Classroom observation is a crucial aspect of any system of teacher evaluation. No matter how skilled a teacher is in other aspects of teaching--such as careful planning, working well with colleagues, and communicating with parents--if classroom practice is deficient, that individual cannot be considered a good teacher. Classroom observations can…

Most English language learners are from families that have recently immigrated to the United States-and many of those families traveled here at tremendous risk to seek better education for their children. It's important for classroom teachers to make building relationships with the families of ELLs a priority. Breiseth asserts that the most…

Drawing on her experiences as a school leader addressing groups of (sometimes skeptical) teachers, colleagues, and parents, Grove describes how she used storytelling to engage, inspire, and convince listeners. She gives examples of five things telling well-chosen anecdotes will help you do when communicating with educators and families: (1)…

The authors, principals at a high-poverty school in Nashville, Tennessee, find that key actions to building a strong school culture and morale are communicating clearly, recognizing everyone's contributions, and giving students and parents many ways to become involved at school. They portray a specific process that Hunters Lane High School has…