In Never Underestimate Your Teachers, Robyn R. Jackson sums it up as a combination of “skill” and “will.” This year, I am looking for input on ways to informally assess and facilitate growth for 18 teachers with the 7 Principles of Effective Instruction, which include:
- knowing where students are starting from (benchmark assessments & interest inventories)
- knowing where students are going (curriculum mapping, formative assessments, & progress monitoring)
- expecting students to get there (goal setting, positive behavior support, data notebooks)
- supporting students along the their journey (modeling, conferencing, coaching)
- using feedback to help themselves and their students grow (reflection journals, surveys, conference notes)
- expecting students to work harder than teachers (appropriate strategies, thinking tools, choice boards, & stamina development)
- planning well (efficient use of ideas, time, and resources)