Field Trip Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Why RTI? Sep 14, 2018

Show notes

Why do Response to Intervention and Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports matter? In this interview, we speak with Jim Wright, author of “The RTI Toolkit: A Practical Guide for Schools” about his experience in RTI and how schools can impact students with academic and behavioral tiered intervention systems.

We ask Jim about:

The relationship of school culture and climate to RTI and positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS)
The relationship between RTI and special education
The impact RTI/MTSS has on student outcomes
Current trends in RTI/MTSS
The roadblocks schools face when starting an RTI model, and steps to take to ensure a successful launch

Field Trip is a podcast from Frontline Education.

RTI resources:

Featured Content - eBook: Performing an RTI/MTSS Academic Screening Process Check-Up, by Jim Wright
National Center on Intensive Intervention: Academic Progress-monitoring Tools Chart
Resources from the Florida Center for Reading Research, with a range of school-wide academic screeners suitable for use in RTI/MTSS.
Grades K-1 Student Center Activities
Grades 2-3 Student Center Activities
Grades 4-5 Student Center Activities
Resources from the Evidence-Based Intervention Network — research-based ideas for reading, math and behavior interventions, co-sponsored by school psychology programs at East Carolina University and the University of Missouri.
Reading interventions
Math interventions

See Reality, Get Better Aug 03, 2018

Show notes

One of the best things teachers can do to improve their practice is to film themselves teaching, then replay and reflect. This week, we speak with well-known researcher and author Dr. Jim Knight, to learn how teachers and administrators can best use video to enhance teaching, mentoring and coaching.

Dr. Knight’s 2014 book Focus on Teaching looks at this topic in-depth. In this interview, we ask him about:

Why video is so helpful to teachers – even though it may be uncomfortable
Good first steps to take in using video for self-reflection and coaching
Why and how video is also useful to principals, coaches and teams
Best practices in using video for self-reflection and providing peer feedback
How to begin fostering a culture of using video in your school or district

Books, videos and other resources from Dr. Knight can be found at www.InstructionalCoaching.com.

Field Trip is a podcast from Frontline Education.

The $15,000 Prize May 25, 2018

Show notes

A financial incentive to reduce the number of personal days teachers take? Here’s the story of one district’s efforts to save money and improve instruction.

Dr. Cecelia McLoon is the Human Resources Director at Jeff Davis County Schools in Georgia. In today’s episode, she discusses the financial incentive they’re offering to any teacher with fewer than four absences, how it’s going over with their employees, and the impact they’re seeing already. We also ask her about:

The data they use to get a better picture of teacher absence and attendance
How teachers and staff view the effect their absences have
The financial savings they anticipate
What they’ll change, and if they’ll try something similar next year

Field Trip is a podcast from Frontline Education.

Principals & Fishbowls Apr 13, 2018

Show notes

At Franklin Public Schools in Wisconsin, building the capacity of teachers means developing principals.

In this interview, Director of Teaching and Learning Christopher Reuter and principal Erin King share what they’ve learned over the past few years as FPS has worked to grow building leaders as well as teachers.

Near-immediate post-observation conversations with teachers
Modeling conversations about practice in a fishbowl setting for other administrators to observe
Getting teacher buy-in to the evaluation process
Setting the tone for productive conversations
The vital foundation of relationships and trust in the observation process

Field Trip is a podcast from Frontline Education.

Collaboration Walks Mar 30, 2018

Show notes

Gresham-Barlow School District in Oregon has a fresh perspective on learning walks. Looking for a way to offer professional learning opportunities that promote teacher voice and teacher agency and that lead to growth in instructional practice, they began something they call “Collaboration Walks,” where teachers collectively decide on focus areas before observing a lesson.

In this interview, we speak with instructional coach Sarah Hayden, about:

How collaboration walks differ from traditional learning walks
The “real work” that happens during the conversation after the observation
How they fit in with Gresham-Barlow’s evaluation process
What makes them effective, how they’ve been received by teachers and the results they’ve seen across the district

Field Trip is a podcast from Frontline Education.

Tackling Teacher Turnover Mar 16, 2018

Show notes

San Marcos CISD near Austin, Texas set out to boost engagement, address the issue of teacher turnover and ultimately improve student outcomes. Here’s their data-driven approach.

In this interview, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Willie Watson explains how they conducted a teacher engagement survey, what they found and the steps they’re taking in response to their findings. We also speak with Henry Wellington, founder and CEO of Upbeat, an organization that helps school districts collect and examine data around teacher engagement.

Some highlights:

The financial and educational cost of teacher turnover across the U.S.
Strategies San Marcos is employing to engage and retain teachers
The role of principal-teacher trust and parent-teacher communication
How San Marcos collected — and acted upon — teacher satisfaction and engagement data

Field Trip is a podcast from Frontline Education.

Hiring, Engaging & Growing Great Teachers Feb 02, 2018

Show notes

Branding their district, attracting great candidates and making sure all departments are aligned: how Blue Valley Schools upholds a stellar academic record and ensures they have an exemplary teacher in every classroom for every child.

This interview with Chief Human Resources Officer Bob Kreifels explores:

How Blue Valley’s HR department determines which applicants are the best fit for their district, and then, how they attract them
The rebranding effort that helped shape their success
Internal cross-department collaboration to provide ongoing support for new hires – and make sure they’re equipped to succeed (and stay)

Field Trip is a podcast from Frontline Education.

Building a Culture of Professional Learning Jan 19, 2018

Show notes

Mary Kathryn Moeller and her team facilitate professional learning at Jenks Public Schools in Oklahoma. In this interview, she discusses the big questions that shape their program, how they iterate and improve, and what it looks like to measure impact.

When we spoke with Mary Kathryn, the Director of Professional Development, she spoke with us about:

Developing connections between leaders and across sites to promote learning
Building leadership capacity
The questions they ask when evaluating new professional learning opportunities
Their iteration cycle as they work to refine practice
Promoting positive risk-taking, and exploring ideas like 20% time and dramatic play in professional learning
What data they collect as they evaluate impact

Field Trip is a podcast from Frontline Education.

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