Learn what needs to be in place for a coaching program to impact student learning. Examine the essential characteristics of effective building-level instructional coaching programs. Walk away with examples and practical tools from a variety of districts, including protocols for providing feedback to coaches, ways to assess the impact of coaching, and sample documents defining the roles of coaches and the role of the coach champion. Presenters will model virtual learning strategies and provide examples of ways to support the social and emotional needs of teachers and coaches during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Participants will receive a discount to purchase  Coaching Matters online via Learning Forward's bookstore.

Too often, implementation of educational equity reinforces a vicious cycle of failure, largely because the keys to success are missing. Among the things in their place are equity workshops, jargon, and public statements that do not lead to responsible action that move the needle on results. In this session, learn how to make equity actionable through the concepts of dignity and belonging. Explore the importance of improvement science in developing and executing a plan of action that embeds these concepts into a variety of contexts: Instruction, curriculum, environment, family engagement, policy development, and more.  Learn from case studies and experience a framework that helps districts, schools, and educators get equity implementation right.

What does it mean to be an authentic learning principal and learning leader? Apply a learning and improvement lens to the principal’s major responsibilities. Assess your current state and consider reasons to invest in new learning and new actions. Dig into cases of high-performing and low-performing schools to distinguish effective principal practices. Examine how investing in learning and improvement produces higher levels of performance and impact for staff and students. Participants will receive a copy of the newly released The Learning Principal, co-authored by the session facilitators.

This interactive seminar presents practical strategies for structuring and conducting engaging learning experiences for adults in a virtual environment. Examine tested principles of learning and teaching that involve adult learners in meaningful explorations of concepts, ideas, and information using online learning tools. Explore theory and practice using an effective design template and accessible presentation strategies for connecting groups to you, one another, and important content.

The teaching and learning landscape has dramatically changed in schools and districts across the country. Leaders on the front lines are making decisions that impact teachers, support staff, parents, and students. Engage with superintendents and principals as they share their experiences and the leadership lessons learned while navigating in uncharted territory. Learn how they are working hard to ensure all students have access to a high-quality educational experience in spite of a not-so-clear path.

Invited guests include: Dr. Jill Baker, superintendent (Long Beach Unified School District, CA); Dr. Joseph McFarland, superintendent (Derry Township, PA); Dr. Calvin Watts, superintendent (Kent School District, WA); Dr. Kenneth Salim, superintendent (Cambridge Public Schools, MA); and Steven D. Holmes (Sunnyside Unified School District, AZ); Paul Kelly, 2019 NASSP National Principal of the Year finalist (Township High School District 214, IL); Dr. Crystal Cooper, principal (Gwinnett County Public Schools, GA); and the 2021 NASSP National Principal of the Year.

The research is solid: Adults working together effectively can increase student achievement. Learn individual and group strategies that increase collective efficacy. Assess yourself, your department, grade level, or school's ability to collaborate effectively. Explore specific, focused strategies to help you build a repertoire for addressing individual and group needs to support ongoing learning for the adults in schools.

Measuring the quality, effectiveness, and impact of professional learning requires thoughtful planning and implementation of an evaluation process and is more crucial now than ever given the multiple complexities of education today. Educators’ professional learning is the primary vehicle for developing their capacity to meet the daily expectations of teaching and leading in adaptive times. Acquire a process for assessing the effectiveness and results of professional learning to create a plan for evaluating your own professional learning programs. Participants will receive a copy of Assessing Impact: Evaluating Professional Learning, 3rd ed. (Corwin/Learning Forward, 2018).

With students and educators learning in virtual or blended environments, professional learning design and implementation must reflect best online design practices and meet the needs and desired outcomes for adult learners. Explore strategies for designing and facilitating virtual professional learning that is aligned to the Standards for Professional Learning, is supported by research on adult learning theory, and uses best practices in a virtual context.