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The Professional Learning Organization for Educators
March 2022
What's New with LFTX
Online Professional Development Course
Designing meaningful online learning experiences is easier said than done.
LFTX Online Course Design Cohort is a 12-hour self-paced, guided learning experience that will take place over 6 weeks.
Come with an actual online course in mind that you want to create or redesign. Update your skills before your summer workshops begin.
Participants will:
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Discover a design process that ensures that your learning outcomes are prioritized and successfully communicated.
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Understand and implement the best practices in online course facilitation.
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Design a blended or fully online Professional Learning experience that addresses a current professional learning need in your district.
Course Starts April 4, 2022 - May 13, 2022
LFTX Blog
Why You Need an Instructional Playbook
Imagine a meeting that educators are eager to attend because they understand the meeting’s purpose and know the meeting will be structured in support of this purpose. Imagine a school or district culture where such meetings are the norm, where adults recognize these purpose-driven discussions as essential to their own effectiveness and the effectiveness and well-being of the learning community.
Survey Says?
How confident are you in your use of discussion protocols?
According to author and conference presenter Thomas Van Soelen, skillful use of discussion protocols in collaborative gatherings, including meetings and professional learning sessions, enhances adult learning and development and builds collective efficacy and trust. According to our survey results, 66.7% would like to know a little more about using discussion protocols. Check out Thomas Van Soelen's Book, Meeting Goals: Protocols for Leading Effective, Purpose-Drive Discussion in School
March Survey
Instructional Playbooks
An instructional playbook is a concept developed by Jim Knight based on his extensive experience with instructional improvement. It is a professional learning tool and a process to be used in instructional coaching. Click here to take the March Survey
2022 Conference Update
Learning Forward Texas Conference Scholarship
Learning Forward Texas will award a scholarship to an educator who wants to learn and grow professionally by attending our conference. The scholarship covers conference registration and up to $450 in travel expenses! Apply today.
Applicants should complete the online application by March 25, 2022, at 5:00 pm.
Visit the Conference Website
Visit the Conference portal to view sessions, speaker bios and read updates about the conference. The conference schedule with session dates and times will be available through the conference app in June.
Stars At Night - 30th Anniversary Reception
The 30th Anniversary committee met this week to plan the celebration of our 30th Conference. We will honor the "giants who came before us" who began this great tradition of meeting annually to network, collaborate, and learn. If you are a former board member and are interested in attending the reception, contact Terri Iles.
LFTX is looking for Conference Sponsors
Sponsor and Exhibitor information is now available on the
2022 Learning Forward Texas Annual Conference Website.
Click here for Sponsorship Packages, Exhibitor Information, or to sponsor specific conference items.
Terri Iles Learning Forward Texas
Academy Scholarship
The Learning Forward Academy provides a forum for educators to analyze their practices and engage in dedicated, uninterrupted think tank-type experiences with individuals from all facets of the education. Learning Forward Texas annually provides a scholarship for a member of our Texas affiliate to participate in the Learning Forward Academy. We encourage LFTX members to explore the benefits of participating in the Learning Forward Academy and consider applying. Once the 2024 cohort has been announced, Learning Forward Texas will select its scholarship winner. Click the link below to find additional information about the Academy.
Regional Affliates
What are Regional Affiliates?
All Learning Forward Texas Regional Affiliates meet regularly to discuss professional learning topics that are relevant to their context and leadership responsibility is shared among participants.
LFSETX - For districts in the Houston area including ESC Regions 4, 5, and 6.
The next virtual meeting will be on March 29, 10:00 am and Fort Bend ISD will be presenting. Click here for more information about LFSETX.
LFNTX - For districts in North Texas including ESC Regions 10, 11, and 12.
Learning Forward North Texas will be meeting at Keller ISD on April 8, 2022. Click here for more information about the LFNTX Meeting.
LFWTX - For districts in West Texas including ESC Regions 14, 15, 17, and 18.
Learning Forward West Texas canceled their January meeting but is scheduled to meet on March 23, 11:30 - 1:00 pm. Contact Anna Jackson at ajackson@learningforwardtexas.com to join the meeting.
LFCTX - For districts in Central Texas including ESC Regions 13 and 20. The LFCTX steering committee met in February and is making plans this spring for a launch later this year. Look for more news from the Central Texas steering committee.
Board Member Spotlight
We are continuing our series to help “connect” you with our board members. We asked each board member to complete a survey that revealed some fun facts about them.
Valerie Minor is this month’s featured Board Member. Valerie is the Coordinator of Professional Development and Mentoring at Keller ISD. She is about to complete her first year on the board and she is also completing the Learning Forward Academy. Valerie's team won the 2021 Learning Forward Team of Excellence Award in Professional Learning.
What is the most unusual job you have had? What did you learn from that experience?
I've had pretty normal jobs I think. It's a toss-up between working at Hallmark when I was in high school and working in the lab/greenhouse in college. The greenhouse job was fun because I got to take care of all the plants that we grew for different research projects, other days I worked in the lab and poured agar plates all day (stinky!!). It was cool because I got a taste of what biology could lead me to do. I learned just how to be a hard worker and a good employee and put my all into any job I do.
If you could win an Olympic medal for any sport, real or fake, what would it be?
Olympic Medal for cooking and decorating.
Do you have a hidden talent? What is it?
Not sure if it is hidden but I bake and decorate custom cookies.
What's one hobby you would love to get into?
Scrapbooking
What is one thing that you include in every meeting or professional learning session you design?
Just one? Snacks of course! But then the most important piece is building community with the group and reflecting/applying at the end of the session.
Learning Forward Texas is better because of dedicated board members like Valerie Minor! Follow her on Twitter @valeriekisdPLL
Shared Resources
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Inspiration to lean into the important work of professional learning - The Learning Professional - The events of the last two years have been daunting. Everyone has had to dig deep to find the courage, the drive, and the creativity to thrive in ever-changing education environments.
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Busting the Myth of Learning Styles - Tech & Learning The idea that different students have different learning styles pervades education, but cognitive scientists say there is no evidence learning styles exist.
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Are you the manager Gen Z needs? Here are 2 mindset changes to get there - SmartBrief - Young people, including Gen Z employees, are breaking the workforce. And leaders — even the millennials who once rebelled against the same systems — seem particularly unsure about how to fix it.
Upcoming Events from Learning Forward Texas
Online Asynchronous
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Online Course Development - April 4 - May 13, 2022
In-Person Workshops
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Cultivating Leadership - April 11, 2022, 8:30 am - 4:00 pm, Katy ISD
Summer Workshop information coming soon!
Contact Lisa Ham, Executive Director, to book a workshop in your district.
512-266-3086 ext. 1
Upcoming Events from Learning Forward
Online Course
Powerful Communication Skills for Coaches - Effective coaches model and facilitate the intentional use of reflective practices. They engage teachers and leaders to examine beliefs around equity, responsibility, and identity; challenge assumptions that interfere with growth and change, and apply evidence-based communication skills to build teacher self-efficacy. Click here to learn more and register for the course.
Learning Forward Academy - Now Accepting Applications
The Learning Forward Academy is Learning Forward’s flagship deep learning experience. With a rich history that spans 20 years, the Academy has supported the problem-based learning of teachers, teacher-leaders, instructional coaches, principals, regional leaders, superintendents, and others whose jobs involve supporting the learning of other adults and students.
When you join the Academy, your learning journey is no longer a solo experience. Instead, you will spend 2 ½ years working with expert coaches and practitioners from around the world as you construct knowledge, improve your practice, create better learning conditions for your colleagues, and improve results for your students.
The Learning Forward cohort is now forming and the deadline is March 15, 2022. Click here for more information about becoming a member of the 2024 Class of the Learning Foward Academy