“Urgent Need” – Deborah Ball on Transitioning to New Types of Teaching During Covid-19

Expert Insight
Jul 31, 2020
  • Deborah Ball details how TeachingWorks aims to create a system of teacher professional learning that produces teachers who can disrupt cycles student inequity.
  • The importance of teachers building relationships with students—especially without the guarantee of constant face-to-face contact—should be a top priority this year.
  • Teachers need extra support as they transition from their preparation context into classrooms which may look very different this year.

Deborah Ball is a professor of education at the University of Michigan and the founder of TeachingWorks. She taught elementary school for more than 15 years and still teaches elementary mathematics every summer!

Deborah has authored or co-authored more than 150 publications.

Coaches Don’t Have To Solve The Problem Or Know What To Say, Says Elena Aguilar

Expert Insight
Jul 24, 2020

Elena Aguilar reflects how the coronavirus pandemic is making teaching harder than ever. Coaches can provide instructional support and emotional support to teachers during this time. As thought partners, instructional coaches provide ideas and alternative instructional strategies as educators navigate distanced teaching during COVID-19. Elena Aguilar’s expertise comes from twenty-five years as a classroom teacher,…

Joellen Killion Says Coaches Are Still Important When Distanced Teaching

Expert Insight
Jul 16, 2020

Learning Forward Senior Advisor Joellen Killion discusses the need for effective instructional coaches even when the teaching landscape is altered. Joellen illustrates how there are still fundamental similarities between distance teaching and the live-classroom experience. Setting expectations, listening, and prioritizing are all skills that Joellen describes as critical to the success of a coach during…

Resources for Teachers & Instructional Coaches – June 2020

Noted & Notable
Jul 7, 2020

Regardless of the format for learning, whether it be a distance teaching or live classroom environment, teachers are still the lifeblood of a school’s success. They are the frontline workers for our students. Here are some resources for educators that are centered around planning for professional development in the next academic year, as well as…