Responding to uncompromising resistance to change is always a challenge. Wise school leaders are inclusive in the planning stage, share information with everyone involved, and have a well-considered implementation plan. Williamson and Blackburn examine four kinds of objection.
Every student deserves to be challenged in all areas of learning. Teaching coach Barbara Blackburn shows how rigor can enhance learning beyond the core content areas with examples from health, physical education, computer science, the performance arts and career technology.
A safe and stable school is essential to a successful instructional program, write Ron Williamson and Barbara Blackburn. That’s why it’s so critical for school leaders to anticipate what may be needed in a crisis and develop plans with contingencies for anything that may occur.
To move beyond traditional classroom discussion focused on answering a few teacher questions, Dr. Barbara Blackburn advocates student-driven discourse that emphasizes “on-task” talk and academic vocabulary. The result: purposeful dialogue leading to deeper understanding.
Consultants Ron Williamson and Barbara Blackburn counsel that dealing with change promptly, engaging actively in social media, and achieving work-life balance are central tasks that will help school leaders not only survive but also thrive as they run this year’s marathon.
It’s the start of a new school year, and you’re 100% excited about making a difference for kids! But issues in and out of the classroom can dull your enthusiasm in no time. How do you stay sharp? Barbara Blackburn shares insights to sustain your can-do energy all year long.
Teaching guru Dr. Barbara Blackburn’s MiddleWeb articles – often written with new and novice teachers in mind – are crisp, succinct, practical, filled with examples, and respectful of teachers’ time and the challenges they face. We’ve gathered a dozen of her most popular posts.
After another school year weighed down by a wide range of challenges, education consultants Ronald Williamson and Barbara R. Blackburn offer school-based leaders a path to restore momentum in their school and revitalize their community’s commitment to a collaborative vision.
Ron Williamson and Barbara Blackburn have advice that can help school leaders stay attuned to today’s constantly changing school environment, recognize the stress of external factors, and use strategies that encourage teachers’ intrinsic motivation and sense of self-efficacy.
When differentiation and rigor are intertwined the result helps all students learn at high levels. Combining the two is not more work, it’s more effective, says teaching consultant Barbara R. Blackburn. Using a content literacy lesson, she shares her three-group strategy.
