being Present

08:08 Small Gestures of Care and Concern

09:21 Creating Special Moments for Staff

10:14 Implementing Small Changes Today

15:55 Seeking Feedback from Staff

19:25 Conclusion

Learn more about MTSS and Branching Minds by visiting our website Branchingminds.com, or Sign up for our weekly newsletter on all things MTSS with this link. (https://hubs.la/Q02g9lwV0) Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn @BranchingMinds.

Season 2: Episode 1

This week, we kick off Season 2 with an in-depth interview with the MTSS leaders in Mineola Union Free School district in New York. Their collective leadership approach and their shared MTSS vision have transformed how their district approaches student improvement. Larissa sat down with 3 of their leaders who have spearheaded the work to discuss what worked for them, as well as how their MTSS practice looks at the secondary level.

Takeaways:

-Making MTSS work K-12 requires the long view, students in 2nd grade will be in middle school and high school.

-Your MTSS may never be perfect, but you can always be growing towards a better practice.

-Strong leadership and communication are essential for successful MTSS implementation in secondary schools.

-Building a strong Tier 1 foundation is crucial for supporting student growth.

-Leveraging existing practices and resources can enhance the effectiveness of MTSS in middle and high schools.

-Making growth visible and celebrating progress are important for fostering a positive learning environment.

Learn more about MTSS and Branching Minds by visiting our website Branchingminds.com, or Sign up for our weekly newsletter on all things MTSS with this link. (https://hubs.la/Q02g9lwV0) Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn @BranchingMinds.

The school year has its ups and downs, even though the stretch from November to December contains a lot of fun activities, educators are exhausted leaving for Winter Break. Most likely, they might be feeling an undercurrent of a cold or just completely drained.

Depending on the year, you might start to wonder if there is another job that doesn’t leave me feeling this exhausted, with nothing left to give my family for the holidays.

In today’s episode, host, Larissa shares a few thoughts about teacher well-being and a few tips for setting yourself up for a better year.

Learn more about MTSS and Branching Minds by visiting our website Branchingminds.com, or Sign up for our weekly newsletter on all things MTSS with this link. (https://hubs.la/Q02g9lwV0) Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn @BranchingMinds.

In 2022, the national average reading score at both fourth and eighth grade decreased by 3 points compared to 2019. Literacy curriculum is under the microscope, and the Science of Reading has become a hot topic of conversation in school districts nationwide.

For this episode, I called on our own Data scientist, Dr. Eva Dundas to ask her about some misconceptions about Science of Reading. We discussed why Science of Reading is about equitable teaching practices and how it can be a foundation that prevents students from struggling later on.

Learn more about the Science of Reading from our website:

https://www.branchingminds.com/blog/how-does-mtss-connect-with-the-science-of-reading

Hear more from Dr. Eva Dundas about Dyslexia and preventing reading struggles: https://www.branchingminds.com/webinars/identifying-and-supporting-dyslexia-within-mtss

Learn more about MTSS and Branching Minds by visiting our website Branchingminds.com, or Sign up for our weekly newsletter on all things MTSS with this link. (https://hubs.la/Q02g9lwV0) Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn @BranchingMinds.

Teachers everywhere are using technology to make their lives easier; instead of relying on students to carry home field trip flyers, they just send an email, instead of hand calculating grades, they can have students take online quizzes and grades automatically import into the gradebook. This is the way it should be

But, why is Tech still sometimes resisted or struggled with?

Each week this month we are inviting a guest for a short conversation, diving into misunderstandings around Hot Topics and Tough questions in education. For our second episode, Larissa talks about misunderstandings around technology with former educator, Antonio Jackson, who serves on our Data Implementation team, helping districts implement a system-level technology.

Learn more about How Technology can help with MTSS with the BRM platform. http://bit.ly/3Rj3LQL

Learn more about MTSS and Branching Minds by visiting our website Branchingminds.com, or Sign up for our weekly newsletter on all things MTSS with this link. (https://hubs.la/Q02g9lwV0) Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn @BranchingMinds.

Amidst the many opinions swirling around education, navigating the chatter can be dizzying. But fear not! This December, Schoolin’ Around is here to untangle the web of perspectives. Each week this month, we invited a guest for a short conversation, diving into misunderstandings around Hot Topics and Tough questions in education.

For our first episode of this series, Larissa chats with our Professional Services team member, Christina Solinger, about supporting behavior needs in schools.

To complement this discussion, here are resources shedding light on MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports) and behavior interventions:

Explore MTSS Tier 2 Behavior Intervention Guide: https://www.branchingminds.com/mtss-tier-2-behavior-intervention-guide

Discover insights into Tier 3 Behavior Intervention Guide: https://www.branchingminds.com/tier-3-behavior-intervention-guide

Dive deeper into Tier 3 Behavior Planning and Wraparound Supports:

https://www.branchingminds.com/webinars/tier-3-behavior-planning-and-wraparound-supports

For a comprehensive understanding of MTSS and Branching Minds, visit our website at Branchingminds.com. Sign up for our weekly newsletter on all things MTSS with this link. (https://hubs.la/Q02g9lwV0) Connect and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn @BranchingMinds for the latest updates.

We are celebrating One Year of 'Schoolin’ Around' by sharing favorite moments from the show over the last year. Host Larissa Napolitan is in the hot seat and joined by Community and Social Media Strategist Melanie Gonzalez.

We discuss the collective efficacy magic of MTSS, how to handle deficit-based mindset to build on students’ strengths, the Big Buzz Word of system-level change: BUY-IN, the difference between urgency without movement and Urgency with change and the importance of a systematic approach in MTSS

As we eagerly anticipate Season 2 in January, don’t miss out on our upcoming 4-part Education Tough Question mini-series in December. Join us in this celebratory reflection and exploration of the education landscape, where every episode is a step towards creating a more effective and inclusive learning environment.

Learn more about MTSS and Branching Minds by visiting our website Branchingminds.com, or Sign up for our weekly newsletter on all things MTSS with this link. (https://bit.ly/3SgBlXH) Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn @BranchingMinds.

For educational leaders striving to move change initiatives forward, they have to do the work to bring everyone on the same page, which includes having a common language and clear communication.

The episode guest, Krissy Martin of Roanoke Rapids School District in North Carolina, talks about the importance of developing a common language as they implemented MTSS, ensuring more consistency in their MTSS practice. In the episode, we dive into specific techniques she developed for effective implementation and what it means to be visible as an administrator.

Krissy Martin began her career as a public educator in Halifax County Schools in 2013 as a middle grades English Language Arts and Social Studies teacher. She served as the AVID program coordinator for her school.

Krissy began coordinating the Academically & Intellectually Gifted (AIG) program in Weldon City Schools in 2016. She also served as Beginning Teacher Coordinator, Professional Development Coordinator and Interim Director of Curriculum & Instruction and Testing & Accountability for Weldon City Schools. In June 2023, Krissy joined Roanoke Rapids Graded School District as the MTSS/COVID-19 Interventionist Coordinator.

Learn more about MTSS and Branching Minds by visiting our website Branchingminds.com, or Sign up for our weekly newsletter on all things MTSS with this link. (https://hubs.la/Q02g9lwV0) Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn @BranchingMinds.

Every school has its own unique challenges and culture, and when a new initiative such as MTSS comes along, it might seem easier just to replace the old ways with the new ways. However, our guest today, Christine Downing, says that an important aspect of MTSS implementation is to start with examining what aspects of MTSS are already happening and build on those practices.

Christine Downing is an educator and leader of 30 years in New Hampshire, often taking on dual roles for small districts, such as a principal and Curriculum Director. She currently serves as Director of Curriculum and Instruction for 3 different districts, helping educators with the resources they need to support students.

In this episode, we talk about leveraging resources and the importance of building a teacher toolbox. We also dive into some foundational aspects of a strong MTSS practice.

Learn more about MTSS and Branching Minds by visiting our website Branchingminds.com, or Sign up for our weekly newsletter on all things MTSS with this link. (https://hubs.la/Q02g9lwV0) Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn @BranchingMinds.