Jigsaw Learning Blogs

Are You Maximizing the Power and Impact of Your Pre-Meeting Organizer?

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 20:26:00 +0000

Learn how to use a Collaborative Team Meeting (CTM) pre-meeting organizer to support teacher reflection, identify key issues, use student data, and facilitate focused, solutions-oriented collaboration.

Can Intentional CTM Groupings Elevate Professional Conversations in Your Building?

Thu, 29 Oct 2026 19:18:00 +0000

Discover how intentionally mixing collaborative team meeting (CTM) groups strengthens school-wide collaboration, breaks down departmental silos, and shares effective strategies to support every student.

Making School Priorities Matter in Team Planning - Ep 123

Mon, 26 Oct 2026 20:40:00 +0000

Learn how school leaders can align collaborative planning with school priorities, strengthen Tier 1 instruction, and use curriculum, instructional practices, and student data to improve student learning.

Want Change to Last? Start With the Right People - Ep 117

Mon, 26 Oct 2026 20:27:00 +0000

Learn how school leaders can build critical mass for lasting organizational change by engaging key influencers, developing lead teams, and distributing leadership to create sustainable momentum beyond simple buy-in.

How to Build Culture Without Adding to Your Workload with Tom Walls - Ep 116

Mon, 26 Oct 2026 20:18:00 +0000

Learn how school leaders can build a culture of collaboration, trust, and accountability through Tom Walls’ Micro-Inclusions framework, strengthening staff connection while reducing friction, isolation, and burnout.

Connecting the Dots: Data, Planning, and Team Meetings - Ep 122

Mon, 26 Oct 2026 20:05:00 +0000

Kurtis and Lorna break down how data and evidence can be used to inform your collaborative planning and collaborative team meeting efforts to truly take your school's MTSS efforts to the next level, through aligning data with your intentional collaborative structures and processes.

Are We Getting Better, or Just Getting Through? - Ep 115

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 18:38:00 +0000

Explore how to build a high-performing learning organization through continuous reflection, psychological safety, and a culture of autonomy, mastery, purpose, and continuous improvement.

Collaboration Without Conformity: Protecting Teacher Agency with Kallie Ash - Ep 114

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 18:30:00 +0000

Kurtis is joined by veteran educator, licensed administrator, and Phased Mastery founder Kallie Ash to explore why collaboration doesn’t mean conformity. Learn how teams can build shared language, deepen professional learning, and challenge thinking while preserving teacher autonomy and professional judgment.

Collaboration Grows Through a Ecosystem of Support - Ep 121

Wed, 21 Oct 2026 21:01:00 +0000

Kurtis and Lorna reflect on why Collaborative Response is an ecosystem, not a series of isolated initiatives. In this video, we explore how successful schools are creating a complex network of interconnected systems to ensure every student and staff member is supported.

Are Your Team Goals Driving Results? - Ep 113

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 19:42:00 +0000

Kurtis and Lorna break down the importance of teams establishing goals to guide their collaborative efforts and some reminders for leaders regarding how to effectively establish the structures for creation, monitoring and support for team goals.

How to Culturize Your School: Building a Culture of Collaboration with Jimmy Casas - Ep 112

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 19:31:00 +0000

Learn how educational leaders can build a thriving culture of collaboration, prevent staff burnout, address negative school dynamics, and improve student success with leadership coach Jimmy Casas.

From Data to Action: Planning School-Wide Interventions - Ep 120

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 19:19:00 +0000

Kurtis and Lorna discuss the power of school-wide interventions and some lessons learned when implementing a school-wide intervention block.

How Can You Ensure Your Pre-Meeting Organizers Are Completed and Utilized Effectively?

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 18:50:00 +0000

Strengthen Collaborative Team Meetings with five practical strategies for using a simple pre-meeting organizer to build staff preparation, focus conversations, and support solutions for students.

Are Your School Goals Really SMART? - Ep 111

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 22:05:00 +0000

Kurtis and Lorna break down what is a SMART goal and how their development can have a tremendous impact of team collaborative efforts when building upon and improving Tier 1 practices within your school's MTSS efforts.

Why Your Teachers Are Resisting Collaboration (And How to Fix It) with Becca Silver - Ep 110

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 21:54:00 +0000

Kurtis and Lorna sit down with Becca Silver, founder of The Whole Educator and author of 'The Resistance Solution.' Becca explains why traditional collaboration protocols fail when we don't understand the underlying fears, beliefs, and unmet needs of our staff.

How Collaborative Response Drives School Improvement - Ep 119

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 21:18:00 +0000

Kurtis and Lorna share how Collaborative Response is more than just a way to organize meetings - it is a multi-tiered system that can really help move your school improvement efforts forward with intentionality and purpose! They share what that looks like as well as some key considerations for leaders when making that connection explicit for their team.

Why Are Celebrations Essential for Strong Collaborative Team Meetings?

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 18:35:00 +0000

Learn how intentional celebrations can shift Collaborative Team Meetings from problem-focused conversations to reflective practice that builds collective efficacy and strengthens support for every student.

Beyond the Data Calendar: Connecting Measures, Timing & Action - Ep 109

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 23:40:00 +0000

Kurtis and Lorna discuss the value of developing a strategic and aligned data calendar for key measures established for a school.

What to Do When Collaborative Teams Aren't Working with Chrissy Beltran - Ep 108

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 23:25:00 +0000

Kurtis sits down with returning guest Chrissy Beltran to explore dysfunctional team dynamics and practical strategies for building genuine collaboration, alignment, knowledge building, and collective efficacy among educators.

The Problem That Inspired WeCollab - The History - Ep 118

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 23:16:00 +0000

Kurtis and Lorna discuss the WeCollab software, how it came to be and how it can be a powerful support system for a school and division's Collaborative Response efforts.