K12 Digest – May 2024 – Prominent International School to Watch in California – 2024

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Sarath Shyam

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Emma James

Andrew Scott

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Stanly Lui

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California: Where Education Shines Bright

California has long been recognized as a trailblazer in education, and for good reason. What sets it apart? It’s a combination of factors, really. Firstly, there’s the unwavering commitment to innovation and progressive teaching methods. California schools aren’t content with sticking to the status quo—they’re constantly seeking out new ways to engage and inspire students. Whether it’s through groundbreaking STEM programs or immersive arts initiatives, these schools are at the forefront of educational excellence.

But it’s not just about what happens inside the classroom—it’s also about the diverse tapestry of cultures and perspectives that enrich the educational experience in California. With students hailing from all corners of the globe, California schools are uniquely positioned to foster an environment of inclusivity and understanding. It’s a place where differences are not just accepted, but celebrated, and where students learn as much from each other as they do from their teachers.

And let’s not forget about the countless opportunities that abound in the Golden State. With its booming economy and close ties to leading industries, California provides students with unparalleled access to real-world experiences. Whether it’s through internships, mentorship programs, or partnerships with local businesses, California schools are dedicated to preparing students for success in the 21st-century workforce.

In this special issue, we’re thrilled to shine a spotlight on one such institution: Imagination Lab School (ILS). Nestled in the heart of Silicon Valley, ILS is more than just a school—it’s a hub of innovation and creativity. With a focus on social and emotional development, experiential learning, and community engagement, ILS is redefining what it means to receive a world-class education. And perhaps most impressively, they’ve built their curriculum around the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, ensuring that their students are not just prepared for the future, but actively engaged in shaping it.

So, as you flip through the pages of this magazine, we invite you to immerse yourself in the transformative stories of those who are shaping the future of education in California and beyond. From pioneering educators to forward-thinking institutions, these are the voices that will inspire and guide us as we navigate the ever-changing landscape of education. Enjoy Reading.

Sarath Shyam

IMAGINATION LAB SCHOOL

EMPOWERING EACH STUDENT TO BE THEIR BEST

SELF

26 MENTOR’S MANTRA

THE ROLE OF EXECUTIVE COACHING IN ENHANCING LEADERSHIP SKILLS IN K-12 EDUCATION

Dr. Toby Travis, Head of School at Houghton Academy

BUILDING TEACHER RESILIENCY: HOW DISTRICT LEADERS’ RETENTION

EFFORTS CAN HELP ADDRESS TEACHERS SHORTAGES

Fleur Johnston, CEO and Founder, Peoplebench

34 INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE

INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE

44

FIVE WAYS TO SUPER-CHARGE ‘NICE’

David Rushby, co-creator of Nautilus Education

ACADEMIC VIEWS

EMPOWERING ESL STUDENTS: EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES FOR SUPPORTING SCIENCE CONTENT LEARNING

Tracy Ibrahim, M.Ed., Trainer and Educational Consultant, SAMA Training Institute

38

48

WHY COLLABORATION MATTERS FOR CHILDREN & ADULTS

Vincent J. Costanza, School Principal, Campbell Elementary School

IMAGINATION LAB SCHOOL

EMPOWERING EACH STUDENT TO BE THEIR BEST SELF

Imagination Lab School (ILS) is a grades TK-8 independent, progressive school with a commitment to social and emotional development, experiential learning, and community engagement based in Silicon Valley. The school offers a world-class, global education program using a competency-based approach to teaching and learning. Here, a problem-based and

project-based approach is implemented to curriculum based on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Moreover, ILS has a culture and community that meaningfully engages all stakeholders in individual and collective growth. The school makes a deliberate and purposeful connection to the broader community, both locally and globally. Similarly, ILS stands true to its

As a global school, ILS looks forward to building partnerships with other schools and organizations that are committed to empowering students to be their best selves

promise of empowering each student to know themselves, find and exercise their voice, seek to understand multiple perspectives and take meaningful action.

The Beginning

ILS was founded in 2018 by Jingjing Xu, Yinuo Li, and Chris Bezsylko. Jingjing, Yinuo, and Chris were together at AltSchool Palo Alto where Chris was the founding head of the school and Jingjing and Yinuo were parents. Over time, Yinuo founded ETU School in Beijing and AltSchool announced it was closing its campuses. These three realized that there was a need for an innovative lab school in Silicon Valley and their combined efforts led them to start Imagination Lab School.

Over the years, ILS has collaborated with educators and schools from across the globe in the areas of professional development, school design, and student exchange programs. As a global school, ILS looks forward to building partnerships with other schools and organizations that are committed to empowering students to be their best selves.

Mission and Vision

“Our mission is to ignite and nurture confidence, curiosity, and creativity,” shares Chris Bezsylko, Head of School. The school has a highly engaged, reflective, courageous, and diverse community of students and adult learners. Together, they remain committed to becoming their best selves intellectually, socially, emotionally, and physically. Likewise, ILS’ vision is to prepare students for a future that is impossible to know but not impossible to shape. For this, the school develops within each member of its community the mindset, toolset, and skillset needed to engage meaningfully and purposefully with the world around them.

The Programs

Kindergarten: The ILS kindergarten program encourages children to learn through experiences as they begin their journey in elementary school. Its childcentered curriculum introduces concepts in mathematics, literacy, and STEAM while focusing on core themes like community and culture. Moreover, children are encouraged

ABOUT

CHRIS BEZSYLKO, HEAD OF SCHOOL

Chris is an experienced school leader with over twenty-five of experience working in both public and independent schools. His passion for experiential education, social-emotional learning, and community engagement is driven by the belief that the building blocks of a true community of learners involves a progressive approach to teaching, learning, and leading, a purposeful application of brain-based research, opportunities for individual choice, and the integration of diverse ideas, cultures, and experiences.

After a decade as a public school teacher and an educational consultant, Chris earned a Master of Arts in Private School Leadership through the Klingenstein Center at Teachers College, Columbia University. Prior to founding Imagination Lab School, Chris was the Director of Enrollment and Marketing at Blue Oak School, the Middle School Principal & PS-8 Curriculum Director at Henderson International School, and the Founding Head of School at AltSchool Palo Alto.

Since teaching today involves more than simply disseminating knowledge, the ILS’ team comprises of a collection of exceptional individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences

to think about concepts like equity, social justice, and sustainability through their interactions with one another. Instruction is tailored to individual interests and abilities, so children start their academic journey with confidence.

Elementary Years: The focus on fostering the social and emotional lives of children continues in the elementary years with an emphasis on community. Direct learning experiences are supplemented by other sources of knowledge as students learn to gather information from books, museums, pictures, documents, interviews, and internet searches. At the core of ILS’ progressive curriculum from the elementary through the middle years are the United Nations Sustainability Goals. Like the ILS mission, these goals reflect an unwavering commitment to equity, social justice, and sustainability. Under the guidance and support of their learning guides, students make powerful connections between events from distant places and times and their own experiences. Projects draw on and build each child’s developing skills as a mathematician, reader, writer, scientist, and creator.

ILS’ multi-age approach allows students to experience the roles of mentor and mentee multiple times throughout their careers

Middle Years: ILS’ multi-age approach is specifically designed to nurture and guide students on their journey to becoming responsible, thoughtful, and actively engaged adults. Classes are taught in small group formats that encourage collaboration and active problem-solving. Students have a dynamic schedule that includes classes from multiple disciplines, time for peer and independent work, and opportunities to learn from their mistakes. This continues in grades 7-8 as the school extends the skills, concepts, and learning styles developed in previous grades to prepare students for the challenges and opportunities in high school and beyond. Preparation for the high school application process begins in seventh grade. ILS’ graduates are coveted additions to the many high school communities to which they apply such as Design Tech High School, The Waldorf School, and Stanford Online High School.

What Makes ILS a Notch Above the Rest?

“We believe that every child deserves a learning environment where they can feel both challenged and supported, a space where they

feel seen and heard, and a team of caring adults who help each child learn and grow at their own pace,” highlights Chris Bezsylko, Head of School. “This commitment is embedded in our approach, our curriculum, our physical environment, and our community culture.”

Furthermore, as a lab school, ILS constantly grows and evolves based on shared learning experiences with its students and their families; its own experiences and observations as professional learners; the latest research around

child development, teaching, and learning; and ongoing interactions with other innovative educators from across the globe. ILS partners with many of the other nonprofit organizations on site for everything from special events to community gardening, to workshops, and more. It also partners with artists, creators, makers, and influencers from throughout California and beyond. These partnerships take the form of special projects, ongoing classes, and school programs/workshops for children and adults.

A Team of Seasoned Learning Guides

Since teaching today involves more than simply disseminating knowledge, the ILS’ team comprises of a collection of exceptional individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences. Its learning guides are curators of experiences, coaches who help students observe and reflect, facilitators who develop responsibility and agency, advocates who celebrate and challenge each student, and team players who engage with other guides, students, families, and external partners.

Fostering a Supportive & Inclusive Learning Environment

Social and emotional learning (SEL) is literally the river that runs through the ILS experience. Borrowing from Maslow, and with an eye on the large body of research that supports the idea that children learn best (problem solve best, are the most curious and creative) when they are emotionally healthy and socially connected, ILS integrates SEL into each and every part of the day in both formal and informal ways.

At ILS, each day begins with a morning circle and ends with a closing circle. The learning

guides create and foster classroom communities that reflect the ILS mission, vision, and promise.

Together, the ILS community celebrates individual voices/ideas, model learning from their mistakes, practices giving and receiving feedback, and makes time each day to celebrate one another and express gratitude.

Furthermore, ILS’ multi-age approach allows students to experience the roles of mentor and

mentee multiple times throughout their careers. This helps them build empathy, compassion, responsibility, leadership, communication, collaboration, and support skills. The school also has a variety of formal and informal activities across the TK-8 classes that are dedicated to celebrating the individual and supporting the group, while having fun, exploring, discovering, making

Helping children explore and then develop their creativity, curiosity, and sense of self is core to the ILS experience

connections, making mistakes, and learning with and from one another.

Promoting Creativity and Innovation in Students

Helping children explore and then develop their creativity, curiosity, and sense of self is core to the ILS experience. Its multi-modal approach begins with a constructivist approach that builds

from the individual student’s experience and sense of self. For example, ILS doesn’t hand out textbooks or workbooks and asks students to read the definition of division, complete a few sample problems that follow a strict algorithm, and then complete a worksheet or problem set before giving them a quiz. Instead, students are asked how they might divide a large number let’s say 36 into equal groups. At that point, the learning guides step back and give the children time and space to explore the problem and come up with multiple solutions. They pause the action to facilitate a conversation that begins by asking each child to share one solution/strategy that they came up with. This may be in dyads, triads, or a whole class discussion.

Throughout these discussions, the learning guides ask the children to share their observations and feedback. From there, they challenge students to look for patterns and to experiment with different strategies to identify the most efficient strategy. At this point, the ILS learning guides might ask the students if they know what taking a large number and breaking it into smaller, equal parts is called. This reflects the seek to understand multiple perspectives part of the ILS promise. Rather than teaching them a discrete skill and asking them to repeat it (compliance and repetition), the ILS learning guides help them explore, discover, discuss, analyze, argue, and explain (curiosity, creativity, innovation, and depth of knowledge).

The Role of Technology in Enhancing Learning Experiences

At ILS, the use of technology is intentional and deliberate. Throughout the student experience, the school achieves a strong balance of onscreen and off-screen activity. ILS’ youngest

students rarely use tech devices. They will use a laptop 3-4 times per year as part of its assessment program, and depending on the course of study, they may learn to use an iPad to document parts of their learning. Children in lower elementary are introduced to digital citizenship and literacy, and begin some basic coding classes, exploring robotics, 3D printing, and other tech tools along the way. The majority of their learning within and across subjects continues to be offline (75-90%).

As students enter upper elementary and middle school, they begin to use technology as a tool for learning, while extending their understanding of how to use technology to document, communicate, create, and collaborate. The projects are designed to have an appropriate balance between on and off-screen. For example, for a recent unit, students in upper elementary wrote novels. The writing of the novels was done online using Google tools. However, throughout the process, students worked offline to create characters and settings (drawing/building them), analyze and discuss various writing

styles, and utilize a variety of writing prompts and resources.

Approaches to Measuring Student Learning

Learning guides at ILS regularly document, record, and share student progress throughout the learning experience. This involves progress toward learning targets at the wholeclass, small-group, and individual levels. While personalized goal updates and student highlights provide snapshots of student progress, the Progress Report provides a holistic view of the student’s overall progress during the first half of the school year.

The goal of the Progress Report is to identify areas of strength, opportunities for improvement, and the next steps in each student’s learning journey. The Progress Report includes narrative feedback from learning guides across all subject areas and is specific to end-of-year, grade-level targets. Hampshire Competencies for STEAM. Summative feedback for the development of Character Lab Strengths is reported in the Habits section.

Learning guides at ILS regularly document, record, and share student progress throughout the learning experience

Assessing Students’ Performance

“We believe that the primary purpose of assessment is to improve student learning,” shares Chris Bezsylko, Head of School. For students, effective assessment is an opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned, an opportunity to monitor their own learning, set goals, and plan the next steps, an opportunity to understand the benchmarks and the criteria for success, and an opportunity to reflect and share with peers, and to build confidence and self-esteem.

Likewise, for families, effective assessment is a chance to become an active participant in the learning process, be informed of their child’s progress, and be informed of their child’s strengths and areas in need of improvement. Above all, effective assessment helps educators to determine degrees of prior knowledge before a new unit, to identify and support different learning styles and learner needs, to ascertain degrees of understanding at various stages of the learning process, to modify curriculum and instruction based on the needs of the learners,

At ILS, there are multiple opportunities to build off a child’s interests within the program

and to provide relevant feedback that supports continued growth and development.

Helping Students Discover their Interests & Talents

At ILS, there are multiple opportunities to build off a child’s interests within the program. For example, during the animal migration study, children could choose their own animal based on their interests. For instance, during a recent study on the origin stories of people, there was a clear interest in learning more about caves across the globe. Students were able to choose their area of interest and explore that.

Similarly, outside of the core curriculum and theme, there are multiple opportunities for students to explore the arts (visual arts, tech arts, performing arts) and chess. The school also regularly hosts creators, artists, makers, designers, and tinkerers who come to school to share a bit about their passions and then there are some hands-on activities directly related to that person’s area of interest/passion. Students in the younger grades have choice time multiple times throughout the week. Over time, this turns into an opportunity to explore their own passion projects based on their individual interests.

Bringing Real-World Learning into the Curriculum

Head of School, Chris Bezsylko states, “We feel like (almost) everything we do is unique. Our thematic curriculum is guided by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and is anchored in authentic learning experiences. This means that we often pivot based on the needs and interests of the students directly in front of us, as well as what is happening in the world around us.”

For instance, two years ago, the theme at ILS was migration. The first trimester was focused on their own migration stories (where they are from, and where their families are from). The school used this as a launching point to learn about indigenous people from across the world and to try to understand why and how they migrated. The second trimester was focused on migration in the natural world, for example, animal migration. Students in lower and upper elementary each picked an animal that migrates in/out of California. They researched their animal and also created art that reflected various stages of the migration, as well as interactive maps that documented each animal’s respective journey. The older students incorporated some basic programming by using Dash & Dot robots and created floor maps to physically demonstrate the migration paths, with a specific focus on the overlaps and similarities they observed by comparing and contrasting animal migration. The third trimester was designed to explore what the future of migration might look like, but then the Ukrainian War started. The ILS team under Chris Bezsylko’s leadership did a quick pivot and embraced this topic as a way to help students make connections to something that was very personal for many of them (with Russian and/or Ukrainian families), as well as a way to try to make sense and understand this awful thing that was happening. Some students were too young to have their own feelings, but they could see and recognize feelings that their parents or other family members had. Discussing these experiences in a developmentally appropriate manner, while making authentic, real-world connections to the theme of migration expanded the children’s global perspective, deepened and strengthened

As a relationship-based community of learners, first and foremost, ILS invests in getting to know its students and their families

their empathy and compassion, and the projects they created (multiple projects aimed at supporting Ukraine via letters to soldiers, donated goods, and fundraising) enabled the children to take meaningful action and get involved in something that was happening on the other side of the world.

Helping Students Navigate Challenges & Reach their Full Potential

As a relationship-based community of learners, first and foremost, ILS invests in getting to know its students and their families. The school starts each year with a theme of Community & Diversity. Within that theme, the learning guides spend the first 6-weeks of school developing a Learner Profile that helps them identify a child’s strengths, challenges, and opportunities. They work with the child, starting with their youngest TK-K students, and families to develop a set of personalized goals that are focused on crossdisciplinary skills and social-emotional growth.

As with any diverse learning community, ILS has several learners who are neuro-diverse, including those with dyslexia, dysgraphia, twice exceptional, gifted, ADD/ADHD, and others. In such cases, ILS partners with families and

in some cases, third-party providers such as occupational therapists, speech therapists, and others to provide a team of support for these children and their families.

Taking Meaningful Actions for the Community

According to Head of School, Chris Bezsylko, community engagement and community connections are core principles at ILS. From monthly community service projects, to hosting community events such as authors and opening up the school space to host artist and community action groups, to hosting innovation events such as the Global Cardboard Challenge and Day of Design, to its Annual Fall & Spring Markets, and more, ILS has a lot in stores for all its stakeholders. In addition, ILS regularly partners with the city of Palo Alto and nonprofit organizations at the Cubberley community center to build a stronger community across these organizations, engage with the broader Palo Alto community, and rejuvenate its campus. To date, they have built two community gardens and just started a bigger project that will involve a pollinator garden and a large mural.

MENTOR’S MANTRA

The Role of Executive Coaching in Enhancing Leadership Skills in K-12 Education

Dr. Toby Travis, Head of School at Houghton Academy

What is the role of executive coaching in developing and enhancing leadership skills? How does it differ from other forms of professional development? When school leaders engage the assistance of an executive coach/consultant, they benefit through the process in many ways: greater selfawareness, skill enhancement, personal and professional goal setting and action planning, feedback and reflection, insights to manage conflicts within the school, strategic decisionmaking, reduction of stress, professional accountability, and the list goes on.

Coaching is about personal application and contextualizing of best practices, whereas PD is training in best practices.

A crucial point for school leaders to consider when identifying an executive coach is to ensure the coach has experience at their level in school leadership. One of the important findings in leadership research is that the most skilled coaches are those who possess professional knowledge of the industry. Thus, the best coaches for school leaders are practitioners; in other words, they are school leaders themselves. They know and

Coaching is about personal application and contextualizing of best practices, whereas PD is training in best practices

Dr. Toby A. Travis is the creator of TrustED, a framework for school improvement focused on developing trusted leaders. In addition, he is an Executive Consultant with the Global School Consulting Group, an Adjunct Professor for the International Graduate Program of Educators for the State University of New York College at Buffalo, and an experienced teacher and school administrator, currently serving as the Head of School at Houghton Academy in Houghton, NY. As a guest speaker, trainer, and consultant, his work has taken him throughout the United States, Europe, South Asia, and Central and South America. Dr. Travis is the author of “TrustED: The Bridge to School Improvement.” This award-winning book for educational leaders reached #1 on Amazon’s Educational Leadership category book downloads in April 2023, has been featured in Forbes, CEOWorld Magazine, Authority Magazine, The Knowledge Review, eSchool News, on NPR, as well as numerous podcasts - and was named “Book of The Month” (November 2021) and nominated for “Book of The Year” (2021) by The Magic Pen.

Utilize a professional 360 assessment and let the data inform and guide the priorities of what the coaching needs to focus

understand the nuances and unique challenges of leading a school.

How to assess the needs and goals of executives before designing a coaching program? What strategies do you employ to tailor coaching to their specific requirements?

Utilize a professional 360 assessment and let the data inform and guide the priorities of what the coaching needs to focus.

There are six major components to effective and successful school leadership (i.e., 1. Beliefs and Values, 2. Connection and Support, 3. Flexibility and Involvement, 4. Adapting and Contextualizing, 5. Culture and Relationships, 6. Clarity and Order), and all six need to be healthy and competent for school leaders to be trusted. Thus, clients must complete a 360 assessment that invites those whom they manage to provide insights into the client’s leadership strengths and areas for improvement. Based on the assessment of the six components of trusted leadership, we can then build an individualized and strategic plan for coaching, goal-setting, and action planning.

What are some common challenges that executives face, and how does coaching help them overcome those challenges?

The most common challenge is a breakdown between what a leader has expressed as their beliefs and values and how they live out those beliefs and values in their work. For example, if a school leader states that teachers are his or her highest priority but does not advocate teacher compensation, workloads, and classroom resources, then the leader will not be trusted.

How do you tailor leadership development programs to address the unique needs and strengths of individuals?

I utilize the data from the 360 assessment to identify the unique needs and strengths of the client.

How to incorporate coaching and mentoring into leadership development initiatives to foster continuous growth and learning?

Everyone needs a mentor. And every leader needs to be mentoring someone else. We often grow and develop the most ourselves by investing in others.

What are the foundational elements of successful team building? Can you share examples of team-building activities that have had a positive impact on team dynamics and performance?

Shared mission, vision, values, and priorities. Certainly, one example is a school leadership team that reviewed and affirmed its core values as an organization. Then, they reviewed their employee and student policy manuals to assess if existing policies and operational protocols did not align with their core values. They discovered that a number of the policies that had been developed over the years were a “knee-jerk” response to some infraction by an employee, student, or parent, but not necessarily in alignment with their stated core values. This prompted them to revise and update their operations’ elements, resulting in a more unified community and relationship between leaders, employees, students, and parents.

What are the key considerations in designing and delivering effective training programs? How do you ensure that training aligns with organizational objectives? Training programs need to be authentic. In other words, they need to address real and current challenges. Additionally, the most effective training sessions are those where the participants do most of the talking. In education, we know that the one doing the talking is the one doing the learning. Effective training programs ensure participants reflect on the learning, talk about the learning, and identify and create actionable responses to the learning.

The school and organizational clients who reach out to me are almost always those who have already identified their need for increasing levels of trust in the leadership of the school or company. Thus, that objective has brought them to me, a specialist

in helping schools and organizations develop, restore, if needed, maintain, protect, and ensure high levels of trust.

What are the critical factors in managing organizational change effectively? How to address resistance to change and foster employee buy-in? Change, to be effective and lasting, must first and foremost be “owned” and led by the school’s leadership. Secondly, leaders of the desired change must demonstrate high levels of competency in whatever the improvement initiative involves. For example, if a school wants to move to standards-based grading and reporting, utilizing rubrics for all summative assessments, then the academic leaders of that school must be or become experts in standardsbased grading, reporting, developing, and utilizing rubrics. To design and build a suspension bridge, the

I utilize the data from the 360 assessment to identify the unique needs and strengths of the client

structural engineers must be experts in the nuts, bolts, and materials that go into building the bridge, even if they themselves are not the ones applying the wrenches.

As Simon Sinek says, “Start with the why.” When employees know and understand the need for and the benefit resulting from the change, they are far more likely to embrace the work required. Better yet, engage the employees in helping identify what changes are needed and the solutions. When they own the change, they

are far more likely to embrace the work required to accomplish the improvement initiative.

How to measure the success of change management efforts? Can you provide examples of positive outcomes resulting from your change initiatives?

With my clients, we implement a 360 assessment, securing employee feedback approximately every six months. The data points from that feedback provide us with a statistical measurement of

Change, to be effective and lasting, must first and foremost be “owned” and led by the school’s leadership

how the improvement efforts are progressing (or not).

Trusted leadership is the number one indicator of successful schools. And that success is seen in many areas. The schools that I have worked with, who have intentionally engaged in assessing their leadership, engaging in trusted leadership training, individual coaching, strategic goal-setting, and action planning, and then accountable to carry out and complete their plans have seen the following measurable outcomes: increased retention of quality employees, increased academic achievement levels of their students, increased volunteerism from the community, decreased operational costs, and decreased behavioral incidents of both students and employees.

How to approach data analysis and research in management consulting to provide evidence-based recommendations?

Schools and organizations must ensure they utilize professional and experienced consultants well-versed in evidence-based best practices. Yet, simultaneously recognizing that best

practices must always be contextualized to the school or organization’s unique setting (e.g., population demographics, available physical and human resources).

What are the unique challenges and opportunities in non-profit organizations that require specialized consulting support?

For non-profit organizations, whose primary source of income is derived from the donations of individuals, the single most important asset they need to possess is the level of trust in their organization’s leadership and in its management of resources. Thus, it is imperative that non-profit organizations maintain continual assessments of their leader’s trust levels, as well as ongoing training, coaching, and monitoring to ensure a high level of trust is maintained. Harvard and the Rand Corporation have produced studies showing that when organizations invest in this type of ongoing professional development, the return on investment ranges from at least $1.85 to $7.00 on every dollar invested in securing the consultants, assessment tools, training, and coaching.

Building Teacher Resiliency: How District Leaders’ Retention Efforts can Help Address Teachers Shortages

Fleur Johnston, CEO and Founder, Peoplebench

The teacher shortage is pervasive, spreading across districts and even spanning far beyond America’s borders. Like many other countries, Australia’s schools are understaffed – lacking both classroom educators and school staff. In fact, the country’s NSW Department of Education released figures that show there are 10,000 classes per day not being adequately staffed due to teacher shortages. But unlike the U.S., who has been laser-focused on recruitment efforts, such as expanding teacher pathways and hiring more teachers, Australia has been working on several unique retention strategies – strategies that we should pay attention to. U.S. district leaders need to be thinking about their schools as unique workplaces that need a well-supported, resilient workforce in place.

Peoplebench CEO And Founder, Fleur Johnston has more than 20 years’ experience In workforce and digital transformation. Driven to create change for good, Fleur founded Peoplebench with the aim of empowering school leaders to build great school workforces to achieve the best possible outcomes for students.

When it comes to retaining teachers and school staff, district leaders need to think of their educators as part of the modern workforce and give them the support and resources to build them up as resilient workers

U.S. districts and schools turned to recruitment as a key lever in their strategy to solve for the teacher shortage crisis. These efforts were fueled even further by an influx of federal COVID relief funds that specifically supported new hires, Grow Your Own teacher pathways, and other recruitment efforts. Yet, district leaders are still working feverishly to solve current staffing shortages while

simultaneously trying to hold off a potential crisis in their schools.

Unfortunately, district leaders have their work cut out for them with a dwindling pool of teacher recruits. Interest in the teaching profession among high school seniors and college freshmen has fallen 50 percent since the 1990s and the number of new entrants into the profession has fallen by roughly one

third over the last decade. And Educators for Excellence’s 2023 annual Teacher Survey revealed that while committed to their careers as educators, 64% of teachers would not recommend others join the profession. With a declining interest in the profession, retaining the teachers we have is a critical step to address the U.S. teacher shortage.

When it comes to retaining teachers and school staff, district leaders need to think of their educators as part of the modern workforce and give them the support and resources to build them up as resilient workers. Thankfully, district leaders don’t need to reinvent the wheel – there is a wealth of research-informed HR practices and innovations to help them create a comprehensive strategy toward a sustainable and resilient workforce.

There are several steps district leaders can, in fact, take in order to build such a strategy:

1. Look at schools as unique employers. So often, district strategies are focused on elevating student achievement and studentbased interventions – and rightfully so – but to a point where educators can be left out. Educators are an essential part of the equation toward achieving student success and they must be supported as the essential employees they are. With this perspective, other districts—or even other industries—who are taking this type of approach will be the ones to hire.

2. Take full staff into consideration when thinking about retention, not just teachers. Every employee needs and deserves support in their workplace. In a school, all staff members have value and must be treated and supported as such. Yet, too often, support

staff talk about their work by saying “well, I’m just a…” and don’t place enough value on themselves or the work they do. District leaders must recognize this value among all staff.

3. Understand that all schools are unique. It’s important for district leaders to engage with school leadership and have conversations about how a larger district strategy can work in a unique school environment. It’s important to keep in mind that one size does not fit all when creating a strategy to increase retention.

4. Create a detailed-backed strategy. Building resiliency, like any school improvement plan, must be based in research. Tools like PeopleBench can offer such insights into staff resiliency, including staff-reported well-being, insights into workforce benchmarks, and more. Using the insights gained from tools like PeopleBench can help district leaders build a customized workforce strategy grounded in HR best practices. to address their workforce priorities, including how to increase the resiliency of their own staff, leading to improvements in retention and consequent improvements in learning experiences for students.

As K-12 leaders continue to work to address a worsening teacher shortage, retaining the teachers and staff they currently have is critical. But in order to create a workplace their employees want to stay and thrive; they can no longer rely on breakroom donuts and casual Fridays. They need a comprehensive understanding of how their teachers and staff are and what they need to thrive as employees. By taking a page from HR playbooks, district leaders are better able to support their staff and create a workplace they will want to stay at long term.

Empowering ESL Students: Effective Strategies for Supporting Science Content Learning

Tracy Ibrahim, M.Ed., Trainer and Educational Consultant, SAMA Training Institute

Ihave always loved teaching science as students get to explore the world around them. ESL students might not be able to truly enjoy Science as they are still working hard to acquire the language. And then, in each grade level Science reading and vocabulary are the most difficult of all content areas. To address this challenge and ensure that all students can fully engage with

scientific concepts, an effective instructional strategy called frontloading can be used.

Frontloading is one of my favorite instructional approaches as it provides students with an introduction to upcoming content, concepts, or skills before they engage in deeper learning or activities. This strategy includes a couple of key SIOP methods that will make the content clear and

Mind mapping is a powerful visual tool that shows students where new learning belongs

Meet Tracy Ibrahim, M.Ed., a highly experienced trainer and educational consultant with SAMA Training Institute. With a passion for empowering schools and educators, Tracy delivers comprehensive program training and professional development workshops, bringing her extensive expertise to a wide range of educational topics. Hailing from Texas, Tracy boasts an impressive educational career spanning over 25 years, with valuable experience in Texas, Abu Dhabi, and Saudi Arabia. Her diverse roles have included classroom teacher, curriculum developer and writer, team leader, English coordinator, teacher evaluator, trainer, principal, and head of school, demonstrating her versatility and deep understanding of the educational landscape. Tracy’s commitment to excellence is underscored by her numerous certifications, including SIOP Certified Trainer, Early Childhood-Grade Four (EC-4), English as a Second Language (ESL), Gifted and Talented, Instructional Leadership, and Teacher Evaluation. Furthermore, Tracy holds a master’s degree in educational leadership with Principalship Certification, further enhancing her ability to inspire and elevate educational practices. With her exceptional qualifications and unwavering dedication, Tracy Ibrahim is an invaluable asset in driving positive change and fostering educational growth for schools and educators.

Visuals

Mind Mapping

10 min 20 min

2 – 3 visual images per group

Paper to record thinking for students

Teacher will need a copy of the images and A3 paper to collect their thinking with those images

Give the groups their images, face down.

Explain that they will be noticing what is in the images

As they notice, they will talk to each other about what they already know, what is new, any questions, etc., They will write what they talked about and be ready to share with the class

It is important for them to know that they can discuss in their native language and that all thinking is correct.

Once they understand the directions, give them 3 – 4 minutes to share and write.

When it is time to share, it is best to discuss one image at a time to gather all of the thinking.

When each group is finished, you can review what they put, circle what will be learned in the upcoming topic/unit, and then add other vocabulary words to each picture.

1 – 2 mind maps per group

Various print resources based on student ability

Teacher will need a mind map to record student responses

Give each group mind maps with the big topics only. They will be finding the information.

Explain that students will be using certain resources to complete the mind map. Go over the terms on the mind map.

Explain they will have 10 minutes to work first, then there will be a quick recap of how it is going and then they will have another 5 minutes to complete their mind maps.

Depending on the grade and ESL level, there are a couple of options for students.

For elementary and low ESL levels, use leveled readers. This will allow them to find information at their level.

For middle & upper grades and for those who are close to grade level, they can use their textbook.

If you have computers in the room, let them go to websites you have chosen with quality information.

Students are to use the resources to complete the mind maps. Students do not need to write complete sentences as they need to focus on the important ideas now.

You need to walk around to monitor how they are completing it if they have any concerns.

When time is finished, you will use your mind map to collect their thinking and work.

Closure 10 minutes

Have groups come up with 1 – 2 things they will learn in the new unit.

They can also write 1 – 2 questions they have about what they will learn.

Once you record their thoughts, you can introduce the objectives for the upcoming unit drawing connections between what they already know and where they will go. There is wiggle room in the times to allow for a 45-minute block, or you can choose to extend it to another class period.

Discussions centered around thinking and noticing further engage students, promote language proficiency, and encourage active participation in learning

understandable. it will also bridge the gaps in knowledge, create connections and enhance students’ readiness to learn new material.

When students know about a topic, their ability to remember and manipulate it is much better than those with limited knowledge. ESL students might not be able to articulate Science concepts in English before beginning a new unit of study, and the SIOP Model recommends explicitly linking concepts to students’ backgrounds. When students prelearn content, they develop a conceptual framework that becomes a foundation to pull

from as they go through new learning. So, when I invested time frontloading new science concepts, I was helping students connect to what they already know, build background, and learn topic concepts. In my experience, I have found that using visuals, discussions, and mind mapping has students actively engaged in exploring and learning new content.

I love visuals for so many reasons, but my favorite is that there are no words attached that might cause students frustration. Visuals can be images, charts, graphs, infographics, graphic organizers, etc. In the book, Strategies That Work

(Harvey and Goudvis, 2017), the authors shared a strategy called, Noticing and Thinking about New Learning. “Noticing and thinking about new learning is one of the first lessons we teach to support nonfiction readers in gaining information and acquiring knowledge.” (Harvey and Goudvis, 2017, p.113) When I use visuals in my frontloading lessons, students weren’t reading content yet, they are thinking and connecting about what they already know. This creates such excitement for students alleviating the fear of difficult vocabulary and content reading.

Students need to be listening and talking about learning. They need frequent opportunities in each class period to share their thinking and learning. Research has shown that when students are exposed to academic language, and use it, they develop language proficiency quicker than when a teacher spends most of the time sharing the content. It will take students longer to learn vocabulary and content when they are passive learners. I have found when discussions are centered around thinking and noticing, students are involved and engaged in learning discussions. I have seen them get excited as they realize they can contribute to the conversation because they are manipulating old and new ideas, listening to other’s ideas, engaging iwth another’s thoughts and actively sharing what they know. It’s a win-win.

Mind mapping is a powerful visual tool that shows students where new learning belongs. The visual nature of this tool helps students organize information spatially, making it easier to understand and remember content. It also develops language skills by creating connections between words, phrases, and ideas, students enhance their vocabulary acquisition, sentence construction, and use of scientific terminology. Moreover, mind

maps can be structured to mirror the process of learning in the text, providing a comprehensive framework. This is particularly valuable as science content and processes are presented in various forms within reading materials, including compare and contrast, cause and effect, as well as predictioning and inferencing.

So, how would this look in a 45-minute class period? Below you will see a chart with a skeleton of how it runs. Discussion is ongoing. If you don’t currently use discussion, in a nutshell, students need two things to get going: (1) a purpose for what they will discuss and (2) what they will be ready to share with the group at the end of the time. If you haven’t used discussion, before doing this strategy, practice and let your students get used to talking and sharing. In conclusion, frontloading is an effective instructional strategy that can address the challenges faced by ESL students in fully engaging with science concepts. By providing an introduction to upcoming content, concepts, or skills before deeper learning activities, frontloading helps bridge the gap in knowledge, create connections, and enhance students’ readiness to learn new material. Visuals play a crucial role in frontloading, as they allow students to think and connect with prior knowledge without the frustration of difficult vocabulary. Discussions centered around thinking and noticing further engage students, promote language proficiency, and encourage active participation in learning. Additionally, mind mapping serves as a powerful tool for organizing information spatially, enhancing vocabulary acquisition, and facilitating comprehension of scientific terminology. By implementing frontloading techniques such as visuals, discussions, and mind mapping, teachers can foster a deeper understanding of science concepts and promote active student engagement within a 45-minute class period.

INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE

Five Ways to Super-Charge ‘Nice’

David Rushby, co-creator of Nautilus Education

‘It is nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice.’

Let’s assume that you’re a really nice person, which I’m sure that you are. How does this affect what you do in your school setting and how much influence does this have? In fact, are you aware that this could be the single most significant attribute when it comes to creating a positive, successful, and sustainable school culture?

It’s important that this begins in the classroom, which is initially where we hone our skills, develop awareness and maximise impact. If you happen to be a nice person, this is where you may have noticed certain dividends naturally occurring. But let’s dig deeper. Let’s go beyond ‘nice’ and think more strategically. Let’s fine-tune ‘nice’ and supercharge the impact of our actions.

Being liked by the children that you serve is the key starting point. If we can be liked, then we can influence how much they attend, how well they behave, and how successfully they can learn. If we can

David is the co-creator of Nautilus, an online school leadership platform that enables schools to accurately self-evaluate their provision using an iPad or tablet. He’s proud to have a career that began as a special educational teaching assistant, before teaching in a large inner-city school in Hackney, east London. David then went on to become a long-serving headteacher, with a proven record of successfully leading large schools in challenging circumstances. David now works with over 450 schools globally, as well as being an associate school improvement advisor for the local education authority.

apply certain behaviors effectively in this way from the beginning, this can then provide a natural pathway to effective school leadership.

Let’s consider five exemplary habits that can enable your audience to like you, from class teacher to school leader.

1. Take the time to use names. I once read that hearing someone else use your name is the ‘sweetest sound’. I like this. If I address a pupil from the first meeting using their name, we can create an early connection. This is particularly important with unfamiliar names, where we must ask exactly how we pronounce, rather than avoiding, mispronouncing, or shortening nicknames. I was eventually able to walk around school years later as a headteacher and know the names of every pupil. We talked as a team about the importance of not just knowing the names of the children in your class, but learning the names of more children across the school. We engineered ways to do this so that all children could connect with all staff. Names are personal, important, unique, and in many cultures meaningful. Parents notice this, staff see this and children feel this.

2. Ask questions. In my classroom, I did this every day and I worked at it, starting with ‘How are you?’. I set up clubs and football teams just to do this. I planned lessons that allowed me to sit with the children chatting as we drew, sewed, or sculpted. If you’ve ever used the ‘circle of influence’ model, this can be useful. Take a look at your class and consider how you bring every child into the center of your circle, where what you say has the most influence. Target the quiet and reluctant ones on the periphery by finding the right question at the right time. Work with the hard-toreach ones, who may not know yet how much

they need you. As you move into leadership, use this approach with your team. I did, every morning before the doors opened. As a result of this, attendance was excellent and retention was impressive. Indicators that people liked working with me.

3. Give yourself away. Let those around you into your world. Impress them, inspire them, and open doors. When you speak, share your story. Let others relate and be intrigued. This can be heartfelt and genuine. It can happen as you teach maths, address everyone in an assembly, or speak to a community at a church service. I don’t have a problem with privacy, but I do feel that this limits things. It’s very hard to find something in common with someone if they don’t want to share who they are. Be careful not to impose your views, appear egocentric, or mistake this for popularity.

4. Build bridges. Get to know families quickly. The biggest source of school news for a parent is their children. If Mum and Dad already know, trust, and like you, then we should be seeing some positive synchronisation. This reduces tension and secures trust and even gratitude. It’s also enough to see you through any ups and downs over time. As a teacher and a headteacher, I greeted the children and developed relationships quickly with families, craning my neck with the ones who may not be so inclined to engage. Connecting home and school is quite possibly the most important action that you can do to successfully lead a school.

5. Be consistent. The idea that habits can be formed in 30 days is a useful starting point. As is the theory that we only really ever do anything to gain some kind of personal benefit. There’s

Your culture can then inspire your team, underpin your interactions, and drive your big priorities

nothing wrong with this if we want the reward of being a good teacher or leader. I found that over time, this became who I was. I went from being a nice person that children liked to be around, to a teacher and leader who placed these attributes at the forefront of everything else. Being consistently nice came with increasing awareness, as I upheld and demonstrated the behaviors that we’d rooted in our policy and mission statements. It even made me a better person and a better Dad.

I once met a colleague who told me that she never went shopping in town because she didn’t want to bump into any of the children. I found this a strange thing to say. In contrast, I went to a big, local hardware store the other week. As I approached the checkout, I got the ‘have you recognised me yet’ look, from a young twenty-something. We had a chat and then he introduced Lewis who was standing to his right, smiling at me. I shook hands with Lewis and he began telling me about his job. He then pointed and asked me if I remembered another girl, who was waving at me as she served her customers. I told them all to just give me a moment. That they’d all changed quite a bit since they were eleven years old. And as I drove home, they all came straight back to me. This is joyous, it reflects the time you’ve invested in them and it’s the real test of what you do.

I was asked recently about how to describe a school’s ‘culture’ and defined it as ‘small and positive behaviors, done consistently’. Your culture can then inspire your team, underpin your interactions, and drive your big priorities. Your children will attend well because they want to be with you and are more likely to behave well. I know the importance of policy and rules, but it really does depend on who creates and delivers them. Ultimately, your pupils will learn better, because you have placed weight and credibility on the importance of what you say to each and every one of them.

Why Collaboration Matters for Children & Adults

Vincent J. Costanza, School Principal, Campbell Elementary School

Collaboration is hard. Collaboration takes time. Collaboration is often uncomfortable. So why do it? One of the main responsibilities we have as leaders of a complex organization, such as an elementary school, is to meet the needs of children now, while we simultaneously

prepare them for success in the future. In short, our charge is to pay attention to the practices that we know children need to be successful in school and in life.

According to the World Economic Forum’s 2023 “The Future of Jobs” report, which predicts how technology will transform the workplace

The collaborative process is relational and reciprocal and must be built on a foundational belief in partnership; a partnership that requires a deep and ongoing reflective process

A former kindergarten teacher, Vincent J. Costanza, Ed.D. currently serves as the principal of Campbell Elementary School in Metuchen, New Jersey. Vincent has led organizations in both the public and private sectors, including directing the New Jersey Office of Primary Education, Statewide Early Learning Challenge Grant, and Division of Early Childhood Education (NJDOE), which governed Birth through Third Grade programming for the New Jersey Department of Education. During his tenure at NJDOE, Vincent served as an active member of the National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education (NAECS-SDE), eventually filling the role of Vice President. Throughout his career, Vincent has demonstrated a long commitment to serving others, which has included serving in AmeriCorps and on the Governing Board of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and his local school board in Robbinsville NJ.

that our children will enter, the ability to work with others, which is a cornerstone to the top 15 skills identified in the report, are exactly the ones that our children need now and in the future.

As educational leaders, we know that we shouldn’t wait until children are in high school to support these essential skills and we need to model them as adults in our own decision making. How do we go about doing this work with young children?

First, the collaboration that happens in the classroom gives students a sense of ownership, a sense of belonging, and a sense that their voice is being heard. For instance, at the elementary level, there are a variety of ways that collaboration happens. Some examples include participating in schoolwide surveys on scheduling, collaborating on class expectations, what students want to earn as a class, self-assessment opportunities, and individualized behavior plans. As educators, we want to empower our students to collaborate with one another, not just with the teacher. Students use selfquestioning strategies to help collaborate through different stem challenges or even conflicts between classmates. Using the selfquestioning strategies allows students to talk out their conflicts in a collaborative manner.

Second, the collaborative process, at the school level, refers to shared decisionmaking, goal alignment, teacher voice, and psychological safety. This collaboration has a positive impact on student performance, teacher turnover, and teacher self-efficacy. All three are linked and interdependent. Collaboration involves a degree of power-

sharing, a flattening or democratization of the traditional hierarchical school power structure. It requires a process of dialogue, an exchange of views, and a sharing of information, building from individual views towards a shared perspective. The collaborative process is relational and reciprocal and must be built on a foundational belief in partnership; a partnership that requires a deep and ongoing reflective process.

There’s simply no way to manage the daily operations or curricular implementation that’s necessary for child growth and development without a system in place to gather perspectives from multiple stakeholders within and outside the building. Essential pieces of this system include bi-weekly meetings with building leadership (curricular leaders, child-study team, union leaders, etc.) monthly advisory committees with grade-level representatives as well as our school leadership team. What’s the rationale behind all these meetings?

In addition to modeling the types of practices that we want to see for children, research indicates that collaborative decisionmaking benefits children by creating systems that help to improve student performance.

All educators need a commitment to supporting each and every child in an intentional, meaningful, and ongoing manner. What children need is to be provided with support that will assist them now and will benefit them in the future.

Above all else, our children need good models. As architects of society, educators must work tirelessly to be exactly the collaborative models that our children deserve. While this work is not easy, this work is worth it.