Publications

Strategic Design for Student Achievement

Content standards have become the central focus of instruction in almost every classroom across the country. This timely book addresses the critical need for a process of instructional design that allows K-12 teachers to maintain their creativity within the increasing pressures of external accountability. Providing practical tools, the "Strategic Design" process empowers teachers to examine state content standards, design effective classroom assessments, and deliver engaging instructional strategies. Drawing on the work of Wiggins and McTighe, this book offers a fresh perspective on the backward design process by expanding on their theories of instructional design, as well as those of Richard Stiggins. Grounded in actual classroom practice,

This user-friendly book:

The Strategic Design for Student Achievement Training Manual:

(Available for purchase as part of a professional development services package)
The Strategic Design Training Manual is the companion guide for Insight's world-class teacher training and instructional coaching. The resources in the guide have been used by Insight facilitators to lead teachers through the process of unpacking and prioritizing their standards, aligning high quality assessments, and designing instruction that moves students towards those targets. The Training Manual includes sample standards-based units and quality rubrics that can be used for self- and peer-assessments. Collectively, the tools and processes in this manual set the stage for the development of productive and focused learning communities. Teachers can use the resources in the binder to calibrate their planning, fine-tune their assessments, and communicate expectations to students.

 

Coaching for Change: A Practical Guide to Instructional Coaching

Instructional coaching has become a widely used strategy for improving teacher practice and raising student achievement. Given the recent surge of coaching activity, many instructional leaders would benefit from a comprehensive coaching guide that combines the best in coaching theory with practical, usable tools for implementing any coaching initiative. Whether you are a new or a veteran instructional coach, Coaching for Change: A Practical Guide to Instructional Coaching is an invaluable resource for creating a successful coaching initiative at your school site. Based on current research and theory,

This essential guide provides:

Leading for Change: A Practical Guide to Instructional Leadership

What constitutes effective instructional leadership? What specific leadership practices make areal impact on teaching and learning? How should instructional leaders begin the complex and nebulous task of engendering school improvement? Leading for Change: A Practical Guide to Instructional Leadership provides answers to these and other questions facing school leaders today. Based on current research and theory, this guide provides a practical framework (The Six Goals of Instructional Leadership) for thinking about key issues that impact school leaders and overcoming the obstacles that often get in the way.

This guide includes:

Distilling rigorous research into practical and actionable steps, Leading for Change gives instructional leaders the tools they need to provide effective leadership for stronger and better schools.