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Beverley Tyndall

Opportunity Culture® Voices: Showing Veteran Teachers Some Love

April 21, 2016

“We’ve all heard the saying, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” but how many of us have actually stopped to wonder why? Is the dog just apathetic? Insecure in his ability to learn? Unsure of the goal? Maybe the greater question to ask is, “Why not?” With the right motivation, feedback, love, and support, I could have my 13-year-old black lab, Linus, rolling over by sunrise. This, however, can only happen with the right approach—from someone who has taken the time to get to know Linus and understands why he’s not rolling over already.

“Unfortunately, in the ever-changing world of education, too many people believe our veteran teachers are unwilling to change—or are even incapable of learning “new tricks.” As an Opportunity Culture multi-classroom leader in New York’s Syracuse City School District, I have found that could not be further from the truth. I’ve been fortunate to work with several veteran teachers, some with more than my 15 years’ experience, and watched them challenge themselves, growing into better teachers who feel professionally renewed.”

–Syracuse, N.Y., Math Multi-Classroom Leader® Sharon Archer, in Want Veteran Teachers to Learn New Things? Show Them Some Love

When Sharon Archer began leading her middle-school math teaching team, she quickly grasped how many different approaches she needed to bring to her job. Her team included experienced and brand-new teachers, and she knew she needed to “slowly and deliberately” shake up the classroom of one experienced teacher, and guide another back to a love of teaching.

Read what Sharon did in the latest Opportunity Culture column in Real Clear Education, and hear her thoughts on an Opportunity Culture.

An Excellent Principal for Every School

April 20, 2016

In this idea paper, Public Impact’s co-presidents, Emily Ayscue Hassel and Bryan C. Hassel, lay out a vision for how districts can reach dramatically more students with great principals, for much higher pay, within budget—giving principals a career path that keeps them connected to students and schools through Multi-School Leadership. 

Want Veteran Teachers to Learn New Things? Show Them Some Love

April 20, 2016

By Sharon Archer, First Published by Real Clear Education, April 20, 2016

“An MCL must coach experienced teachers carefully—observe, be subtle yet insistent, use the power of positive presupposition, and be ever-present.” Multi-Classroom Leader® Sharon Archer challenges the notion that veteran teachers are unable to incorporate or adapt to new teaching techniques.

Sharon Archer on Being a Multi-Classroom Leader®

April 13, 2016

Sharon Archer, a middle school math teacher in Syracuse, NY, discusses what being a multi-classroom leader requires, and what makes it different and more valuable to her team teachers than the standard teacher coach role. Read Sharon's related blog post, Want Veteran...

Is Multi-Classroom Leadership Right for You?

March 24, 2016

If you're interested in: --Spreading your excellent teaching to many more students --Leading a team of teaching peers toward the great outcomes you've gotten with your students by: collaborating with them co-teaching coaching co-planning giving (and getting)...

School Turnarounds: How Successful Principals Use Teacher Leadership

March 17, 2016

As the Opportunity Culture® initiative was beginning, three principals signed on to lead low-performing, high-poverty schools in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg and Metropolitan Nashville districts. The odds were stacked against them and their students—one school, for...

Opportunity Culture® Voices: Raising My Teacher Voice

March 16, 2016

“What does ‘teacher voice’ actually mean? Until this year, it sounded like a nice phrase, but it didn’t hold much meaning for me.

“But I have a job I love, one that shakes up traditional teaching and holds the promise of making a huge difference in students’ and teachers lives—as it did for my students. I wanted to spread the word about my job—and now, with positions like mine under threat at my school, I needed to find my voice. I needed to empower others to explore the idea of an Opportunity Culture.”

–Nashville, Tenn., Math Multi-Classroom Leader® Karen Wolfson, in Raising My Teacher Voice to Save My Job–and My Students’ Success

Last year, as the multi-classroom leader for fifth- and sixth-grade math at Bailey STEM Magnet Middle School, a high-poverty, historically low-performing school, Karen Wolfson took her teaching team and their students to new heights:

“Our school had the highest level of growth in the entire district in math in grades three through eight. My team’s two teachers overcame the long odds that the previous year’s data predicted they would face. In one grade, we were projected to have just 12 students rank as proficient or advanced. We ended the year with 43. We saw similar results in the other grade. Both teachers ended the year with the highest level of teacher effectiveness and evaluation scores.

“These teachers were new to the district, its protocols, and the Tennessee state standards, and one was a first-year teacher. Their results were practically unheard of—but under the MCL model, they felt supported and successful.”

But a coming merger of her school with a high school threatens to do away with the MCL model that Karen feels passionate about.

“I can’t let MCL positions disappear. I want to see my district provide many, many more opportunities like mine. And that’s why I took the idea of “teacher voice” very seriously—and what I found was just how powerful my voice can be.”

Read what Karen did to raise her voice, and why she intends to keep speaking up, in the latest Opportunity Culture column in Real Clear Education, and hear her thoughts on an Opportunity Culture.

Raising My Teacher Voice to Save My Job—and My Students’ Success

March 15, 2016

By Karen Wolfson, First Published by Real Clear Education, March 15, 2016

“I wanted to spread the word about my job—and now, with positions like mine under threat at my school, I needed to find my voice.” After seeing huge academic results and increased teacher satisfaction, Multi-Classroom Leader® Karen Wolfson finds her voice to advocate for Opportunity Culture models to continue despite administrative and district changes.