"Resistance isn’t refusal. It’s a signal of unmet needs."  Becca Silver, the founder of The Whole Educator and the designer of the Resistance Remedy, shares how to diagnosis common unmet needs. Coaches questioning and listening emerges as key to change and commitment.

Visit The Whole Educator website and get in touch with Becca here.

Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!

Mattering is the feeling that we are valued and have value to add to the world. When we build a mattering ecosystem that helps adults feel valued and significant, we’re creating the conditions for children to feel they matter. What are coaching actions that signal mattering to their coachees and help build an ecosystem of mattering.

Read "Mattering in Early Childhood: Building a Strong Foundation for Life" here.

Read Zach Mercurio's, "How to Create Mattering at Work" here. 

Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!

By pairing an administrator with a systems-level view and access to resources with a teacher leader deep in classroom expertise and credibility, a school-based mentor program added support to teachers new to teaching or new to the school. Their partnership sent a message that mentoring isn’t something done to teachers—it’s something we do together.

"The most meaningful growth happens when learning is collective and public, not private or evaluative."

Read Tim's article,"How Administrators and Veteran Educators Can Team Up to Mentor New Teachers" here.

Email Tim: [email protected]  

Visit Tim's LinkedIn.

Email Amanda: [email protected]

Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!

Paul Magnuson shares what his feedback to teachers sounds like after he quit trying to point out weaknesses and trying to show that he knew what those weaknesses are; after he quit sitting across from younger teachers telling them what to do. Hear what he can share by picturing himself standing side-by-side with teachers, staring out across an education horizon that is messy, multi-faceted and fabulously intriguing. Experience how teachers find appreciation from his observation.

Find Paul on LinkedIn here. 

Visit Paul’s website here.

Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!

Many educators know that some of the best, most relevant professional development can happen when teachers observe other teachers instructing their students. But in many schools, there’s rarely time set aside for peer observation. Erika Kersey, the principal of Greenville Elementary School in Virginia and two teachers share how they created structured, low-stakes opportunities for teachers to learn from each other.

Read Erika's Edutopia article, "How to Create a Thriving Drop-In Culture" here. 

Email Erika: [email protected]

Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!

I have been a long-time promoter of engaging students in real-life (project-based) opportunities. That’s driven from my own experiences as a 4-H participant in my elementary and high school years and having observed teachers and students tackling powerful learning through doing live event projects. Those experiences generated my interest to learn more when I was introduced to The Society of Childhood Entrepreneurs. Leah Ellis shares how even young elementary students can learn important life skills as entrepreneurs.

Visit The Society of Childhood Entrepreneurs website here. 

Find Leah's book, "Sparks to Stars: The Story of Astra & Zeke" here. 

Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!

The authors of, "High Five to Thrive: 5 Proven Practices to Unleash Your Passion for Teaching" share their strategies to assist teachers to experience thriving in teaching. Their strategies tackle these issues:

Consider the importance of these areas for your own thriving as well as those educators you support.

Find the book, "High Five to Thrive: 5 Proven Practices to Unleash Your Passion for Teaching" here.

Visit authors' website here or find them on LinkedIn here. 

Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!

Tim Smyth, a high school teacher, shares his strategies for regularly surveying his students to build valuable connections. Hear some of the questions and approaches that tap information about his students. Tim has experienced knowing students better, having students know him, and at times knowing students who need emotional help. Instructional coaches can use Tim’s voice to spark teachers’ thinking about the possibilities. Tim started this process as a professional growth plan -  that might be a great option for other teachers.

Read Tim’s article here.

Find the blog on the 4S’s interview here.

Visit Tim’s site here.

Email Tim: [email protected]

Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!

Have you witnessed this in your classroom or had teachers share it as a coaching request? "When the cognitive load rises, many students default to learned- helplessness or passive habits. I see it in the quick, 'I don’t get it' before they have engaged with the problem, in the immediate search for confirmation rather than justification, and in the quiet waiting for me to circulate rather than making an initial attempt.” Science teacher-leader, Colin Simpson, shares his observations and strategies implemented to build student learning approaches.

Connect with Colin here. 

Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!

With effective facilitation, individual PLC members come together combining each one’s unique strengths to promote optimal team performance. Without effective facilitation PLC conversations often stray without a focus and disappoint PLC members concerning the payoffs for their invested time. Angela Buckingham and Elena Sammon share strategies for building PLC leaders facilitation skills and model coaching conferences with PLC leaders.

Contact Angela & Elena: [email protected]

Find Angela & Elena's workshop resources here.

Read Steve’s Blog, "Super Facilitation: Maximizing PLC Benefits" here. 

Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!