Resources for Teachers and Instructional Coaches – September 2022
The beginning of the school year can go by quickly! September has passed and you may not have had time to stay up-to-date on the latest resources for teachers and coaches.
That’s why we’ve rounded up the top resources from September 2022 and included the highlights here.
From maintaining teacher vision to boosting student engagement, these reads have great ideas and resources for teachers and coaches.
Here are our top picks for the September 2022 reads to catch up on. Check out highlights, article links, and related content below.
Resources for teachers to maintain your teaching vision
A teacher vision provides educators with a clear picture of aspired-to classroom and teaching practices.
This ASCD article notes,
It can be challenging to carve out the space we need to articulate and contemplate our teacher visions. As educators, we often push the act of creating and reflecting on visions to the bottom of our “must-do” lists in the face of competing priorities. But if we forgo them, we risk forgetting why we chose to teach in the first place.
Here are three strategies that teachers can use to get stared articulating their teacher visions:
- Start with Questions
Ask yourself:-
Why did I choose teaching as my vocation?
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What do I want to achieve as a teacher?
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What hopes and aspirations do I have for my students?
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What do I value as a teacher?
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- Overcoming Obstacles to Visions
To avoid this, proactively form a list of potential obstacles. From school or district mandates to follow scripted curricula to rigid teacher evaluation systems, there’s no shortage of complications. Spend time identifying the barriers to your visions and determine if those potential roadblocks are unmovable or can be nudged aside. Acknowledging what we can and cannot control allows us to better adapt our visions. -
Reconcile What You Believe vs. What You Practice
Consider it an exercise in mindfulness. We should evaluate the classroom environment and our instructional moves. Do they work to support our teacher visions or do they work against them?
Read the full post at ASCD: How to Maintain Your Teacher Visions
Did you know you can use video coaching to support instructional visions? Here are 5 ways to align video with vision.
Activating Student Engagement for Stronger Student Achievement
“Across grade levels and multiple disciplines, academic research supports a strong correlation between student engagement and student achievement,” notes this Edutopia article.
Teacher self-reflection should consider these questions:
- How can I precisely identify the reasons why my students are disengaged and categorize which are within my control and which are not?
This requires us to survey students and take stock of our classroom setting. Every teacher knows the distractions we can fix and those that need administrative assistance and wraparound services for challenging student behaviors. - What factors are proven to have a big influence on the engagement of students in my grade band? Factors may include communication, collaboration, positive interactions, and timely feedback.
- What strategies support the factors that foster engagement, and how can I tweak and adapt them for my students?
Read the whole post at Edutopia: 3 Ways to Activate Student Engagement
Here’s what Pedro Noguera said about how student engagement impacts student achievement.
Missed last month’s edition of resources for teachers and coaches? Catch up on our August 2022 top resources for teachers and coaches!