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Teaching, Persuading, Healing: The Triple Art of Educational Consulting

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  “Straddling the line between a physician’s care and a salesman’s zeal, educational consultants wield the dual tools of empathy and persuasion to navigate the complex world of education.” I’m climbing towards 30 years of service in education.    I’ve worked directly with Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment and educational consulting for the last 12 or 13 years. I’ve learned that those of us serving educators as an internal or external consultant are placed in a unique position. We bring with us lots of knowledge and experience; which causes me to feel like a physician. We observe, diagnose, and provide a prescription.    On the flip side, we are faced with the idea that we have very little “mandate power.”      We can encourage and support educator development, but we can’t force it. In this respect, I feel more like a salesman, peddling curriculum and strategies like they are the cure for all the ills in education.  An Educational Consultant as a Physician My first thought is alw

Embracing Change: The Shift from Professional Learning Communities to Professional Improvement Communities

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"Let's move beyond learning to doing, transforming our practice and supporting achievement for ALL students. Together, we craft their success." In my journey through the dynamic landscape of education, I've come to realize the essential nature of continuously evolving teacher practice to meet the ever-changing needs of our students. Reflecting on my own experiences, I've seen firsthand the pivotal role that Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) have played in fostering collaborative learning among educators, encouraging the exchange of ideas, and promoting collective growth. Yet, through both my successes and challenges, I've recognized the need to transition towards a more action-oriented approach. Drawing from these experiences, I propose a shift from "learning" to "improvement" in our communities. This shift not only redefines our objectives but also amplifies [what should be] our commitment to not just acquiring knowledge but activel

Creating Scaffolded Explanations for Tough Concepts (plus an AI cheat!)

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"Bridging worlds with words, we turn tough ideas into something every student can get. Join me in exploring how we make the complex feel like second nature, one student at a time." When teachers aim to make learning more accessible, they often find themselves having to explain ideas and new terms in a way that connects with students. The goal is not to simplify the content but to help students understand complex concepts by gradually moving from everyday language to academic terminology. This thoughtful approach prioritizes depth, over simplicity ensuring that students fully grasp basic concepts before diving into complex topics.   It’s more of an art than a science to transform academic ideas into something concrete and accessible. What does that look like for you? Recently, I was exploring ways to help younger students understand the concept of volume. I’ve completed this task many times over the years and it can sometimes pose a challenge or require extra work. This time,

Committing to Change

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  “True professional development begins not with learning, but with a commitment to transform learning into doing.”   Let’s delve into the realm of learning (PL) for educators. I'm fully onboard with shaking things up a bit through what I like to term “Commitment-driven Professional Learning.” You know the outside consultant drill; some experts come in do their thing and leave without any real impact. In this model, I say that outside consultants tend to, “Blow in. Blow off. Blow out.” Not a lot changes. If we're not going to apply what we've learned to make improvements, why spend the time and money? It's essential to reframe PL not as an exercise in learning, but as a system for effecting change. Whether it involves altering perspectives, behaviors, or teaching methods the key is to commit to that change. Then see it through. In my professional development (PL) sessions, I champion a three-step cycle for learners: 1) Learn and Experience, 2) Implement and Practice, a