Welcome to Inspired Instruction’s monthly newsletter. We share the most relevant articles, blogs, videos, and classroom resources related to all aspects of education.
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We want to hear from you!
We’ve seen a major shift in education overnight and know that these are very challenging times. Many schools will be facing difficult choices when school starts in September so, in an effort to better understand your needs, we’d love your input on this 2 minute survey.
We remain committed to our teachers and administrators!
For Administrators
Like you, we’ve been spending time imagining what school might look like in September. And just like we never would have thought the whole world would be doing virtual teaching, it’s hard to visualize our “new normal” come fall. Luckily, we came across this framework for reopening schools created by a newly formed Global Education Coalition, which includes trusted partners like UNICEF. Inspired Instruction will be diving into these areas and more on July 21st for our Virtual Summit on Reimagining Schools for September, so mark your calendar! Check out our planning guide to start brainstorming what you will need to consider for your school.
Making sure that all students receive an equitable education is typically at the top of an administrator’s “to do list.” However, it can be a large and daunting task. This detailed resource by NWEA discusses “Why Equity Matters in Education and What To Do About It,” like creating an equitable curriculum and providing teachers with professional development. Inspired Instruction offers workshops like Instructional Strategies and Assessment Practices for Teaching ALL Learners and Culturally Responsive Teaching that can help teachers and administrators tackle the equity issue head on.
During traditional schooling, the majority of teachers differentiate instruction to speak to individual students’ needs. With the transition to at-home learning, this may have fallen to the wayside as other issues, like learning new technology, have come up. ASCD explains “Why We Need Differentiation Now More Than Ever” and provides some helpful ways to integrate it into virtual learning. If you want an easy way to get started, check out our Differentiated Assessment Planning Template that helps teachers create assessments that speak to different student populations.
For Teachers
Sometimes it is hard to see the silver lining during difficult situations. For many of us, transitioning to at-home learning has been a challenge. So, it’s nice to know that there is a flip side and, according to The New York Times, “Not Everyone Hates Remote Learning. For These Students, It’s a Blessing.”
During this time of at-home learning, we have had to pay particular attention to our various learning populations. The Educating All Learners Alliance discusses some challenges that have been specifically affecting our special education students in “Things Look Different For Special Education Students While Remote.” One recommendation from this article is making personal connections with students and their families; Inspired Instructions’ Fostering Connection and Communication Discussion Questions can help you maintain a sense of community by engaging in virtual discussions.
June is LQBTQ+ Pride Month so it’s important that we also identify strategies for “Supporting LGBTQ Students During Social Distancing.” Teaching Tolerance, in an interview with The Trevor Project, provides a unique look into challenges this particular group may be facing. Looking for strategies to help support your LGBTQ+ students, also check out The Human Rights Campaign’s tip sheet!
School Spotlight - Louise A. Spencer School
Louise A. Spencer School in Newark has been making the most of their at-home learning time by providing virtual professional development for administrators and learning coaches. Most recently, they engaged in our “Conducting Walkthroughs with Purpose, Focus, and Meaning” workshop where they discussed rigor and their team’s values for education before creating their own walkthrough form to be used throughout the school!
Could your staff benefit from virtual PD? Just email Michele.Regan@inpsiredinstruction.com to get started!
Tips and Tricks
Do you have any tips or tricks that you’ve found to be effective recently? Email them to Jaclyn Siano and you may be featured in one of our future editions.
Making the Most of the Summer to Start September Strong Webinar
Did you miss our Making the Most of the Summer to Start September Strong Webinar on June 3rd? Don’t stress! You can access the recording here.
Our First Ever Virtual Summit
Add your voice to the conversation about Reimagining Schools for September. Join school leaders and our speakers from across New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania to 1) Plan for safe operations, 2) Consider how to support learning, 3) Prioritize to reach marginalized populations, 4) Determine how to strengthen the well-being and protection of students and staff.
To help you start brainstorming your school’s focus areas, we’ve created this helpful planning guide.
Interested in joining us on July 21st at 2pm? You can sign up here!
What’s Next?
We’d love to discuss how we might help you with your most pressing priorities. We are hoping to support schools in this changing education landscape as you look to minimize learning loss and determine the best way to provide differentiated support for students. As a strategic partner, we will work with and alongside administrators to help identify areas to leverage to maximize impact. Contact us for a free Needs Assessment. Email Jaclyn.Siano@inspiredinstruction.com to schedule yours today!
