#BarOrBetter
Kate Shanahan
Mission Grammar School, an elementary school in the heart of Roxbury, MA, took on a big task this year: to ensure that every student has consistent access to and practice with grade-level material.
Read MoreBlog
As a mission-driven nonprofit organization, our primary concern is helping ensure equitable opportunity for all students.
Working alongside schools, we’ve learned that great teaching is grounded in standards, data, and insights shared among educators. We believe a blog can help us make a difference by spreading the ideas and effective practices of educators we work with.
We’re proud of the expertise our team has built over our ten years, and we'll be featuring contributions from ANetters across the org on topics in which they’ve immersed themselves.
Help us spread opportunity for all students: please share posts that you find valuable with your colleagues. And please add your thoughts in the comments: we would love this blog to facilitate knowledge-sharing in all directions.
Filtering by Category: Educator Stories
Learning, to lead: How coaching has empowered one school principal
Kate Shanahan
Principal Watson was constantly reacting to fires and struggling to focus on strengths. How did she move from reactive to proactive in one school year?
Read MoreEducators collaborate and grow when they feel safe.
Kate Shanahan
Educators have a wealth of resources to choose from: professional books, curriculum guides, PD workshops and courses, conferences, the near-infinite internet. But the best opportunity for growth might be next door.
Read MoreLearning walk helps leaders plan for progress
Kate Shanahan
Educators who joined ANet Minnesota’s Learning Walk this spring found that observing high-performing schools helped them translate abstract ideas into concrete plans.
Read MorePrincipals reimagine data as compass, not report card
Kate Shanahan
For two principals at New Paradigm for Education schools, data isn’t just a tool for accountability: it’s a compass that guides them throughout every stage of planning, instruction, and reflection. How do these leaders apply data as a year-round instructional driver instead of just a year-end report card?
Read MoreCoach spots an opportunity to collaborate, with powerful results
Kate Shanahan
When Annie began working with six schools in Detroit, she saw six schools all working on similar instructional priorities. She organized regular meetings that brought ANet coaches and the district team together.
Read MoreTrust and transformation: Effective coaching relies on relationships.
Kate Shanahan
High-quality coaching an equal, transparent partnership for leaders who would otherwise face new challenges alone. Coaches provide curriculum guidance, assessment preparation, staff evaluation, data analysis, and professional development. These can improve instruction and raise test scores.
Read MoreEvidence drives exciting progress at DEPSA
Kate Shanahan
Principal Gail Withers was ready for change. She told her ANet coach: I want to craft a strategic plan that pushes my students to achieve their best outcomes. Building on Principal Withers’ deep knowledge of her school, her coach worked with her to craft a plan that would turn evidence to action.
Read MoreTench Tilghman’s strong school community gets students talking
Kate Shanahan
Students first. Growth mindset. Always learning. Innovative thinking. Collaboration. Strong relationship building. These are the key elements that propel the work that is garnering results for student achievement at Tench Tilghman Elementary/Middle School in Baltimore City, Maryland.
Read MoreFocus like a laser on your RCEP goal.
Kate Shanahan
Renaissance School of the Arts has a simple but ambitious goal: By June 2019, proficiency rates in both ELA and Mathematics will increase by 20%. They homed in on two obstacles: teachers faced too many competing priorities, and classroom instruction was not always standards-aligned.
Read MoreWant to spark rich discussions in your classroom?
Kate Shanahan
Discussion is a necessary piece of learning to fully understand, challenge, and support one's ideas and evidence. Learn how University Prep Academy’s teachers got more students speaking up in class than ever before!
Read MoreEveryone learns at St. John Paul II Academy—adults, too!
Kate Shanahan
Principal Tricia Menzhuber at St. John Paul II Academy in northeast Minneapolis is passionate about learning—and not just for students.
Read MoreKey school leader move: Roll up your sleeves and plan, plan, plan
Kate Shanahan
Twin Oaks Elementary recently adopted a new, high-quality curriculum. Switching curricula can feel stressful and overwhelming for teachers, but the process has gone smoothly thanks to the hands-on support of the school leaders.
Read MoreDuBois Elementary earns Tennessee Reward School distinction
Kate Shanahan
DuBois Elementary School of Entrepreneurship in Memphis earned the distinction of being a “reward” school in Tennessee. Reward status is the top honor a school can receive in the state.
Read MoreQuality assessments can provide a map.
Kate Shanahan
Leaders at George Washington Carver STEM Elementary in Cleveland know that assessments can be as much a planning tool for teachers as they are a measure of student learning.
Read More