Knowledge Center | Tools
The work of district and school improvement is hard work. Ensuring equitable learning experiences for all children today requires changes of a magnitude we have not faced in education. Strategies, structures, processes, protocols, and other tools can support these changes by, among other things, involving all stakeholders, creating a collaborative process, encouraging self-reflection, and increasing efficiency.
The Center has developed a number of tools to meet a myriad of needs of a district. They are shared here in a manner that invites you to utilize them in your improvement efforts. In selecting tools, we encourage you to review the brief description and make sure there is a good match between the tool and your needs.
Social Justice & Equity – Tools & Resources
Resources for Responding to Racist and Violent Acts
5 New Ways for Schools to work with Families
Posted by: theconversation.com
Date: December 11, 2019
Framing Brave Conversations about Race and Ethnicity
Published by: Leading Equity Center
Written by: Sheldon Eakins
The COVID-19 Crisis – Resources for Leaders
Video
Moving to Distance Learning: Early Issues and Learnings from the COVID-19 Pandemic
Richard Lemons, Executive Director of the Partners for Educational Leadership, shares what he and the Partners team are learning from district leaders across Connecticut and the entire United States as school systems pivot from face-to-face, classroom-embedded instruction to distance learning.
Documents
Working Toward Equity as We Move to Distance Learning
Educator Stress is a Leadership Challenge
Learning from Leadership Case Studies
Becoming a Learning Organization
Leading Distance Learning: Lessons from Virtual Principals and Research
Adaptive Leadership in a Time of Crisis
Leveraging Challenge to Build Culture
Case Studies
Professional Learning Tools
Professionals Learn Best When
Click here to download this tool
A Quick Protocol for Learning by Doing
Click here to download this tool.
Professional Learning Debrief Protocol
Because of commitment to continuous improvement, we developed this instrument for use at the close of any professional development session. It reminds us of the principles of adult learning and forces us to take a hard look at the intended goals of the session and our progress toward meeting these goals. We believe we all can improve our practice through self-reflection, both individually and as well as with our partners.
Who would use this?
Any school or district leader could use this tool as a way to assess their practice, determine the impact of a professional learning session and ascertain next steps.
Coaching Tools
A Basic Scaffold for Coaching
Click here to access this tool
Feedback and Challenging Conversations
Holding conversations that one or both parties think are going to be difficult is a major challenge—one we know tends to be avoided. Some conversations are always going to be stressful, but it helps to have some ways to think about them, and plan for them, in advance
Who would use this?
Any school or district leader could use this tool
I Am Shakespeare Facilitation Guide
The Center has designed a guide to assist educators in the facilitation of meaningful dialogue around specific themes that emerge in the documentary film, I Am Shakespeare, the Henry Green Story. We believe that the use of an artistic medium is a powerful way to invite alternative perspectives into dialogue that may otherwise be dominated by unchallenged mental models. This is particularly relevant when the dialogue is constructed around sensitive or challenging content, such as race, poverty, and politics.
Who would use this?
Any school or district leader could use this guide to facilitate conversations with faculty about structural discrimination, poverty, portrait of a graduate, gun violence and restorative justice to name some of the dominate themes in the film. This guide would also be a powerful tool to use with high school students to discuss the themes mentioned above.
Strategic Planning Tools
Systemic Execution of Strategies Self-Assessment Tool
Research from business, organizational development, and education has shined light on the practices of organizations effective at executing their improvement strategies. These bodies of research, while sometimes using different vocabulary, point to a similar set of organizational practices that characterize and predict organizational effectiveness. Below are organizational practices that, when done in concert and as a part of coherent leadership practice, explain those organizations that are effective at implementing improvement strategies well and with an impact on the desired outcomes.
Who would use this?
Any district looking to examine the improvement practices they have adopted could use this tool to self- assess for effectiveness. The results would then inform future planning. The aspects of execution described below are aligned and complementary to the features of a coherent and high-capacity district described by LEAD Connecticut.
Systemic Execution of Strategies Self-Assessment Tool
Systemic Execution of Strategies Self-Assessment Tool – Team Scoring Template
Pre-Mortem Protocol
Developing strategy is an integral role of school leaders. The Pre-Mortem process will increase the likelihood for success of the strategy by assisting the creation team in determining the potential weaknesses in the plan prior to its’ implementation. A small team examines the plan and gives feedback to the plan designers in order to strengthen the plan.
Who would use this?
Any school or district leader could use this tool as a way to assess their proposed plan either prior to implementation or mid-way through the process to determine how the plan is working.
Instructional Rounds Tools
Instructional Rounds Planning Tool
We believe the practice of instructional rounds can serve to develop a shared understanding of quality instruction and support school and district improvement efforts. Rounds is a highly-structured, protocol-driven process focused on an area of concern in the instructional core. This tool addresses the technical aspects of a rounds school visit and can help in the planning process.
Who would use this?
Any school or district leader could use this tool as a reference for the process of planning for an instructional rounds school visit.
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LEAD Connecticut
LEAD CT Resources and Tools
LEAD Connecticut was a collaboration among several Connecticut and national
organizations committed to help Connecticut school and district leaders reach
new levels of success in improving student learning. Sponsored by the Connecticut
State Department of Education, LEAD Connecticut programs focused upon the
identification, preparation, and induction of leaders who had the capacity to make
significant change for the benefit of the students, families, and educators in
Connecticut’s schools.
Turnaround Principal Competencies
