Teachers Teaching Teachers, September 2007, Vol. 3, No. 1
Meet a useful tool: The Innovation Configuration Map
Learn about a useful tool to measure and guide your standards implementation work. The Innovation Configuration Maps (ICs) are written guidelines that describe specific behaviors attached to desired outcomes. In NSDC's case, the ICs were developed to help educators in a variety of roles understand what NSDC's standards look like in action. In this article, Killion gives an overview of the purpose and use of ICs and describes, with examples, how these tools can be used to assist coaches in their work in schools.
By Joellen Killion
Lessons from a coach: I look for opportunities to help
A new feature in this year's issues of Teachers Teaching Teachers is a brief Q & A with a coach. Read this short article each month to learn how coaches handle specific aspects of their jobs. Ginger Grant works as a leadership and instruction coach with schools in the New Orleans area. Grant answers the question, How do you overcome resistance when teachers have been assigned involuntarily to be coached?
Voice of a teacher leader: Myth of the instructional leader
Is it possible for the principal in a building to be an instructional leader to every teacher? Bill Ferriter explores what instructional leadership means and the qualities these leaders exhibit.He posits that "in the best schools, instructional leadership is continuously changing hands because everyone accepts responsibility for leading." What do you think? Is that possible?
By Bill Ferriter
Focus on NSDC's standards: Evaluation without trepidation
(Available to the public.) Evaluation isn't exactly a feel-good word to educators; too often, evaluation is seen as a punitive process. As Killion writes, however, evaluation that is done well can advance improvement efforts. NSDC's Evaluation standard stresses two key points about the evaluation of professional learning. First, evaluation uses multiple sources of data. Second, evaluation serves two purposes -- to guide improvements and to measure impact. Read Killion's column about the importance of evaluation in a school-based staff developer's work.
By Joellen Killion
Research brief: Study finds a mouse that roars
Learn about a research study that indicates that students with learning disabilities benefit significantly from technology-based support of writing instruction. Participants in the study who received such support increased the length and quality of their writing and outperformed students who received instruction supported by print products.
By Carla Thomas McClure
NSDC tool: How to develop a shared vision
Download this tool to use in creating a shared vision about the implementation of one of NSDC's Standards for Staff Development. The tool makes use of IC maps, which are described in this month's lead article. Participants in this activity will study individual standards and their implementation in depth.
