Classrooms

It is critically important for leaders to understand that the only constant in schools is change. Whether implementing new curriculum, engaging in reimagined instructional practices or initiating a school-wide framework for success, leaders need to understand some basic tenents of change theory and how to navigate waters that can feel unsettled and even possibly contentious. In this session, Kurtis will share five considerations for leaders to understand when leading change and include multilple samples and resources related to those five considerations. Leading change is rarely easy but is incredibly necessary when ensuring organizations that learn, grow and respond to the changing needs of students, communities and the greater educational landscape.

This session addresses the LQS competencies

• 2. Modeling Commitment to Professional Learning
• 4. Leading a Learning Community

This session addresses the TQS competencies

• 2. Engaging in Career-Long Learning
• 3. Demonstrating a Professional Body of Knowledge

​Online webinar presented by ARPDC (Alberta Regional Professional Development Consortia)​

Learn More

Kurtis and Lorna are presenting at the Learning Forward Annual Conference in Denver, CO!

Feeling overwhelmed with the expectations being placed on teachers, leaders and educational systems to respond to the diverse needs of our learners? Are you wanting to take your PLC's and RTI efforts to the next level? Ensuring success for all students is a moral imperative for all schools, but takes a highly coordinated framework of structures and processes within a school to maximize the collective capacity of the team. Come learn about Collaborative Response, an organizational mindset that involves some fundamental shifts for schools and districts, such as layering collaborative team structures, transforming how we talk about student needs, focusing on students close to meeting expectations through thoughtful organization of data and evidence and ensuring tiering of supports rather than students. Simple shifts that emerge through a focus on Collaborative Response and the good news is that some likely already exist in your building! Numerous school and district examples, as well as access to a large number of resources, will be provided for school leaders wishing to join thousands of schools using Collaborative Response to ensure high levels of success for students and staff!

Learn More

Lorna is presenting at the Palliser District Teachers' Convention (PDTCA)!

Does it feel like you're talking about the same students over and over? Are you wanting to take your PLC's and RTI efforts to the next level? Do your team meetings lack the clarity and purpose you're looking for as a leader? In this session, Kurtis and Lorna will articulate, with multiple school samples and resources, the value of layering collaborative structures and processes within a school and how the introduction of a very intentional collaborative team meeting can work to respond to the needs of students collaboratively, while increasing the instructional capacity of everyone involved. In essence, schools reduce the number of meetings about students...by adding one more! By intentionally layering and connecting our PLC and RTI structures, we leverage and maximize the most powerful resource in any school for supporting the whole child - the teachers working within our building! Come learn what thousands of schools have learned about these purposeful collaborative structures and processes to ensure every student is supported by a team. Please ensure you have a device to access online materials through QR code or URL link.​

Learn More

​Lorna is presenting at the Palliser District Teachers' Convention (PDTCA)!​

Over the past number of years, with the growth of tiered response systems in schools, educational organizations have become proficient at tiering students for intensifying levels of support. When done well, it ensures a systematic approach to supporting a greater number of students and maximizing resources. When not done well, it can lead to higher levels of support becoming overwhelmed and resources stretched thin as more and more students are identified as requiring intensified supports. The great news is there is a better way that comes when you STOP tiering students! This session will provide an explanation of the paradigm shift from tiering students to tiering supports and share considerations when establishing, refining and utilizing a continuum of supports in schools and districts that has long standing impact for teachers and students.​

Learn More

Pre-Retreat Overview Workshop - Collaborative Response: Every Child Deserves a Team

• Kurtis Hewson, Lead Learner and Co-Founder, Jigsaw Learning
• Lorna Hewson, Lead Learner and Co-Founder, Jigsaw Learning
• Feeling overwhelmed with the expectations being placed on teachers, leaders and educational systems to respond to the diverse needs of our learners? Ensuring success for all students is a moral imperative for all schools, but takes a highly coordinated framework of structures and processes within a school to maximize the collective capacity of the team. Come learn about Collaborative Response, an organizational mindset that involves some fundamental shifts for schools and districts, such as layering collaborative team structures, transforming how we talk about student needs, focusing on students close to meeting expectations through thoughtful organization of data and evidence and ensuring tiering of supports rather than students. Simple shifts that emerge through a focus on Collaborative Response and the good news is that some likely already exist in your building! Numerous school and district examples, as well as access to a large number of resources, will be provided for school leaders wishing to join hundreds of schools using Collaborative Response to ensure high levels of success for students and staff!
• All participants will receive a copy of the text Collaborative Response: Three Foundational Components That Transform How We Respond to the Needs of Learners (Corwin, 2022) included as part of the registration fee.
• This session is offered as a full day session prior to the annual Collaborative Response Retreat, happening May 2-3.
• Breakfast and lunch will be provided.

Learn More​