Take Blended Learning to the Next Level by Building an Effective Professional Learning Community!
Technology is permeating classrooms and offering teachers and students opportunities to reimagine teaching and learning. Many schools and districts are shifting from traditional teacher-led instruction to blended learning with the goal of placing students at the center of learning. It's time to power up your approach to professional learning to ensure teachers feel inspired and supported as they make this shift and embrace technology. This book provides an effective and actionable framework for school leaders looking to implement a long-term professional learning plan that extends professional development beyond a handful of days each year to create "coaching culture" that supports teachers as they move toward blended learning.
Blended Learning expert Catlin Tucker provides a clear path for professional learning that is embedded in the school's culture, blending targeted training (the "spark"), 1:1 coaching, and professional learning communities. This comprehensive approach to professional learning ensures that teachers in a blended environment work continually to improve learning outcomes for students, stay up-to-date on current technology, and learn with their colleagues. This text is full of concrete resources and strategies for leaders and blended learning coaches. It includes
- Coaching protocols
- Virtual coaching strategies
- Templates for feedback
- Lesson planning resources for designing blended lessons
- Rubrics for evaluation
- Stories and tips from blended learning coaches
- Vignettes from teachers who have successfully shifted to a blended learning model
- Reflection questions for leading book studies
This book provides the tools and tips you'll need to support teachers as they move toward blended learning. From articulating the why behind a shift to blended learning, to creating and implementing an actionable roadmap for building a professional learning infrastructure, this must-have resource will take your PD plans to the next level!
Industry Reviews
"Excellent resource that includes tools one can use when implementing a blended learning model. It clearly explains the role of a blended learning coach when it comes to professional development. Tucker emphasizes the opportunity to improve one's practice through coaching and a Professional Learning Community." -- Craig Yen, 5th Grade Teacher "There is an urgent need to empower and support teachers through the implementation of digital tools and blended instructional models. In Power Up Blended Learning, Catlin provides instructional leaders and coaches with the essential roadmap to develop internal structures of support within their schools. The time for teacher transformation is now, and this is the book to lead it!" -- Tiffany Wycoff, Co-Author of Blended Learning in Action "Technology can be transformative, but teachers need support to ensure technology is actually improving instruction. Catlin Tucker provides a clear vision for building a professional learning infrastructure to support teachers as they shift to blended learning and use technology thoughtfully and strategically. If school districts are not dedicated to helping teachers continue to learn and experiment, schools will remain out of step with the changes happening beyond the classroom." -- Alice Keeler, Math Teacher, Google Certified Innovator, and Microsoft Innovative Educator "Catlin has provided a critical 'spark' in the blended learning conversation, shifting the focus from technology to culture transformation through ongoing teacher PD and support. As she has in her previous books, Catlin continues to offer practical strategies for high-fidelity implementation of blended practices, this time gifting instructional leaders with essential tools for guiding their professional learning communities." -- Jason Green, Co-Author of Blended Learning in Action "In Power Up Blended Learning: A Professional Learning Infrastructure to Support Sustainable Change, author Catlin Tucker succinctly presents multiple options for blended learning professional development with a focus on coaching. Through the coaching lens, Tucker offers a clear explanation of the 'what,' a compelling rationale for the 'why,' and tangible guidelines for the 'how' of professional learning for blended learning. This book is an extremely valuable resource for any person or organization looking to grow their individual or collective capacity and implement blended learning successfully." -- Lisa Westman, Speaker, Consultant and Author of Student-Driven Differentiation: 8 Steps to Harmonize Learning in the Classroom "Throughout this book, I found myself (as both a middle school teacher and as an instructional coach) saying, 'Yes!' My copy is peppered already with stars in the margins and graphics circled for future reflection. Power Up Blended Learning is not just for those who are coaching teachers. It's also for teachers looking for strategies in how to coach students. After all, giving engaging feedback that 'sticks' is a responsibility that every educator has, and sharing engaging strategies and tools is a skill that is continuously evolving. This is an up-to-date and forward-thinking resource for both teachers and coaches." -- Heather Wolpert-Gawron, 8th Grade Teacher * San Gabriel, CA *
