Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud: Recent Episodes
Steve Barkley
For the past 35 years, Steve Barkley has served as an education consultant to school districts, teacher organizations, state departments of education, and colleges and universities nationally and internationally, facilitating the changes necessary for them to reach students and successfully prepare them for the 21st century. A prolific published author, his weekly blog has evolved into a go-to resource for teachers and administrators all over the world. Visit BarkleyPD.com to learn more.
Schools aren't experienced through mission statements or curriculum guides. They're experienced one interaction at a time.
- What are students experiencing?
- What are teachers experiencing?
- How do we know?
Coaches can help teachers and leaders gather evidence about experiences that often go unnoticed because they have become routine - or even unconscious.
Watch Marcela Andreas Diaz Revultas’ video here.
Find Tim Montalvo’s blog here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
If professional learning for educators is going to generate increased learning success for students, it needs to be an environment, not an event. Dr. Marisa Ramirez Stukey, co-author of, "Professional Learning Redefined: An Evidence-Based Guide," shares key elements of effective professional learning and the necessary commitments needed from administrators, instructional coaches, and teachers.
Visit The Reading League website and get in touch with Dr. Stukey here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
In many schools, it isn’t common to find teachers exploring possibilities and reflecting on observations with instructional coaches early in the school year. Perhaps there is a view that coaching is problem-solving and the idea that coaching around designing is being missed. Hear an example of what that coaching around a teacher’s early planning might sound like.
Find Dan Steele’s post here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Multipliers, as Liz Wiseman identified ("Multipliers - How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter") don't simply recognize talent—they help it grow and spread. Perhaps that's one of the most important roles of an instructional coach. Rather than identifying what teachers are missing, coaches are on the prowl for the capabilities that are already emerging. Noticing them, naming them and creating opportunities for those talents to become even more powerful and, ultimately, benefit colleagues and students beyond a single classroom.
Watch the Positive Psychology in Coaching and Professional Practices video (from Growth Coaching International) here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Teacher to teacher conversations are powerful when they expose us to perspectives we would not generate on our own. Left to ourselves, we tend to revisit familiar assumptions, interpretations, and solutions. We think within the boundaries of our current mental models. Dialogue creates the opportunity for those mental models to be challenged, refined, or expanded. How do instructional coaches, teacher leaders, and administrators support those dialogues?
Listen to Naquin’s podcast, "What educators should know when talking with one another" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Michael Hernandez, the author of, "Storytelling With Purpose: Digital Projects to Ignite Student Curiosity" and "The Uncheatable Assessment Course," shares insights on authentic learning. How can we create learning tasks and assessments that encourage and strengthen students' curiosity - supporting them in becoming engaged and inquisitive scholars and citizens.
Read Michael's article, When Assignments Invite Wonder here.
Find his book, "Storytelling With Purpose: Digital Projects to Ignite Student Curiosity" here.
Find the Uncheatable Assessments Course here.
Contact Michael: LinkedIn | Instagram | michael@storytelling-with-purpose.com
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
"It’s time to treat curiosity as the superpower it is. We can build students’ ability to use this learning power by giving them the tools, time, and encouragement to wield it effectively."
Dr. Teresa Hill, the superintendent of South Holland Schools in Illinois and the author of, "The Instructional Leaders Guide to Closing Achievement Gaps: Five Keys for Improving Student Outcomes," highlights the “why and how” to empower learning with curiosity. Curiosity is a key to her motto, "All children can learn….. Period."
Read Dr. Hill's ASCD article, "Curiosity Is a Superpower" here.
Find Dr. Hill on LinkedIn here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Leadership coach for educators and business leaders, Julie Schniers, shares her insights around coaching others to create opportunities for growth, self- discovery, increased confidence, and a focus to accomplish their goals. She focusses on the importance of communication, connections, and confidence. Coaching curiosity is a key.
Visit Julie's website and connect here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Keith Young, a co-author of, "The Teaching Strategy Handbook: 200+ Solutions for Common Classroom Challenges," explores the strategies from the book’s Chapter 8, "Teacher Burnout and Stress." Keith shares the practices individual teachers can implement as well as the roles that teacher leaders, instructional coaches and administrators can play in support of teachers. The impact that effective PLCs can play is highlighted. Coaches can support teachers in exploring “circles of influence” as a way of focusing energy investment. Having options addressed throughout "The Teaching Strategy Handbook" support teacher wellbeing.
Listen to Keith’s earlier podcast, "Observing and Coaching Classroom Management" here.
Visit Keith's website and get in touch here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
It’s rather clear to most people that to be an effective coach one needs an appropriate mindset for investing in the growth of others and a set of listening and verbal skills for coaching conferencing. Less often considered are the mindsets and skills needed to gain from coaching input. We might label it as one’s coachability. Robyn Vierra, the Teaching and Learning Coordinator at the American School in New Delhi, shares her experiences with being coached. Consider your coachability as you hear Robyn’s story.
Connect with Robyn: rvierra@aes.ac.in
Find the Instructional Coaching Micro-Credential Program here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Tania Lattanzio from Innovative Global Education examines the impact of real objects and the real environment on student learning:
When real objects and real environments are the starting point:
- Curiosity leads the learning.
- Questioning feels purposeful.
- Wonder is protected.
- Understanding grows from evidence.
It communicates that learning is not about receiving information, but about making sense of the world. Honoring students as thinkers.
Visit the Innovative Global Education website and connect with Tania here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Roney Nascimento, an IB Diploma Mathematics Teacher and AI solutions developer describes his response to this insight.
"Teachers weren’t avoiding AI because they didn’t understand it. They were avoiding it because they didn’t trust it or trust themselves to use it responsibly. They were skeptical and wary."
Gain insights for your professional learning design both in and out of technology adoption.
Read Roney's ASCD article here.
Find Roney's book, "Generative AI for Teachers: A Practical Guide to Educational Technology" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Have you heard this from school leaders? “We invested heavily in this new curricular program. Teachers were invited to give input during the decision-making process. Resources were purchased. Training was completed. Expectations were communicated. We all want greater consistency across classrooms and stronger outcomes for students. So why aren’t teachers implementing the program with fidelity?” Fidelity to purpose that engages teachers as professional partners is likely necessary.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Sari Factor, the Vice Chair and Chief Strategy Officer at Imagine Learning, explores the intersection of curriculum, technology, and people. These questions are explored:
- What makes a curriculum high quality?
- How can technology best support the teaching and learning process?
- What role might AI play in extending this intersection?
- How should schools be considering the questions around screen time?
- What role do instructional coaches and school leaders have in supporting high quality learning?
Visit the Imagine Learning website here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
As a guest on another podcast, I was asked what were my thoughts, after all my years in the coaching field, what the ideas and ideals of coaching done well would be? "Coaching done well"
begins with the coachee’s thinking driving the work, and continues with the coach intentionally choosing responses that move that thinking forward. It isn’t about selecting the "right" strategy —it’s about selecting the response that best supports the coachee’s reflection and growth at that moment.
Check out the Coaching Done Well Podcast here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Rigor doesn’t mean more work, and it doesn’t mean figuring it out on your own without support. It should mean achievement at a level just outside of a student’s ability to do things unaided. Just like temporary building support structures, scaffolds for learners are designed to provide access to rigorous learning for all. We want our learners to have what they need to experience productive struggle at a higher level of challenge. James Fester describes strategies to create that support.
Read James' article, "How to Scaffold Learning and Maintain Rigor" here.
Visit the National Park Classroom website here.
Visit James' website and get in contact here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Resourcefulness, resilience, and collaboration are critical mindsets, and skill sets, for students to develop. For schools to support those outcomes, educators must have the opportunity to develop the same. Mitch Weisburgh, the author of, "Mindshifting: Stop Your Brain from Sabotaging Your Happiness and Success," explores the importance and possibilities.
What’s the role of wellbeing and hope in achieving long term, deep learning?
Visit the Mindshifting Website & connect with Mitch here.
Download "Why We React Instead of Respond" — a free MindShifting Conversation Circle for your educator team here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
What’s one of the first questions you tend to ask a teacher after you’ve broken the ice in a post-conference? Here’s one I hear very often: “How do you think that went?" I cringe a little when I hear that question. The reason is something I learned the hard way early in my coaching career. That question can lead to teachers protecting and the moment protection enters the conversation, reflection usually leaves it.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Classroom observations can become overly focused on our unconscious bias toward traditional signs of quality teaching and learning. Observers can focus on teaching moves and the appearance of engagement but miss what matters most: are students making sense of the learning. Experienced educator, Dr. Michael McDowell shares the need to “flip” our view in observation to look past surface signals of teaching and learning rituals and perhaps disrupt them.
Read "Flipping the Lens on Classroom Observations With the ‘Inside-Out’ Method" here.
Visit the Hinge Education website and connect with Michael here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
"When leaders consistently show up in classrooms, not to judge, but to learn and support, they help to create schools where continuous improvement is not an initiative but a way of life." (Dr. Raymond Schmidt)
Dr. Schmidt describes how learning walks can build alignment among a teaching staff and administrative team. He explores elements pre, during, and post learning walk observations that build professional learning as continuous and collective, not a one-time event.
Read "From Presence to Practice: How Learning Walks and SMART Feedback Strengthen Instructional Leadership in K–12 Schools" here.
Visit Dr. Schmidt' LinkedIn here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
How does a staff’s engagement in reflection generate increased staff learning that promotes ownership and accountability for student success? Highly experienced school leader, Dr. Matt Horvath, explores leaders work with coaching, PLCs, and professional learning for classified staff. The podcast provides insights and questions to promote your reflection.
Email Matt: leadershipnexusconsulting@gmail.com
Visit Matt's Leadership Nexus Consulting website here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Chris Norwood, the founding director of the Bay Area Tutoring Association, highlights the impact of tutors, parents, students, community members and business leaders collaborating to invest in the future. He explores the preparation of tutors and the rewards for tutors, students, and the community. Consider what can be accomplished through the development of an academic tutoring workforce, extended learning programs and services. Possibilities!!
Visit the Bay Area Tutoring Association website here.
Email Chris: chris.norwood@bayareatutor.org
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Jonathan Haidt’s, "The Happiness Hypothesis," presents a helpful metaphor for coaching: the elephant and the rider. The elephant symbolizes our emotional, intuitive self—the instinctive reactions that show up when a lesson flops, a student refuses to engage, or a new initiative feels overwhelming. The rider represents our rational, planning, problem-solving self that sets goals, analyzes progress, and decides what we should do next.
Coaching for happiness does not mean avoiding challenges or protecting teachers from discomfort. Rather, it means helping teachers interpret challenges as meaningful, discomfort as temporary, and progress as real.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
"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: tmontalvo5119@bcsdny.org
Visit Tim's LinkedIn.
Email Amanda: adeserio3738@bcsdny.org
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: ekersey@fcps1.org
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:
- A loss of purpose - Is the passion that once fueled you fading?
- A feeling of hopelessness -Have you ever felt like no matter what you do, it’s not enough?
- Unhelpful mindset patterns - Do you ever notice that your automatic thoughts negatively shape your view of yourself, your students, and your classroom environment?
- Neglecting the mind-body connection - the essential link between your thoughts, emotions, and physical well-being.
- A feeling of being disconnected - from work, students, and colleagues
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: historycomicsguy@gmail.com
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: coachingcollectivepower@gmail.com
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!
When a teacher is planning a learning activity, what’s the movie that’s running in their mind? Are they mostly seeing what they are doing as a teacher or what their learners are doing? When teachers, like athletic and performing arts coaches, focus on the student learning actions they modify instructional moves as soon as recognizing that the needed learning behaviors are missing. Coaches can observe and build coaching conferences around student learning production behaviors.
Listen to Becca Silver’s Podcast here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
The authors of "Intentional Influence: Harnessing Cultural Mapping to Build Commitment," share their insights that enable leaders to reflect, explore step-by-step processes, and take concrete actions to impact culture and learning across their "spheres of influence.” By employing Cultural Mapping, leaders can create a personnel map of influence and thus support hidden flow of influence, and apply a strategic approach to increase commitment to organizational goals and scale initiative implementation. Their process is applicable for leaders at all levels.
Email Bobby Dodd: robertdodd43783@gmail.com
Email Ben Johnson: ben.johnson80@gmail.com
Visit the Cascading Solutions website here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Professional Learning Communities don’t automatically produce collaboration or impact. They often require skilled facilitation to keep the focus on high quality learning for all students and teachers. A facilitator provides the structure, prompts, and emotional conditions that help members engage deeply, share openly, and turn reflection into meaningful next steps. How can facilitators plan for the beginning, middle, and end of PLC sessions?
Listen to the podcast on PLCs at Work with Mike Mattos and Anthony Muhammed here.
Read Jamil Zaki's article, "Every Team needs a Super Facilitator" here.
Read Elizabeth Doty's article, "End your meeting with clear decisions and shared commitment" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
What payoffs are possible if students, who were assigned to serve detention, had the option to take a two -hour hike in the woods with a guidance counselor instead? High school counselor, Leslie Trundy, shares her experiences with the” hike as detention” plan. Trundy, guides the hikes including a stop with a view, a snack, and a short poem focused on starting anew. Consider what you want students to learn from your management and discipline programs.
Read the NPR article, "At this school, kids given detention can choose a hike instead" here.
Email Leslie: ltrundy@rsu1.org
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
What are the compelling "whys" for teachers to invest their time and vulnerability in professional learning communities? How do professional learning communities differ from professional working communities? When are teachers meeting as a franchise vs meeting as a team with shared accountability? Shared goals and accountability for success are keys to effective PLCs.
Read "Professional learning vs. PD: The distinction matters" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
What would be the benefits of ALL students being taught and coached to develop leadership skills?Maureen Chapman and James Simons, authors of, "Leaders of the Class," share the needs, benefits, and processes for students to leverage motivation, perseverance, communication, and collaboration. Consider how to build stronger, healthier relationships with students as they discover their potential as purposeful, impactful leaders.
Educators grow their own leadership skills as they develop other’s leadership.
Visit Maureen and James' website here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
I heard about a great experience illustrating awe in learning that was shared by a group of middle school students and their teacher in Grand Island, New York. They joined me on this podcast sharing their reflections and insights. As you hear their story consider where these elements of Awe appeared:
- Awe occurs when we experience something much larger than ourselves
- Awe leads to the need to reframe one’s understanding of the world.
- Awe often brings forth emotions of humility, gratitude, and compassion.
- Awe is linked to prosocial behavior: people are more likely to help others after experiencing awe.
Connect with the teacher, Lora Randles: lorarandles@gicsd.org
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
How do the words teachers hear from school leaders, instructional coaches and peers provide an uplift and motivation? Are there time that the words teachers hear create a subtle source of stress, confusion, or disengagement? Our language can be a vehicle through which expectations, emotions, and commitments are transmitted. What we say—and just as importantly, what we don’t say—can directly influence teacher growth, agency, and energy. Consider how your intentional language can empower your coachees, team members and staff, fostering a culture where trust, clarity and motivation thrive.
Read "Empowering Others Through Words," from Phoenix Perform here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
How do you ensure your students are reading your feedback, digesting it, and using it to improve? Alexis Wiggins explores the connections between reflection and feedback. She shares her personal experiences around revision-based assessments, AI possibilities, and modeling her use of feedback from student surveys.
Read Alexis’ article, "Feedback That Matters" here.
Watch the "Austin’s Butterfly" video here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Some instructional coaches are starting the year with teachers who are new to the profession—and some with teachers who are entering the classroom without any teacher education background. What do these teachers believe defines classroom management, and where should a coach begin?
Many instructional coaches are also hearing highly experienced teachers say, “I’ve never had a student like this before.” How does a coach respond?
A. Keith Young, author of The Instructional Coaching Handbook and Confident Classroom Management Moves Card Deck, shares insights and strategies for both teachers and coaches. Consider the skills and strategies that require intentional practice and constructive coaching feedback.
Visit the Confident Classroom Management Blog here.
Email Keith: keith@akyconsulting.com
Visit Keith's Website.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Jennifer D. Klein, the author of, "Taming the Turbulence in Educational Leadership: Doing Right by Learners Without Losing Your Job," shares the need for leaders to support teachers who frequently struggle with false dichotomies like knowledge vs skills or play vs academics. Teachers and leaders often feel isolated and threatened in their efforts to prioritize what learners need most. Change work requires engagement from a place of courage not of fear. What beliefs and values build your courage to do right by learners?
Connect with Jennifer and find her book here.
Visit Jennifer's LinkedIn.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Amber Chandler, the author of "Everything New Teachers Need to Know But Are Afraid to Ask," shares a program her district implemented to address that 140 out of its 478 teachers have been with the district four years or less—and the ranks of untenured teachers are expected to swell to 250 in the next five years. That’s approximately half of the teaching staff needing support, not just in year one, but also in years two, three, and four. Chandler sees the challenge but also an opportunity to create a community of educators from the ground up. How do instructional coaches support new teachers and mentors?
Red Amber's Ed Week Article, "Going NUTs: How One District Supports Its ‘New and Untenured’ Teachers" here.
Find "Everything New Teachers Need to Know But Are Afraid to Ask" here.
Contact Amber and visit her website here.
The Executive Director of Counselling in Schools, Kevin Dahill-Fuchel, explores the environments needed for students to thrive in school and survive in life. A key to that environment is a staff that can manage their emotions personally and be resilient so that they support students authentically. What role do instructional coaches and school leaders play in supporting teachers’ emotional safety and relationships? How is SEL foundational to schools and classrooms and not an add-on? What should we be celebrating and where should we have an urgent focus?
Connect with Kevin and find his resources here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Every educator sends signals to students that, consciously or unconsciously, determine who experiences belonging—and who doesn’t. When students perceive they do not belong, they are at risk for a host of adverse consequences. Conversely, when students feel a sense of belonging, it can lead to an abundance of positive personal, social, and academic outcomes.
How can instructional coaches and school leaders support teachers in identifying unconscious actions that interfere with our intended message of valuing each learner? How can we intentionally plan actions that nurture a community that embraces differences?
In Powerful Student Care: Honoring Each Student as Distinctive and Irreplaceable, authors Kathleen Budge and Grant Chandler provide insights and practical support.
Read the article, "The Signals We Send About Who Belongs" here.
Connect with Kathleen: parrettassociates@gmail.com
Connect with Grant here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Research tells us that awe increases motivation and connection to learning, enhances critical thinking and careful information processing, encourages empathy and prosocial behavior, and supports creativity. What’s the plan for teachers and students first days of school? Are you more likely to hear ‘wow” and “awe” or “ Oh, no.” Explore some possibilities.
Find Steve's book "WOW! Adding Pizzazz to Teaching and Learning, Second Edition" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Feedback doesn’t create learning by itself—learning happens when students reflect on, act upon, and integrate feedback into their work. Teachers don’t cause student achievement. Students do. Our role as educators is to design environments, tasks, and relationships that enable students to produce the learning behaviors that generate achievement. One of those critical learning behaviors is knowing how and being willing to use feedback.
Instructional coaches and coaching leaders are supporting teachers to build opportunities for students to profit from feedback, they should be looking to create the same opportunities for their feedback to be profitable for teachers.
Watch the "Austin’s Butterfly" video here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Instructional Coaches and school administrators should be continuously mapping out how they support teacher leaders in their schools. Teacher leaders at grade levels or department chairs for curriculum, along with teachers leading programs or projects and those serving as mentors to new staff are all key to a school reaching its mission and vision of maximizing student success. Too often, there is no plan for the development of critical leadership skills and mindsets that are necessary for teacher leaders to support continuous teacher growth for a school staff. That lack of planning and process, I believe, also communicates a lack of value for the commitment and risk-taking teacher leaders assume.
Dr. Philhower - School as a Joyful Place podcast episode.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Planning for the start of a new school year, we should intentionally design for playfulness, connection, and flow—the elements that are core to fun and joy. It’s not just about better lessons— but better experiences. Experiences that students will remember, that teachers will find energizing, and that build both engagement and joy. Whether it’s a surprise horse outside a classroom window or a red-carpet moment for staff, fun has the power to transform not just how we feel—but how we learn, connect, and grow.
Watch Catherine Price’s TED talk here.
Hear the entire podcast with George Philhower here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
"Coachability is a crucial mindset that builds individual and teacher efficacy and thus student success. Coaching conversations should have a human connectedness built on hope, trust, gratitude, strength, and purpose." (Jennifer Fraser, 2025, Leading with Hope and Kindness)
Listen for human connections in a sample coaching pre-conference.
[podbean resource="episode=" type="audio-rectangle" height="200" skin="1" btn-skin="104" auto="0" share="1" fonts="Helvetica" download="1" rtl="0"]
Read the article, "Leading With Hope and Kindness: 5 Ways to Be a Better Leader" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Listen as an experienced post -secondary professor and Dean of Computing and Data Science shares her insights as she assumes the position of the Head of School at a 7-12 independent school, the New England Innovation Academy. Dr. Durga Suresh-Menon provides a definition of innovation and discusses the need for curriculum and instruction to be continuously relevant. How do students prepare for what comes next? How do staff engage in the learning that supports their work with student?
Email Dr. Suresh-Menon: durga.suresh-menon@neiacademy.org
Learn more about the New England Innovation Academy here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Patrick Mongrain, an experienced teacher and teacher coach, shares a message comparing the use of data to drive smarter decisions in the movie Moneyball to providing teachers with data to analyze their instructional classroom moves. He describes the role of 8 high level strategies such as building community and relationships, providing opportunities to respond, and positive and corrective feedback. Too often clearly defined instructional skills that are key to instructional strategies are not identified or coached.
Email Patrick: pmongrain65@comcast.net
Watch "The Why of the 8 practices" here.
Learn about the EdChanger Pro App here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Dr. Meagan Booth, the Supervisor of Employee Relations at Knox County Schools in Tennessee, explores our need to learn about and from our Gen-Z teachers. She suggests the need to move from “just trust me” leadership to “here’s what you can expect” leadership providing consistency and transparency that build trust and respect for Gen Z. How do we make mental health “a way of being” to create systems that promote a switched focus from surviving to thriving?
Read Meagan's article, "Gen Z Isn’t Lazy: Let’s Rethink What We Expect Of New Teachers" here.
Email Meagan - mbooth@nextgencoach.net
Visit Meagan's LinkedIn.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Teachers looking for a strategy to increase students’ engagement in learning and instructional coaches looking to support those teachers can find ideas and encouragement from Katie Brooks. She shares her experiences that led her to say:
"By making podcasting a part of my ELA curriculum, I’ve seen students finally comprehend complex materials, have a blast learning and using their creativity, and take ownership of their learning in a way that traditional assignments don’t always allow. Students who struggle with traditional tasks have become more invested in their learning when given the opportunity to express themselves through audio storytelling."
Read Katie's Edutopia article and find her resources here.
Email Katie: katiejoybrooksyt@gmail.com
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Hear a principal’s firsthand experience in facilitating a staff’s implementation of standards-based grading. Explore some of the “bumps” and how they worked through them.
“There were bumps everywhere. We shifted the ground between kids and families’ feet. Most of us go through school with the same grading systems our parents did. This was no different. We had to explain what, why, and how. We also had to share that we weren’t demeaning the education or grading expectations that adults had as kids. We were simply trying to evolve.”
The goal - authentic mastery.
Read Matt's article, "Our Grading System Was Setting Students Up to Fail—Until This Change" here.
Visit Matt’s website here.
Watch Matt's TED Talk here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Its that time of year when many school administrators and teacher leaders are engaged in setting school improvement goals focused on increasing student learning. But goals alone aren’t enough. Real change happens when we identify and support the behaviors that lead to those goals: the consistent learning behaviors students will need to be engaged in, the teacher actions that are most likely to generate those student learning production behaviors, and the leadership actions that will support teachers in implementing those actions.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Most school leaders and teachers give a rather low rating to the value of teacher observations regarding increasing teacher effectiveness and thus student learning. Many find the process actual interfering with building a trusting learning culture in a school. Craig Randall, the author of "Trust-Based Observations: Maximizing Teaching and Learning Growth," has developed a transformative model of teacher observation that focuses on strengths and building differentiated trusting relationships with each teacher; creating work environments where teachers feel safe, embrace taking risks, and experimenting with new practices. The result is a schoolwide culture of trust and care extending throughout the school to students. Craig shares the nine areas of pedagogy that are a focus for observing and strategies for generating trust in the process.
Find out more at: https://trustbased.com/trust-based-observation-form/
Email Craig: craig@trustbased.com
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
What is deeper learning and how does it meaningfully engage students, preparing them for success beyond the classroom? How can teachers incorporate deeper learning into their classrooms? Dr. David Reese, from Defined Learning, explores these topics and identifies the six critical competencies that are important to all students’ for success. These competencies are often framed within the context of future-ready skills, which also include creativity, citizenship, and character.
Find David's blog post, "Why Deeper Learning? 6 Competencies EVERY Student Needs to Succeed" here.
Email David: david_reese@definedlearning.com
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
What should teachers expect from school leadership in the support of teacher growth? What expectations should school leaders have of teachers in their investment in professional growth? Katherine Hamilton, vice president of programs for Ensemble Learning explores these questions with Steve. Designing for teachers as professionals is key to generating educator learning that impact student success.
Visit the Ensemble Learning LinkedIn page here.
Visit the Ensemble Learning website here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Just as students benefit from developing a positive, growth-oriented approach to failure, teachers thrive when they are supported in the same way. Instructional coaches and administrators can play a critical role in fostering this mindset. Teachers need opportunities to embrace challenges, experiment with new ideas, and persist through setbacks, in a safe environment. Too often, professional learning focuses on delivering strategies and best practices without acknowledging the discomfort and vulnerability that come with trying something new. Explore seven keys to “successful failure.”
"A Moment of Perspective," Christina (Kiki) Peterson
"Why Failing Well is the Key to Success," Megan McArdle
"7 Keys to Successful Failure," Mindy Crary
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Chad Dumas, the author of, The Teacher Leader Handbook: Simple Habits to Transform Collaboration in a PLC at Work, explores the mindsets, skills and strategies that generate team collaboration. Chad describes the important mindsets of “Seeing in others what they don’t yet see in themselves,” Being humble with a posture of learning, and "Spreading the contagion of joy." How should school leaders support teacher PLC leaders?
Find "The Teacher Leader Handbook: Simple Habits to Transform Collaboration in a PLC at Work" here.
Find the free downloadable reproducibles here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
How do coaches assist teachers in reframing stress from something to be managed to a catalyst for growth and improvement? How can understanding the roles of commitment, control, and challenge build teachers’ hardiness? Highly experienced coaches, Lana Cecil and Angela Buckingham, share the application of Stein’s and Bartone’s work in Making Stress Work for You to Achieve Your Life Goals to the work of instructional leaders and coaches.
Contact Angela: angela.buckingham@esc13.txed.net
Contact Lana: lana.cecil@esc13.txed.net
Find the Coaching Strategies and Coaching Questions for Hardiness here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
What happens when a school system makes four promises as their mission: joy, connection, growth, and success and consider joy as the lead to the others happening? "If we want people to be present, engaged, and thriving, joy can’t be an afterthought. It must be a priority." (George Philhower, Superintendent Eastern Hancock Schools in Indiana) Hear about their summer Joy Jam conference for educators.
Visit the Eastern Hancock Schools website here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
“Coachability is not just teachability. It’s not just a willingness to learn. It’s a willingness to unlearn and change. Coachability is a moral capacity that allows a person to accept feedback, acknowledge faults, limitations, and deficiencies, and to act on that new information.” (Timothy Clark)
As instructional coaches and school leaders, we can play a big role in shaping culture of coachability. We do it through the way we listen, the questions we ask, and the tone we set when offering feedback.
Find Timothy Clark's article, "Are You Coachable?" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Barbara Smith, the editor of Urgent Care for Schools: Situating Responsibility as an Engaging Way for Students to Transform School Cultures, explores providing meaningful, memorable, and fulfilling learning experiences by situating responsibilities with learners.
From her experiences in public, independent, charter, and international schools, Barbara explores expanding the student identity to include that of becoming service providers, injustice responders, action researchers, designers, apprentices and teachers.
Visit the ZPD website and connect with Barbara here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
How can coaches’ use of radical listening generate teachers’ reflection and increase a sense of teachers’ empowerment? Examine some of the obstacles to and strategies for radical listening from the work of Dr. Robert Biswas-Diener and Christian Van Nieuwerburgh authors of Radical Listening: The Art of True Connection. As coaches, when we resist the urge to jump in with comparisons, advice, or quick fixes—and instead, lean into radical listening—we communicate trust, respect, and belief in the teacher’s capacity.
Listen to the Podcast, "Mastering Coaching and Leadership | Robert Biswas-Diener | Craig Dowden, PhD" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
From her career as a teacher and school leader in public, independent, and international schools and having opened three new schools, Barbara Smith proposes the importance of situating responsibility with students and teachers. She describes why change is urgent and needs to be transformative. Just as teachers need to be facilitators of student responsibility to create their learning, school leaders need to be facilitators of teachers’ responsibility. Time and space for teacher collaboration and learning is a key.
Connect with Barbara & visit the ZPD website here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
What skills do coaches practice to communicate being fully present in coaching conversations? How do those conversations support a growth-oriented environment where teachers feel valued, heard, and empowered to take ownership of their professional learning? Consider your use of questions and paraphrases in coaching.
Find "The Leader's Guide to Coaching in Schools: Creating Conditions for Effective Learning, by John Campbell and Christian Van Nieuwerburgh here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Rory Courlander, IFC Certified Coach, high school administrator, and experience learning and teaching coach, explores building a coaching culture from no coaching to an embedded collaborative coaching culture. He and Steve discuss coaching skills and coachability.
Find Rory’s Coaching Culture Continuum and connect with him on LinkedIn here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
How do instructional coaches and instruction leaders support teachers in maximizing students’ high performance? How should we be preparing teachers to identify possible indicators of high talent and to create opportunities for talent and giftedness to flourish? Steve Arnold, the Head of Gifted and Talented at GEMS Education explores these questions and identifies the importance of adaptive teaching verses siloed differentiation. What should teachers know about the neuroscience of learning?
Email Steve: steve.arnold@gemseducation.com
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Listening is a crucial skill for students to develop for school and life success, yet we rarely purposefully approach a plan for students to learn the skills. Christine Miles, the creator of The Listening Path highlights the why and how for teachers to provide students the tools and practice to develop their listening capabilities. Consider the impact of a listing culture on classroom dynamics and student engagement.
Visit The Listening Path website here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Time spent in PLCs should produce increased student learning. Listen in on thoughts from several experienced school leaders who have interacted with Steve and shared indicators that suggest your PLCs are on the right track or might need modifications to increase their impact on student learning.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
How can a focus on teacher agency, strategic planning, and professional growth transform a school into a thriving ecosystem where leaders, teachers, parents, and students create dynamic, inclusive, and purpose-driven learning communities? School leader and the author of The Co-Constructed School, Ann Lautrette, shares her experiences, research, and case studies that demonstrate the processes and rewards of building a community of empowered collaborators.
[podbean resource="episode=x7r3a-17fb31b" type="audio-rectangle" height="200" skin="1" btn-skin="104" auto="0" share="1" fonts="Helvetica" download="1" rtl="0"]
Listen to the previous podcast "Guiding Teachers to Build Co-constructed Classrooms" here.
Connect with Ann and find her books and blogs here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
What role do teachers play in generating opportunities for the key elements of high performance: deliberate practice, motivation/inspiration, and master coaching? Steve Arnold, the Head of Gifted and Talented at GEMS Education illustrates teachers’ roles. He identifies the impact of the "required curriculum" and teachers’ options like the use of disruptive questions.
Contact Steve Arnold: steve.arnold@gemseducation.com
Visit the GEMS Education website here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
"I always did something I was a little not ready to do. I think that’s how you grow. When there’s that moment of ‘Wow, I’m not really sure I can do this,’ and you push through those moments, that’s when you have a breakthrough.” (Marissa Mayer)
How do administrators, instructional coaches, and teacher leaders foster such a mindset?
Research on psychological safety underscores the importance of creating an environment where individuals feel secure enough to take risks, make mistakes, and reflect without fear of judgment or blame. In education, this principle is vital for fostering teacher growth and innovation. Instructional coaches can play a pivotal role in establishing this safety by encouraging teachers to experiment with new practices and reframing missteps as valuable learning opportunities.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
For young children, curiosity and questions abound. Adults are often interested in learning connected to their lives, jobs, and hobbies. Somehow though in between those times the joy of learning may be lost as curiosity is replaced with isolation. Dr. Jennifer Gallagher, superintendent of Long Beach School District, NY, explores how to focus on nurturing more joy in learning in our schools. What is the necessary core knowledge for students and how quickly is it changing? How do we bring relevance to required curricula? What should we be exploring and creating as post-secondary options?
Email Jennifer: jgallagher@lbeach.org
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
The author of "Purposeful Educator Connections," Marcela Andrés, explores strategies to deepen relationships with students, stay connected to your educator purpose, and improve classroom culture. She provides 5 Key Principles that empower teachers to build trust, inspire learning, and transform classroom environments.
Find Marcela's book, "Purposeful Educator Connection" here.
Visit the designEDegagement website here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Christine Miles, the author of, "What’s it Costing You to Not Listen," shares insights on how as coaches and school leaders we need to move beyond active listening. Listening to understand is critical in building relationships and trust with those we coach. Christine identifies how our listening and questions assist a coachee in telling their story which increases our understanding.
Connect with Christine and visit her website here.
Find Christine's book, "What Is It Costing You Not to Listen: The Power of Understanding to Connect, Influence, Solve & Sell" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
"Managers who coach their employees report that they grow personally by becoming more vulnerable, self-aware, and empathetic. They learn to trust their employees, solicit feedback to improve their management, and in doing so improve job satisfaction and joy in their work."
Dr. Nina Morel, Executive Director of Coaching and Leadership Development at Lipscomb University explores how leaders grow from coaching. She illustrates the necessary mindset and skills for effective coaching.
Visit & Connect with Dr. Morel on her website.
Read "Six principles of Leadership Coaching" (Center for Creative Leadership) here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
"The field of education has more research than ever before, yet teachers do not have the time to filter through that research to determine which strategies have the greatest impact,” - Sherry St. Claire.
That thought initiated St. Claire’s work featured in Intentional Instructional Moves: Strategic Steps to Accelerate Student Learning. She sifted through the research to uncover the most impactful classroom strategies and broke them into intentional steps so teachers can move efficiently from theory to practice. She and Steve explore three of many areas addressed in the book: classroom management, differentiation, and assessment.
Visit Sherry's website here.
Email Sherry: Sherry@reflecttolearn.com
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Deciding if or when to make a suggestion to a teacher during coaching conferences is a question that as coaches we continually ponder. I consider it a question to be answered during the coaching conference. The key is TIMING. Is the teacher ready (interested in) considering a suggestion. How can a coach read timing and increase the likelihood of the right timing?
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Josh Ecker and Erin Cummings, from the Ed Tech and Learning Design Team at Chester County Intermediate Unit in Pennsylvania, explore AI’s current and future potential for the personalization of students pathways to success. They explore ways that school leaders and instructional coaches support teachers’ AI learning through PD, modeling, and policy. Student AI Literacy is all discussed.
Visit Chester County’s AI Support site here.
Email Josh Ecker: joshe@cciu.org
Email Erin Cummings: erinc@cciu.org
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Marcela Andres, the CEO of designEDegagement and author of a post titled, "Moving Beyond Compliance: Building Relationships in Education," joined the podcast to share her experiences and recommendations for building connections with students. "Educators need to see students as individuals with unique backgrounds, dreams, and potential- despite challenges they may be facing. When we know students that way they can amaze us by starting to take charge of their own education.” Marcela explores her work generating relationships within the school, with parents, and among the greater school community.
Visit the designEDegagement website here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Sherry St. Clair, the author of Intentional Instructional Moves: Strategic Steps to Accelerate Student Learning, shares her work identifying the research behind instructional strategies with the potential to elevate student learning and save teachers time. Sherry breaks the strategies into intentional steps so teachers can move efficiently from theory to practice. Instructional coaches and school leaders will find her work helpful in supporting the educators that you coach.
Visit Sherry's website here.
Email Sherry: Sherry@reflecttolearn.com
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
In what ways can AI be a teacher’s assistant? How do you keep a "human touch" in the AI assessment process? How can AI empower students as they request assessment feedback? Josh Ecker and Erin Cummings from the Ed Tech and Learning Design Team at Chester County Intermediate Unit in Pennsylvania examine these and additional questions with Steve.
Visit Chester County’s AI Support site here.
Email Josh Ecker: joshe@cciu.org
Email Erin Cummings: erinc@cciu.org
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Both principals and teacher leaders lead from the middle, feeling pressure and demands from a system level and a classroom and community level. Dr. Katie Pekel, the director of Educational Leadership at the University of Minnesota, joins Steve to explore instructional leadership. They examine the need for administrators to guide the evaluation, supervision, mentoring and coaching of teachers. The role of instructional coaches and their work with school leaders is discussed.
Read the article, Rochester Public Schools Aims to Remake Principals From Managers Into ‘Head Teachers’ here.
Email Dr. Katie Pekel: kpekel@umn.edu
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
How do teachers shift the focus from passive learning to active exploration, challenging students to think critically, solve complex problems, and apply their knowledge in authentic contexts. Experienced educator and CEO of WhyMaker, Liz Gallo, explores promoting deeper understanding by immersing students in meaningful tasks that mirror the challenges they’ll face outside the classroom, ultimately leading to stronger academic outcomes and skill development. Project based and career ready strategies are explored.
Visit the WhyMaker website here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
The author of Deconstructing Depth of Knowledge: A Method and Model for Deeper Teaching and Learning, Erik Francis, joins Steve to examine what teaching and learning for depth of knowledge (DOK) looks like. Francis describes ways to support staff with ways to use DOK for differentiating based on the demands of standards and building upon the strengths and successes of students.
Visit the Maverik Education site here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Dr. Maggie Broderick who serves as a faculty lead for Social Emotional Learning at National University converses with Steve around the need to develop schools where staff and students build emotional well-being and develop interpersonal skills. What teacher dispositions are crucial? What roles do instructional coaches and leaders play in creating learning environments that are equitable, inclusive and emphasize student social-emotional well-being?
Email Dr. Maggie Broderick: mbroderick@ncu.edu
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Liz Gallo, the CEO of WhyMaker, joins the podcast to explore the planning, delivery, and follow up of effective professional learning. Often, the knowing doing gap is caused by insufficient support for teachers as they experience the learning dip during the implementation of new instructional practices.
Visit the WhyMaker website here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
"Phrasing and posing a good question can be just as complex and difficult as the process of answering. It involves critical, creative, and reflective thinking from both students and educators."(Erik Francis)
As the author of Inquiring Minds Want to Learn: Posing GoodQuestions to Promote StudentInquiry, Francis explores strategies for how questions can set the stage for student engagement and learning. He shares the power of the questioning stems, "How do you_________? How can you _________? And How could you__________?"
Visit the Maverik Education site here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Whether you are exploring the value (return on investment) of instructional coaching from the school board, central office, school principal or teacher perspective, an increase in student success must be central . Steve shares insights from his experiences with each of these perspectives with Kim Coffino on the @coachbetter podcast.
Listen to the entire CoachBetter podcast here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
While teaching in a team has always had benefits, today it is a requirement. The complexity of desired outcomes we are looking to produce can no longer be accomplished with the skills and resources of an individual. Almost all other industries and professions have recognized how employees and customers are best served by teams while schools have continued placing individual teachers in classrooms with sole responsibility for student success. Consider why instructional coaches and school leaders should be working to build and support teaching teams.
Watch "Teaching in Teams (What Schools Could Be)" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
What do students need their teacher to know and be able to do to address social and emotional learning? Dr. Maggie Broderick, the faculty lead for Social Emotional Learning at National University explores this question and others with Steve. She explores the issue that “where a teacher lives and works”, impacts the approach to social emotional teaching. What’s possible in a school that doesn’t have SEL curriculum or resources?
Email Dr. Maggie Broderick: mbroderick@ncu.edu
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Two authors of Learning by Doing (Fourth Edition), Mike Mattos and Anthony Muhammad, discuss the powerful impact of PLCs. They define a PLC as an ongoing process in which educators work collaboratively in recurring cycles of collective inquiry and action research to achieve better results for the students they serve. The discussion explores shifts in the fundamental purpose of PLCs, the use of assessment, responses when students don’t learn, teachers’ work, focus, school culture, and professional development. It offers an insightful dialogue.
Contact Anthony: newfrontier21@comcast.net
Contact Mike: mikemattos@me.com
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
While teams naturally build cohesion and effectiveness over time, it is possible to accelerate the team-building process. Research suggests that deliberate interventions, such as setting clear goals, establishing trust, and providing structured opportunities for collaboration, can help teams move through the stages of team process faster and reach the “performing” stage more quickly. Consider intentional strategies that focus on establishing trust, clarity, and alignment early on, to speed up the development of high-functioning teams.
Watch Patrick Lencioni's video here.
Find Mitchel Resnick's "Projects, Peers, Passion, Play" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Listen in on a conversation as a school leader shares his experiences working with colleagues to continually increase teacher learning for student learning though professional growth plans. The process continually developed from year to year as insights were gained, and hypotheses were formed and implemented.
Follow up with James Penstone on LinkedIn here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Understanding the desired outcome of a meeting is key to teachers knowing the participatory behaviors that are most productive. Everything being called a PLC interferes with participants being able to focus on the educator learning in true PLCs that leads to increased student success. In professional learning communities, purposeful teacher learning around how to increase student achievement is the focus. Teachers are collaboratively asking, "What do the students need us to learn?"
Listen to the podcast on PLCs with Doug Fisher and Nancy Frey here.
Find Chris Jensen's guest blog, "Teaming and Workflow" here.
Read the Finland Study, "PLC Characteristics" here.
Read Zachary Herrmann's article, "Cooperate or Collaborate" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Classrooms with less monologue and more dialogue are key to increasing student thinking and student learning. Peter Liljedahl recommends teachers using a strategy that publicly, randomly groups students.
The students visually seeing the groups form is an important element. When having these random groups work at easy erase vertical boards, engagement and thinking increases. Students seeing each other’s work and the teacher seeing and hearing student thinking around the room all add opportunities for increased engagement in problem solving.
Mindshift: How to Get Kids Thinking Instead of Mimicking in Math Class
Find Laura Wheeler's blog here and read her article here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Steve Ventura, co-author of "Achievement Teams: How a Better Approach to PLCs Can Improve Student Outcomes and Teacher Efficacy," identifies Achievement Teams as a structured, collaborative model that helps educators improve teaching practices and student outcomes through data-driven decision-making. Collective Teacher Efficacy supports that working together can have a greater impact on student achievement than working individually. The role of instructional coaches and principals in support of Achievement Teams is also explored.
Visit Steve's website here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
If teachers in PLCs are to function as teams, taking shared responsibility for student success, vulnerability is critical. A teacher needs to place his students’ work and his instructional practices on display for colleagues to share in structuring a plan to increase student success. Teaching needs to be a public act for the trust of teams to be developed. Peer coaching among PLC members can provide the opportunity for vulnerability and trust building to occur.
Read "Can You have Trust Without Being Vulnerable?" here.
Read "The Connection Between Vulnerability and Trust in Teams" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Teaming and sharing workflow allow teachers to leverage each other's strengths, reduce redundancy, and build a supportive community, all of which contribute to lower stress levels. Teaming can increase a sense autonomy by providing teachers with a collaborative environment that supports shared decision-making, allows for flexibility in implementation, and fosters professional growth.
Find Dr. Chris Jensen's book, "Triage Your School: A Physician’s Guide to Preventing Burnout" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Whether you are an instructional coach, administrator, or teacher leader planning and supporting the growth of colleagues or designing your own personal improvement plan consider how to maintain momentum and push through the learning dips with implementation intentions, connections to beliefs and values, and a network of colleagues who provide reminders
Visit John Cambell's website & find his book, "3 Ways to Help Sustain Commitment Towards Goals" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
How do instructional coaches address the mentoring concerns and needs of new teachers? Joellen Killion, senior advisor to LearningForward and international consultant to educational leaders addressing professional learning for student success, joins Steve to explore the mentoring elements of instructional coaching. They examine how instructional coaches and administrators can plan for novice teachers’ transitions from learning the “ways of the school through mentoring” to seeking “personal growth for increased student success” through coaching.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Teacher messages are foundational to building strong, positive relationships with students. These relationships are critical for creating an environment where students feel supported, motivated, and capable of achieving success. When students trust and feel connected to their teachers, they are more likely to engage deeply in their learning, take academic risks, and ultimately achieve success.
Read Moments of Genuine Connection (MGCs) – DSJR Student Motivation Guide from Dave Stuart here.
Watch Dave's video, "What are Moments of Genuine Connection?" here.
Read Daniel Yeager's "Wise Critiques Help Students Succeed" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Dr. Kim Richardson describes that change is inevitable and manageable. As coaches and school leaders we need to be competent in guiding ourselves and others during change. Kim describes the need for emotional intelligence and resilient leadership. Knowing people are unpredictable requires coaches to observe and communicate. Change is a process not an event.
Contact Kim https://drkimleadership.com/
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
The term "web of causality" refers to a conceptual framework used to understand the interconnected and complex relationships among various factors that contribute to a particular outcome. The term "web" emphasizes that causes tend not to be linear or singular but are instead interwoven. How do coaches encourage multi-valent thinking that acknowledges the complexity of situations, considering multiple perspectives and factors rather than bivalent thinking that simplifies issues into two opposing categories, which can be efficient but may miss important nuances?
Read "3 Ways to More 'Aha Moments in Coaching" here.
Check out The Cabrera Lab Podcast with Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera from Cornell University here.
"While teachers use interventions to allow students to catch up with their learning results and use differentiation to make sure that learning tasks are appropriate, when it comes to behavior we often default to consistency as a panacea." -(Dave Whitaker)
Consistency is built when students sense the teacher’s usual, expected teacher behavior. Flexibility emerges when the teacher changes from that approach in response to a situation or individual student’s needs. Explore verbal structures teachers can use across a continuum of giving, sharing, or keeping the decision-making voice in a classroom.
Read "Consistency – or maybe a bit of flexible consistency?" by Dave Whitaker here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
St. Cloud School Superintendent, Laurie Putnam and director of Research, Evaluation, and Assessment, Donna Roper, share their experience hosting an AI Summit that included about 200 local and national educators, business leaders, community partners and state legislators. They considered how we should respond to make our education systems relevant to the workforce and future needs and how a cross-section of stakeholders together can improve education policy.
Read the article on the Summit here.
Connect with Laurie and Donna here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Former classroom teacher, school administrator, and district-level leader, Angie Freese, works with educators as a facilitator, coach, practitioner, and mentor. She empowers educators’ efforts to interrupt antiquated and ineffective practices that only work for some to generate sustainable growth and performance for all. Angie is the founder of the Meant for More Collaborative, an organizational network committed to rejuvenating school systems by igniting creativity, inspiring hope, and investing in the power of human connection. Being a "meant for more leader" requires being grounded in the ideas of authenticity, bravery, and dignity.
Find Angie's book, "Meant for More" here.
Email Angie: angie@meantformorementum.com
Find Angie on LinkedIn.
Find Angie on Instagram.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
As the start of a new school year approaches, it’s a great time for teachers to consider how their approach to classroom management not only impacts their classroom environment for content learning but also what students learn from being part of that classroom management plan. Questions to consider as you reflect on your classroom plan are included. "Every move we make in classroom management is a lesson. Kids are watching us and they’re learning.” -Dr. Carla Shalaby
Watch Dr. Shalaby’s Presentation here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Zak Cohen, a highly experienced school leader with a strong belief in "leading by example," shares his process for collecting feedback from teachers regarding his leadership competency and supportiveness. He turns that feedback into a hypothesis for improvement and requests feedback on his hypothesis. In this process Zak models the curiosity and vulnerability that teachers need as they look to grow from student feedback.
Read Zak’s article, "Leading By Example as a School Leader" here.
Visit Zak's website here.
Find Zak on Twitter & LinkedIn.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Robert Landau, education futurist and strategist, discusses establishing a hippocratic oath for the educators. Such a pledge would bind us to ethical, equitable, and progressive educational practices that place students' growth and welfare at the core of everything we do. "The traditional Hippocratic Oath is a pledge taken by physicians to uphold specific ethical standards and prioritize the wellbeing of their patients. Similarly, applying an oath to education emphasizes the importance of ethical behavior, responsibility, and a commitment to the wellbeing of students and relationships with all learners built on trust.”
Visit the Two Roads Education website here.
Read Robert's article, "A Hippocratic Oath for the Education Sector" here.
Visit the Hampsted Academy website here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Angie Freese, author of Meant for More: Real Talk About Classrooms Built on Dignity, Authenticity, and Connection, explores her belief in educators’ potential. She supports educators to create classrooms where students can be brave, assured, and confident in their learning pathway. In this podcast she highlights authenticity, connection, curiosity, voice, resilience, and grace.
Find Angie's book, Meant for More here.
Email Angie: angie@meantformorementum.com
Connect with Angie on LinkedIn.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Tammy Jochinke, The Director of Teaching, Learning and Innovation, at the Dubai American Academy, created a process for 240 teachers to design professional growth plans based on a hypothesis from asking the question, "What do my students need me to learn?” Tammy shares the importance of focusing on student success with teacher autonomy and curiosity. Teachers were supported in PLC groups and a colleague who served an impact partner.
Contact Tammy: t.jochinke_daa@gemsedu.com
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Students’ abilities to set goals, plan for success, and systematically collect feedback are critical to school and life success.
Starting the school year teaching these processes (at all grade levels) can set the stage for increased student success throughout the year and beyond. This podcast shares important elements to build into your plans for effective goal setting and identifies how a middle school team collaborated with a physical education teacher in teaching and coaching goal-setting and planning for success.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Dr. Karen Johannesen, a highly experienced school leader, writer, and organizational change consultant explores the role of professional development and coaching in school improvement plans that positively impact student success. She believes that when schools support teachers with well-designed and rich professional learning, those teachers create the same type of rigorous and engaging opportunities for students. Her book, "Coaching for Multilingual Student Success" brings the work of school-based and district based coaches to life.
Find Karen's book, "Coaching for Multilingual Student Success" here.
Visit Karen's website here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
To what extent should building coaching into the culture of the school be a desired outcome of instructional coaches’ and administrators’ responsibilities?
How can an instructional coach plan for and assess progress even when administrator support or system expectations are not present? Many schools experience ongoing changes in staff and teams, which can seem overwhelming for coaches who feel they lack the time, stability, or support to create real change. In these cases, I suggest that coaches focus on creating a ripple effect by enhancing individual teachers’ coaching experiences and increasing coachability.
Watch Simon Sinek's video on magic ripples here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Explore how teachers working in PLCs can use a verb approach to assessment and error analysis to collaboratively focus on shared accountability for ALL students’ success. This process of assessment as a verb, combined with collegial exploration of the information the assessing produced, aligns with my favorite PLC question: "What do the students need us to learn…..?" Teacher learning is key to increased student learning. That collegial learning builds teacher collective efficacy.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Experienced teacher, head of school and the author of "The Landscape Model of Learning," Jennifer D. Klein, describes how schools build learning communities where students belong and thrive because they are supported for their experiences, gifts, and challenges. How do coaches with school leaders guide teachers to explore understanding learners as fully as we can, supporting learners’ aspirations and goal setting with multiple pathways of learning? How do leaders model for teachers similar learning communities that we desire for students.
Connect with Jennifer to learn more: blogs, videos, books here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Confidentiality in a coaching program can be complicated. For many teachers, knowing that coaching conversations are confidential makes it easier for them to explore what really matters. At the same time, school leaders want to build an environment of trust where the issue of confidentiality becomes increasingly less important. Teachers and leaders becoming teams focused on the common goal of students’ success created a sense of MY results are OUR results. How do coaches work with the complexity of confidentiality?
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Explore how teachers and students can be empowered with the implementation of student documented learning. Jennifer D. Klein, teacher, administrator, and author of "The Landscape Model of Learning: Designing Student-Centered Experiences for Cognitive and Cultural Inclusion," provides examples across grade levels. Her concrete examples illustrate the how as well as the “why” benefits. When students take accountability for documenting their learning, motivation often increases, and important life skills are practiced.
Connect with Jennifer to learn more and find her blogs, videos & books here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
As teachers’ relationships with those providing coaching grow from a foundation of trust, teacher vulnerability and risk-taking increase which positively impacts teacher growth. I had an earlier opportunity to explore earning trust and building trust with Jonathan Mueller, an experienced international school leader. He shares that when you can build rapport through unconditional positive regard with somebody, it helps build and continues to earn trust with people. Here are questions teacher have of a coach: Do you appreciate and value me? Can you help me? Can I trust you? Unconditional positive regard for people as human beings is an excellent way to start.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
In his book, "Triage Your School: A Physician’s Guide to Preventing Burnout," Dr. Chris Jenson provides specific actions school leaders and coaches can take to address the elements of chronic stress for teachers and themselves. Combining his years as a doctor in an emergency room with his years teaching high school science, Dr. Jenson has a unique understanding. Chris states, “Like health care, triage prioritizes educators actions and provides a healthier perspective toward overflowing work demands...one that removes guilt and emotion from incomplete tasks.
Find Chris's Book, "Triage Your School" here.
Visit Chris's website here.
Find Chris's LinkedIn here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
The author of "Teaching With The Heart in Mind," Dr. Lorea Martínez, who was a special education teacher and school administrator and worked with children and adults internationally, provides reinforcement for the value of purposefully planning for embedding SEL skills in the classroom, beyond teaching the SEL curriculum. She guides educators to provide the necessary resources and structures to support teachers’ social and emotional capacity; and go beyond the SEL curriculum to include the conditions that make learning and growth possible for all students.
Read "3 Misconceptions about SEL" here.
Contact Lorea and find her resources here.
Watch Lorea's video on Teacher Stress here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Accountability is a broader concept than responsibility - it’s something you do to yourself, not something that someone does to you. A focus on responsibility can create attitudes where people justify the ways they think and act to "cover their tails" which pulls in the opposite direction of achieving organizational or team results. With accountability, people not only take accountability for the results they need to achieve individually but for results that they are not 100% in control of. How might your leadership or coaching practices encourage accountability.
Read the Culture Partners post, "Responsibility vs Accountability" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Agile education coach and the founder of The Agile Mind, Jessica Cavallaro, describes why students and teachers benefit from working with Agile teaching and learning processes. Jessica shares how she works with teachers and administrators to integrate agile principles and the rewards that everyone can experience.
E-mail Jessica: jessica@the-agile-mind.com
Find Jessica's website and resources here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Dr. Chris Jenson combines his experiences as an ER physician followed by ten years as a high school science teacher to provide a unique look at work-related stress and burnout. He identifies that while self-care is good, it is insufficient. In his book, "Triage Your School," Chris states that educators gave health providers the problem-solving skills they needed and that now, health care providers can share strategies and solutions from their workflow findings with educators.
Find Chris's Book, "Triage Your School" here.
Visit Chris's website here.
Find Chris's LinkedIn here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Listen as Dr. Lorea Martinez, Columbia University Teachers College faculty member, founder of HEART in Mind, and author of "Teaching With the Heart in Mind," provides guidelines for supporting teachers in building students’ social emotional learning skills. Identify how developing your own SEL skills supports your leadership and instructional coaching with staff.
Honor Your Emotions
Elect Your Responses
Apply Empathy
Reignite Your Relationships
Transform with Purpose
Read Lorea's article, "Leading From the Heart" here.
Visit Lorea's website and find her resources here.
Find Lorea's YouTube Channel and watch her video, "5 Strategies for Educator Stress" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Simon Senik’s advice to focus communicating the WHY of your organization before the how and what has a direct application to a staff’s understanding of “why” an investment in instructional coaching would be made. Decisions about a coaching model, the selection of coaches, the training provided to coaches, as well as the expectations for administrators, coaches, and teachers should all be connected to the program’s “WHY.”
Agile Classrooms provide for student-centered learning, collaboration, iteration, continuous feedback, and adaptability. Experienced teacher and Agile coach, Jessica Cavallaro, describes how Agile revolutionized her teaching practice and shares how teachers can create classrooms where students are active participants, planning alongside teachers, making informed decisions about their learning tasks. Agile classrooms foster independent learning where students tackle problems with creativity and critical thinking.
E-mail Jessica: jessica@the-agile-mind.com
Find Jessica's resources here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
"Stop Saying These Kids Don’t Care About School." That’s the title of an op-ed piece written by podcast guest Laurie Putnam, superintendent in St Cloud, MN. Laurie identifies how this sentence buries the real challenges and daily struggles that many of her students’ face. That belief undermines our collective responsibilities to nurture future generations. Hear examples of some strategies that St Cloud has implemented that have positively impacted student engagement. Consider how you create an environment for educators to safely explore beliefs that are often unconscious.
Read "Stop Saying ‘These Kids Don’t Care About School’" here.
E-mail Laurie: laurie.putnam@isd742.org
Find Laurie's LinkedIn here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Thanks to staff at PLS3rdLearning and scores of educators and authors, we are celebrating our 500th podcast! We took a few minutes to share our experiences with you. It has been exciting to have my learning extended as we created an opportunity to ponder about teaching and learning with guests and listeners.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Liz Keable, a specialist in guiding increased student leaning through metacognition practices, provides insights and suggestions for supporting and coaching teachers. "If we want to have a real impact on the next generation, there is one thing vastly more important than our teaching, and that is their learning.” You’ll find “look fors” and questions to build into your coaching practices.
Contact Liz: success@lizkeable.com
Visit Liz's website here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Kyle Coppes, a secondary principal, shares the thinking behind an opinion piece he wrote titled, "Student Laziness Is a Myth. Here’s Why" - "The belief that laziness exists will limit the behavior of any teacher who encounters it, and that is harmful. Essentially, it is a teacher’s get-out-of-jail-free card: If a student does not complete a task on time, and if laziness is the culprit, then giving a zero or assigning detention is the right tool for the job.” How do you explore teachers’ beliefs and generate reflection upon those beliefs as part of coaching?
Read Kyle's article, "Student Laziness Is a Myth. Here’s Why" here.
Visit Kyle’s website here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Heather Lyon, the author of, "Engagement is Not a Unicorn, It’s a Narwahl" and "The Big Book of Engagement Strategies," shares her insights on student engagement and teacher strategies from her new book, "50 Ways to Engage Students with Google Apps." Teachers' knowledge and understanding of pedagogical choices is key to tech tools tapping student engagement.
Find Heather’s many resources here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Just as teachers use a focus on communicating interest and positiveness to inspire, motivate, and foster a positive learning classroom environment, coaches need to communicate the same with their coachees. Interest and positiveness can impact an individual's self-esteem, motivation, and performance. Communicating interest and positiveness is not just about what you say but also how you say it. The effectiveness of your communication lies in your ability to make the other person feel seen, heard, and valued.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
With many years of experience as a Success Coach supporting the needs of vulnerable and disadvantaged students, Liz Keable provides concrete "do and don’t do" guidance for parents and caretakers. Learn ways to build students’ understanding of their own role in the learning process, their belief in their capability as a learner, and the internal motivation to face challenges.
To receive a free copy of 'The A-Z of Supporting Learner Achievement," e-mail Liz at: success@lizkeable.com
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
How do coaches increase teacher voice and reflection in post conferencing? Too often the coach’s voice can sound more like a report being given (similar to supervision conferences) rather than a conversation. You’ll gain some mindsets, strategies, and questions in this podcast.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
What happens when the marathon of teaching - the long rewarding journey with its share of challenges becomes an unending obstacle course laden with ever-changing rules and unseen hurdles? Jason McKenna, an experienced teacher, author and current VP at VEX Robotics explores this question. Read Jason's article, "Embracing the Teaching Marathon with Joy and Well-being" here. Contact Jason McKenna or subscribe to his newsletter here. Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
What do you want grades to communicate? What do you want to be sure that your grading doesn’t do? When grades are used to teach life lessons, such as responsibility, or punctuality, the intrinsic value of learning for its own sake can be diminished. Does the lack of consistency among teachers’ use of grading create a grade fog because we are asking a single letter grade to communicate too much disparate information?
Read, "The Problem With Grading" here.
Listen to the podcast with Sarah Morris here.
Read Tom Schimmer's article here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
According to a Harvard Business Review article, "curiosity helps employees engage more deeply in their work, generate new ideas, and share those ideas with others." Certainly, these are all benefits we would want for staff in our schools. The questions that leaders and coaches use can support tapping into curiosity. Find out why "what" is a good start for your questions.
Listen to the podcast with Tanya Sheckly and Tom Willis here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
When we are engaged in growing and learning as educators to reach a student success goal, reflecting on evidence gathered along the way is key both to the goal’s success and to educator learning. Evidence that shows changes in teacher actions and in student learning production behaviors should appear before changes in learning outcomes. With school leadership team goals, changes in leaders’ behaviors should be some of the first evidence that’s observed. Coaching is a great tool for gathering and reflecting upon evidence.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Jason McKenna explores five strategies that can assist teachers in focusing on the joy and passion in teaching: creating a not to do list, embracing periods of unproductivity, redefining success metrics, prioritizing dialogue over data, and protecting personal time diligently. Read Jason's article, "Embracing the Teaching Marathon with Joy and Well-being" here. Contact Jason & subscribe to his newsletter here. Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
How important is physical literacy, the motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge and understanding to value and take responsibility for engagement in physical activities for life? Anthony DeGiorgio reminds us that the relationship students develop with movement and physical activity often sets the tone for their future. Physical literacy is an element of life long learning. Read Anthony's article on physical literacy here. Listen to the Podcast, "What Do We Know About Recess" here. Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Research reinforces that teachers providing feedback to students that demonstrates the teacher's belief in the students' abilities (high expectations) can generate student learning behaviors that positively impact student's success. Additional teacher actions such as active listening, knowing them individually, celebrating, and being accessible are additional teacher actions that support high expectations. In many ways those coaching teachers need to communicate very similar beliefs and teachers need to know that the coach believes in the teacher's abilities. Visit Larry Ferlazzo's blog here.Read Jo Boaler's article here. Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
When coaches are conscious of the purposes of the questions they ask in coaching sessions, their questions are clearer and they can better focus on listening. That listening allows the coach to follow the teacher because the next questions emerge from that listening. Finding out questions provide the coach with an understanding behind the teacher’s planning and actions. Reflection questions generate teachers’ exploration of learning that arises from their experiences. Exploring Future Action questions guide teachers’ implementation of insights and learning to increase student success.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
School leaders' own engagement and modeling of AI is important to support teachers in successfully initiating AI opportunities for teaching and learning. How can instructional coaches introduce and model AI use in their coaching activities with teachers? What might a school or district position statement on AI contain? Technology and design leaders from the Chester County Intermediate Unit in Pennsylvania, Josh Ecker and Kylie Hand, share the ways they support school leaders at various stages of AI implementation in their schools.
Resources:
- Future of Work Report - LinkedIn
- Value Add of Technology on Teaching Framework
- TeachAI.org
- AI Tools List
- Assessment Reform in the Age of AI
- Common Sense Media’s AI’s Impact on Kids
AI in Education News & Guidance
- AI for Education
- AIxEducation
- Common Sense Media AI
- EDSafeAI
- EngageAI Institute
- GSV: AI & Education
- TeachAI
- The AI Educator
- UNESCO
AI Curriculum Resources
- AI4K12
- AIedu
- Code.org/AI
- CSTA
- DataScience4Everyone
- PA'S AI Resources for CSEdWeek2023
Individuals
- Rebecca Bultsma
- Monica Burns
- Vicki Davis
- Dr. Kip Glazer
- Dr. Josh Ecker
- Kylie Hand
- AJ Juliani
- Dr. Ethan Mollick
- Charlie Reisinger
- Dr. Demetrius Roberts
- John Spencer
Our Contact Info:
Kylie Hand, Director of Learning Design & EdTech, Chester County Intermediate Unit: KylieH@cciu.org
Personal Social Media:
- X: @mrskyliehand
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyliehand/
Josh Ecker, Learning Design Coordinator, JoshE@cciu.org
Personal Social Media:
- X: @JoshEcker
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-ecker
Thinkers are characterized by their curiosity, willingness to explore different approaches, and the ability to think critically about a task. Thinking generates learning. The question for us as teachers is "How much thinking are our students doing?” Students who succeed in school by mimicking may get acceptable grades but are often set up for future, often unexpected, failure.
Read the blog on Visibly Random Groups here.
Listen to the EdSurge Podcast with Peter Liljedhal here.
Visit Alexis Wiggin’s Blog here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Kim Cofino, the author of, "Finding Your Path As a Woman in School Leadership: A Guide for Educators, Allies, and Advocates," shares insights from interviews she conducted with over 70 successful female school leaders. Her discoveries are important to female educators at different stages in their leadership development and roles. Equally important, Kim provides reflection for school leaders, regardless of gender, who need to be addressing their role in identifying and supporting more females to be engaged in school leadership. Our students deserve a diverse and representative educator community. We all have a responsibility.
Find Kim's book, "Finding Your Path As a Woman in School Leadership" here.
Connect and learn more about Kim’s work here.
Allie Rodman, the founder of The Learning Loop and author of "Still Learning: Strengthening Professional and Organizational Capacity," explores critical elements for teacher, team, and organizational learning. Consider the roles of stillness, pause and reflection in generating educator learning. Explore learning as an individual educator, team member, and as an organization.
Listen to earlier podcasts with Allie:
Professional Learning—Let’s Not Go Back to Normal!
My Professional Learning – How Do I Make the Most Of What I’ve Learned During Virtual and Hybrid Teaching
Connect with Allie & visit The Learning loop website here.
Kylie Hand and Jennifer Baron, from the Innovative Educational Services Division at Chester County Intermediate Unit in PA, share opportunities for teachers to partner with AI to impact student learning. They discuss options for teachers getting ready to explore as well as teachers who are engaged in "what’s possible.” Many resources ranging from safe and responsible usage to differentiating learning options to a source of feedback for students are offered.
Resources:
- Future of Work Report - LinkedIn
- Value Add of Technology on Teaching Framework
- TeachAI.org
- AI Tools List
- Assessment Reform in the Age of AI
- Common Sense Media’s AI’s Impact on Kids
AI in Education News & Guidance
- AI for Education
- AIxEducation
- Common Sense Media AI
- EDSafeAI
- EngageAI Institute
- GSV: AI & Education
- TeachAI
- The AI Educator
- UNESCO
AI Curriculum Resources
- AI4K12
- AIedu
- Code.org/AI
- CSTA
- DataScience4Everyone
- PA'S AI Resources for CSEdWeek2023
Individuals
- Rebecca Bultsma
- Monica Burns
- Vicki Davis
- Dr. Kip Glazer
- Dr. Josh Ecker
- Kylie Hand
- AJ Juliani
- Dr. Ethan Mollick
- Charlie Reisinger
- Dr. Demetrius Roberts
- John Spencer
Our Contact Info:
Kylie Hand, Director of Learning Design & EdTech, Chester County Intermediate Unit: KylieH@cciu.org
Personal Social Media:
- X: @mrskyliehand
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyliehand/
Jen Baron, Online Learning Design Specialist, Chester County Intermediate Unit: JenniferBa@cciu.org
Personal Social Media:
- X: @JenBaron96
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-baron-702ab81aa
“If a leader wants to be seen as trustworthy, he or she needs to build a connection through rapport”, shares Mike Gilmour, elementary principal, and the author of "The Power of Rapport." Mike walks through six focus areas for building rapport, all of which can be consciously practices and coached: Body Language, Communication, Authenticity, Consistency, Energy and Enthusiasm, Intentionality.
Connect with Mike Gilmour on LinkedIn or at: https://thepowerofrapport.com/
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Author, teacher, and education policy doctoral candidate, Sarah Morris, explores the research around teachers’ grading decisions. Many teachers have received little if any professional development that produces reflection on the impact of their grading practices. The inequity of some grading practices cannot be decreased without teachers’ realization of the impact of their practices and exploration of possibilities.
Read Sarah's article, "I Used to Think I Was a Fair Grader. Now, I Look Back and Cringe" here.
Contact Sarah: srm041@uark.edu
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Biology and Earth Science teacher and author, Wendi Pillars, provides a look at the power of sketching in teaching and learning. Sketching provides an opportunity for students to engage with content in a non-threating and low stakes world. Time for sketching can guide a synthesis of learning. Studies show that information is recalled exponentially more when paired with visuals than without them.
"Using sketching can add laughter and boost confidence to take risk both intellectually and creatively which is ideal for building community and ensuring understanding"
Find Wendi’s books here.
Find her on X (Twitter) - @wendi322
Learn about a well-established program that has senior students serving as mentors to incoming freshman. Terrence Johnson, the designer and implementor of the program at Cumberland Regional High School in NJ, provides details around the program’s elements. Alumni mentors return as part of new mentor training and share their experience of the program’s lasting impact on them post high school. As you listen, consider insights for initiating or strengthening your programs.
Read about the program here.
Connect with Terrence Johnson: johnson@crhsd.org
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
“What to do when the magic is missing?” is the question that Foley Burckardt, a learning coordinator at the University of Chicago, explores in this podcast. How can coaches assist teachers who find themselves burned out, frustrated, fatigued, or rudderless do a reset?
Read Foley's article, "Teaching and Learning: What to Do When the Magic Is Missing" here.
Email Foley: foleyburckardt@gmail.com
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
The author of, "I Used to Think I Was a Fair Grader. Now I look Back and Cringe," Sarah Morris, shares the unconscious grading decisions she made as a teacher. As she learned about the impact of inequitable practices, she found changes she could implement that did not need any change in system policy. As an education policy researcher, she provides the needs for change and the possible alternatives.
Email Sarah: srm041@uark.edu
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Dr. Andrew Crouse, the superintendent of the American Cooperative School in La Paz Bolivia, shares insights around school leaders being coached, coaching administrator and teacher leaders, and building coachability. Consider the characteristics of coachability and how you promote them.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Students can gain many benefits from cross-grade mentoring and peer-pal opportunities in academic, social emotional, and life skills success. Research shows such programs can generate a school environment that is more inclusive and supportive. Hear the results reported by educators at both the elementary and secondary levels.
Watch the video, "How to Elevate Your Buddy Program" here.
Read the article, "This High School Matches Freshmen With Senior Mentors. They All Get Course Credit" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
lliot Aronson, an American psychologist known for his pioneering work in the fields of social psychology and cognitive dissonance, explored the ways that people's attitudes and beliefs can be influenced by peer pressure, group dynamics, and cognitive inconsistencies. His work led to the design of the jigsaw strategy used in classrooms. Consider how elements of his work apply to instructional coaching.
Interview with Aronson on Stanford Psychology Podcast here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Judy Thompson shares her views on how our traditional, "industrial" schooling model needs to change. Her focus on coaching and facilitating learning emerged as she recognized how teaching English as reading and writing wasn’t leading to success with the language. Consider how her thinking supports your desire for maximizing student learning.
- Teachers talk-----Facilitators listen
- Teachers see what is wrong-----Facilitators validate
- Teachers are authoritarians-----Facilitators are leaders
Visit Judy's website here.
Watch Judy’s Ted X video here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Authors, Landon Mascareñaz and Doannie Tran share insights from their work with creating open systems for change that can have implications for being open in our classroom environments. They explore what it would mean for teachers to be democracy builders?
John Dewey - "What direction shall we give to the work of school so that it the richness and fullness of the democratic way of life in all its scope may be promoted?”
Find out more at: https://www.theopensystem.org/
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
The complexity of teaching and learning provides for great educator learning and satisfaction. Coaches assist educators in the conversations, reflection and conscious practice that are key to continuous teacher learning leading to increased student progress. Coach and teacher need to let go of having the right answer and focus on creating and discovering how to impact maximum success.
Find Jim Knight’s podcasts with John Hattie (August 22, 2023) and Joellen Killion (July 18, 2023) here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Landon Mascareñaz and Doannie Tran, the authors of "The Open System: Redesigning Education and Reigniting Democracy," share their insights for building future education plans alongside students, families, and communities instead of using our historical, closed, top-down approaches. Consider how your leadership lifts up others who will work to move co-created initiatives forward in their own ways.
Find out more at: https://www.theopensystem.org/
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Author, Dr. Joanne Foster shares insights on creativity from her extensive experience as a teacher, parent, and teacher educator at the University of Toronto, teaching Educational Psychology and Gifted Education. She offers strategies from her most recent book, "Ignite Your Ideas: Creativity for Kids" and explores developing teachers’ creativity to impact student creativity.
Listen to the parent podcast with Joanne here.
Find information on "Ignite Your Ideas: Creativity for Kids" and Dr. Foster’s other books here.
Find "ABCs of Raising Smarter Kids" here.
Find Being Smart about Gifted Learning (3rd Edition) here.
At this website, including the bookshop, you can take advantage of a discount code specially set for the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud community! Use POL20! at check out for 20% off these books: "Ignite Your Ideas," "Being Smart about Gifted Learning," "ABCS of Raising Smarter Kids, Bust Your BUTS," and "Not Now, Maybe Later" – valid till Dec. 31st, 2023. Great now and for holiday gift-giving.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Are you students partners in your school’s decisions? Does your multi-cultural curriculum and pedagogy benefit all students? Does your school have a cultural of love, patience, trust, caring, forgiveness, commitment? Dr. Luvelle Brown, Superintendent of Ithaca Schools in New York State, and the author of "Culture of Love: Cultivating a Positive and Transformational Organizational Culture" explores these topics and more.
Find Dr. Brown's book, "Culture of Love" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
The author of "Rethinking Recess: Creating Safe and Inclusive Playtime For All Children in School," Dr. Rebecca London, shares her research and guidelines for recess from Playworks. Find "lookfors" and important mindsets for educators to explore about the key elements and benefits of recess. Should we be coaching teachers and assistants for guiding students to gain the most from recess time?
Visit the Playworks website here.
Connect with Rebecca and find her book here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Dr. Joanne Foster is returning to our podcast upon the release of her new book, "Ignite Your Ideas: Creativity for Kids,"written for children 12 and older. It provides understandings and strategies, generates exciting, accessible choices and joyful creative experiences for kids and their families. Teachers will also find countless possibilities and strategies. In this podcast, Dr. Foster highlights the role of agency and effort in creativity. She shares a few of the over 100 sure-fire ways to spark creativity across many different areas of interest that are found in her book.
Find information on "Ignite Your Ideas: Creativity for Kids" and Dr. Foster’s other books here.
Find "Mess for Succes" here. You’re invited to scroll through and explore LOTS of resources, and this particular one is listed partway down under the heading “Articles on Important Topics
At this website, including the bookshop, you can take advantage of a discount code specially set for the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud community! Use POL20! at check out for 20% off these books: "Ignite Your Ideas," "Being Smart about Gifted Learning," "ABCS of Raising Smarter Kids, Bust Your BUTS," and "Not Now, Maybe Later" – valid till Dec. 31st, 2023. Great now and for holiday gift-giving.
Problem saturated conversations can lead to a limited focus on any solution, a negative impact on morale, as well as a decrease in collaboration and teamwork. Lana Cecil, a coach of instructional coaches and teachers, shares her "Positober" strategy: a plan to address a common dip that occurs for many educators sometimes called the October dip. Some describe it as a long stretch while you’re really tired. Others describe it as hitting the wall, barely making it through the week, with endless weeks of the school year ahead of you. How can coaches and leaders respond to problem saturated conversations?
Read Steve’s blog on Problem Saturated Conversations here.
Contact Lana: lana.cecil@esc13.txed.net
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Author and international educator, Ann Lautrette, describes a co-constructed classroom as a space where students are valued and empowered, where teachers and students work together to plan learning, to do learning, and to assess learning. How can coaches and school leaders create a space for teachers to stop doing some good things to make room for doing things that may be better?
Connect with Ann, read her blogs and find her book, "The Co-Constructed Classroom" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Nellie Harden, from the "6570 Family Project," describes our parenting role in providing a training ground for our children’s adulthood. 6570 days is the amount of time we have until our youngsters reach age 18. As a parent of four teenage daughters and having interacted with hundreds of parents, Nellie explores building youngsters’ worth, esteem, and confidence. How do we encourage self-led discipline?
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
This podcast is pulled from a presentation/conversation I did with Nicole Turner as part of her Coaching Summit 2023. In this podcast, we explore why teachers deserve a coach. We knew this important connection to coaching from at least 1980. We also examine the important principal coach partnership and explore building coachability by tackling FOFO - Fear Of Finding Out.
Watch Atul Gawande's TED Talk, "Want to Get Great at Something?"
Visit Nicole Turner's website: Simply Coaching and Teaching
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
This podcast is pulled from a presentation/conversation I did with Nicole Turner as part of her Coaching Summit 2023. With a special consideration on those who are newer to their instructional coaching career, I looked back on the learning and insights from my early years implementing coaching in many different settings. In part one, we explore the concepts of continuous teacher growth, teaching as a team sport, and planning backwards for teaching and coaching.
Watch the Dylan William clip, "Every Teacher Can Improve" here.
Visit Nicole Turner's website, Simply Coaching and Teaching here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
It takes time and conscious decisions on a teacher’s part to build connections with students. With the pressures of pacing guides and content coverage, teachers can feel uncomfortable dedicating the needed time to connection building with students. Research is clear that many benefits can be gained from committing to building connections. "The need for connection and community is primal, as fundamental as the need for air, water, and food." (Dean Ornish)
Find "The Connected Species" and other resources from Dr. Mark Williams here. Listen to Tara Brown's Podcast here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Dr. Mark Wilson, a past national principal of the year and a current coach to school leaders, shares insights and strategies from his new book, "What They Didn’t Teach You in Fancy Leadership School." Mark addresses team building, communication, and expectations. He highlights the many similarities among the roles of teachers, instructional coaches, and principals. Leaders work to find the right balance between establishing a positive workplace and raising expectations of performance.
Communicate with Mark and find his book and many resources at: https://principal-matters.com/
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
How can "constellation thinking" (Matthew Barzun, "The Power of Giving Away Power") increase the learning and creativity of school staff who currently are most likely engaged in pyramid thinking? Building integration into decision making increases vulnerability, trust, and interdependence. What role should instructional coaches have in PLCs?
Watch Senik and Barzun's video here. Find Simon Sinek's book, "The Power of Giving Away Power" here. Read the article, "How Diversity Effects Decision Making in Communities" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
What do students experience in your classroom that they would identify as indications of caring? When would they identify the tasks that they have been given as useful? When and why would they describe hard work as feeling good? Can students recognize that when teaching is hard work it feels good to you? How might discussions about above and beyond generate increase quality work and learning? When are your students wowed?
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
The start of the school year is a great time to guide your school team in a reflection around the school’s and district’s mission and vision statement. Commit to the necessary actions that are needed to have the vision become an outcome rather than just an opportunity. Use high expectations to drive educator actions.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Does your staff have a clear understanding of what it means for educators to work as a team? Do your teacher and administrator leaders have a common assessment of the current status of teaming? How are you planning to support the building of vulnerability and trust required for deep team collaboration?
Read the article on the benefits of teaming here. View the ASU Teachers College resources for teaming here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Goal setting can help with classroom management and academic performance. It allows students to become more aware of expectations and concrete methods to achieve an outcome. How might students forming hypotheses increase the success of their goal setting practices? Students sharing their hypotheses and their reflections can lead to learning from each other’s experiences and empowerment from having skills in planning for desired outcomes.
Read Stephanie Toro's article, "Guiding Students to Set Academic Goals" here. Watch Reggie Rivers Ted Talk, "If you want to achieve your goals, don't focus on them" here. Read Jeanne Ross' article, "Why Hypotheses Beat Goals" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Dr. Kevin McGowan, the National Superintendent of the year, shares how the Brighton Central School District in New York State made substantial increases in student success by focusing on every student, every day, in every way. He examines the roles of everyone connected to the school questioning their actions around the “every student” focus. Their teamwork has illuminated an achievement gap.
Learn more about Dr. McGowan here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
If you did walkthrough observations of PLC sessions in your school, what would you hear and see? To what extent does the learning environment for teacher during PLCs mirror the learning environment you want for students? Are projects, peers, passion, and play evident?
Listen to the podcast with Nancy Frey and Doug Fisher here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
“Stop talking so much and make time for inquiry.” That’s the first of the six strategies that Alexis Wiggins and Tracy Hill share from their experiences as teachers and instructional coaches both nationally and internationally. They provide the "why" for empowering students to learn content deeper while developing critical success skills for life outside of school and specific strategies such as graphing discussions, rubrics, and peer coaching strategies. Implementing even just one or two of their tips will help you take your students and their thinking to the next level.
Email Tracy: tracyriyadh@gmail.com
Find Tracy on Twitter: twitter.com/tracyhillriyadh
Email Alexis: awiggins@ceelcenter.org
Find Alexis on Twitter: https://twitter.com/alexiswiggins
Read Alexis & Tracy's article, "6 Strategies to Bolster Student Led Discussions"
Read Alexis's book, "The Best Class You Never Taught"
Find the Spider Web Discussion Core Resources here.
Visit the CEEL Center website and find more resources here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Donna Spangler, a past chair of district level coaches, describes the need for coaches to develop strategies to gather input that assesses the effectiveness of their coaching program. The collection of calendar and activity records tend to record activity; not impact. How does coaching enhance teacher professional growth, positive organizational change and most importantly student success?
Find Donna’s recommendations here: Coaching for Impact Report. Jim Knight's, "Evaluating Instructional Coaching: People, Programs, and Partnership." Contact Donna: donnaspangler@comcast.net or donnas@sibme.com Twitter: @spanglerdonna1
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
George Wright, management consultant, explores why focusing on continuous improvement is a critical leadership purpose; improvement for your self and creating the needed support for your staff’s growth. He identifies the benefits of improvement as increased self-confidence, greater job satisfaction and more opportunities for growth. Improvement is not a one-time event, it’s an ongoing process. Making improvement a top priority will be the best investment you can make.
Read George's article, "The One Skill You Need for Success: Improving" here. Visit George's website here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Mastery-oriented learners are motivated by building competency. They are intrinsically motivated rather than driven by extrinsic rewards or by fear of punishment. Mastery-oriented learners want to learn for the sake of learning rather than for grades or teacher or parent approval and believe that ability is changeable. Mastery-oriented learners believe that failure is part of success and persist when learning is difficult. How can parents and teacher guide learners in building mastery orientation.
Listen to the "Rough Draft Math" podcast with Dr. Amanda Jansen here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
All of us are at different stages in our learning of a new skill from being unconsciously or consciously unskilled to being conscious or unconsciously skilled. Tom Gordon, the originator of Parent Effectiveness Training and Teacher Effectiveness Training identified theses stages. They provide a helpful understanding for those of us coaching and being coached.
Read Tom Gordon's Bio here. Read the blog on the four stages here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
This episode continues the exploration of the early authors, presenters, researchers, and experiences that have influenced my work in coaching across the last 40 years. Bruce Joyce and Beverly Showers' exploration of the impact of coaching on the transfer of workshop skills to embedded classroom success was an early footing for me. I explore that impact here.
Read Bruce Joyce & Beverly Showers', "The Coaching of Teaching:" https://files.ascd.org/staticfiles/ascd/pdf/journals/ed_lead/el_198210_joyce.pdf https://www.unrwa.org/sites/default/files/joyce_and_showers_coaching_as_cpd.pdf Read Joyce Showers', "Student Achievement Through Staff Development" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Looking back on my 35 years of working in the field of coaching, I am pulling some of the authors, beliefs, experiences, and insights that I believe form a foundation for those building their coaching practices. In this first episode, I’ve focused on Joellen Killion’s explanation of the importance of "coaching heavy." She reminds us that results build relationships.
Listen to Joellen's interview with Coach Better here. Read Joellen’s article, "Are You Coaching Heavy or Light" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Research informs us that when tackling tasks that are more complex, success is more likely to occur from intrinsic rather than extrinsic motivation. How can teachers and parents support learners in building self-determination? What are the environments that nurture intrinsic motivation leading to increased engagement, persistence, and satisfaction in students’ learning journey?
"The Puzzle of Motivation"
"25 Ways to Cultivate Intrinsic Motivation"
"Why We Do What We Do"
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
When teachers are told to implement a new program because it’s "research based," what are they thinking and feeling? That’s the question Sarah Morris, a Doctoral Academy Fellow at the University of Arkansas explored. She shares her summary from 400 responding teachers. Instructional leaders should consider how they engage teachers with research.
Read Sarah’s article, "5 Reasons Teachers Are Tired of the Phrase "Best Practice" and "Backed by Research" here. Email Sarah: srm041@uark.edu
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Schools face increasing needs to respond to student wellness concerns, often with limited staff and time. Maria Barrera, the founder and CEO of Clayful, shares how her organization is working to respond with an app that through text links students with a wellness coach. She responds to some of the most asked questions about the strategy.
Find out more about Clayful at: clayful.co/ponders
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Parent, teacher, and author Crystal Frommert, shares her thoughts on building the parent/teacher partnership from the parents’ perspective. That partnership is important to maximize a student’s success in school. When is a phone call or even a short visit at school a better choice than an email? Crystal also describes the changing parent role as your youngster moves from elementary to middle to high school age.
Find Crystal’s book here.
Read more of Crystal’s articles here.
Find Crystal on Twitter: @mrs_frommert
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
“Self-efficacy is one psychological lens school leaders might use to support teachers, so they are able to effectively accomplish and sustain the work they love.“ (Sarah Caroleo)
As a Ph.D. student researching teacher capacity at Johns Hopkins University, Sarah shares findings indicating that weaker levels of teacher self-efficacy can relate to intensified feelings of burnout and demoralization. She shares strategies coaches and administrators can implement to support teacher self-efficacy.
Read Sarah's article, "Teachers Don’t Need More Self-Care. They Need Self-Efficacy" here.
Email Sarah: scarole1@jhu.edu
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
As John Dewey stated, “We do not learn from experience. We learn from reflecting on experience.” This is as true for educators as it is for our students. I was invited to explore teacher reflection through coaching with Cory Camp on the SIBME Coach Replay Show. Listen in on our reflections which hopefully will generate some of your own.
Watch the Video of the Conversation here.
Read Michael Moody's article, "If Instructional Coaching Really Works, Why Isn’t It Working" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
As you observe your kids on social media, are you seeing them engaged in entertainment and social connection or are they engaged in distraction from boredom, anxiousness, or distress? Mental health counselor, Leah Jacobs, describes how parents can engage with their young ones in reflection creating mindfulness. What are we modeling in our own social media use?
Contact Leah: jacobsleah3@gmail.com
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Chief Innovation Officer for the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), Tim Fish, explores how school leaders can support the environment and opportunities for educators and students to be innovators. How does your mission and vision lead to innovation? Tim describes innovation as "a disposition, a way of behaving, a way of seeing ourselves and the world aligned with our challenges and progress we are trying to make."
Listen to Tim’s Podcasts here.
Contact Tim: fish@nais.org
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
The term Fear of Finding Out (FOFO) was initially used to describe the feelings of people who were afraid to seek medical advice even if suffering. One can be more comfortable not knowing. How does FOFO impact teachers’ reactions to opportunities for “finding out,” coaching observation, PLCs looking at student work, or data review meetings? Emotional intelligence strategies can assist in identifying the impact of the fear and implementing an action.
Read Justin Bariso's article, "What is FOFO and How Do You Fight it? How Emotional Intelligent People Deal With the Fear of Finding Out" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
The use of learning stations can provide teachers and students at all grade levels increased options for differentiated learning with greater student agency. Catlin Tucker shares many specific station rotation strategies for handling issues around school schedules, class size, and management. Her knowledge around blended learning options expands the opportunities.
Find Catlin’s resources here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Elementary principal, Haley Beavert, created a program trading required mandatory faculty meetings for optional learning opportunities. She identifies the strategy as an example of de-implementation. The program, called “Feed Your Brain,” has teachers organizing learning opportunities for professional development which has now expanded to other schools in the district.
Read Haley’s article, "Give Teachers Agency to Create Their Own Professional Development and See Engagement Grow"
E-mail Haley: haley.beavert@cps.k12.ar.us
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
With the right strategies, educators can support student-led discussions that foster deep critical thinking and empathy. Student-led discussions can build students’ skills in analytical thinking and innovation; complex problem-solving; creativity, originality, and initiative; and reasoning and ideation. Tracy Hill and Alexis Wiggins, experienced teachers, instructional coaches, authors, and workshop leaders encourage school leaders to focus teachers on time for making meaning.
Email Tracy: tracyriyadh@gmail.com
Tracy's Twitter: twitter.com/tracyhillriyadh
Email Alexis: awiggins@ceelcenter.org
Alexis's Twitter: https://twitter.com/alexiswiggins
Read Alexis & Tracy's article, "6 Strategies to Bolster Student Led Discussions"
Read Alexis's book, "The Best Class You Never Taught"
Find the Spider Web Discussion Core Resources here.
Visit the CEEL Center website and find more resources here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Parents often receive messages about the dangers that might befall unsupervised children and the value of high achievement in school. They too seldom hear messages that if children are to grow up well-adjusted, they need ever-increasing opportunities for independent activity, including self-directed play and meaningful contributions to family and community life. These opportunities inform youth that they are trusted, responsible, and capable. With "risky" activities, students receive feedback that they can deal effectively with the real world.
Visit Play Outside Canada here.
Read "All Work, No Independent Play Cause of Youth Declining Mental Health" here.
Watch the video on Denmark's Forest Kindergartens here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
“Are we giving students answers to questions they haven’t asked and solutions to problems they have never encountered?” Author and consultant with an expertise in blended learning options, Catlin Tucker, explores bringing relevance, curiosity, and inquiry into our students learning opportunities. She describes "onboarding" students to learning opportunities.
Find Catlin’s resources here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
What impact is created when teachers play a greater role in guiding the observations that school administrators conduct? Ty McGee, an administrator with the Saudi Aramco Expatriate Schools in Saudi Arabia, describes the design process used and the plan that emerged to increase teacher’s satisfaction with observation feedback. Consider how this plan for teacher feedback models what we would want to see happening for students.
Contact Ty with questions and for more information: tmcgee@saeslearning.com
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
“Neuroscientists have found that mistakes are helpful for brain growth and connectivity and if we are not struggling, we are not learning. Not only is struggle good for our brains but people who know about the value of struggle improve their learning potential.” (-Jo Boaler) Creating student’s understanding of the value of struggle and creating a psychologically safe environment for that struggle is a teacher’s task. We need the same safe environment for teachers to collaboratively tackle the problem and struggles in student learning.
Read Jo Boaler's article, "Why Struggle Is Essential for the Brain- and Our Lives" here.
Watch the Edutopia video, "What Makes Productive Struggle Effective" here.
Watch Robert Kegan's "The Evolution of Self" here.
Peer Observation and Peer Coaching - both build opportunities for teacher reflection, growth, and collective teacher efficacy. There is a difference between the two activities. Clarity on expectations of a collegial peer engagement may positively impact the experience and learning outcomes.
Read Steve's blog on learning walks at Manheim Central School District here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Director of Learning at American Community School of Abu Dhabi, Dr. Jen Ricks, explores the changes in moving from a focus on a teacher performance appraisal system to a professional growth model. She identifies options that are offered to teachers as they plan their growth opportunities around what their students need them to learn.
E-mail Jen: jenniferricks@acs.sch.ae
Find Jen on Twitter: @Jenricks
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Volunteer and paid coaches connecting with your children can play an important role in developing important life skills as well as performing skills. Five elements of building developmental relationships and a strategy called “compete, learn, honor” are explored. How does a focus on safety, fun, and growth reinforce respect and empowerment?
Read "Tips for Youth Sports Coaches" from the Search Institute here.
Find Coach Pete's videos here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Just as instructional coaches need specific skills and mindsets to be an effective coach, teachers need specific skills and mindsets to gain from being coached. Similarly, team facilitators need important skills and mindsets, and team members need critical skills and mindsets of membership. Patrick Lencioni suggests that team members need to be hungry, humble, and smart. Gather insights and resources to reflect on your team and your team membership skills and mindsets.
Watch "Are you an Ideal Team Member" here.
Read "Assessment: How well does Your Team Function" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
"If you don’t question what your experiences mean and think actively about them on an on-going basis, the evidence shows you are unlikely to improve.” - Alexandra Spalding
Using the Gibbs Reflection Cycle, Steve explores how a coach's questions and observations can maximize a teacher’s reflection and thus learning. Teachers’ insights are empowering.
View Spalding’s Guide to Reflective Practice in Teaching here.
View Gibbs Reflection Cycle here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
The author of "Leading Beyond Your Title: Creating Change in School from Any Role," Nili Bartley, shares reasons and strategies for generating leadership opportunities for students to lead. She identifies the value of teachers leading with their passions and learning the passions of others. Countless opportunities to create real change exist in every school just waiting for someone to take the lead.
Find Nili's book, "Leading Beyond Your Title: Creating Change in School from Any Role" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
How do teacher leaders work to build a coaching culture in a school? They should be the most coached teachers in the school.
Steve responds to these questions from teacher leaders:
• If I observe something that the teacher can easily fix, should I point it out?• What if the teacher asks, "What should I do?”• What do you do when a teach asks for suggestions and then doesn’t use them?
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Using science teaching and learning as an example, Dr. Stephanie Sisk-Hilton illustrates the importance of exploring big concepts and connected systems with students. She shares her work with colleagues, designing a program leading to a Climate Justice Education certificate. Suggestions on how coaches can assist teachers to expand current instructional practices are included.
Email Dr. Sisk-Hilton: stephsh@sfsu.eduRead, "A New Program Will Train Teachers to Teach Climate Change, Without the ‘Doom and Gloom’" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Dr. Maleka Donaldson, parent, teacher, education professor and author of "From Oops to Aha: Portraits of Learning From Mistakes in Kindergarten," shares her vast experiences for parents’ consideration. Children at all ages are reading cues concerning the acceptance of mistakes. As parents, we need to be aware of the message we are communicating. How have our past experiences influenced our unconscious responses?
Visit Dr. Donaldson's website here.Find Dr. Donaldson's book, "From Oops to Aha: Portraits of Learning From Mistakes in Kindergarten" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Miriam Plotinsky, the author of "Teach More Hover Less: How to Stop Micromanaging Your Secondary Classroom," identifies that students need to be empowered to take ownership of their learning in order to be fully engaged. She breaks hover-free teaching down into four sequential stages: mindset, deeper relationships, planning for engagement, and choice-based instruction.
Read "Teach More Hover Less" here.
Read "Lead Like a Teacher" here.
Find Miriam’s articles here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
AJ Crabill, the director of governance for the Council of Great City Schools and the conservator for Desoto ISD in Texas, explores the need for district alignment on continuous improvement in student learning outcomes. These statements from AJ spark the conversation: "The sole reason that schools exist is to improve student outcomes” and “Student outcomes don’t change until adult behaviors change."Visit AJ's website here.
Find AJ's book, "Great on Their Behalf" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
“Students are not like Lego sets; collecting small bits of knowledge and eventually building a bigger picture understanding.” Dr. Stephanie Sisk-Hilton describes the reasons for engaging students in learning activities that include deep and broad systems understanding. Her examples encourage educators to increase these opportunities by building from current learning activities.Email Stephanie: stephsh@sfsu.eduRead "A New Program Will Train Teachers to Teach Climate Change, Without the ‘Doom and Gloom’" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Dr. Maleka Donaldson shares how school leaders can either encourage or discourage teachers from taking new risks and learning from mistakes. What coaching conversations should occur to uncover teachers’ beliefs, habits, and notions around mistakes? How does a coach personalize coaching with that understanding? What is the “error climate” in your school?
Visit Dr. Donaldson's website here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Hear the experiences and insights that led to having a PD session for staff with the themes of equity and social justice being led by middle and high school students. Nili Bartley, digital learning and innovation coach, shared this observation: ”The mutual respect in the room for what students and staff members were asking each other to offer, sparked potential for relationships between them to grow and for opportunities like this to only continue.” Gain some suggestions for exploring the possibilities.Read Nili’s blog, "Students Leading PD, a Powerful Shift in Learning" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Tim Seller, an educator with five decades of experience, shares his current practices as a middle school math teacher. Tim has a curriculum for his classroom management as well as for his math standards. Tim shares how he learns who his students are and creates a classroom environment of student ownership. A great quote from Tim, "I don’t pass out books until they want them."Connect with Tim Seller on Linkedin.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Cory Camp, the director of professional development for Sibme, joins Steve in exploring how instructional coaches can use goal setting to guide teachers’ continuous improvement. They explore how evidence and data gathered by the coach can support the teacher’s reflection and persistence. Cory describes a focus on progress rather than perfection.Contact Cory: https://sibme.com/about-us
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
How does being forward focused differ from future focused? What is the difference in plans for improvement and plans for change? When should we be exploring, "How do we get a little better than last year?" When should we be asking, "Where do we need to go and how can we get there?" Maria Hoover, Director of Educational Services for the Capital Area Intermediate Unit in PA shares insights from exploring these questions with 24 diverse school districts.Find Maria on LinkedIn. Email Maria: mhoover@caiu.org
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Studies identify that interventions that influence students’ beliefs about the relevance of school to themselves, their lives, and their society, can impact student academic tenacity and increase student success. Without a future focus, students act according to short-term rewards and costs. A future focus that builds academic tenacity prepares students to set more challenging goals and persevere through challenges and setbacks."Academic Tenacity: Mindsets and Skills that Promote Long-Term Learning""The Most Powerful Mindfulness Is Future-Focused: Use mental time travel to navigate your destiny."
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
How would you describe a great leader? How would you describe a not so great leader? Heather Lyon, an author, central office administrator, and graduate instructor for pre-service administrators, explores these questions. The conversation extends to explore, “how similar are the characteristics of a quality teacher leader in the classroom to a quality educational leader in a school or across a district?”Find Heather’s article here.
Find Heather on Twitter: @LyonsLetters
E-mail Heather: lyonsletters@outlook.com
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
One of the elements of a Positive Psychology framework to coaching is the use of a strengths- based approach. Explore the value of coaching from strengths, spotting strengths, and times that our strengths can limit our success. Consider the strengths that you have that guide your coaching skills in building from strengths. How do you practice prowling for strengths?"Want to Bring Out The Best in People? Start With Strengths""Positive Psychology in Coaching and Professional Practices""S is for The Strengths Coaching Approach" (Questions to Identify Strengths)
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Sparks are skills, talents, or interests that one finds deeply motivating. Students who get joy and energy from using their sparks and learn valuable life skills from their sparks are more likely to do well in school, be more engaged, and be more hopeful about the future. Identify a process that you can use to engage your students in sharing and building upon their sparks.Read the article, "Finding the Student Spark: Missed Opportunities in School Engagement" here.Read the article, "Anchor Activity: Identifying Sparks" here.Watch Peter Benson’s Ted Talk here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
When leaders leave workshops and return to the “real” world, they often are overwhelmed by tasks, making it difficult to convert what was learned in a program into actions that address real problems. In workshops, coaches may practice the verbal skills of coaching: questioning, paraphrasing, providing empathy, feedback and support for differing views. But when the pressure is felt in that reluctant teacher conversation, the freeze often sets in.
Debriefing conversations with a coach around what one could have said builds the likelihood that next time, I will. Or, prepping for the conversation with a coach ahead of time builds a confidence that allows for better listening and increases the odds of connecting with the teacher. Explore leadership coaching possibilities.Read "Vertical Leadership Development:Developing Leaders for a Complex World" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Some teacher leaders and administrators have job descriptions that include what I would call elements of coaching and elements of supervision. In an effort to be efficient, these leaders sometimes approach the two roles in a single observation and conferencing session. Confusion can arise when the roles mix. Supervisors can be coaches if the teachers believe they can separate the roles. As you listen to this podcast, consider if some of the forms, processes, or practices in your system can be confusing.View the Evaluation-Peer Coaching Continuum here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Many teachers get frustrated with students’ questions such as, "Does this count in my grade?” or "What can I do for extra credit?" Middle school math teacher, Crystal Frommert, shares strategies that teachers can implement to encourage students to focus on learning rather than “getting a grade.” Crystal’s goal: making grades more accurate, collaborative, and much less stressful.Find Crystal's article, "Five Ways to Help Students Focus on Learning Rather Than Grades" here.Find Crystal on Twitter: @mrs_frommert
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
The implementation of new curriculums and/or instructional strategies should create an opportunity for increased team building across a school system. Fidelity is important and unlikely to be built through supervision. Reminding teachers of fidelity in statements rather than in discussions and telling them to “trust the program” may not have the desired impact. Engaging teachers in a partnership with school leaders to learn from the implementation of a new program with integrity should be our goal.Read the Iris Center article, "Understanding Fidelity of Implementation and Its Importance" here. Read Jim Knight's article, "High-Quality Teaching High Fidelity Teaching" here.
Listen in as experienced teacher, founder of Mari Fox Wellness, and author of "Yay for Yoga," Mari Irwin shares her passion and beliefs in the joy of yoga for families.
Visit Mari's website here.
Find Mari's book here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
What changes if we approach problem-solving with a focus on love instead of a focus on fear? Hear how students have become engaged in exploring change by starting with gratitude rather than beginning with “What needs to change?” Adam Fishman, the founder of Onora, a company with a focus on impacting climate change, shares how his change to a gratitude approach reshaped his company’s approach and how he is sharing that possibility with students.
Visit the Onora website here. Contact Adam: adam@onoraglobal.com
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Explore how five different psychological theories or frameworks appear in a coach’s practice: person centered, solution focused, self-efficacy, self-determination, and positive psychology. Steve shares how he sees elements of each in his coaching work.
Read "Creating Coaching Cultures in Schools," here.
Watch Daniel Pink's video on Motivation here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Listen in as Steve talks with experienced teacher, Founder of Mari Fox Wellness, and author of "Yay for Yoga," Mari Irwin. Mari provides yoga workshops at schools and for participants of all ages throughout her community. Explore what teachers can take from an understanding of Yoga to create positive experiences for students that are empowering.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
These three questions can guide your coaching pre and post conferences. They help you understand what the teacher is thinking, what experiences have influenced the teacher’s current thinking, and where the teacher would like to be in the future. Possible questions for a post conference and a sample pre-conference with a teacher are included.
View the Questions for Learning here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
What might your students discover by entering into conversations over holiday meals that are gratitude-based and curious? Hear Adam Fishman describe his experiences exploring sustainability with teachers, students, and communities. Discover why gratitude is a door opener to curiosity and connection. Gain resources to explore the possibilities with your students.
Visit the Onora website here. Contact Adam: adam@onoraglobal.com
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
A paper from the Research Partnership for Professional Learning identifies the “what and how” from studies exploring teacher learning impacting student learning. The findings around teacher collaboration and coaching point to practices that are important for the implementation of new curriculum and the work of instructional coaches. Administrators should be exploring their roles in supporting effective PLCs and maximizing instructional coaches’ impact on teacher learning for student learning. What encourages accountability for continued teacher learning?
Find the paper, "Building Better PL: How to Strengthen Teacher Learning" here.
Find Steve's blog on building developmental relationships here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Parents and caregivers can increase the learning that young children and adolescents gain from their “life” experiences by using briefing and debriefing reflection conversations. These reflections can generate conscious implementation of strategies that build skills and confidence. While modeling and teaching these reflection practices, you are supporting your youngsters reflection practices that will guide heir continued future learning.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Dr. Andrea Honigsfeld and Dr. Maria Dove, the authors of "Portraits of Collaboration: Educators Working Together to Support Multilingual Learners," explore questions around teacher collaboration for planning, teaching, and assessing learner success. Instructional coaches and school leaders can apply their knowledge and experience to support EAL teaching teams and coaching in all areas.
Contact Dr. Andrea Honigsfeld: ahonigsfeld@gmail.com Contact Dr. Maria Dove: mdove@malloy.edu
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Writer and cross country coach, Linda Flanagan, shares research and common sense findings about the many benefits kids can gain involvement in sports. As the author of "Take Back the Game: How Money and Mania Are Ruining Kids Sports and Why it Matters," she also shares cautions we should be paying attention to. Consider some conversations teachers may have with students about their sports experiences.
Find Linda's book here.
Find Linda on Twitter: @LindaFlanagan2
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Just like classroom environment impacts student learning, school environment impacts staff learning and teaching. How does coaching assist teachers in understanding and influencing the environment and conditions that will support learning? What roles do instructional coaches, teacher leaders and administrators play in cultivating the needed school environment? Examine the differences in managing and leading.
Read about the 13 Components of a Positive Classroom Environment here. Watch Simon Sinek's full video here.
Watch Sir Ken Robinson's full video here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Sports have many benefits for kids that can be lost if parents lose sight of the purpose. The author of "Take Back the Game: How Money and Mania Are Ruining Kids Sports and Why it Matters," Linda Flanagan, explores questions caretakers should be asking as we support our kids in sports. How do we listen to the kids as well as to our own motivations?
Find Linda's book, "Take Back the Game" here.
Find Linda on Twitter: @LindaFlanagan2
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Most instructional coaches have a role in the work and learning of PLCs at their schools. Many coaches ponder the best role to play. How do the coach’s actions in PLCs influence the engagement and empowerment of the teachers? How does the time spent in PLC’s impact the coach’s overall impact on student learning? Should the coach’s role differ among PLCs?
Ready Steve's blog, "School Leaders: Getting Teacher Input or Empowering Teachers" here. Listen to the entire Podcast with Kelly Hastings here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
When are you more of a managerial leader verses an inquiry leader in the classroom? There are important times for each. What do students learn from your approach? How conscious are you of the practices you are implementing? Jessica Vance, the author "Leading with a Lens of Inquiry: Cultivating Conditions for Curiosity and Empowering Agency," describes why “inquiry is an approach to teaching and learning that honors the learner.”
Connect with Jessica here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Two teachers with experience as members of a high functioning team share some of the processes that were implemented as their team developed and now focuses on continued development. They explore the need for trust, tapping members’ strengths, sharing responsibility, flexing the schedule, and planning for new members joining a team. A learning community for teachers and students.
Contact Angela: Angela_Langlands@wab.edu
Contact Nina: Nina_Triado@wab.edu Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Two teachers with experience as members of a high functioning team share some of the processes that were implemented as their team developed and now focuses on continued development. They explore the need for trust, tapping members’ strengths, sharing responsibility, flexing the schedule, and planning for new members joining a team. A learning community for teachers and students.
Contact Angela: Angela_Langlands@wab.edu
Contact Nina: Nina_Triado@wab.edu Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Parent, teacher, and inquiry consultant to schools, Trevor MacKenzie, provides definitions for and explanations of why student agency and inquiry are increasingly becoming a focus for schools. Trevor connects these practices to an understanding of students’ cognitive needs and provides some areas for important teacher/parent conversation.
Send your questions to Trevor and find his resources here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Parent, teacher, and inquiry consultant to schools, Trevor MacKenzie, provides definitions for and explanations of why student agency and inquiry are increasingly becoming a focus for schools. Trevor connects these practices to an understanding of students’ cognitive needs and provides some areas for important teacher/parent conversation.
Send your questions to Trevor and find his resources here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Our "coachability" increases as we develop confident humility. Coaching leaders should be models of confident humility - continuously presenting themselves as a learners. Continuous teacher growth requires teachers to be vulnerable and risk discovering that their current practice can be improved. Building teachers’ confidence and offering challenges is the work of coaches - very similar to teachers needing to do the same for their students.
Find Daniel Pink’s Podcast here.
Find Warren Berger’s, book, "The Book of Beautiful Questions" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Our "coachability" increases as we develop confident humility. Coaching leaders should be models of confident humility - continuously presenting themselves as a learners. Continuous teacher growth requires teachers to be vulnerable and risk discovering that their current practice can be improved. Building teachers’ confidence and offering challenges is the work of coaches - very similar to teachers needing to do the same for their students.
Find Daniel Pink’s Podcast here.
Find Warren Berger’s, book, "The Book of Beautiful Questions" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
“Focusing on autonomy, mastery, and purpose helps my classroom be a place where both my students and I want to be. And that makes all the difference.” reported Mary Davenport, a high school English teacher. She shares her insights and examples as she is guided by the concepts of autonomy, mastery, and purpose from Daniel Pink’s writing in "Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us."
Ready Mary’s article, "Boosting High School Students’ Sense of Agency and Motivation" here.
Find Mary on Twitter: @eternitymod
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
“Focusing on autonomy, mastery, and purpose helps my classroom be a place where both my students and I want to be. And that makes all the difference.” reported Mary Davenport, a high school English teacher. She shares her insights and examples as she is guided by the concepts of autonomy, mastery, and purpose from Daniel Pink’s writing in "Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us."
Ready Mary’s article, "Boosting High School Students’ Sense of Agency and Motivation" here.
Find Mary on Twitter: @eternitymod
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Trevor MacKenzie, the author of "Inquiry Mindset Assessment Edition," describes the incongruity that can exist in some classrooms between co-designed inquiry learning activities and teacher-controlled assessment activities. How do we move to teacher/student co-designed assessments that build “assessment capable learners?” Trevor provides some thoughts to guide coaching to teachers who are exploring assessment.
Connect with Trevor and find his resources and books here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Trevor MacKenzie, the author of "Inquiry Mindset Assessment Edition," describes the incongruity that can exist in some classrooms between co-designed inquiry learning activities and teacher-controlled assessment activities. How do we move to teacher/student co-designed assessments that build “assessment capable learners?” Trevor provides some thoughts to guide coaching to teachers who are exploring assessment.
Connect with Trevor and find his resources and books here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
This is the last episode of a three part series for parents and kids around nurturing creativity with Dr Joanne Foster. She describes capital and lower case (C/c)reativity. She reinforces that we need to value creativity in order to tap it. Let’s work together to reap the benefits of our personal and collective creativity.
Visit Dr. Foster's website.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
This is the last episode of a three part series for parents and kids around nurturing creativity with Dr Joanne Foster. She describes capital and lower case (C/c)reativity. She reinforces that we need to value creativity in order to tap it. Let’s work together to reap the benefits of our personal and collective creativity.
Visit Dr. Foster's website.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
“Making the first 2-3 minutes of a conversation curiosity-based will change your conversations.” -Michael Bungay Stainer. How does your natural curiosity about teaching, learning and leading guide your coaching? How can curiosity help you avoid the advice giving that can be detrimental to coaching?
Listen to Michael Bungay Stainer with Jim Knight.
Read Rina Whittaker's article Leading with Curiosity
Listen to Michael Bungay Stainer's Ted X talk.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
“Making the first 2-3 minutes of a conversation curiosity-based will change your conversations.” -Michael Bungay Stainer. How does your natural curiosity about teaching, learning and leading guide your coaching? How can curiosity help you avoid the advice giving that can be detrimental to coaching?
Listen to Michael Bungay Stainer with Jim Knight.
Read Rina Whittaker's article Leading with Curiosity
Listen to Michael Bungay Stainer's Ted X talk.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
As teachers, we learn to consciously add a pause after our questions and after students’ responses to increase student thinking. We can increase the thinking students do by teaching and coaching students how to use the time. What are the learning production behaviors that empower students for future learning?
"Applying Think Time to Formative Feedback"
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
As teachers, we learn to consciously add a pause after our questions and after students’ responses to increase student thinking. We can increase the thinking students do by teaching and coaching students how to use the time. What are the learning production behaviors that empower students for future learning?
"Applying Think Time to Formative Feedback"
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Jessica Vance, the author of "Leading with a Lens of Inquiry," describes how instructional coaches and administrators can guide teacher growth through inquiry. Leaning in…listening…and asking with curiosity. She describes the importance of modeling and maintaining spaces that honor agency, curiosity, reflection. and collaborative learning.
Connect with Jessica.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
This is the second part of a three part series for parents and kids around nurturing creativity with Dr. Joanne Foster. Find out why we sometimes struggle with creativity and how we can create an environment that supports creativity.
Connect with Dr Foster here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Students are watching and interpreting each move and decision we make. So in effect, our classroom management approach is a curriculum. “What are students learning from your classroom management?” is a great coaching question. To what extent is learning the elements of community built into your classroom decisions? Is management even a word you want to use? How might teachers, as well as students, benefit from coaching reflection around classroom management?
Watch Dr. Shalaby's presentation. Read Alfie Kohn's book, "Beyond Discipline; From Compliance to Community"
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
How are you purposefully planning for shaping the learning environment with your students? How much focus will be placed on having control vs how much focus will be on generating opportunities to learn freedom? Can students learn from a behavioral mistakes rather than be punished for them? How comfortable are you with your decisions about control, freedom, and responsibility? Does increasing student freedom and responsibility create more teacher freedom?
Read Emma McDonald's article, "Freedoms and Responsibilities" Find Carla Shalaby’s 8 questions on Twitter here. Read Ariana Mygatt's article, "Teaching Freedom: How Learning To Stumble Might Get Us Somewhere Worth Going"
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
While buy-in is necessary for long term implementation of instructional practices that impact student learning, it occurs later in the process not early on. Especially for experienced teachers, it's only after the changes have produced improvements in student learning that significant changes in teachers’ beliefs and attitudes occur. Consider how this understanding impacts the role of instructional coaches and school leaders.
Understanding the Importance of Teacher Buy-In for School Improvement How Beliefs Affect Mindsets Flip the Script on Change
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
This is the first episode in a three part series of podcasts with Dr. Joanne Foster for parents and their children, especially designed so families can listen and learn about creativity - in particular, what underlies creativity; keys to nurturing creative expression at home, school and elsewhere; and strategies for building a more creative and fulfilling life. In part one, Dr. Foster examines the “superpower” of creativity. Connect with Dr Foster here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
The word "team" is frequently used in schools to describe various groupings of people that are working under different understandings of what the relationships among group members should be and what is required of group members. Teams are accountable for the collective performance and work toward a common goal and shared rewards.
Listen to the podcast with Chad Dumas here. Find Chad’s Book, "Put the C back in PLC" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
The first days and weeks of school with new students are important in impacting future learning. Purposeful plans for learning about students and having them learn about you are valuable. Setting the stage for building trust and relationships are worth the investment in time and energy.
Listen to Tara Brown's podcast episode here. Watch Kent Pekel's video here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Adam Grant, the author of "Think Again," states that the term best practice can create an illusion that we have reached an endpoint where there is nothing left to top. It’s unlikely that any educational best practice is the best for ALL students. As educators, we need to be exploring what’s better. Do we want to implement an improvement or a change?
Read the article, "The Problem With Beat Practices" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Learning is generated by the actions that learners engage in. I can’t teach you how to play an instrument, I can teach you how to learn to play. You need to do the learning actions to reach the results. Parents as learning coaches are empowering their children for future learning. Learning how to learn is a critical life skill.
Listen to the Debra Farmer Kris Pomodoro Podcast here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Lindsay Deacon, a co-author of "The Educoach Survival Guide," explores the relationship elements of coaching. How do the coach and the principal build a trusting relationship? How do coach and principal support each other’s relationships with teachers? Lindsay shares the value of starting the year listening and looking like a scientist.
Visit the Educoach Survival Guide website. Find Lindsay on Twitter: @TheRealLindsay2
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Emotions and learning are inseparable. Positive emotions generated as students and teachers begin their shared learning experiences can shape the learning days that follow. Steve shares how “wow” experiences can tap the desired emotions along with examples from teachers.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
As teachers assess students' current levels of skills and knowledge, planning ahead with acceleration rather than remediation is critical. Understanding learners is key and you cannot understand individuals while focusing on group averages. Coaches cannot plan for the "average" teacher.
Watch Todd Rose's video here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Parent, educator, and technology futurist, Frances Valintine, provides insights for parents concerning our role in supporting children to develop an ongoing confidence and passion as learner. What should a parent be considering around guiding youngsters concerning learning pathways?
E-mail Frances: frances.valintine@themindlab.com Visit The Mind Lab site. Visit the Tech Futures Lab site. Find Frances' book, "Future You" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Reflection is key to teachers ongoing growth and empowerment. Too often, "quick feedback" misses the mark because of insufficient dialogue and therefore, too little reflection time. Steve shares some of the tips he has found helpful.
Read the article, "How to encourage reflective teaching in your school" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Experienced teacher, professional developer and Chief Learning Officer of Empower the Learner, Kathleen McClaskey, shares the importance of teachers asking and listening to guide students exploration with these three key questions. She stress the role of identity for empowered learning.
Visit the Empower the Learner website. Email Kathleen: kathleen@empowerthelearner.com
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Dr. Shira Leibowitz, author, university doctorial professor and pre-school/childcare founder, shares insights from her new book, "Havens of Hope: Ideas For Redesigning Education From the Covid-19 Pandemic." She describes how a crisis can be a catalyst, accelerator, anchor or sculptor. The questions “Why hope?” and “Why redesign?” are explored.
Visit the Discovery Village Childcare and Preschool website. Visit the Revabilities website.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Parent, educator, and CEO of Empower the Learner, Kathleen McClaskey, shares the need for parents to empower learners with knowing their strengths and challenges in order to take actions that lead to their hopes and dreams. She highlights her personal parenting and educating experiences that provide clear understanding of our important role.
Visit the Empower the Learner website. Email Kathleen: kathleen@empowerthelearner.com
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
The listening principal, Dr. Kambar Khoshaba, shares how student voices impacted leadership and staff as well as the students themselves, all leading to increased equity. Hear how equity in middle school honors classes was achieved by focusing on student strengths and possibilities. A personal approach to parents and students has produced results.
Email Kambar: skkhoshaba@fcps.edu Read the article, "Students Sought Changes at Their Middle School. Their Principal Listened" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Educator and technology futurist, Frances Valintine, describes teachers creating and facilitating learning opportunities that tap learner passion and agency. How does technology create new and empowering ways for teachers to create possibilities for learners and allow teachers to focus on the ever-extending human needs of students?
E-mail Frances: frances.valintine@themindlab.com Visit The Mind Lab site. Visit the Tech Futures Lab site. Find Frances' book, "Future You" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Natalie Ulloa, a secondary instructional coach with a background in instructional design and Steven Baule, a professor in the Leadership Education Department at Winona State University, discuss coach and principal roles in building a collaborative culture for continuous growth. Building and maintaining trust is highlighted.
Read the article, "How to Build Relationships With Instructional Coaches" Contact Natalie Ulloa: profe.ulloa16@gmail.com Contact Steven Baule: steven.baule@winona.edu
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Deborah Farmer Kris, child development expert and author, shares the Pomodoro Technique and how parents can use it to assist learners in starting a task. Lowering anxiety and decreasing what, at times, becomes a youngster-parent struggle. Parents can use the strategy for themselves too.
Visit Deborah's website here. Read Deborah's article, "Teach Your Kids This Simple Strategy for Improving Focus: Pomodoro Technique."
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Kathleen McCloskey, CEO of Empower the Learner and co-author of "Make Learning Personal" and "How to Personalize Learning," identifies the need to develop student capacity to support their own learning, achieve agency, self-advocate for their learning and realize their hopes and dreams. As leaders, we need to create the same for staff.
Visit the Empower the Learner website. Get in touch with Kathleen: kathleen@empowerthelearner.com
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Tara Brown, The Connection Coach, shares the need for relationships to precede relevance and rigor. The author of "Different Cultures - Common Ground," shares beliefs and strategies that guide us to communicate the needed messages to students. She stresses the need for students to understand that they can be in the driver’s seat for their future.
Visit Tara's website. Find Tara's book, "Different Cultures, Common Ground - 85 Proven Strategies to Connect in Your Classroom" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Frances Valintine, the founder of The Mind Lab and The Tech Futures Lab and the author of "Future You", explores learning in and out of schools today. She describes “embracing change” and how leaders support a learning organization with an environment that embraces change.
E-mail Frances: frances.valintine@themindlab.com Visit The Mind Lab site. Visit the Tech Futures Lab site. Find Frances' book, "Future You" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
All of us can learn from reflection. A too often problem is that we neglect setting aside the time to do it. The end of a school year is a great time to encourage your children’s reflections on the past school year, regardless of their age. A set of possible starter questions are included in the podcast.
Read Open University's "What is Reflection?" Watch Lulu Chan's video on Reflection. Read Stringer & McFadden's Article, "Children as Reflective Thinkers." Read Dr. Joanne Foster's "Reflective Habits of Mind."
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Past National Principal of the Year, Mark Wilson, identifies the value of gathering student thoughts, feelings, and insights to promote student reflection and provide data that can focus educator reflection. Mark shares several great questions and strategies to guide a process. Use the link to his website to find more sample questions.
Visit Mark's website. View the 20 Questions For Students at The End of The Year.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Teacher, author, and child development expert, Deborah Farmer Kris, examines the need for considering balance and purpose for our students. Teens are reporting as running on empty. Striving but not thriving. She discusses supporting students to build optimism, curiosity, and integrity.
Visit the Parenthood365 website. Read Deborah's article, "Striving or Thriving? Steps to Help Kids Find Balance and Purpose."
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Why might, "what’s your hypothesis?”be a better question to ask than, "what’s your goal?" A business article suggested that hypotheses create more organizational learning. Several schools have been experimenting with building teachers’ professional growth plans (PGPs) around a hypothesis that the teacher wants to explore. In this conversation, you will hear from a director of teaching and learning who shares her experiences at the end of her school’s first year’s implementation of hypothesis focused PGPs.
E-mail Marina: mmacdonald@acst.net Visit the American Cooperative School of Tunis website. Read the article, "Why Hypotheses Beat Goals" here.
I began the podcasts for parents at the start of the quarantine when I wanted to support parents as they worked with their children learning at home. I described the role for parents as a learning coach rather than teacher. Our guest for this podcast, Dr Hilary Kreisberg has written two books around parents being partners with schools in generating students’ success in math. She offers action parents as coaches and advocates can take.
Find Hilary on Twitter: @Dr_Kreisberg Visit the Center for Mathematics Achievement website. Find Hilary's Book, "Partnering with Parents in Elementary Math" here. Find Hilary's book, "Adding Parents to the Equations: Understanding Your Child’s Elementary Math" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
The practice of giving glows and grows, like the feedback sandwich, seldom generates growth and change. Frequently, some similar structure is used to give feedback to teachers following walkthroughs. Self-reflection is the key to our decision to commit to a change behavior. Without conversations, these notes rarely generate true reflection. When we generate our own "glows" and "grows," we are on a growth trajectory.
"Why Bosses Rarely Give Negative Feedback, Backed By Science" "Why Emotionally Intelligent Leaders Avoid the 'Feedback Sandwich"
"Glows and Grows: A Positive Framing for Self-Reflection"
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Acceleration and equity require teachers to provide ALL students with engagement in on grade-level or above, complex learning tasks. Too little or too much scaffolding prevents students from gaining the needed learning opportunities. Consider when you might be rescuing students rather than scaffolding. Consider why just-in-time scaffolding is important.
Read the article, "Just-in-Time vs Just-in-Case Scaffolding: How to Foster Productive Perseverance" here. Read the article, "Are you Scaffolding or Rescuing" here. Listen to the podcast "Rough Draft Math" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
"Strengthening organizations one connection at a time," is the recommendation from The Connection Coach, Tara Brown. Connecting to emotions and being valued is critical among leaders and staff if we want to have it present in classrooms for students.
Visit Tara's website here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
All children are naturally curious and our adult role is to provide an environment where children feel they can ask questions and get support for their explorations. Too often youngsters’ curiosity appears to not be valued as we get more focused on correct answers to questions raised by someone else. How do we model the value and experiences of curiosity for our learners?
Watch Hal Gregersen’s You Tube Video here. Visit Hal Gregersen’s website. Read Fast Company's article, "8 habits of Curious People" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
How does a coach respond when teachers suggest they don’t have an idea how a coaching observation could support them? Why does everyone deserve a coach’s support for reflection? Reflection on surprises, failures, and frustrations are opportunities for insights and growth. Sample coaching questions are shared.
View Atul Gawande's video, "Want to Get Great at Something? Get a Coach" here. Read the article,"Don’t Underestimate the Power of Self Reflection" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Most elementary teachers have dealt with parent questions and concerns about math instruction. Some teachers have been the parent raising those concerns with their child’s teacher. Hilary Kreisberg, the Director at the Center for Mathematics Achievement at Lesley University, and the author of, "Partnering with Parents in Elementary Math," shares findings from interviews with parents and provides actions teachers can take to support parents in feeling helpful, intelligent, confident, and familiar around their child’s math learning.
Find Hilary on Twitter: @Dr_Kreisberg Visit the Center for Mathematics Achievement website. Find Hilary's Book, "Partnering with Parents in Elementary Math" here.
What are you finding when you observe discussions in classrooms? Are teachers hearing all students’ voices? Are students’ voices being heard by classmates? What would a student survey tell us? How would you coach teachers to teach and facilitate discussion skills? What’s the quality of discussions taking place in PLC’s and professional learning activities? Explore these questions with Liza Garonzik, the founder of R.E.A.L. Discussion.
Read Liza's article, "Three Steps to (Co)create Belonging During Class Discussions" here. Visit the R.E.A.L. Discussion website here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Tara Brown, who has been called the "Teen Whisperer," shares what we know about the teen brain and how that knowledge can support parents in understanding teen needs. She describes the teen brain as a Maserati with bicycle brakes. Tara is an experienced teenager and parent life coach.
Visit Tara's website here.
When parents were interviewed about math instruction in school, the four most frequent words that arose were intimidated, frustrated, worried, and confused. The author who conducted those interviews, Dr. Hilary Kreisberg, explores what school leaders can do to support teachers changing those parent concerns. Hilary is the author of "Partnering with Parents in Elementary Math" and "Adding Parents to the Equation: Understanding Your Child’s Elementary School Math."
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Students have shared that discussion time is scarier than taking a test. How do we create classrooms where students report that during discussions they feel confident to ask a question, feel that classmates are listening to them, and feel connected to classmates? Liza Garonzik, from Real Discussion, provides some immediate steps teachers can take.
Read the article, "Three Steps to (Co)create Belonging During Class Discussions" here. Visit the Real Discussion website here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
The greatest growth from coaching is likely to occur when the goals from coaching have been set by the coachee. Ownership of the goal increases the commitment to the actions necessary for the goal to be reached. Five strategies are presented for a coach’s conscious practice. Similar to being on a seesaw, coaches need situational modifications to keep a balance for progress.
Read "Cultivate Coaching with these 5 Mindsets" Read "The Coaching of Teaching"
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Experiencing joy has been described as a tonic for all of us, helping with various ailments and concerns. Joy can be healing and has benefits for children of all ages. How do we increase our focus on experiencing the joyful opportunities around us?
Read the article, "How Experiencing Joy Can Help Children and Promote Optimal Development" Watch Ingrid Fetell Lee’s Ted Talk Listen to Brittany Cabrera’s podcast
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
School principal and author of "Leading Like a Coach," Matt Renwick, promotes school leaders working with a community in which each member contributes their strengths and ideas to improving instruction. He explores five key elements from his book.
Create confidence through trust. Organize around a priority. Affirm promising practices. Communicate feedback. Help teachers become leaders.
Visit Matt’s website. Find Matt on Twitter @ReadByExample Find Matt's book, "Lead Like a Coach" here.
Teachers, Colin Donelle and Jon Binschus, share the development of a teaching partnership that implements elements of peer coaching into their planning, teaching, & debriefing process. Reflection is continually increased throughout the process. The role of vulnerability and trust are explored.
E-mail Colin: cdonelle@aisgz.org
E-mail Jon: jbinschus@aisgz.org
Find Colin on Twitter: @ColinDonelle
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
What do we see and hear in a school when people are the focus rather than subjects? Why is now a critical time for a people focus? Leaders need to see teachers as people and all educators need to see students as people. Steve explores these concepts with Stephen Dexter, an upper school principal at an American international school in Croatia.
Contact Stephen: stephen.dexter@aisz.hr
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Why is the gradual release of responsibility model a strong instructional strategy at times for certain learning outcomes and particular students? How can the model negatively impact certain learning outcomes or particular students at other times? Instructionally agile teachers read their students engagement in learning adjusting to maximize learner outcomes.
Read Doug Fisher's article, "Effective Use of the Gradual Release Model" Read the article, "Why “I do, we do you do” is Not Always Best Practice for Teaching Math" Watch Mike Flynn's video, "Flipping The I Do, We Do, You Do" Listen to Steve and Dr. Amanda Jensen's podcast episode, "Rough Draft Math"
Labsite Learning responds to teachers’ requests for professional learning that is collaborative, relevant to their specific students, allows for quick application and happens during the school day. Curriculum specialist, Dani Fry, provides an explanation and a planning process based on her implementation experiences.
Read Dani’s article, "A Collaborative Model for PD" here. Email Dani: dani_fry5@yahoo.com Find Dani on Twitter: @danifryIC
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
How do we decide the value or motivation of an investment of effort? How young do youngsters conduct a cost/benefits assessment of effort? What role can parents and caretakers play in having learners assess their effort. Steve explores the impact of time, repetition/practice, patience, and practicing after success.
Read the U of T article here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Steve’s earlier podcast on the disappointing findings from research on data review meetings impacting teacher learning and change triggered this conversation with instructional coach and math consultant, Nikki Szajkowski. Nikki shared that curriculum changes need to include administrators asking, “what do teachers need us to learn?” For teachers to receive supportive feedback, leaders need to be clear on the "look for's" and "listen for's" in desired student learning production behaviors and the teacher actions designed to generate that student engagement.
Read Steve's blog, "Coaches Time in Data Review Meetings" Find Nikki on Twitter: @nikkiskimath Email Nikki: nikki@mathforunderstanding.com Visit Nikki's website.
Experienced teacher, curriculum director, coach and teacher trainer, Tracy Ocasio, shares her thoughts on the importance of students being engaged in rigorous learning. Key to the design of teaching is clarity in knowing the critical desired outcomes of instruction which are sometimes hidden in a curriculum’s laundry list. Rigor has a focus on understanding which frequently extends beyond getting the correct answer.
Contact Tracy: drtracyocasio@icloud.com
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Jeff Utecht, from Shifting Schools, invites Steve to a conversation around the purpose and practice of professional learning communities. As you listen in, make your checklist of the indicators that are the strengths of your PLCs and identify any elements you’d like to change or strengthen. Are your PLC’s building teacher individual and collective efficacy and agency?
Listen to Steve's episode with Jeff here. Visit the Shifting Schools website.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Empathy has been described as being at the heart of what it means to be human. It is the capacity to imagine what another person is feeling without feeling it yourself as well as the capacity to reflect the feeling of the other person back to him or her. Empathy is an important life skill. This podcast contains some specific ways parents can support youngster’s continuous development of increasing depth of empathy.
5 Tips to Cultivating Empathy Expressions of Empathy in Medical Consultations Developing Empathy, an Important Success Skill
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Instructional coaches and administrators need to build conversations with teachers around key standards. How is the teacher planning for instruction with an understanding of the depth of the standard? What decisions is the teacher making as she observes students’ engagement in rigorous learning tasks? Dr. Tracy Ocasio highlights the need for curriculum leaders’ interaction with coaches and principals to build support for teachers.
Contact Tracy: drtracyocasio@icloud.com
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Being a teacher leader is a demanding and rewarding role for the professional educator. Michael Iannini, the author of Hidden in Plain Sight: Realizing the Full Potential of Middle Leaders, provides guidelines for teachers already in these leadership positions and those looking to progress into teacher leadership roles. Michael provides an interesting perspective of the teacher leader being on the team and also being able to observe the team.
Visit Michael's website here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Jim Knight joins Steve to highlight the seven factors for success in his most recent book on instructional coaching. Jim and Steve’s coaching experiences over the past two plus decades highlight a look at who coaches are, the work coaches do, and where they work. A great resources for coaches, the leaders who support them, and the administrators who partner in building a culture of coaching in schools.
Find Jim's book, "The Definitive Guide to Instructional Coaching: Seven Factors for Success," here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Questions around the role and value of grading have been debated among teachers, administrators, parents and students for many years. In this podcast, Steve explores some of these questions and provides resources for further exploration. How much teacher effort is invested in grading student work, tests, and projects? To what extent does grading positively or negatively impact student learning? What strategies might a teacher put in place to decrease the grading that takes place?
Listen to Steve's podcast with Tom Schimmer here.
Alfie Kohn - "The Case Against Grading" Jesse Stommel - "Ungrading: An Introduction" Jal Metha - Possible Future: "Toward a New Grammar of Schooling" Jennifer Gonzales - "20 Ways to Cut Your Grading Time in Half" Vogel/Zywica - "Want to Go Gradeless? Here's How We Do It"
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
“A culture of collective efficacy does not simply happen; it is built intentionally.” Sarah Sugarman, from Lead by Learning, identifies leadership actions that support the building of teachers’ belief that as a school team they have the power to help their students learn more effectively. This belief is based on their own shared experiences of success.
Read the article, "Three Actions for Building a Culture of Collective Efficacy" here. Visit the Lead by Learning website here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Parents realize that technology has presented children with tons of opportunities. It has also introduced risks to kids' safety. This podcast explores how parents weigh the risk-taking necessary for their learners to develop digital citizenship.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Instructional coaches should be continually engaged in developing a deep reservoir of knowledge and skills that can impact student and teacher success. The coaching role creates many opportunities for learning from the teachers and leaders with whom you are working. How does a coach best engage with teachers so that the coach’s expertise is a resource that is sought rather than avoided; empowering rather than off-putting?
Read Jim Knight's Article. Watch the Nick Bosk video. Listen to the podcast with Joellen Killion on Mental Models.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Heather Kenny, an experienced teacher and teacher educator of literacy, shares purposes and strategies for building student skills in phonemic awareness. She examines the mental process that leads to storing words for immediate and effortless retrieval. Heather explores her experience with students who had word recognition problems that connected to deficits in phonemic awareness skills.
Watch an episode of Sounder & Friends here. Contact Heather.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
How can the After-Action-Review process used by the military service assist instructional coaches and administrators in guiding teachers individually and in PLCs to reflect and improve? Experienced special education teacher, school administrator, and health care specialist in the military, DeShanna Reed, shares her experiences. The key AAR questions and tips for applying them are shared.
Read DeShanna's article here.
Contact DeShanna https://dreedcca.squarespace.com/
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Building learner’s agency might be considered empowering learners. While many schools and teachers are focusing on building student agency, there are ways that parents and caregivers can also promote key elements. How do you encourage self-regulation and perseverance? How do you encourage self-evaluation and problem-solving through obstacles? Consider how you promote a future orientation.
Listen to Steve’s Podcasts on optimism:
Building Optimism Building Optimism: Consciously Practicing Positiveness
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Teacher, Wayne Roland, shares with Steve his experiences teaching in a school where leadership communicated a strong message that every student and every teacher matters. Years later, in different teaching settings, Wayne shares how these early leadership behaviors impact his teaching. Consider how these elements fit into your leadership decisions.
Get in touch with Wayne: Wayne.Roland@cy.kaiwenacademy.cn
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Lead by Learning Regional Director, Sarah Sugarman and JJ Hansen, a teacher leader, join Steve to explore the impact of quality shared learning experiences for teachers. How and why do teachers make their learning visible? How do students gain from their teacher’s willingness to be vulnerable and celebratory in their interactions with colleagues?
Read the article, "Three Actions for Building a Culture of Collective Efficacy" here. Visit the Lead by Learning website.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Michael Iannini, the author of Hidden in Plain Sight: Realizing the Full Potential of Middle Leaders, highlights the important role that teacher leaders play in a school’s effectiveness. How should administrators and coaches support these key influencers? How clearly is their leadership role defined both to the teacher leaders and the staff? Are teacher leaders receiving coaching around where their team currently is on the spectrum of collaboration?
Visit the Middle Leader website here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Learning how to learn is certainly one of the most important areas of knowledge and skills for our students to develop. Much future success requires new learning. Maximizing the return on time spent practicing and studying is both rewarding in current success and confident building for the future. It motivates future effort in studying and practicing. You might listen to this podcast with your learner, stopping and reflecting on current approaches.
Practice for Better Learning- https://thelearnerlab.com/improving-the-quality-practice-for-better-learning/ How Practice Changes the Brain- https://www.science.org.au/curious/people-medicine/how-practice-changes-brain Key Elements of Practice and How to Use Them https://medium.com/@write.ing.things/key-elements-of-practice-and-how-to-use-them-9cfaa2f39f8 Study Smarter not Harder https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/studying-101-study-smarter-not-harder/
Dr. Heather Kenny, a past kindergarten teacher, reading interventionist, consultant and higher education teacher-educator, explores how school leaders and coaches can support teachers of early readers. She is the President of Unleashed Innovation, Inc. and the creator of Sounder & Friends,™ an educational adventure show to develop learners’ phonemic awareness. Dr. Kenny identifies desired student learning behaviors to build foundational reading success.
Watch an episode of Sounder and Friends here. Contact Dr. Kenny here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Teacher and head of Physical Education, Wayne Roland, identifies insights from his teaching background in a school with a strong focus on teaching as a team sport. He highlights the impact of a mentoring program for students and the school’s focus on trust, integrity, care, and love.
Get in touch with Wayne: wayne.roland@cy.kaiwenacademy.cn
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
I had the pleasure to be a presenter in Jim Knight’s TLC21 Conference. Jim Joined my session and shared his insights as we explored four different mindsets. In part 2, we examine a longer term focus rather than the usual education short term and how we can use our proximity to students for greater learning impact.
View the Marshmallow/Acorn Video here. Listen to Neema Avashia's comments here.
Heather Kenny, a past kindergarten teacher and reading teacher educator, has developed a children’s adventure show called Sounder and Friends™ to promote beginning reading skills. Heather shares with parents ways to build sound awareness for successful reading. She also includes how parents can spot indicators of children’s missing skills that warrant sharing with teachers.
Watch an episode of Sounder and Friends here.
Find the free App and other resources on the Sounder and Friends website.
Visit the Sounder and Friends Facebook page here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
I had the pleasure to be a presenter in Jim Knight’s TLC21 Conference. Jim Joined my session and shared his insights as we explored four different mindsets. In part one we examine coaching focused around what we love rather than what we hate and on designing learning in an ecosystem rather than an assembly line.
View the "Good Ancestor" video here. View "Voices from the Field: Impact of the Aware Mindset" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
What are the messages you want to share with teachers as the winter break draws close and as teachers and students return to school in January? Are staff and students languishing? Do we need to refocus on “what really matters?” How can you communicate to teachers that you support and encourage their focus on what really matters? That focus is likely provide renewal and recharging for teachers.
Watch Adam Grant's clip on languishing here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Dr. Gretchen Stewart, a parent, teacher, researcher and the founder of an upcoming school, Smart Moves Academy, which focuses on the thinking brain and the moving body to maximize learning, shares her knowledge and experience with parents. As a parent of two children with learning differences, her understanding of providing for individual learning needs is highlighted.
Get in touch: gretchen@smartmovesacademy.org Visit the Smart Moves Academy Facebook page here. Visit the Smart Moves Academy website here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Experienced teacher, PLC teacher leader, and Instructional Coach, Darby Tobolka joins Steve for a conversation about PLC design, purpose, and expectations. They highlight the role of instructional coaches in focusing PLC’s on student learning.
E-mail Darby: darby.tobolka@leanderisd.org
Find Darby on Twitter: @DarbyT_IC
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
We can teach students to write and debate with nuance and empathy to achieve productive civil discourse. An important topic when the media around them shares few examples. Erica Beaton, an experienced English and Social Studies teacher shares the highlights of her findings as she implemented a listening process into students’ argumentative essay assignments. Strategies for scaffolding students initial work are included.
Find Erica’s article here.
Visit The Good Enough Teacher website here.
Find Erica on Twitter: @EricaLeeBeaton
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Practicing gratitude creates a positive mindset, which can lead to increased self-esteem, compassion for others, and overall happiness. These can lead kids to have a better attitude towards school and their families, as well as reduced stress and a better sense of self. How can parents and care takers generate more frequent consciousness gratitude practices?
Listen to the interview with Martin Seligman here. "How to Teach Children to be Grateful" "The Science of Gratitude"
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Jeff Utecht from Shifting Schools explores what student learning outcomes should be driving our teaching and learning plans. Can students find problems? Can students use everything at their disposal to drive their learning? What skills should students be developing? What role does the teacher take?
Find Jeff’s blogs, podcasts, videos and resources here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Dr. Gretchen Stewart, a long time public school teacher, instructional coach and teacher educator, shares insights from her dissertation research which involves working with worldwide experts in brain development, learning, cognition, and movement, leading to the identification of 27 elements that experts felt should be included in an inclusive school where movement is a central part of how all students maximize learning. As she prepares to put her learning into practice in a new school, Smart Moves Academy, Gretchen highlights directions for coaches and administrators in all settings.
Get in touch: gretchen@smartmovesacademy.org Visit the Smart Moves Academy Facebook page here. Visit the Smart Moves Academy website here.
What are researchers finding out about the natural collaboration of the thinking brain and the moving body? How can teachers use this knowledge to maximize learning opportunities for all students. Dr. Gretchen Stewart is an experienced teacher with a background in working with students with different learning needs. She completed a worldwide study with leading experts in brain development, learning, cognition and movement to guide her opening of a new school implementing these practices. She shares her findings with Steve.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
How can coaching assist educators in examining their empowerment to generate increased satisfaction and energy in teaching and learning? This refocus at times rather than a focus on "what has to be done” can be encouraging and energizing. Dr. Maria Gottschalk, an organizational psychologist, suggests exploring questions like, "what do you need to feel engaged and excel at work?”
Read Dr. Maria Gottschalk's blog, "5 Work Life Rules That Stand The Test of Time" here.
Read Steve’s blogs on refocusing:
barkleypd.com/blog/reframing-the-problem-reframing-the-mindsets/ https://barkleypd.com/blog/podcast-reframing-leading-from-love-rather-than-fear/ barkleypd.com/blog/podcast-mindsets-to-explore-for-the-start-of-school-part-ii/
Co-teaching teams provide benefits to teachers as they collaborate to maximize personalized learning for their students. Dr Andrea Honigsfeld, experienced co-teacher and researcher, joins Steve to explore the challenges of building from I/My to We/Our.
Visit Andrea's website here. Email Andrea: ahonigsfeld@gmail.com Find Andrea on Twitter: @AndreaHonigsfel
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
How are the expectations of an instructional coaching program shared with staff? This is an important question when implementing an instructional coaching program and an important element to address as new staff join a faculty each year. It also needs to be revisited when principal or coach positions change. Listen to a high school and elementary school coach and principal share their first three years of experiences as partners.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Studies show that children who have a strong self-esteem are better at resisting negative peer pressure and influence. How can parents best support their children in making positive choices as peer influences arise? School counselor, Michelle Bradley, explores this question.
Contact Michelle: michelle.chittano@hotmail.it
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Students at McDowell High School in Millcreek Township School District, PA, run all aspects of this manufacturing business producing parts for companies near and far. Teacher/Advisor, Kyle Bucholtz, and several students describe their experiences and the impact of the opportunities. Great example of what is meant by career ready!
Contact Kyle Bucholtz: bucholtz@mtsd.org
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Steve explores moving students from being non-compliant to compliant and from compliant to interested with educator and author Heather Lyon. They explore the role of relationships, consequences, and students’ interests in learning tasks. The value of students reaching a level of absorbed is also addressed.
View The Engagement Matrix here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
It’s common for coaches to be pulled into quick problem solving when teachers share a problem or concern. There is much to be gained by coaching slow initially, to seek real understanding, in order to go fast later. In this podcast, Steve shares some of the reasons and models a coaching conference with a teacher who illustrates her commitment, her willingness to be vulnerable, to maximize learning opportunities for her students.
Read Mike Sturm's article, "Seek First to Understand" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Deeper learning increases the likelihood that learners can transfer their learning to new settings and problems. Too often, "getting schoolwork done" stops learners at surface learning. How can parents support deeper learning both in and out of school?
Read the article, "4 Expert Strategies for Engaging Your Child in Deeper Learning" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Dr. Andrea Honigsfeld, a researcher and consultant with co-teaching experience and expertise, joins Steve to explore how instructional coaches and administrators can support co-teaching teams. Her analogy of co-teaching teams as an arranged marriage generates interesting reflections on the need to build developmental relationships.
Visit Dr. Honigsfeld's website here.
Contact Dr. Honigsfeld: ahonigsfeld@gmail.com
Find Dr. Honigsfeld on Twitter: @AndreaHonigsfel
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
What is the difference between positive stress that increases learning and distress that is harmful to learning and wellness? How does a teacher differentiate rigor? Hear how one school changed their approach to final exams for documenting student learning. Ole Jorgeson and Percy Abram, authors of the article The Dark Side of Rigor, provide insights and suggestions.
Read Ole & Percy's article, "The Dark Side of Rigor" here.
Contact Ole: ojorgenson@almadencountryday.org
Contact Percy: percy.abram@bush.edu
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
It seems that often those creating a job description for instructional coaches have entered a brainstorming contest designed to cover every possible thing that might be asked of a coach. Those lists create confusion for administrators, teachers, and especially coaches who are looking for indicators of their successful coaching. Coaching roles that emerge from the needs of students, teachers, and administrators focused on maximum student success create actionable steps for coaches, leaders, and teachers. Usually this occurs mostly at a building level while job descriptions are often formed at the district level.
Read Sharon Thomas' article, "Hiring Instructional Coaches and Firing Scope Creeps" here. Read Diane Sweeney's article, "So You Are Thinking About Hiring Instructional Coaches" here.
Our past experiences of finding love from our labor motivate our future efforts and willingness to take on challenges. As supporting adults we often need to know just the right amount of help and just the right time to provide it. Work to maintain that pleasure of love from labor that most parents experience when our child is in pre-school through the teen and early adult years.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Increasing collegiality among staff and building teams with shared responsibility for student achievement are keys to a school’s success. Does your leadership team have a shared understanding of what increased collegiality and teaming would look like and sound like? Have you identified leadership actions to produce your desired staff working relationships? Steve’s thoughts might help you develop a goal for increased collegiality and teaming.
Read Brinson and Steiner's article, "Building Collective Teacher Efficacy" article here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
How does a teacher gain a maximum positive impact on student learning through partnering with an instructional coach? Kathy Perret and Kenny McKee join the podcast to share insights from their new book, Compassionate Coaching: How Educators Navigate the Barriers to Professional Growth.
Find Kathy & Kenny's book, Compassionate Coaching here.
Contact Kathy Perret: kathyperret@gmail.com Contact Kenneth McKee: kennethcmckee@gmail.com
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Data team meeting are commonly on the schedules of PLCs, instructional coaches, and administrators. The question that needs to be continually explored is the degree to which this investment in time has a positive impact on long term student achievement. Steve explores some finding around data meetings and connects it to his driving question, "What do our students need us to learn?"
View Adam Geller's article, "Should You Cancel Teacher Data Team Meetings?" here. Watch Dr. Hill's interview here. Read the article, "How school leaders can build effective data teams" here.
Risk-taking is an important element of learning. Risking and succeeding and risking and failing can both produce new learning and confidence. How do caregivers balance between free-range and helicopter parenting?
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Steve identifies 3 strategies that leaders can be doing now to build relational energy with their staff. Relational energy is important because the more you have the more bought in and accountable staff will be for realizing their development goals and increasing student success.
Visit Kim Cameron’s Blog here. See the slides and video of this presentation here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
The author of Emphasizing the Importance of Play During Distance Learning, Madeleine Rogin, shares her experiences and insights around the role of play for teachers and students. Play tends to provide intrinsic motivation, opportunities for decision making, and spontaneous immersion in the moment; all of which have positive impacts on learning.
Find her article, Emphasizing the Importance of Play During Distance Learning here. Read the NACYE article, Five Essentials to Meaningful Play here.
Contact Madeline: madeleinerogin@gmail.com
Steve and Cory Camp from SIBME Coach Replay, discuss how a focus on longer term thinking as we approach teaching and learning may better serve our students. They examine what strengths were developed by teachers, students, and parents during the past year and how coaches can support teachers tapping this learning for building student success.
View the SIBME Video of this Podcast here. View the Marshmallow and Acorn video here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
What signs signal us as parents that the “rigor” level of our child’s program may need an adjustment? What conversations should parents be having with school staff about rigor? How do we encourage programs that develop well-rounded people who impact the world? Two heads of schools share their experiences.
Read "The Dark Side of Rigor" article here.
Contact Ole: ojorgenson@almadencountryday.org
Contact Percy: percy.abram@bush.edu
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Mindsets influence both conscious and unconscious behaviors we as educators put into practice. In part one of this series, Cory Camp from SIBME Coach Replay joins me to explore how fear of "learning loss" might be replaced with excitement for rejoining our students in a love of learning and being together. How teachers can collaborate as an ecosystem is also examined.
View the SIBME Video of this Podcast Read Steve’s blog on Reframing Mindsets
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Teachers can invest in conscious planning to create opportunities for students to strengthen executive functioning skills. Experienced teacher and teacher educator, Brenda Watkins, outlines the benefits and example strategies for all grade levels.
Learn More & Register for the Developing Executive Function to Empower Learners course here.
Contact Brenda: bwakins@pls3rdlearning.com
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Kathy Perret and Kenny McKee join the podcast to share insights from their new book, Compassionate Coaching: How Educators Navigate the Barriers to Professional Growth.
“Successful Coaching is a humanistic, compassionate process that places students at its center. Truly effective coaching places people above programs.”
Read Compassionate Coaching here.
Contact Kathy Perret: kathyperret@gmail.com Contact Kenneth McKee: kennethcmckee@gmail.com
Our children build a sense of self-efficacy when they realize that their own actions have produced successful outcomes rather than believing success was generated by my parents’ actions. Over helping and over directing can prevent the necessary experiences of “successful failures.” Having chores at home can be helpful. Consider how you create an environment for developing independence.
Read the article, "Four Steps to Coax Young Adults (And Their Parents) to Greater Independence" here. Watch Julie Lythcott-Haimes’ Ted Talk here. Visit the Challenge Success website here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Teacher educator, Brenda Watkins, shares her classroom experiences and content from the graduate level course Developing Executive Function to Empower Learners. Included are observable elements for recognizing strategies and opportunities for extending teacher focus on empowering students.
Contact Brenda at: bwakins@pls3rdlearning.com
Learn about Project Zero here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
School counselor and author of Middle School Matters, Phyllis Fagell, shares important understandings and suggested mindsets for teachers to be exploring as they approach the remainder of this school year, summer programs and next fall. Her specific examples from her day to day interactions with students provide great insights.
You can contact Phyllis at https://phyllisfagell.com/ or follow her on Twitter: @Pfagell
Ole Jorgenson and Percy Abram, authors of the article The Dark Side of Rigor, share their past and current experiences and research in exploring problems that arise when rigor is defined as “lots of difficult work” rather than depth and challenges in learning. They share ways to engagestaff and parents in important reflections connecting quality learning and wellness.
Contact Ole: ojorgenson@almadencountryday.org
Contact Percy: percy.abram@bush.edu
Find the article, "The Dark Side of Rigor" here. Find the article, "Changing the Conversation About Homework from Quantity and Achievement To Quality and Engagement" here.
Parent, teacher, and teacher educator, Brenda Watkins, shares how parents can support their children at all ages in developing working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility. These executive functioning skills are needed for success in and out of school.
Contact Brenda at bwakins@pls3rdlearning.com
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Coaching feedback from a colleague is a gift and something all of us as educators deserve. Steve provides a compelling why for bring this gift to all educators.
View the video version here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Building students’ abilities to focus became increasingly important prior to the pandemic and has increased importance as students return to classrooms now and in the fall. Clinical psychologist and director of the SKIPS (Skills for Kids, Parents, and Schools), Marie-Nathalie Beaudoin, shares ways that teachers can plan specific practices that support students in developing focusing skills. Discover the importance of positive emotions, visuals, intrigued-based mindfulness and practice.
Find Dr. Beaudoin's book "Mindfulness in a Busy World" here. (Use code RLFANDF30 for 30% off!) Visit Dr. Beaudoin's website here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Co-author of Instructional Agility, Tom Schimmer, joins this podcast to share thoughts on the role of “real time” assessment in agile teaching. Like agile athletes, agile teachers make quick yet thoughtful decisions about what comes next. Tom examines how grading can interfere with the focus on assessment for instruction.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Author, Todd Nesloney, suggests it’s time to think differently about how we prepare and encourage students to grow as leaders. We should equip them with the tools and skills that will allow them to identify, take on, and solve real-world problems. This podcast explores the “why” and “how.”
Find Todd's books and resources here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Some teachers are uncomfortable working with grade-level “teams” or in PLC’s as they believe that their voice and choice is limited with some decision that we all need to do the same thing. Steve suggests, “As a member of a PLC, a teacher can agree that the team will learn, plan, and work together to achieve agreed upon student learning outcomes. This does not mean that everyone is doing the same thing the same way.” A coach’s question about time for conferencing with teachers is also included.
View visuals and additional information here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
There isn’t a back to normal as students re-enter classrooms. Students’ experiences during remote learning and being quarantined are different in many ways. The impact of those experiences also differs from youngster to youngster. Marie-Nathalie Beaudoin, a clinical psychologist, parent, and the author of The SKILL-ionaire in Every Child: Boosting Children's Socio-Emotional Skills Using the Latest in Brain Research shares conscious ways that parents can be the supporters of young people feeling hope, self-worth, and confidence.
Find Dr. Beaudoin's book "Mindfulness in a Busy World" here. (Use code RLFANDF30 for 30% off! Visit Dr. Beaudoin's website here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
How do you personalize coaching conferences so that the teacher’s agenda is driving the process. Working from the teacher’s agenda and maintaining that focus builds trust and increases teacher’s vulnerability which increases teacher growth. A sample conference with a teacher is included.
Find the Evaluation Coaching Continuum here. Find the Diagram on Teachers’ Agenda here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
How might our thinking long-term vs. short-term impact the decisions we make as we jump back into teaching and learning in classrooms? What would an observer in your classroom, focused on students and teacher, see and hear that indicates resilience is like to be increasing? Steve shares a strategy to assist in drawing your students into an empowering conversation about how they impact their own success.
Krznaric - The Good Ancestor Adeyemi Stembridge on Resilience.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
The director of Culture and Strategic Leadership for the Texas Elementary Principals’ Association, Todd Nesloney, describes the importance of school leaders building the desired school culture. How instructional coaching and peer coaching impact a school’s culture are included.
Find Todd's books and resources here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
A Kindergarten and High School Science teacher describe the collaboration they entered with each other, their students, and outside school partners to engage students in inquiry and critical thinking through hands on learning experiences. They recommend the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) program: https://www.globe.gov/
Get in touch with Pam Patterson: ppatterson@hollandcsd.org Get in touch with Kim Feneziani: kfeneziani@hollandcsd.org
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
There are situations where the opportunity for a coach to observe the teaching and learning process is not available. Steve models a post conference in this podcast that illustrates a coach’s ability to support teacher reflections following her project based learning activity. Ending a post conference with a pre-conference for their next coaching conversation is included.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
“I believe that every child is capable of growing into a leader. Leadership looks different for everyone.” These words from educator and author, Todd Nesloney, are the foundation for his encouragement and advice to parents in this podcast. Things we as caretakers should and should not do are highlighted.
Find Todd's books and resources here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
This is the second podcast in a series on reframing our mindsets and reframing problems. Many of our processes in schools are more mechanical than emergent. This frequently doesn’t fit with learning which is often messy, irregular, non-linear, spontaneous and complex. Margaret Wheatley describes us as thinkers who play and tinker as we adapt and seek meaning. How do we design schools to more closely support these activities?
Read Sam Chaltain's "Rules for New Schools" here. Ready Margaret Wheatley's article on unplanned organization here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
The author of Risk. Fail. Rise… A Teacher’s Guide to Learning from Mistakes, Colleen Cruz, describes why we want to create “a mistake welcoming school.” What mistakes do we frequently make when responding to learners’ mistakes? How can teachers reflect out loud on our mistakes as a model for students.
Read "Risk. Fail. Rise." here.
Visit Colleen’s website here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Angela Buckingham, an experienced instructional coach and coaching trainer, shares her insights around the role of hope and reflection as educators deal with the impacts of the pandemic in the last year. She connects Snyder’s theory of hope (goals, pathways and agency) to our role as coaches.
Visit Angela's website here.
Watch the video clip on languishing here.
View the Region 13 Coaching magazine here.
View the Region 13 services here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Phyllis Fagell, parent, school counselor, private therapist and author shares insights for parenting with Tweens (ages 10-14). She combines her personal experiences with research finding to support the engagement of tweens in conversation when at times they appear to be disinterested. Several “myths” are uncovered.
Visit Phyllis' website here.
Follow Phyllis on Twitter: @Pfagell
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Dr Marie-Nathalie Beaudion, the author of Creating a Positive School Culture: How Principals and Teachers Can Solve Problems Together joins Steve to examine the importance of the adult environment that will be critical to schools having the social-emotional environment that is important for students. Many school leaders focused on the care of teachers during virtual and hybrid teaching months. How will we keep that focus as classrooms open and new learning communities form?
Visit Marie-Nathalie's website here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
The IKEA Effect occurs when people successfully complete a labor-intense task and value the fruits of their labor and the products they have created. As teachers we look to empower students by increasing voice and choice in selecting learning outcomes and providing appropriate scaffolding when needed and requested.
Read Angela Duckworth's Blog on the Ikea Effect here.
Listen to Steve interview Joe Griffith about the Homelessness Simulation project here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
We often need to reframe our mindset or the way we define a problem in order to make real progress. In this first part of a series on reframing, Steve examines reframing from a focus on fear to a focus on love. How do our choices and decisions change if we shift from minimizing the negative impact of the pandemic on students to maximizing students’ opportunities?
Read Adam Fishman’s blog, "Reframing The Climate Problem: Addressing The Root of The Issue" here.
Listen to the Wallace Foundation Podcast here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Author, Kindergarten teacher, dance teacher, and parent, Madeleine Rogin, illustrates the impact of play for wellness and learning. Memories of joyful and meaningful play experiences help bind families together emotionally, even long after children are grown. A great reward for all involved.
Read Madeleine's article, "Emphasizing the Importance of Play During Distance Learning" here.
Read Madeleine's article, "Five Essentials to Meaningful Play" here.
Get in touch with Madeleine: madeleinerogin@gmail.com
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Steve explores three areas of questioning to guide coaching conversations: Finding out and Knowing, Reflection, and Exploring Future Actions. Examples used in pre and post conferencing are included.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Hear how this teacher’s joyful mindset resulted in a classroom where student learning excelled. Brittany Cabrera describes why “keeping it simple” is a key to joyfulness.
Find Brittany on LinkedIn.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
After presenting critical elements of effective Professional Growth Plans, Steve often provides leadership teams with a series of questions to facilitate their decision-making around a process for their school. This podcast focuses on those follow up questions and Steve’s thinking around one team’s responses.
You can find more about critical elements of PGPs including the role of hypothesis and evidence collection in these resources:
Blogs -
Developing and Coaching Teachers’ Professional Growth Plans
Professional Growth Plans
Hypothesis and Evidence: Words to Use In Professional Growth Plans
Podcasts -
Building Professional Growth Plans With Backwards Planning
Building Professional Growth Plans Around Hypothesis & Evidence
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Gain some great resources and motivation for sparking your child’s interest (at any age) in science. An experienced and passionate science educator and writer for the National Science Teacher's Association, Denise Wright, provides encouragement and ways to get started.
Find Denise on Twitter: @DenisecWright
E-mail Denise: ienjoyteaching@gmail.com
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
How does a coach decide when it is time to offer a suggestion or a solution to a teacher’s presentation of a problem or a request for help? Writing in "Responsive Agile Coaching," Niall McShane describes a process of coaching across to showing and telling or coaching down to deeper conversation. Steve describes developing a coach’s intuition that can be supported with listening, looking and test-options.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Professional Learning should be personalized. Allie Rodman, author and founder of The Learning Loop, identifies ways that teachers can maximize the value of their ongoing learning in the post pandemic setting. How do you tap into, direct, and personalize your learning opportunities?
Visit Allie's website, The Learning Loop, here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Increasingly today, many educators are moving from an instructional coaching role to administrative positions at the school and district level. Crystal Frommert, a current middle school instructional coach who will begin a new position next school year as an assistant middle school head, joins this podcast. Crystal and Steve explore how she envisions her instructional coaching experiences impacting her new leadership role.
Read Crystal’s Article on Edutopia, "4 Ways to Maximize the Benefit of Having an Instructional Coach," here.
Read Steve's blog, "Why Reach Out For Coaching," here.
Follow Crystal on Twitter: @mrs_frommert
Increasingly, students and parents are having the opportunity of selecting among different school programs and designs. Peter Wieczorek, a director and teacher at Northwest Passage High School, an inquiry-driven project-based learning program, explores insights and questions for parents to consider as they make decisions. Engaging students in these choices is also explored.
Visit the Northwest Passage High School website here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
What are the actions that school administrators and instructional coaches can take to support the building of a culture of coaching within a school? How does peer coaching embedded in professional growth plans and PLC decisions encourage a coaching culture? How do school leaders model a culture of coaching? Steve explores these questions, setting the stage for your plans for deepening a coaching culture.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Denise Wright, who teaches 8th grade earth science virtually for Horry County Schools in South Carolina, is a virtual teacher of the year who writes an online teacher column for the National Science Teachers’ Association. Listen as she shares her passion and strategies for engaging students in science inquiry and learning. Her engagement of students in the "Tomatosphere" project provides a great example.
Read Denise’s article, "Conducting Science Labs in a Virtual World," here.
Find Denise on Twitter: @DenisecWright
E-mail Denise: ienjoyteaching@gmail.com
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Colleen Cruz, the Director of Innovation for the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project and the author of, "Risk. Fail. Rise. A Teacher’s Guide to Learning From Mistakes," shares insights on learning and mistakes. She identifies how leaders and coaches model their use of their mistakes for learning and points to the needed relationships that support teacher learning.
Find Colleen's book, "Risk. Fail. Rise" here.
Visit Colleen's website here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
A parent of two, experienced teacher and teacher coach, Brittany Cabrera, shares her experiences and insights on the importance of joy and curiosity in learning. How do we implement simple fun opportunities and gain more joy for all involved? How do we deal with our desires to go “over the top” when wanting to create joy and end up missing the joy for ourselves and our kids?
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Steve shares three beliefs that are a foundation for his work guiding school leaders as they focus on promoting continuous teacher growth:
• There is no Mountaintop to Teaching • Teaching is a Team Sport • Teaching need to be public with one’s colleagues
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
What are the costs and benefits to teachers as they learn within PLC’s? Chad Dumas, the author of Let’s Put the C back in PLCs, answers this question and highlights how teachers can assess the effectiveness of their current PLC process along with strategies to improve its effectiveness.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Follow Chad on Twitter: @ChadDumas
Visit Chad's website here.
Northwest Passage High School’s mission statement states: Rekindling our hope, exploring our world, seeking our path, while building our community. Director and teacher, Peter Wieczorek, describes how the mission is lived by teachers and students.
Visit the Northwest Passage High School website here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Author, Colleen Cruz, presents a clear strategy for dealing with our parenting mistakes and our children’s mistakes. She and Steve explore and laugh about the mistakes we all make while parenting and how we can coach our own continuous development.
Find Colleen's book, "Risk. Fail. Rise" here.
Visit Colleen’s website here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Brittany Cabrera, an instructional coach with a history of joyful teaching, examines her discoveries about joy and academic achievement. She discusses how leaders can carry a joyful mindset into their work with teachers that models the relationship for teachers to build with students.
Read Brittany’s article, "Awakening Joy in Schools" here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Matt Johnson, a high school Language Arts teacher, who has been teaching remotely for the past year, shares strategies that he has found work for him in engaging students in learning. He includes approaches for providing writing feedback. With 163 students, one minute of feedback per student takes three hours. Find out about “flash feedback”.
Visit Matt's website here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
What might a coach consider as she plans to introduce a PLC mindset to a middle school staff? Listen in as this coach shares her questions and wonderings. Steve provides his thoughts, experiences and recommendations as she proceeds with her preparations.
Visit the "hot topics" section of Steve's blog here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Jeff Kubiak, the author of, "One Drop of Kindness" and "It's Me" explores the impact of the quarantine on children and young people and how we as parents and grandparents can best support them. A discussion around building characteristics of kindness and compassion is included.
Find Jeff’s books and resources here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
How do I respond when teachers share that they are overwhelmed by student needs, paperwork, parent demands, and curriculum requirements, as well as their own personal struggles? Steve explores how coaches avoid becoming defensive and encourage staff collaboration.
Read Steve's blog, "Empathy to the Complaining" here. Ready Steve's blog, "We Are In This Together" and find the Wheatly diagram here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Three teachers and a staff developer from Passaic, NJ who have been teaching virtually for a year examine how they approach building students skills for self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making. Clearly, there is no going back to “normal.”
Get in contact with Chad, Director of Staff Development at: cleverett@passaicschools.org
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Allie Rodman, the author of Personalized Professional Learning: A Job- Embedded Pathway for Elevating Teacher Voice and founder of The Learning Loop, shares ways that school leaders and instructional coaches should be building learner voice, co-creation, social construction, and self-discovery into their designs for professional learning. What are we learning as leaders in the time of virtual and hybrid days that should we carry forward?
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Four educators from Passaic Public Schools in New Jersey share their experiences and insights with building development relationships when school is virtual. These educators are approaching a year of virtual teaching. Their enthusiasm and optimism drives their ongoing learning and that of their students.
Get in contact with Chad, Director of Staff Development at: cleverett@passaicschools.org
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Instructional coaches share that teachers often ask them to observe and coach with a focus on student engagement. What should a coach explore before agreeing to the teacher’s request? On this podcast Steve provides coaching to a coach on how to explore student engagement with an individual teacher and her grade level cohort.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
The Lifelong Kindergarten group at MIT researches and develops strategies and technologies that engage young people in creative learning experiences. Consider how some of their insights and suggestions fit into building play as a learning element for your children as well as for yourself. Are you modelling learning through play?
Read Steve's blog on the gift of time for creativity here.
Resources:
"Engaging people in creative learning experiences" "The 4 P's of Creative Learning" "10 Tips for Cultivating Creativity in Your Kids"
The Western Academy of Beijing conducted this podcast interview of Steve Barkley to share the importance of continuous educator learning with their entire school community. How often is your staff asking, “What do our students need us to learn?"
Find this episode and more from The WAB Podcast here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Chad Dumas, a parent, teacher, researcher and author who focuses on collaboration in schools shares his thinking about parent-school collaboration. Communication around needs and goals is highlighted.
Visit Chad's website here.
Follow Chad on Twitter: @chaddumas
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Providing students with quality feedback is an important instructional component that can have high impact on student learning. Mathew Johnson, the author of Flash Feedback: Responding to Student Writing Better and Faster- Without Burning Out identifies strategies that coaches can share with teachers so that feedback is regular, timely, clear and while students are constructing/producing. Implications for feedback to teachers are also discussed.
Visit Matt's website here.
Educator and children’s author, Jeff Kubiak, identifies how we as teachers can focus on empowering students with stories of failure, success, and resilience. Thoughts and resources for random acts of kindness are explored.
Find Jeff's books & resources here.
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!
Eujon Anderson, the Director of Technology at Troy City Schools in Alabama, shares insights and questions to guide coaches and administrators in providing impactful professional learning for teachers. His guidance applies to the past, present, and future with a special application now as schools work virtually, hybrid, and onsite.
Keeping Professional Learning Interesting During Remote Learning
Get in touch with Eujon: Email: eujon.anderson@gmail.com Twitter: @eujon_anderson LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eujonanderson/ www.eujonanderson.com
Resilience is the capacity that allows a person, group, community or family to prevent, minimize or overcome the damaging effects of adversity. Children who lack resiliency need teachers, parents and other care givers to help them become resilient. This podcast explores some strategies for building your family’s hero journey through this challenging time.
How to Build a Resilient School Community: Three ways to Preserve Relationships So We Emerge Stronger Together (Phyllis Fagell)
The Importance of Setting Family Goals – and How to Do It
Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!