Discovery Sessions

At the Great Schools Partnership, we understand that every school and district must take their own path toward equitable, rigorous, and personalized education. We also understand that school improvement isn’t a finish line you cross; it’s a continuous process of exploring, learning, and implementing change.

No matter where you are on your journey, our discovery sessions are here to help. Discovery sessions are one- or two-day virtual or onsite learning for a single school, district, or community. Think of these sessions as opportunities to discover and explore topics or issues that are important to your school community. Then start planning for change. Our school and equitable community engagement coaches stand ready to pick up where these offerings leave off. 

Together, we can improve learning for all students.

NETWORKING

Local, regional, or national events—in person or online. Expand your professional network.

Please visit our network page (coming soon) for more information.

DISCOVERY

One-day, virtual or onsite learning for a single school, district, or community.

See available sessions below.

IMPLEMENTATION

School and equitable community engagement coaching contracts, customized to you.

Learn more about our coaching by visiting our “What We Do” page.

What Participants Have to Say

Educators who attend our in-person or virtual events come away with new insights and actionable steps for change. How do we know? Because we asked. At our last Summer Equity Institute, here’s what some of our participants had to say:

0
% of participants
reported that the materials and resources shared during the event will be useful in their daily work
0
% of participants
left the event with at least one specific goal and action step that they will use to work on to address inequities in their school, district, or community
0
% of participants
reported that this event helped them increase their capacity to reflect on and engage in conversations about educational equity

Discovery Sessions

Below is a complete list of our current discovery sessions. If you are interested in learning more about a discovery session, please make a selection below. If you would like to arrange a discovery session for your school community, please submit a support inquiry using our contact form. Individuals can also check our calendar of events to see if any discovery sessions with open registration are currently scheduled.

Equitable Community Engagement

A virtual workshop for educators, families, students, and other members of a school community to develop a deeper understanding of equitable community engagement.

Understand the connection between equity and community engagement while developing a deeper understanding of structures that enable shared power and decision making.

AGENDA & OUTCOMES

Racial Equity: Leaning, Learning, and Leading

We invite you to take a first step toward greater equity in your school by registering for a day of leaning, learning, and leading for racial equity.

Gain a better understanding of how your personal experiences, perspectives, and identity impact how you learn and engage with others while increasing your capacity to reflect on and engage in conversations about racial equity.

AGENDA & OUTCOMES

Elements of Effective Instruction (EEI)

In this workshop, educators will consider their strengths in GSP’s Elements of Effective Instruction. A self-assessment will be utilized to enable participants to choose their focus for deeper investigation.

Build an understanding of the “why” behind using the Elements of Effective Instruction while reflecting on personal strengths and areas for growth for your school.

AGENDA & OUTCOMES

Elements of Effective Instruction: Virtual or Hybrid Learning

Teaching in remote or hybrid settings has become our current reality. Embrace this opportunity to grow and learn in your teaching practice to better meet the needs of the students you serve.

Explore the Elements of Effective Instruction and the research base that supports these elements while collaborating with colleagues to improve teaching practices in a virtual or hybrid learning environment.

AGENDA & OUTCOMES

Teaching and Assessing Transferable Skills

In this workshop, participants will gain an understanding of how teaching and assessing transferable skills can fit into the framework of equitable schools.

Understand how transferable skills fit into the work of equitable schools while defining and envisioning what transferable skills are and the purpose they can serve. You will also explore systems and structures to ensure all students develop and demonstrate transferable skills.

AGENDA & OUTCOMES

Grading and Reporting for Educational Equity

In order to be effective and equitable, a grading and reporting system must communicate clear information to students, educators, and parents about the skills a student has mastered or the areas where they need support or more practice.

In this session, we will review the eight central tenets that should guide schools’ efforts to examine their grading systems. We will also explore sample policies and grading guidelines from schools that have used these tenets to successfully re-design the systems they use to equitably score student work and report grades.

AGENDA & OUTCOMES

Data Informed Instructional Planning: Using Data to Drive More Equitable Instruction

This session offers a hands-on opportunity for educators to engage in deep and meaningful data-driven dialogue. This event is designed for grade-level or content-specific teacher teams of 2-7 people.

Teams will examine their own classroom data to learn how to pinpoint student learning challenges, select instructional interventions, and monitor progress toward reaching student learning goals.

AGENDA & OUTCOMES

Leading with Data: Building a Vision for More Equitable Schools

This session is designed for school or district leadership teams who are interested in using data to inform and drive action planning.

Explore three essential questions: Where are we now? Where are we going? How do we get there? Participants will review existing data sources, as well as brainstorm potential new data to collect, that can help inform their school or district goals and action plans.

AGENDA & OUTCOMES

Introduction to Creating and Facilitating PLGs

Professional learning groups (PLGs) provide dedicated and supported time during which educators can evaluate student work, tune assessments and plans, and engage in constructive dialogue with peer educators.

This training session introduces school leaders and facilitators to PLG essentials, provides opportunities for active engagement and practice, and offers a framework for effective implementation in any context.

AGENDA & OUTCOMES

Facilitating Effective PLGs

The usefulness and impact of a professional learning group (PLG) depends on the ability of the facilitator to engage all participants, foster risk-taking and vulnerability, and maintain focus on improving teaching and learning practices that benefit all students.

Participants will share facilitation successes and challenges and use those experiences to practice, reflect on, and develop their own skills as facilitators of PLGs. Participants will leave with a set of strategies to support effective facilitation and a vision for improving PLGs.

AGENDA & OUTCOMES

PLGs: From Implementation to Impact

In this session, we will outline essential considerations that can guide successful professional learning group (PLG) implementation and share key tools to use right away to improve PLGs.

Participants will explore tools and strategies to assess the effectiveness of individual professional learning groups (PLGs) as well as their school-wide impact, and create a plan of action to use PLGs to move toward greater educational equity.

AGENDA & OUTCOMES

Understanding & Implementing Effective Proficiency-Based Learning Systems

This interactive workshop is for educators new to proficiency-based (competency-based, or mastery-based) learning.

Participants will explore the fundamental components of an effective proficiency-based teaching and learning system and engage with resources designed to support their journey.

AGENDA & OUTCOMES

Interested in learning more? Let's talk.

Personalized, equitable, and student-centered education is too important to put aside; together, we can improve learning for all your students.

Contact Us