Press Release – New Teacher Center https://newteachercenter.org Dynamic teachers, powerful instruction Fri, 31 Jan 2025 22:09:26 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7 NTC Launches Innovative “Designing for Impact” Tool https://newteachercenter.org/news/ntc-launches-innovative-designing-for-impact-tool/ Wed, 14 Aug 2024 17:23:00 +0000 https://newteachercenter.org/?p=1231

Designing for Impact is a strategic tool designed to help educators and school leaders create high-quality professional learning experiences that directly improve teacher practice and student outcomes.

Aligned with Dr. Thomas Guskey’s five levels of evaluation, Designing for Impact provides educators with a practical, step-by-step guide for planning and implementing effective professional learning initiatives. The tool walks teams through critical questions that define clear objectives, measurable goals, and the types of evidence necessary to track progress and success.

“Our goal is to support educators in creating meaningful and sustainable learning environments,” said Dr. Tommy Chang, CEO of New Teacher Center. “This tool helps ensure that professional learning efforts are not only well-planned but also impactful, leading to real change in classrooms and improved outcomes for students.”

In addition to guiding users in setting clear program objectives, Designing for Impact emphasizes an often-overlooked aspect of program design: ensuring the necessary organizational supports are in place to foster success. It addresses the critical elements required to maintain long-term improvement in teacher development, making it an essential resource for schools and districts looking to enhance their instructional coaching and professional learning practices.

Key features of the tool include:

  • Guided Planning: A structured approach to designing professional learning initiatives with measurable outcomes.
  • Evidence Tracking: Clear identification of the types and sources of evidence needed to gauge implementation progress and impact.
  • Organizational Alignment: Focus on creating the right conditions and supports to ensure successful program implementation.
Download tool ]]> Looking Back, Moving Forward: Instructional Coaching for Optimal Learning Whitepaper https://newteachercenter.org/news/coaching-white-paper/ Tue, 06 Feb 2024 19:15:00 +0000 https://newteachercenter.org/?p=119

For 25 years, New Teacher Center has focused on getting better at what we do. Our reputation is built on giving educators access to career-shaping coaches and mentors — high-trust relationships that lead to high-quality learning experiences. The goal is that teachers can, in turn, model these same practices and ways of being in their classrooms with their students.

Over the last decade, to validate the effectiveness of NTC’s model and investigate the conditions needed to scale a culture of coaching school and system-wide, we have engaged in numerous studies with federal grant partners. We’ve learned a lot about what works and where to pivot. Leveraging a Decade of Research: Designing Instructional Coaching for Optimal Learning summarizes our learning journey. Authored by SRI International, the paper highlights our history and the evolution of our model and its deep alignment with research and practice wisdom on how to support optimal learning for teachers and students. Findings from these studies and our ongoing experience working with educators on the ground continue to improve our relationship-driven solutions that unlock how people engage, learn, and thrive.

The report synthesizes over ten years of research on instructional coaching, offering best practices, key findings, and innovative approaches to creating sustainable, impactful coaching models in schools across the country. Through an in-depth analysis of coaching strategies, the report highlights how intentional design and implementation can accelerate teacher development and improve outcomes for all students.

Dr. Tommy Chang, CEO of New Teacher Center, emphasized the importance of instructional coaching as a transformative tool: “This report underscores that well-designed coaching programs are a game-changer for educators and students alike. Leveraging over a decade of research, we’ve created a blueprint for schools to build coaching programs that truly elevate learning outcomes and foster teacher growth.”

Key Highlights of the Report:

  • Research-Backed Practices: Grounded in over a decade of data, the report outlines the most effective coaching methods that support instructional improvement, teacher retention, and student achievement.
  • Sustainable Systems: Offers strategies to build scalable, sustainable coaching systems that integrate seamlessly into existing school infrastructures.
  • Actionable Frameworks: Delivers practical tools and frameworks for education leaders to create or enhance coaching programs, including guidance on building a strong coaching culture, selecting qualified coaches, and assessing program impact.

With a clear roadmap for designing instructional coaching programs, the report serves as an essential resource for schools and districts committed to improving instructional leadership and teacher effectiveness. Whether looking to establish a new coaching program or refine an existing one, education leaders will find actionable guidance to create lasting, positive change.

Download resource ]]>