Heather Lageman
Heather Lageman is a certified life and engagement coach, administrator, and English teacher dedicated to empowering students, educators, and leaders by focusing on social-emotional learning, core values exploration, and professional renewal. Over her 28-year career, she served as Director of Curriculum for the Maryland State Department of Education and held administrative roles in Baltimore County Public Schools. A passionate advocate for computing education, she is Chair of the Maryland Computing Education Steering Committee and Council Member of the Maryland Education to Employment Ecosystem (MSE3) and Technology Advisory Board Member of the Hood College Department of Computer Science and Information, in addition to serving on the Loyola University Maryland School of Education Board of Advisors. She co-authored School Seasons xSELeratED, xSELeratED Schools Framework, and the forthcoming The Hope-Centered Educator(May 2026).
All Articles
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Learn to think critically about AI: A tool for PLCs
Learning Forward’s (2025) Standards for Professional Learning provide a research-based framework for designing professional learning that leads to improved educator practices and student outcomes. They can be applied to all professional learning topics and focus areas, including one that is top of mind for many educators today: AI. High-quality professional […] -
Give the gift of wellness to ourselves and each other
This magazine’s Focus on Wellness series has covered many important topics, including teacher burnout, healing-centered environments, resilient school communities, teacher wellness, and principals’ well-being. As we wrap up the series, I want to focus on the connection among all of these topics, which is also the foundational connection among all […] -
Celebrating educators: Acknowledge, honor, energize, and renew
The 2020-21 school year has been like no other. Educators at every level have gone above and beyond to provide continuous learning and support student well-being. As this year comes to an end, how do we acknowledge and honor the accomplishments of this past year as we prepare to energize […] -
Taking care of yourself during uncertain times: Mindfulness and well-being for educators
Educators across the world are continuing to teach and support students during this unprecedented time. Many are teaching in new ways while navigating new worries. How are we helping educators to stay strong and healthy? Explore strategies around mindfulness and maintaining well-being. Our goal is for you to find ways […] -
Coaching prevalence and support: Findings from a national survey
Learning Forward, Digital Promise, and a coaches panel discussed the results and implications of a national survey about coaching. Find out what more than 1,200 respondents said about coaching workloads, supports, and using technology. Participants: Explored the findings from a national survey; Discussed findings and recommendations from the survey; Learned […] -
Awardees' Grant Projects Demonstrate Foundation's Impact
Built on the belief that we need to support more people in the profession, the Learning Forward Foundation has been leveraging money, time, and relationships through coaching to transform beliefs and practice in adult learning since it began as the Lynne Chidley Foundation in 1985. Centered around the Standards for […] -
What’s your shot for 2018?
In his world-changing musical, Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda shared the lyric, “I’m not throwing away my shot!” The lyric occurs at a poignant place during the show garnering an unforgettable rallying cry for the heart, mind and spirit. The sentiment is so powerful, it resides in the minds and hearts of […] -
Giving thanks: Learning Forward Foundation awardees share their stories
In this season of gratitude, the Learning Forward Foundation would like to celebrate by sharing our thanks with you. We thank these Foundation awardees for making the lives of students and educators brighter with their gifts of passion, creativity, and empathy. This is just a few of the stories from […] -
The space to learn: Growing and learning together
Last month we pondered our professional learning legacies and the people and the stories that have shone a light on our journeys. The learning is about the journey, not the destination – the destination changes. This month we are exploring the Learning Forward Foundation’s reflective learning process, Touchpoint, a one-hour facilitated learning conversation between […] -
What will be your professional learning legacy?
As we begin another school year, this is the perfect time to reflect on what brought us to the profession. What drew you to education? What makes you excited to walk into school buildings every fall? Why do you love learning? For me, fall is not about the leaves on the ground and […]
