Evolving Challenges, Personalized Solutions
To take on the challenges of the future, our children must be taught to be collaborators, risk-takers, and fundamentally, problem solvers. Districts are at the forefront of this work, launching bold initiatives to innovate practice and pedagogy to meet students’ needs. But these initiatives rarely make it from the boardroom to the classroom.
BetterLesson Professional Learning bridges this divide by providing personalized, action-oriented support to teachers, instructional coaches, and school leaders. We partner with you, help create a roadmap for success, and walk you through from idea to implementation until you realize measurable impact for your students.
Tailored to the Needs of Your District
Our services range from individualized support for teachers and leaders, to small-group hands-on workshops and learning series, to classroom walk-throughs that help instructional leaders identify student-centered practices and plan effective teacher PD. We work with you to select a set of services that meet school and district needs.
All of our services are facilitated by BetterLesson coaches – master teachers with expertise in adult learning. Our “Try-Measure-Learn” approach provides a non-evaluative, reflective space designed to build and sustain teacher skills over time. We leverage technology to provide support at scale, enabling educators to communicate with coaches, access thousands of research-backed instructional strategies and lesson plans, and track their progress.
Rooted in Student-Centered Teaching and Learning
In all of our services, BetterLesson supports teachers and leaders to create classrooms where students feel valued and drive the learning. This approach is essential to develop learners who can master high-level material and thrive in a rapidly changing world.
We think of our work in terms of four essential elements of student-centered teaching and learning, each of which breaks down into smaller topics we call “focus areas.” Educators choose their area of focus based on individual, school, and district needs and priorities.
Areas of Focus
BetterLesson supports educators in the Essential Elements of student-centered teaching and learning:
The BetterLesson Partnership Process
Align & Design
Together with our partners, we identify the priorities and most urgent goals of the school, district, or organization; the educators who would most benefit from a personalized professional learning experience; and the learning domains that align with your objectives. We then design a plan that meets your district’s needs and budget.
Make the Perfect Match
We identify the BetterLesson coach that will best meet the instructional needs, experience, and style of your teachers and leaders, for the services you’ve chosen. As non-evaluative thought partners, our coaches provide the encouragement, expertise, and motivation needed to try new things, shift mindsets, and reflect on results.
Catalyze and Sustain
BetterLesson coaches and educators use the BetterLesson Lab to access a curated library of actionable, research-based instructional strategies that align to the stated goals of each partner. Our “Try, Measure, Learn” methodology facilitates action, reflection, and growth. For 1:1 Coaching, evidence of each educator’s growth and practice are captured in the Lab.
Impact Reporting
BetterLesson believes that personalized professional learning can improve educator practice and engage students in transformative ways. We know that our partners depend on us to help their teachers make this leap. We’ve invested in the tools, people, and systems to ensure transparency and accountability so that we are all working together towards your strategic goals.
The Lab allows educators to:
- Select from thousands of curated strategies that align with the specific elements of practice they are focused on improving.
- Gain insights on the ways other educators have implemented a strategy to determine how to best adapt it for their students.
- Collect and share evidence that demonstrates educator and student progress in a selected growth area.
- Reflect on progress and track professional growth.
Testimonials
Although I already had 12 years of full time teaching experience prior to working with BetterLesson, coaching helped to remind me that discovering new tools and constantly refining your craft as an educator is a great way to reinspire and recommit yourself daily to the work you do with your students.
BetterLesson Coaching has been a really transformational program that has supported me and challenged me in changing the way that I teach. The resources are boundless, and the support is as well.
Discussions with my BetterLesson coach really taught me how to not only reflect upon my teaching at a much deeper level but also how to then further implement different lessons that would build upon those reflections. To have feedback and direction from a different perspective was such a powerful tool for me.
[Two] of my teachers participating in the program were greatly impacted. It saved one teacher’s job and it inspired the other teacher (she had one of the best years ever in her career).
Better Lesson supports teachers in a non-evaluative manner. This allows teachers to take risks with instructional practices. Better Lesson allows the teachers to have “voice and choice”. Teachers identify goals, revise goals, try strategies, evaluate outcomes, etc.
It helps me as a principal in a small charter school to have assistance as the instructional coach. It is very difficult to be the instructional leader, a coach, an observer, and evaluator all at the same time. I love that my staff can have outside coaches and I can support that with observations and then I can be the evaluator.
Charles PearsonGrade 9-12 English Teacher, Lindsay High School, CA
Sean LindseyTeacher, Nations Ford Elementary School, NC
Dana Durado7th Grade ELA/Social Studies Teacher, Diamond View Middle School, CA
Adam BowenPrincipal, New Buffalo School District, MI
Bob McKeveneySuperintendent, Seneca Falls Central School District, NY
Vanessa BelairPrincipal, River Charter Schools, CA