Responding to the Research

Harvey Silver, one of the most influential educators in America, joins School Improvement Network to help capture the untapped potential in classroom observations. Observation 360 runs conveniently as an app for iPad, making classroom observation easily recordable and immediately sharable.

Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ
PD Developers School Improvement Network and The Thoughtful Classroom™ have come together to provide a solution to one of the biggest challenges facing educators today: creating the kind of classroom walkthrough that truly, permanently improves teacher practice and student achievement. (more)

Lights, Camera, Learning

Students and teachers in four different states were filmed recently as they participated in the creation of an upcoming video designed to help teachers improve instruction. Intense days of filming took place in January and February in six award-winning schools, which were selected to participate in a project funded by a partnership between the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, a nonprofit educational leadership organization based in Alexandria, Va., and Silver Strong and Associates, an educational research and consulting firm in Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ. (more)

Responding to the Research

A recent study (Pashler, McDaniel, Rohrer, & Bjork, “Learning Styles: Concepts and Evidence”) argues that there is inadequate scientific evidence to justify the practice of matching instruction to students’ learning styles. ASCD asked us to respond to this study and printed a shortened and modified version of our response in the May 2010 issue of its member newsletter, Education Update.(more)

So Each May Learn: A Thoughtful Approach to RTI

Response to Intervention, or RTI, has been compared to a medical triage model in which instructional resources are matched to student needs. The three tiers of intervention in the RTI model help schools and teachers maximize their efforts in instruction and assessment so that the students who need the most help not only get it, but benefit from it.(more)

The Thoughtful Classroom in Action: Manhattan Hunter Science High School

Silver Strong and Associates is proud to serve as a professional development partner to Manhattan Hunter Science High School. Manhattan Hunter Science High School is a science-focused college-preparatory high school.(more)

Educators throughout state get 'thoughtful' about instruction
By Matthew Tungate

Thoughtful Education professional development didn't make sense at first to Leigh Ann Stewart, 5th-grade reading teacher at Belmont Elementary (Christian County). That's probably because she wasn't taught thoughtfully, she said.(more)

New York Educator of the Year Award presented to Richard Strong
Speech delivered by Robert Schneider of the NYSASCD, on October 19, 2007

New York State ASCD's Educator of the Year Award goes traditionally to a public school educator. This year we are honoring Richard Strong who, for most of his career, worked privately as a teacher of teachers, educational reformer, and researcher. The award to Richard is presented for a lifetime of achievement and rests broadly on two foundations. First and foremost, Richard has had an enormous impact on teaching and learning on Long Island…(more)

Ten Smart Moves to Create a School of Thoughtful Educators
By Dr. Laura Palka – Principal, Edward Town Middle School Sanborn, New York

The Thoughtful Classroom has been a cornerstone of our improvement at Edward Town Middle School, focusing our attention and energy on student learning like never before. Over the course of our four-year journey, our entire faculty has dedicated itself to reaching our students in the most positive and effective ways possible, and together we have emerged as more thoughtful educators and leaders. Here are ten of the most important lessons we’ve learned at Edward Town Middle School over these four critical years. (more)

Join the Club: How Professional Development Teams are Transforming Schools in Kentucky
by Rick Fisher with Melissa Towery

What Learning Clubs did for our school was change the dynamics and set the stage for the kind of serious collegial learning that has been fundamental to our recent success. (more)

SOARing to New Heights:
A School’s Commitment to
"High Expectations For All"
Leads to Award-Winning
Achievement
by Matthew J. Perini

Growing population, shifting demographics, significant increases in English Language Learners and students receiving free or reduced lunch. Changes like these do not need to signal a downturn in academic achievement for schools. In fact, sometimes just the opposite happens. Just ask the administrators, teachers, and junior high students in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. (more)