Breaking Down Barriers in Early Intervention

Early Intervention Providers (EIPs) are at the forefront of helping children with autism and their families navigate social-emotional development. However, their work often comes with logistical and technological challenges that can impede progress. Many EIPs work in home settings where reliable Wi-Fi isn’t always available, and they need secure, easy-to-use tools for data collection, reflection, and coaching. This is where TORSH has made a transformative impact.

Bridging the Technology Gap

The Building Interactive Social Communication Project (BISC), an innovative early intervention program through Indiana University, turned to TORSH to address key field challenges. EIPs needed a way to record video reflections and review them in real-time without storing data on their devices—a requirement to maintain HIPAA and FERPA compliance. With TORSH, they can:

• Capture video in the field without needing an internet connection.
• Securely store and manage intervention data, ensuring privacy and accessibility for the right team members.
• Engage in structured video reflection, allowing providers to assess and adjust their approaches for better outcomes.
• Collaborate seamlessly, connecting field providers, mentors, and researchers to improve intervention fidelity and effectiveness.

The TORSH Talent platform shows recent video uploads

The Impact: Measurable Improvements for Providers, Parents, and Children

Since integrating TORSH, BISC has reported significant improvements across multiple areas:

• Provider Success: EIPs have quickly adopted the system with minimal training time, allowing them to focus more on their work with families.
• Parent Empowerment: TORSH enables parents to actively participate in their child’s development, fostering a stronger parent-child bond and increasing self-efficacy.
• Child Development: Children demonstrate increased motivation to engage socially and take a more active role in their learning journey.

What Makes BISC’s Approach Unique?

Two key aspects set BISC apart from other early intervention models:

1. A Unique Developmental Sequence – BISC provides a structured approach that EIPs can easily implement. Providers see early progress, reinforcing their confidence and effectiveness.
2. Mediated Learning – The program focuses on fostering an internal desire in children to engage socially and learn, rather than relying solely on external motivation.

Seamless Implementation with TORSH

A major concern for the BISC team was the potential learning curve in adopting a new technology. However, the transition to TORSH was remarkably smooth. Providers quickly adapted to the platform, eliminating the need for additional expensive hardware like iPads. One of the program leaders shared their initial skepticism:

“I was expecting it to take a lot of startup time and a learning gap with providers, and it didn’t. Your team did so well with the implementation. In the back of my mind, I kept thinking, what if this doesn’t work, and we have to buy iPads again (and never get them back)? But thank goodness, everything is smooth.”

The Future of Early Intervention with TORSH

As BISC continues its work, the team seeks to expand research efforts and scale implementation with TORSH. By leveraging data-driven insights and enhancing collaboration between intervention providers, mentors, and researchers, BISC aims to refine and improve intervention strategies that make a lasting impact on children and families.

TORSH is more than just a coaching tool—it’s a solution that empowers early intervention teams to work more effectively, drive measurable change, and ultimately help children learn how to learn.

For more information about BISC and how to participate in their upcoming Early Intervention research, click here. 

To learn more about TORSH and see a demo of the Talent platform, click here.

The post How TORSH is Empowering Early Intervention Providers in the Field appeared first on Torsh.

Win More RFPs with the Right Coaching Platform

As an Educational Consultant, your expertise is your greatest asset — but in today’s competitive RFP landscape, how you deliver that expertise can make or break your success. Districts expect flexible, data-driven, and scalable coaching solutions — and the right tools can set you apart.

The key to winning more RFPs is finding the right tools that allow you to showcase measurable results, flexibility, and scalability. TORSH Talent is an all-in-one coaching platform that can help you stand out in the RFP process, equipping you with data-driven insights, personalized coaching tools, and hybrid solutions. Let’s explore how you can leverage the right tools to succeed as an EC and why TORSH Talent should be at the top of your list.

The Importance of Choosing the Right Coaching Platform for Educational Consultants

Why It Matters

In today’s educational landscape, districts are looking for solutions that go beyond the basics. They need coaching platforms that can deliver personalized, real-time feedback, drive instructional improvement, and adapt to the diverse needs of educators and providers — both in-person and virtually. As an EC, having the right platform is crucial to proving your ability to deliver these results.

Selecting the right coaching platform can make or break your proposal. It can elevate the quality of your professional development, providing the districts you serve with the tools to make a long-lasting impact.

What to Look For in a Coaching Platform:

• Flexible Delivery Methods: The ability to offer in-person, hybrid, and remote coaching is non-negotiable in today’s world.
• Data and Analytics: Districts need measurable outcomes. Look for platforms that allow you to easily track and share progress and improvement over time.
• Ease of Use: The easier it is for teachers and administrators to use, the more likely districts will adopt and appreciate the platform.

Scalability: Whether serving small districts or large, you need a platform that can scale with your growing client base and adjust to district size and complexity.

The Rise of Hybrid Professional Learning

Hybrid professional learning has rapidly become the norm, with districts seeking flexible ways to engage their staff in continuous development. As schools balance in-person instruction with virtual components, professional learning must also reflect that shift.

The Challenge for ECs

For ECs, this trend presents both opportunities and challenges. While hybrid learning allows you to offer a flexible model that meets varying district needs, it also requires robust tools that work seamlessly across both formats. The right tools are critical to ensure smooth transitions between in-person and virtual coaching, while still delivering high-impact feedback.

Why Hybrid Matters:

• Flexibility: Districts are drawn to solutions that offer flexibility. A hybrid model allows you to meet teachers wherever they are, whether in the classroom or working remotely.
• Ongoing Support: With hybrid professional learning, you can offer ongoing coaching and feedback, regardless of geographical constraints. This is key to delivering results that last.
• Adaptability: As an EC, your coaching needs to adapt to evolving district goals, school schedules, and staff availability. Hybrid platforms give you the freedom to adjust your approach based on the moment’s needs.

TORSH Talent – A Leading Solution for Educational Consultants

When you’re searching for the best tools to deliver impactful coaching and win more RFPs, TORSH Talent is your go-to platform. TORSH provides a comprehensive set of tools that help Educational Consultants scale their coaching and deliver measurable outcomes, whether in-person or virtual.

What TORSH Talent Offers:

• Video-Based Coaching: Capture real-time classroom moments and use video as a central tool for reflection, feedback, and coaching. TORSH’s video-based platform allows consultants to provide direct, actionable feedback to educators that leads to immediate improvement.
• Real-Time Data Tracking and Reporting: Districts want data. TORSH Talent delivers detailed analytics on teacher performance and progress, making it easy to demonstrate the impact of your coaching to administrators and stakeholders.
• Scalability and Flexibility: TORSH’s platform works for districts of all sizes, from small teams to large-scale implementations. It’s built to grow alongside your consulting practice and allows you to meet the specific needs of each district.
• User-Friendly Interface: A platform’s effectiveness is measured by how well it’s adopted. TORSH Talent offers an intuitive, easy-to-use platform that teachers, providers, coaches, and administrators will love.

How TORSH Helps You Win RFPs:

TORSH Talent positions you as the expert with advanced tools that district leaders want to see. Its ability to provide measurable data, improve teacher performance, and support hybrid coaching environments gives you a competitive edge in the RFP process. Plus, it’s backed by a track record of success, so you can include real-world examples of how TORSH has driven results.

Why TORSH Talent is Ideal for Hybrid Professional Learning

Delivering hybrid professional learning requires seamless integration between virtual and in-person coaching methods. TORSH Talent provides Educational Consultants with the tools they need to ensure that hybrid coaching is just as effective — if not more so — than traditional models.

Key Features for Hybrid Learning:

• Integrated Video Coaching: Video allows you to bridge the gap between in-person and remote coaching. Capture classroom moments for later reflection, provide virtual feedback sessions, or conduct remote coaching in real-time.
• Centralized Data Management: TORSH Talent allows you to track progress and results across all teachers, no matter where they are. You’ll always have the data you need to demonstrate growth and improvement.
• Feedback and Reflection Tools: Coaches and teachers can engage in continuous coaching cycles, no matter the setting. TORSH’s platform allows for real-time feedback and reflection, whether in-person or remotely.
• Scalability: TORSH Talent’s flexibility ensures it works just as well for small rural districts as it does for large urban school systems, making it an ideal tool for consultants in any environment.

Getting Started with TORSH Talent

Are you ready to take your coaching practice to the next level? TORSH Talent offers a variety of resources to help Educational Consultants integrate the platform into their proposals and win more RFPs. Here’s how you can get started:

• Success Playbook: Download our playbook for tips and strategies on positioning TORSH Talent in your proposals.
• Webinar Recording: Watch our latest webinar where experts discuss how to win RFPs with TORSH Talent.
• Email Templates: Access ready-made email templates to pitch TORSH to districts and include it in your RFP submissions.
• Sample Proposal Outline: Get a customizable outline you can use in your next RFP response.

As Educational Consultants, choosing the right platform can make all the difference in winning RFPs and delivering exceptional coaching outcomes. TORSH Talent provides the flexibility, data, and results-driven tools you need to set yourself apart in the competitive RFP landscape. Start leveraging TORSH Talent today and elevate your proposals with the winning combination of expertise and technology.

Ready to position yourself as the go-to consultant for high-impact, scalable coaching?
Download our RFP Success Toolkit or schedule a demo to see how TORSH Talent can help you win your next proposal — and every one after that.

The post Top Coaching Platforms for Educational Consultants to Win RFPs appeared first on Torsh.

Take a look at our infographic to discover 7 ways you can use video in your professional learning coaching program.

Download & Share

TORSH offers an innovative platform to support educator professional learning and coaching. Using TORSH Talent, educators can record their practice, upload the video securely, and then receive time-stamped feedback from a coach, administrator, or even fellow teacher. Interested in learning more about TORSH Talent? Reach out to schedule a conversation with one of our learning experts.

The post 7 Ways to Unlock the Potential of Video for Teacher Professional Learning appeared first on Torsh.

Seema Tejura, Founder and Managing Director of The Literacy Architects, first met George in 2003 while volunteering at an adult literacy center. After a quick diagnostic assessment, Tejura verified that he struggled to read most of the three-letter words presented to him. Right away, she set to work using explicit, systematic, multisensory phonics teaching strategies to develop his foundational literacy skills. 

One day during a tutoring session, George was progressing well with accurately decoding a list of new words. Suddenly, he stopped mid-word, looked directly at Tejura, and asked, “Why didn’t I learn any of this in school?”

George’s story reflects the experiences of the 93 million adults in the U.S. who struggle with reading. It’s these stories that underscore the importance of evidence-based literacy instruction in early childhood classrooms. That way, people like George become lifelong readers well before graduating from high school. 

Tejura and her colleague Caitlin Deckard, a Science of Reading Specialist with The Literacy Architects, recently joined TORSH to discuss the implications of the science of reading for early literacy support and how early learning programs can embrace these findings. This article offers a glimpse into the power of professional learning, a foundational pillar to strong instructional practices that cultivate literacy skills in our youngest learners.

Watch the full webinar recording here, or learn more about TORSH’s partnership with The Literacy Architects here. 

Table of Contents

• Why Evidence-Based Literacy Development Matters — Now More Than Ever
• Professional Learning & Impactful Instruction Go Hand-In-Hand
• 3 Coaching & PD Strategies To Shift Literacy Instruction for the Better
• Lay the Foundation for Excellent Literacy Instruction with TORSH

Why Evidence-Based Literacy Development Matters — Now More Than Ever

Oral language skills evolved in humans nearly 100,000 years ago, but reading and writing skills developed far more recently. This means that our brains have had time to localize oral language to use only one part of the brain, while literacy requires no less than four parts to do successfully. 

The result? Reading is not a natural process like spoken language development. While students may naturally learn how to speak through repeated exposure and immersion, they need much more explicit, systematic instruction to learn how to read their favorite books. 

[Image: The Reading Brain from The Literacy Architects]

Additionally, reading requires more cognitive load (or effort and energy by the brain) to understand written texts. Tejura stressed that this matters for high-quality instruction with young learners: “Instruction should help students spend less cognitive energy on [basic skills like] decoding and word recognition in written texts to learn and comprehend those texts.”

Understanding the Science of Reading

A body of empirical research commonly known as the science of reading highlights the critical building blocks for learning how to read and shifting this cognitive load. Though these findings are not new, they have recently been expanded and are improving educators’ knowledge of which evidence-based teaching strategies cultivate strong reading skills.

In short, the science of reading stipulates that students must develop the following foundational literacy skills, in explicitly and systematically structured ways: 

• Phonemic awareness
• Phonics knowledge, decoding, and encoding
• Vocabulary development
• Fluency
• Comprehension

As educators re-examine how to support literacy development in the classroom, they are increasingly recognizing the value of evidence-based reading strategies for young learners — strategies demonstrated through research to improve literacy in students. Research findings from the science of reading underpin the most effective instructional approaches. 

Learn more about the science of reading with The Reading League’s comprehensive overview. 

What the Science of Reading Tells Us About Early Literacy Support

This research is incredibly important for early learning programs to understand and embrace within early childhood classrooms.

Remember those five skills emerging from the science of reading (phonemic awareness, phonics knowledge, etc)? There’s a particular order in which students best learn them; each skill builds upon one another to unlock stronger reading abilities and higher reading levels. This order should inform literacy strategies to support instruction.

Young students must first develop their phonological awareness (recognizing sounds in spoken language) — specifically their phonemic awareness (manipulating the individual sounds in words). In turn, these skills are required for kids to become adept at alphabet awareness (recognizing written letters) and sound-spelling correspondence (understanding which letter(s) and letter combinations represent each sound).

Here’s an example of one instructional practice that brings this order of operations to life. Recent empirical literature suggests that linking phoneme awareness to letter-sound knowledge strengthens a student’s use of phoneme awareness, improving their reading and spelling performance (Brady 2020). Literacy support strategies that reflect this evidence may look this:

• First, students practice isolating phonemes (like /s/) as they read and spell them.
• Next, they blend phonemes (such as /s/ /a/ /t/) to form a word and read it (‘sat’).
• Last, they practice segmenting phonemes in words (such as segmenting ‘ship’ into /sh/ /i/ /p/) and spell words with segmented phonemes (s-h-i-p).

“The classroom implications of this [research] are significant,” Deckard underscored. “If teachers stack phonemic awareness and letter-knowledge instruction, they can maximize instructional time while making stronger connections for their students.”

But Tejura explained too that, despite the importance of adopting such practices for early literacy support, actually changing instructional approaches isn’t easy: “To improve school readiness, early education programs need to focus on early phonemic awareness with kids, yet many instructors across the U.S. may be struggling to make this seemingly simple shift in practice.”

What can administrators and program directors do to support staff to shift classroom practice and ensure all students experience positive literacy skills development in preparation for kindergarten?

Professional Learning & Impactful Instruction Go Hand-In-Hand

Any change in a classroom or across a program requires time and consistent support. Some research estimates that it may take up to four years for educators to successfully shift instructional practices to embrace evidence-based programs and strategies (Fixsen et al, 2009). 

With such a long runway for meaningful change, early education programs can’t make just one or two quick swaps in literacy curricula and instruction. Change for a positive impact on literacy requires time and effort, both granularly and systematically.

This means going beyond one-and-done training on early literacy instructional methods and instead embracing a model of ongoing support, thoughtful professional development, coaching, and feedback. These components are must-have ingredients to alchemize reading instruction to support literacy development. 

Research shows that both students and teachers benefit from deliberate practices in sharing feedback and ongoing support. But it’s coaching that generates the greatest effects when assessed against other strategies for instructional improvement, including pre-service training and merit-based pay incentives (Fryer, 2017).  

With two-thirds of teacher preparation programs failing to adequately address phonemic awareness instruction — a critical piece of the literacy puzzle — the urgency could not be greater (NCTQ, 2023). Early childhood education programs must invest in professional learning and coaching to help teachers implement evidence-based practices in literacy.

3 Coaching & PD Strategies To Shift Literacy Instruction for the Better

From our expertise in professional learning for early childhood educators, here are three strategies that early childhood programs can adopt right now to support a stronger, impactful approach to early literacy.

Create a Safe Space For Educators From the Start

Change management is a natural part of any shift to programming or practice. For many educators, adapting evidence-based literacy practices may easily qualify as second-order change, which involves not only shifting instruction in classrooms but also adjusting educators’ mindsets. 

Naturally, the scale of such change can feel daunting and may conjure many different emotions and reactions. At the same time, second-order changes are also necessary for educational reforms to be achieved and sustained.

A safe, supportive environment is essential to help educators navigate second-order change. When teachers and administrators feel safe to share their concerns, ask for support, and experiment with new and unfamiliar approaches, the entire program can better move forward. 

Here are a few tips to help you cultivate a safe and supportive space for your team as you prepare professional learning to drive major changes in literacy instruction:

• Start small. A huge list of new changes can quickly overwhelm even veteran staff members. Try focusing on one piece of the literacy puzzle at a time. For example, first spend time exploring how a child’s brain processes written texts and learns how to read. This gives you space to address teachers’ questions about the topic and gives teachers time to get comfortable with a new biological model for literacy development. 
• Focus on actionable steps as much as theory. As you design each professional learning opportunity, ask yourself: what small, tangible, and practical steps can teachers take TODAY to shift practice? Again, keep these steps focused — it greatly supports educators to make incremental shifts to teaching practices without trying to tackle everything all at once. 
• If exploring specific curricula or programs rooted in evidence-based literacy practices, assemble a diverse group of stakeholders for your selection committee. This means including the voices of teachers, administrators, and support staff in the review, discussion, and selection processes.

Prioritize Collaboration Among Teachers

Nothing builds positive camaraderie like collaboration. In adult learning, collaboration is often more effective than pure information sharing or solo practice. 

As a bonus, collaboration creates a spirit of shared learning and responsibility around major changes to literacy instruction. This experience can deepen staff’s buy-in for the changes themselves — IF collaboration is thoughtfully cultivated. 

Take a look at these suggestions to create collaboration opportunities centered on evidence-based literacy instruction:

• Create professional learning communities (PLCs) dedicated to teachers’ collective growth in reading instruction. PLCs are excellent spaces for staff to share their insights, ask for support or guidance when navigating challenges, and surface resources that may help colleagues with their practice improvement. PLCs can be conducted virtually or in hybrid settings to connect early childhood educators across multiple program sites. Many early learning programs use TORSH Talent’s Communities feature to build PLCs for asynchronous collaboration.
  

• If you seek support to facilitate targeted collaboration for early literacy instruction, explore the Literacy Masterminds program. This partnership between TORSH and The Literacy Architects offers a unique job-embedded professional learning approach for early learning professionals. 

Establish Ongoing, Varied Adult Learning Opportunities

Just as young students learn best through different methods, so too do adult learners. Offering a wide variety of ongoing learning opportunities is a powerful way to support your instructors in reshaping their mindsets and expanding their skill sets around literacy practices. 

Explore these tips for designing a comprehensive professional learning system that supports multiple learning styles and approaches among teaching staff:

• Offer coaching through virtual, hybrid, and/or in-person methods to maximize coaching time with teachers. TORSH Talent contains all the tools you’ll need to modernize job-embedded coaching. From easy-to-use video recording tools to capture teaching practices in action and provide targeted feedback to digital portfolios to support coaches with managing mentees’ goals and resources, TORSH Talent catalyzes and centralizes professional learning for early childhood educators and programs.

• Prioritize bite-sized learning sessions over marathons of training. For many learners, it’s easier to digest smaller chunks of new information repeatedly over time. TORSH Talent can support your program here with the innovative Learning Paths feature. Learning Paths allows administrators to craft customized journeys for their staff to layer information and skills practice through connected online courses linked to additional resources curated in your Exemplar Library. 

Lay the Foundation for Excellent Literacy Instruction with TORSH

Curious to learn more about the science of reading and how professional learning improves literacy instruction? Watch the webinar with TORSH and The Literacy Architects to dive deeper into the research and its implications. 

Ready to coach your educators through transformational change in early literacy support? Learn more about the Literacy Masterminds program or connect directly with one of our experts.

The post How to Support Literacy Development in the Classroom: Coaching & PD as the Foundation for Strong Instructional Practices appeared first on Torsh.

One focus of ECECD’s strategic plan is recruiting and retaining a high-quality early childhood workforce. To achieve this goal requires support of teachers’ ongoing growth and professional development. ECECD has selected practice-based coaching (PBC) as a proven approach to build educators’ skills. PBC is a collaborative professional development approach that is characterized by its interactive and personalized nature that involves observation, feedback, and reflective processes, tailored to individual educators’ needs and goals.

To ensure fidelity of practice-based coaching, which is essential to its effectiveness, ECECD partnered with TORSH to implement the online coaching and professional learning platform, TORSH Talent. TORSH Talent provides a secure environment for coach/teacher teams to create their shared goal and action plans, allows teachers to upload video examples of their practice, and for coaches to provide focused observation with time-stamped comments.

The Central Region Educational Cooperative (CREC) recently published a whitepaper that outlines New Mexico’s journey with PBC, including their partnership with TORSH, and the impact this innovative approach has had on literacy practices, social-emotional practices, individual student supports, and culturally and linguistically-sensitive practices.

Read the Whitepaper

If you’re interested in learning more about using TORSH Talent to support teacher retention and effectiveness for your statewide or regional early childhood program, let us know. Our early childhood experts would love to learn about your goals and discuss ways we can streamline and expand coaching for your educators and practitioners.

Schedule a Time to Chat

The post How Practice-Based Coaching Is Changing the Early Childhood Landscape in New Mexico appeared first on Torsh.

TORSH is proud to partner with Step Up AT to support their peer coaching model. Step Up AT coaches use our customizable, secure online platform to facilitate remote and in-person practice-based coaching. Teachers take video of their use of AT with students, upload it to the secure TORSH Talent platform, and receive time-stamped feedback on what went well and opportunities for improvement from their coaches.

Step Up AT has also created a library of training videos that teachers can access in the TORSH Talent Resource Library and have uploaded forms, rubrics, and other materials that Step Up AT coaches and participants can easily access. With TORSH Talent, Step Up AT is reducing paperwork, improving the coaching experience, and ultimately helping children reach their full potential.

Watch this video made for Step Up AT peer coaches to see how the program is using TORSH Talent to enhance the quality of instruction and build the foundation for early learning success for children with disabilities.

If you’re interested in learning more about using TORSH Talent to support observation, coaching, and professional learning within your early education program, let us know. Our early childhood experts would love to learn about your goals and discuss ways we can streamline and expand coaching for your educators and practitioners.

Schedule a Time to Chat

The post Video: How Step Up AT Is Improving Learning Outcomes for Children with Disabilities Using TORSH Talent appeared first on Torsh.

It’s no secret that K–12 organizations are facing a perfect storm of priorities and challenges today, including closing student learning gaps, increasing teacher retention, and improving instructional quality.

If there’s a chance at bouncing back in an era of astronomically high educator burnout rates and lower than ever student achievement, research tells us it exists in job-embedded professional learning, coaching, and collaboration.

It’s never been more clear that the right practices paired with the right tools can lead to transformation. Dive into this playbook to explore four proven ways to support the growth and satisfaction of teachers in your district:

• Communities of practice
• Individualized coaching
• Personalized learning pathways
• Continuous Improvement

Even though you may be lacking time and staff, your organization can make a big difference using virtual tools that lighten the lift on implementing these four strategies and increase productivity, motivation, and engagement.

Create a brighter future for students and educators using the research-based strategies, tips, and tools shared in this playbook.

Fill out the form to download the playbook.

The post PLAYBOOK: Tackle the Biggest Challenges in Education Today appeared first on Torsh.

This blog shares responses from our recent webinar with The Literacy Architects, “Unlocking the Power of the Reading Brain.” Read on to hear how to make literacy programs inclusive, the best way to identify struggling readers before they fall behind, strategies to prioritize evidence-based literacy development, and so much more!

Watch the on-demand webinar here

 Questions & Answers From the Webinar

1. How can we ensure that our literacy programs are inclusive and meet the needs of all our students (including ESL, diverse learning needs, etc)? When adopting a new curriculum, consider what professional development to offer the individuals on the selection committee. Is the science of reading new to everyone? If so, how will you prepare them to make the best decision? Use a rubric such as one from The Reading League. Ensure that foundational reading instruction is explicit and systematic and focuses on both phonics patterns and morphemes. Please make sure students learning how to decode also have regular exposure to interesting read-alouds to help grow their vocabulary, listening comprehension, and oral language while their decoding ability is catching up.

2. How can we collaborate with other schools, districts, and literacy experts to share best practices and continue to grow? The Literacy Architect’s district-wide weekly virtual PLCs can help grade-level teachers collaborate and problem-solve across school buildings.

3. How do your customers measure their literacy programs’ impact on student outcomes such as reading proficiency and academic achievement and use this information to continually improve teacher practice? LADS, universal screeners and implementation rubrics for Tier 1 curriculum or Tier 2 small groups

4. How can we better identify and support struggling readers before they fall behind? Identify students at risk through universal screeners. Get more information through diagnostic surveys such as the LADS.

5. What’s the best way to support our teachers in implementing new practices such as these? Professional development should not be a one-session engagement. Teachers need support over time and a safe space to try things out and collaborate with peers. Educators need ongoing and regular feedback.

6. What kind of instructional changes do we need to make to support the science of reading? Explicit and systematic instruction. Prioritize exposing students to texts that build knowledge about key topics in science and social studies.

7. How can we prioritize literacy development as a key component of our curriculum and truly integrate it? Look at how your literacy block is split up. Do a walkthrough. What is the percentage of time teacher vs. student talk? Who’s doing the work? How can you see learning happen? Also, think about how literacy routines can be reinforced across content areas. e.g., SS/Scii teachers are learning about syllable types and fluency routines.

Support Literacy Professional Learning and Instructional Coaching In Your District

District and school leaders looking to improve student achievement must have a solid strategy that relies on scientific evidence instruction. Help teachers and instructional coaches bridge the gap between literacy theory and practice with access to diverse professional development opportunities through TORSH Talent Literacy Program (TTLP). These resources are tailored for maximum impact, highlighting evidence-based approaches that effectively align with current scientific research on teaching The Science of Reading. With TTLP, district leaders, school leaders, and educators can advance student outcomes through revolutionary instruction strategies supported with data providing a unique insight into the classroom. Join us for Incorporating the Science of Reading Into Your Literacy Program webinar on May 18th at 10:00 AM PT / 12:00 PM CT / 1:00 PM ET.

Click here to learn more  about TTLP.

The post [On-Demand Webinar with Q&A] Unlocking the Power of the Reading Brain appeared first on Torsh.

Tune into this on-demand webinar to hear from Ursala Maddox Davis, Teacher Effectiveness Coordinator for Rockdale, about how their collaborative coaching model is helping the district achieve its goals — from increasing teacher retention to implementing evidence-based instructional practices that lead to student growth and achievement. Mrs. Davis will be joined by Dr. Paula Bevan, a consultant for school improvement through teaching excellence. You’ll learn:

• The impact of coaching on teacher effectiveness 
• Recent research on the benefits of video coaching
• Why having a secure professional learning management system is an important part of successful video-based coaching
• Steps for designing a coaching program that supports teacher autonomy
• How to build momentum for video coaching

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from one district’s journey to support their team’s professional growth through high-leverage coaching strategies.

Watch the Webinar

The post [On-Demand Webinar] Video Coaching: Lessons Learned from a Coaching-Rich District appeared first on Torsh.

The role that video can play in bringing about this awareness is incredible. When combined with self-reflective tools, coaches can harness the power that comes from watching ourselves through a different lens. So, here are some tips for helping teachers become focused, objective viewers of themselves and their practice as a part of reflective teaching:

1. Have a clear purpose for the viewing. Just as establishing a purpose for reading helps to direct our mind to find the details that most support that purpose, the same is true for viewing. It is helpful to present a question for the teachers to have in their minds as they watch their videos. For example, giving guidance such as “Watch your video and notice what lesson components you see reflected in your lesson.” or “As you watch your video, note what types of questions you ask the most?” helps the teachers focus on one aspect of their practice to observe. This can help clear the critical lens for the teachers that tend to notice all the things they do “wrong”. 
2. Create a checklist of objective behaviors to notice. Since instructional coaching is focused on building teacher capacity in applying best practices, having a checklist of clear behaviors to notice can be helpful in shifting from a critical or unaware lens to a more objective one. Create a checklist that outlines specifically what the teachers listen for or look for in the video? Teachers can use this to comment on their videos when they see an element reflected or upload the checklist as a separate document. Their video reflection can give a coach valuable insight into the lens through which the teacher is viewing their own practice. Click here for an example checklist on conducting reading and writing conferences with students. 
3. Ask them to rate themselves and use evidence from their video to support their rating. Rubrics are a great way to help teachers gauge their progress toward a goal. Prior to introducing a practice, have teachers rate their knowledge and comfort with each aspect that will be explored in the coaching. As they upload a video and use a checklist to reflect, have them review the rubric and note places in the videos that reflect growth. They can use rubric tags to timestamp exact places that they feel show progress.
4. Include “next step” thinking as a part of the reflection. In every coaching engagement, the goal is forward movement. Asking teachers to set a goal or a next step action based on their reflection allows them to lead their own learning. I have found that teachers often set far more insightful goals for themselves after having a chance to do some purposeful and strategic self-reflection.

Coaching a teacher toward reflective practice takes time, but when teachers become comfortable viewing videos of themselves through a reflective lens, it has a massive impact.

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Robyn Hartzell has served in education since 1998 and has experience in a variety of roles: teacher, instructional coach, interventionist, trainer, consultant, and program coordinator at the campus and regional levels. Currently, she works as an independent consultant and coach promoting effective instructional and leadership practices and championing the need for quality professional learning. Robyn takes privilege in coaching professionals in their craft and is passionate about helping organizations develop leaders who make a lasting, positive impact on the programs and people they serve.

Be sure to follow Robyn on Twitter @robynhartzellpd and check out her website at www.hartzellpd.com

The post Creating Awareness with Self-Reflection Tools and Rubrics appeared first on Torsh.