Like the students they serve, every educator enters the classroom in varying states of readiness. Education leaders must ensure each teacher has the tools, professional learning, and guidance they need to be successful. This detailed guide examines how the components of an NWEA Solution can provide the support teachers demand and deserve.

This was a fun one… because we got to talk to you, our listeners! In this episode: We see how Mr. Potato head can motivate students, one additional limb at a time. We open a big box of costumes in the middle of class. We learn about a teacher who calls students’ parents to share good news, and how one student wanted to return the favor. And finally, we get to hear some incredibly touching stories of students and families letting their teachers know how awesome they are. (Jacob and Kailey get a little misty-eyed.)

As a teacher, Misty Hodge wondered: Who makes these assessments I give my students? Are these companies listening to the teachers who use them, or are they just throwing darts in the dark? So she came to NWEA to make sure that teachers like her had a seat at the table. Misty shares her work leading NWEA’s partner advisory board and building something teachers can actually use. Then, Kailey and Misty nerd out about MAP Accelerator and how much it helps math teachers. Misty also shares stories from her time as an educator, including a creative use of a ropes course and a challenging first day as a substitute teacher. Thanks for listening — don’t forget to share, subscribe, and rate us five stars!

The Early Word Recognition Lesson Plan tool provides a framework for sequencing efficient and explicit strategies to create new lessons or to organize and expand upon existing lessons from standards-aligned materials.

The Early Word Recognition Learning Walk Tool is a companion for the Early Word Recognition Lesson Plan Tool and is intended to support the teaching and learning shifts educators make to provide equitable and excellent education for all students.

This guide is designed to help new school leaders revitalize their professional learning programs with useful insights, tips, and ideas. Readers will learn how to begin evaluating the professional learning program currently in place at their schools, how to identify the most important areas where immediate change is needed, and why it’s so important to implement a holistic program that avoids the pitfalls of uncoordinated efforts.

Melissa Lim is a Technology Integration Specialist at Portland Public Schools, but she sees herself first and foremost as a teacher, not an IT professional. In this episode, Melissa chats with Kailey and Jacob about showing kids and teachers what’s possible with technology ,and how she makes them more comfortable using it. They cover ChatGPT and its uses in the classroom (like writing better quizzes!) as well as Melissa’s work to bridge the digital divide and give all kids at PPS equal access to tech. She shares her rule for deciding when you shouldn’t use technology, along with her number one tip for teachers: Don’t be afraid to push a new button! You won’t break anything (probably).v