Strengthen Instruction

IRRE Supports

Research consistently demonstrates that one-shot trainings fail to result in regular use of skills and strategies in effective instructional practice. IRRE provides a rich array of supports for teachers and instructional leaders to help them convert new learning into sustained change. IRRE’s three instructional goals of engagement, alignment, and rigor undergird all of our supports.

• Teaching: Trainings and coaching increase teachers’ instructional repertoire in ways that promote mastery of rigorous academic content by diverse learners.
• Literacy Curricula: Teachers and instructional leaders get help as they adopt engaging and rigorous literacy curricula for all ninth- and tenth-grade students to dramatically advance their literacy skills.
• Math Culture Change: We work with math teachers, coaches, and instructional supervisors to restate the current math curriculum as specific, sequential accomplishments, expressed in “I can…” statements. These benchmarks then drive instruction, tailored to help every student achieve them and become college-ready in math.
• Common and formative assessments: Teachers and instructional leaders learn to use assessments in math and language arts more effectively to drive their choices of instructional strategies. By agreeing to use the same assessments, teachers can create logical sequences for students as they move from one unit to another within each course.
• Professional learning communities: Trainings and embedded professional development help teachers and leaders realize the benefits of small, collaborative professional communities.
• Using data effectively: A series of trainings support staff and teachers in using data on both classroom practices and student outcomes to strengthen instruction and move students forward. These data also help districts design and evaluate professional development activities.

Classroom visits, one-on-one or group modeling of instructional strategies, and teleconferences for additional coaching help leadership effectively sustain the work.