When Teachers Believe, Students Achieve with Jenni Donohoo and Glenn Forbes

How Teams Become Highly Effective, Part 2 with Bob Sonju, Anisa Baker-Busby, & Kim Monkres

You probably already have teacher teams in your school or district. But how many of them are having a significant impact on student outcomes? I’m a big believer in the power of teacher teams to boost student achievement. I also know teams don’t always see that impact, and that can be frustrating for teachers and leaders alike. That’s why I loved the book The Handbook for Highly Effective Teams. I genuinely think it can relieve the frustration by sharing concretely what it is that highly effective teams DO. In Part 2 of my conversation with Bob Sonju, Anisa Baker-Busby, and Kim Monkres, we explore what separates highly effective teacher teams from groups that simply meet together. The answer isn't more meetings or more data, it's having the right conversations and using evidence to improve teaching, together. If you missed Part 1, we discussed the first two roles of highly effective teams (below), and Part 2 now explores the final two roles: 1. Build a highly effective team foundation (don’t skip this!) 2. Outline the essentials of what all students should learn 3. Effectively use assessments and data 4. Provide extra time and support when students don’t learn Walk away with MAIN IDEAs… 1 FIRST STEP: Have your teams assess themselves on the 15 critical actions that highly effective teams take (on pp.62-63 of the book or the Solution Tree website) to see where to start with this work. Here is a rough version of the self-assessment. [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vCwwB88kJTwoX1djfrch-RJDmJ-5SP8ypS_kM4P64Po/edit?usp=sharing] 1 RESOURCE: Bring in the authors to come work with your school or district — Bob Sonju [https://www.solutiontree.com/bob-sonju.html], Anisa Busby-Baker [https://www.solutiontree.com/anisa-baker-busby.html], Kim Monkres [https://www.solutiontree.com/kim-monkres.html] Book: The  Handbook for Highly Effective Teams [https://www.solutiontree.com/handbook-for-highly-effective-teams-in-a-plc-at-work.html]     Connect with Jenn: Jenn@TheMainIdea.net [Jenn@TheMainIdea.net] Get monthly book summaries from Jenn (The Main Idea [https://www.themainidea.net/subscribe/]) Join an outstanding PD experience for leaders: Jenn’s Mastermind [https://www.themainidea.net/school-leadership-mastermind/]

How Teams Become Highly Effective, Part 1 with Bob Sonju and Kim Monkres

At this point, most schools have teacher teams, but not every teacher team is highly effective. In this episode, I got to sit down with Bob Sonju and Kim Monkres, co-authors of The Handbook for Highly Effective Teams, to explore what separates groups of educators who simply meet from teams that genuinely improve teaching and learning. Bob and Kim explain why collaboration isn't something educators automatically know how to do well and why creating a strong team foundation is essential before diving into curriculum, assessments, and student data.  They share practical strategies for building trust, establishing meaningful team commitments, navigating conflict, and creating a shared understanding of what students truly need to learn. I loved this conversation (and their book!) because of all of the actionable ideas, templates, tools, and protocols to help teams move beyond meetings and toward meaningful collaboration that benefits every student. Note that highly effective teams perform FOUR roles, and this podcast covers the first two (see the next podcast for the last two).  HIGHLY EFFECTIVE TEAMS: 1. Build a strong foundation 2. Outline the essentials of what all students should learn 3. Effectively use assessments and data 4. Provide extra time and support when students don’t learn   Walk away with MAIN IDEAs… 1 FIRST STEP: Have your teams assess themselves on the 15 critical actions that highly effective teams take (on pp.62-63 of the book or the Solution Tree website) to see where to start with this work. Here is a rough version of the self-assessment. [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vCwwB88kJTwoX1djfrch-RJDmJ-5SP8ypS_kM4P64Po/edit?usp=sharing] 1 RESOURCE: Bring in the authors to come work with your school or district — Bob Sonju [https://www.solutiontree.com/bob-sonju.html], Anisa Busby-Baker [https://www.solutiontree.com/anisa-baker-busby.html], Kim Monkres [https://www.solutiontree.com/kim-monkres.html] Book: The  Handbook for Highly Effective Teams [https://www.solutiontree.com/handbook-for-highly-effective-teams-in-a-plc-at-work.html]     Connect with Jenn: Jenn@TheMainIdea.net [Jenn@TheMainIdea.net] Get monthly book summaries from Jenn (The Main Idea [https://www.themainidea.net/subscribe/]) Join an outstanding PL experience for leaders: Jenn’s Mastermind [https://www.themainidea.net/school-leadership-mastermind/] My 1-pager for this book [https://www.themainidea.net/free-resources/] If you got something out of this podcast, I hope you’ll follow me so you can listen to Part 2. Thanks!

What best accelerates learning? With Doug Fisher

In this episode I got to talk to Doug Fisher about one of his most recent books, The Illustrated Guide to Visible Learning, co-authored with John Hattie, Nancy Frey, and John Almarode. Doug shares how he and his co-authors took John Hattie’s research about what works in schools, and turned it into an illustrated book. But the book doesn’t simply include illustrations of the “top 10” research-based strategies. Instead, Doug describes how it groups similar strategies together into clusters so teachers don’t have to figure out how to implement a set of random strategies! The result? A powerful set of strategies that most accelerate student learning! In the podcast we talk about three of those sets of strategies: -Improving classroom and school climate -Teaching students to drive their own learning -Collective teacher efficacy Doug is both inspirational and shares practical ideas — it’s worth listening to him!   Walk away with MAIN IDEAs… 1 HIGH-LEVERAGE ACTION: Review the book’s Table of Contents and assess, “Where are we strong?” Then based on that, decide on the logical next place to go and start with that chapter. And by the way, school climate is the prerequisite: we always say, “Climate first, learning second,” so make sure the climate is in place before diving into any of the other chapters. 1 RESOURCE: Another book by similar authors: Teaching Students to Drive Their Learning [https://www.corwin.com/books/teaching-students-drive-learning-286828?srsltid=AfmBOorgDD3oYq_0izkCkLnDykH-UegKbZkKa9h6R6k0h6AXULpzXHPo]   Connect with Doug Fisher: https://fisherandfrey.com/ [https://fisherandfrey.com/] and he posts a lot of content to LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglasfishersdsu/] Book: The Illustrated Guide to Visible Learning: An Introduction to What Works Best in Schools [https://www.corwin.com/books/visible-learning-made-visual-290288?_gl=1*1f671eo*_up*MQ..*_ga*ODMyNTA3OTIwLjE3NzE4NzE3NjE.*_ga_71Z4YS11XC*czE3NzE4NzE3NjEkbzEkZzAkdDE3NzE4NzE3NjEkajYwJGwwJGg4MjI5NzIwNzI.&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=%7Bcampaignname%7D&utm_content=%7Badgroupname%7D&utm_term=illustrated%20guide%20to%20visible%20learning&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23505635993&gbraid=0AAAAAC7L0sPsIOd40XbeM7nvdQA_4tHZB&gclid=CjwKCAjw5s_QBhAdEiwADD_gBqIzYwP5vI3ZJfICtino6NkBjfIg6Fhj3cSvJrU-35hgdXWl0NzG2RoCQLcQAvD_BwE]    Connect with Jenn: Jenn@TheMainIdea.net [Jenn@TheMainIdea.net] Get monthly book summaries from Jenn (The Main Idea [https://www.themainidea.net/subscribe/]) Join an outstanding PL experience for leaders: Jenn’s Mastermind [https://www.themainidea.net/school-leadership-mastermind/] See Jenn’s list of 4 Summer Books for Teachers [https://www.themainidea.net/wp-content/uploads/Teacher-Handout-4-Summer-Books-for-Teachers.pdf] — Let your teachers choose! I always learn something from Doug Fisher! If you did, too, please share this podcast with others. Thanks!

AI will replace tasks, not teachers with Peter Nilsson

I appreciated talking to Peter Nilsson about the book he co-wrote with Maya Bialik, Irreplaceable: How AI Changes Everything (and Nothing) in Teaching and Learning. Why? Because he’s an extremely thoughtful educator who knows what matters most: teaching, learning, and the deeply human work educators do every day. AI comes after that.  Peter says that AI may change how educators work, but it does not change the fundamental realities of teaching and learning. Great teaching is still relational, creative, emotional, and deeply human — and that’s exactly what makes it irreplaceable. This episode is ultimately less about technology — and more about what great teaching has always been.  In our conversation Peter describes the secondary AI can play for teachers as a Research Assistant, Planning Assistant, and Feedback Assistant. If you’re skeptical about AI (as I am!) it’s worth listening to this and also reading the book.   Walk away with MAIN IDEAs… 1 MAIN IDEA: This book is about teaching and learning first, and about AI as it supports that. 1 HIGH-LEVERAGE ACTION: Research shows the best PL for teachers involves providing ongoing structures for teachers to try things out and talk with each other and share what they find. So create a space for teachers to talk about pedagogy and how AI can support their pedagogy. 1 RESOURCE: To dive deeply into the tech side the podcast The AI Daily Brief [https://aidailybrief.ai/]     Connect with Peter Nilsson [https://peternilsson.us/] or Maya Bialik [https://www.mayabialik.com/] or check out Peter’s newsletter, Educator’s Notebook [https://educatorsnotebook.com/] Book: Irreplaceable: How AI Changes Everything (and Nothing) in Teaching and Learning [https://www.solutiontree.com/irreplaceable.html]   Connect with Jenn: Jenn@TheMainIdea.net [Jenn@TheMainIdea.net] Get monthly book summaries from Jenn (The Main Idea [https://www.themainidea.net/subscribe/]) Join an outstanding PL experience for leaders: Jenn’s Mastermind [https://www.themainidea.net/school-leadership-mastermind/] My 1-pager for this book: 3 Ways AI Can Assist Teachers [https://www.themainidea.net/wp-content/uploads/1-pager-3-Ways-AI-Can-Assist-Teachers.pdf]   If you have a colleague who is skeptical about AI, or a teacher who would like to learn more, I hope you’ll share this podcast with them. Thanks!

From Behaving to Belonging with Julie Causton and Kate MacLeod

Punishing students just doesn’t work. I think anyone who works in schools can see that this doesn’t change student behavior. And teachers are feeling beaten down by challenging student behaviors that seem to be on the rise. That’s why I appreciated chatting with Julie Causton and Kate MacLeod, co-authors of From Behaving to Belonging. They deeply believe we need to rethink how we address student behavior and instead approach it from a lens of love, connection, and inclusion. Together, they share why traditional discipline systems often fail students, how behavior is actually communication, and what schools can do instead to create environments where every student feels safe, valued, and connected. Our conversation is full of practical strategies for teachers and leaders that include mindset shifts, relationship-building practices, de-escalation techniques, and collaborative problem-solving approaches.   Walk away with MAIN IDEAs… 1 MAIN IDEA: We’ve been wrong about behavior. It’s essential to feel belonging to behave in ways that are prosocial. 1 HIGH-LEVERAGE ACTION: Take this book and do a book study with staff. Spend meaningful time with staff cultivating community and care so you can reframe and help staff understand that behavior is communication and that belonging is the foundation.  1 RESOURCE:  A book about inclusion specifically for school leaders by the same authors: The Way to Inclusion: How Leaders Create Schools Where Every Student Belongs [https://www.ascd.org/books/the-way-to-inclusion?variant=123001]   Connect with Julie and Kate: Julie (inclusiveschooling.com [http://inclusiveschooling.com]) and Kate (kate.macleod@maine.edu) Book: From Behaving to Belonging: The Inclusive Art of Supporting Students Who Challenge Us [https://www.ascd.org/books/from-behaving-to-belonging?variant=121011] The 4 books I recommend for teachers for summer reading: https://www.themainidea.net/wp-content/uploads/Teacher-Handout-4-Summer-Books-for-Teachers.pdf [https://www.themainidea.net/wp-content/uploads/Teacher-Handout-4-Summer-Books-for-Teachers.pdf] Connect with Jenn: Jenn@TheMainIdea.net [Jenn@TheMainIdea.net] Get monthly book summaries from Jenn (The Main Idea [https://www.themainidea.net/subscribe/]) Join an outstanding PL experience for leaders: Jenn’s Mastermind [https://www.themainidea.net/school-leadership-mastermind/] If you know other school leaders who want help in meeting the needs of students with challenging behaviors in a more productive way, I hope you’ll share this podcast. Thanks!