A Case for Ongoing Professional Development
The CATDC’s Ongoing Programs, series of 3-5 meetings led by local educators, are some of our most agile and responsive professional development offerings and the foundation of our unique approach to growing capacity in California independent schools. Easy access to digital and print resources and online courses make continuing education within reach at all times,…
Read MoreImage of the Child and the Reggio Emilia Approach
Last spring I was invited by New School-West—as a parent—to travel to Reggio Emilia, Italy, on a Five State Educator’s Tour with the entire faculty and one other parent. I have been a parent at The New School-West Preschool for seven consecutive years. One might call me a New School-West expert—not necessarily for raising 3,4,…
Read MoreMaintaining Dignity, Integrity, and Community in the Discipline Process
The word discipline originates from the Latin root discere which means “to learn” and forms other derivatives like disciplina which means “instruction” and discipulus which means “disciple or pupil.” At Turning Point School, the disciplinary process in middle school is rooted in the intention of “learning” rather than “punishment” and lends itself best to personal…
Read MoreWhen It’s Time to Say Goodbye to Your School: Reflecting on and Weathering the Storms of Change
And in the endThe love you takeIs equal to the love you make The Beatles In July of 2019, I will be experiencing a lot of change in my career and personal life. I will have just ended my 14-year tenure at The Bay School of San Francisco. I will have just begun my new…
Read MoreThe Importance of Hiring Well
15 Books (and Anti-Racist Resources) to Add to Your Summer Reading List
Read books written by and listen to podcasts hosted by people whose identities are underrepresented and historically marginalized or different than your own–check your biases, prejudices, stereotypes, and assumptions.
Read MoreChanging Lives Through Collaboration
Creative collaboration with teachers in the service of student learning has been a deep current running through my career. As Executive Director of the CATDC, learning with and from other educators has become not only a passion, but one of my primary job responsibilities.
Read MoreRethinking Teacher Evaluation in Independent Schools
Working in schools is a vulnerable act. Every day can feel like a high-stakes performance review in front of an audience of young evaluators: performing effective planning, organization, pedagogy, relationship management, flexibility, patience, community building, knowledge of human psychology and all the additional skills of being an educator. It’s no wonder then that when teachers hear they’re about to be evaluated, anxiety sets in and amygdala hijack takes hold.
Read MoreOf Bake Sales, Menstrual Pads, and the Oscars
The Girls Learn International club at Oakwood School recently won an Oscar for their documentary short, Period. End of Sentence. Learn more about the movement for menstrual equality and the group of students that brought global awareness to this important topic.
Read MoreLeading With the Brain in Mind
Understanding our neurobiological hardwiring plays an essential role in creating environments where teachers and schools can thrive. School leaders have the opportunity to notice the state of escalation occurring in stressful situations and model vulnerability to create space for others to do the same.
Read MoreWhy We Need Racial Literacy Now More Than Ever
Given the current national landscape, it has become painfully obvious that those of us in schools need to double our efforts to teach racial literacy (Stevenson, 2014). Recently, I was working with 4/5th graders who are part of a racial affinity group program we coordinate in Portland, OR (for more about these groups, see So…
Read MoreThe Benefits of Immersive Learning
Realizing Our Vision This past January, The Bay School of San Francisco launched its inaugural Immersives program: three-week academic courses that are experiential and project-based. After two years of developing curricula, honing pedagogy, securing partnerships with organizations throughout California, and working out the logistics of each course, Bay expanded its campus beyond its walls and…
Read MorePower in Collaboration
Lori Cohen shares insights for how we can lead more collaboratively to achieve stronger outcomes. This post will inspire you to find ways to seek collaborative partnerships and share power, and also highlights the collaborative process involved in many CATDC workshops, most recently Aspiring Women Administrators of Color.
Read MoreGrowing Myself, Growing CATDC in Central California
On February 4, heads, administrators, and teacher leaders from seven Central California schools will gather to engage in a dialogue about how best to approach local ongoing programming.
Read MoreThe Power of Reflection
In our classrooms, we ask students to reflect on their learning as a metacognitive act, as a way to cement learning and create new neural pathways. We know that formative assessments—brief checks for understanding and ways of making our thinking visible—are an excellent gauge for where our students are, and serve as a springboard for…
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