Michael McDowell’s Post

Excited to share our latest practitioner's guide, which offers a fresh perspective on ideal learning principles through the lens of nature. Inspired by "Nurturing All Children in Nature: Ideal Learning in the Natural World," (https://lnkd.in/eARnxC-h) it provides educators with practical steps to create enriching, nature-centered learning environments. Read and share out - https://lnkd.in/exzUyEeZ

Summer is here and school is out, but that doesn’t mean learning and development stops during these sizzling months. On the contrary - educators and school leaders are using NIET’s latest book to energize discussions and plan new learning. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4e26WHj

The importance of intentional instruction, interaction, conversation & lesson building are just a few themes we’re covering on today’s Research to Practice webinar session – exploring What Work’s Clearing House practice guide on preparing young children for school. Alt text: NCSI webinar slide: Overreaching Themes: The importance of intentional instruction: Teachers should set up lessons to intentionally help children learn a skill or concept. The importance of interaction and conversation: Children can learn more from conversing with the teacher. The importance of lessons building sequentially: New learning should proceed in a deliberate and systematic order, from easy to more difficult skills and concepts.

It's National Teacher's Appreciation Week! 👨🏫 Have you thought about doing a G&D Book Study 📚 for your Educators? Gifted and Distractible, referred to as “THE 2e Book”, offers a comprehensive look at the challenges and triumphs of raising, educating, and being 2e. Join me and take a deep dive into the triumphs and tribulations of teaching 2e learners. The G&D Book Study provides a safe place for educators to ask hard questions and learn strategies that are immediately relevant to your specific classroom situation. ⭐Tailored Experience Tailor your book study experience to what works best for your team. Choose between scheduling three Q/A sessions, one after each part of the book – understanding, strategies, and advocacy, or one Q/A session with me at the end of your book study sessions. ⭐Reflection Journal Both options include a Reflection Journal for educators to consider what they’ve learned and how they will implement strategies within their classroom. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/eG8Rasd6

Schools are back in action after the Easter break, but have you got next term's menu sorted? 🥪 This new guide has been specifically created with education in mind, to help you be best in class when it comes to planning your menu. ⭐️🍴 Download from our Education Asset Hub: https://lnkd.in/eqbSTZmy

🚀 NEW RESOURCE 🟢 Study Skills for Primary Classrooms https://buff.ly/4cqSJmv 🗣️ In this 30-minute webinar, 3 recommendations using retrieval and spaced practice in primary/EYFS classrooms; inc. editable templates/slide deck. 💥 Access 45+ others! https://buff.ly/4cg1QpG

In this learning system, each individual and organization mutually influences one another in ways that support the vision of a learning school. From this article on Learning differently in the classroom: https://is.gd/k4PLom Original source: Schools That Learn: A Fifth Discipline Fieldbook for Educators, Parents, and Everyone Who Cares About Education, by Peter M. Senge,

🟡 We've added two new 15-minute lessons to the Teacher CPD Academy 🔵 These ready-made resources can be used directly with your students – they're short, flexible and make great standalone lessons. We've included a sneak peek at the Fear of Failure lesson below... 👀 This lesson helps students to learn about types of concerns related to failure, as well as how they can minimise these concerns. Meanwhile, in the Impostor Syndrome lesson, students will learn what Impostor Syndrome is, how it can affect people and how they can combat it! Want more? The Teacher CPD Academy also features many more pre-made lessons, in both 15- and 40-minute formats, alongside a huge selection of Teacher CPD resources. See them for yourself – request a free trial 👇 https://loom.ly/vQIJqZc

Do you ever think of a word, and then suddenly it’s everywhere? For me, it was “coherence.” While digging into reports from our Lit Quality Reviews (360° literacy audits), I kept noticing that many of the schools and systems we work with are doing a lot to support reading instruction. But these efforts aren’t always connected in ways that make sense for teachers or students. By digging into data and artifacts, interviewing people in the system, and observing on the ground, our team was able to see a lack of coherence in their approach. It felt like a lightbulb moment: systems need instructional coherence! Sheepishly, this isn't a new idea. Our team had been talking about coherence for years—and so had the field. For example, professional learning might not be designed to support the curriculum, or coaching might not align with the key takeaways from training. Schools may have various student assessments, yet gaps remain in what the data reveals—or multiple assessments may serve the same purpose. Analysis might focus on a single assessment without incorporating insights from curriculum-embedded assessments. And classroom instruction might look very different from one class or block to another. Achieving equitable reading outcomes requires a comprehensive and coherent system. In the guide below, Lit shares more about what we look for in a reading ecosystem (spoiler: coherence is part of it!) and how we help systems uncover their strengths and identify gaps.

💡 The final issue of the 2024 Teaching & Learning Spotlight is coming soon... If you don't want to miss out on this year's four issues, sign up before October 👇 https://lnkd.in/eNfkDuxp