If you are reading this article, chances are you have familiarized yourself with what an Educational Framework is and the reasons why it is an essential tool. Perhaps you are considering implementing one at your school or district. But many factors must be taken into consideration before we can design and implement your vision. Below are a series of questions that need to be answered in order to ensure the best possible outcomes for your school or district:

What is the vision for your school or district?  Describe the following in as much detail as possible:

1. Philosophy
2. Values
3. Curriculums
4. Teaching Methods Used
5. Classroom Setup

A vision is not the same as an Educational Framework - A Vision vs. an Educational Framework

Not only is it important to be able to describe your vision in detail, but it is also beneficial for us to know your starting point. All of the factors below will impact the Educational Framework(s) design:

1. Have you already achieved a cohesive teaching culture at your school or district?
2. How many staff members are already in line with your vision?
3. Do both the space and available resources at your school/district accommodate your vision? If not, are you able to redesign or order the necessary materials? (See A Classroom Speaks a Thousand Words to learn more about the importance of space at a school)
4. How many specialists and learning support staff does your school (or each school in your district) have? How tightly linked to mainstream classes would you like them to be?
   

Will your school or district be requiring multiple frameworks? See samples of our options below, and keep in mind that we are always open to creating entirely new solutions as well:

To learn more about any of the above options see – Can a School Have Multiple Frameworks?

Are there any existing models you would like to use as a starting point, or will we be creating (an) entirely new framework(s)? Click on any of the frameworks below to learn more about them.

We are able to design an Educational Framework’s accompanying planners so they link together like puzzle pieces, or so they exist in more of a symbiotic relationship. Designs within the two models can vary greatly. Which do you feel suits your school or district’s needs more? Perhaps a combination of both, or are you wanting to explore an entirely different solution?

See the following articles for more information:

Different Planning Solutions for Your School
Linking Teacher Planners: The Jigsaw Method
Linking Teacher Planners: The Symbiotic Method
Determining the Best Planning Solutions for Your School

In addition to planners for unit and lesson planning, we can also design reflection and goal setting planners to help your staff shift their mindset so they are in line with school or district values and philosophy. For example, becoming a more empathetic teacher, having an innovator’s mindset, etc. Is this something your school or district is interested in?

See Planners for Personal Growth to learn more.

In order to maximize the impact of an Educational Framework, we will provide suggestions for modifying your timetable(s). How flexible and open are you to making the necessary changes?

See The Impact of a School’s Timetable for more details.

While we are always happy to both design and help implement your school or district’s Educational Framework, other options do exist:

1. Manuals can be created for administration and coordinators to train staff.
2. Administration and coordinators can be trained by us on the framework/planners, and from there they can train staff in-house.

Which would better suit your needs? Should you choose to train your staff yourself, we have provided some fun ways to share your framework – Creative Ways to Share an Educational Framework

While implementing your school or district’s framework, there are ways to maximize success even further, such as creating brochures for parents, selecting specific professional development opportunities for staff, linking after-school programs and activities to your school curriculums, etc. Are you open to any of our suggestions?

To learn more, see:

Elevating Your School's End Game
How to Organize a Conference at Your School
Designing Brochures for Your School
Linking After-School Activities and Programs to School Curriculums

While the existing Educational Framework(s) design(s) will remain relatively constant, the planners will need to change in order to accommodate changes to school needs; for example, the addition or removal of specialist classes, the addition or removal of split-classes, etc. Are these changes your administration and coordinators would like to handle, or would you like us to support and guide revisions? 

Planners are an excellent tool for ensuring staff (and student) personal growth and development at your school or district, and as such should be individualized to accommodate each individual’s learning journey. Will administration and coordinators be taking on the role of mentoring staff in this regard and making the necessary changes to planners, or will this be something you require assistance with?

See the following articles for more details:

Using Planners to Change Mindset
How to Use Planners as a Tool for Mentoring Teachers
How to Use Planners as a Learning Tool for Students
The Power of Planners
 
Making the decision to implement an Educational Framework at your school or district can help you to create a cohesive teaching culture and make a significant impact on student learning. Are you ready to embark on the journey? Contact us!