The Principles of Learning are condensed theoretical statements summarizing decades of research. Learn to use them to deepen understanding of high quality teaching and learning and to establish a common language about teaching and learning, both of which are foundations for the work of high performing learning communities. Courses are specific to grade level and core content area.

Classroom conversation can be integral to promoting student learning. To do so, that conversation must be accountable to the learning community, to accurate knowledge, and to rigorous thinking. Learn classroom talk practices that lead to increased student learning. Courses are specific to grade level and core content area.

A robust vocabulary is essential to reading, writing and speaking well. Learn about instruction that helps students develop robust vocabulary. Learn how to support academic language development for all students, including English language learners, and how to help students build knowledge by learning words from the texts they read.

Learn to use the IFL's signature classroom observation routine to get smarter about teaching and learning, to assess the effectiveness of past professional development and plan future professional development, and to build inquiry-based learning communities. Courses are specific to grade level and core content area.

An important practice for school improvement is principal-teacher conversations about teaching and learning. Learn to use IFL's Framework for Instructional Conversations and how to maintain an ongoing and constructive cycle of dialogue.

Formative assessments can do more than predict student achievement on high-stakes examinations. Learn how to choose and use formative assessments that can impact day-to-day lesson planning and inform differentiated student learning.

Key to the improvement of teaching and learning is high quality professional development. Learn about the design of professional development systems that improve practice through persistent and coherent teacher learning and that align district, school, and classroom level work.

PEER I: Critical Elements for Instructional Improvement - A Mapping Workshop

Map the 24 measurable and actionable elements of a school system that influence the quality of teaching and student learning. Determine which elements are the most powerful for changing leadership and teaching practices and for achieving improved student learning results in your district. Use the process with staff to develop improvement strategies to increase commitment to existing initiatives.

PEER II: Baseline Assessment of District Capacity for Instructional Improvement

Assess how well elements of your system are functioning to achieve your improvement goals. This web-based formative assessment system surveys current practices of instructional role groups about their work, the support they receive, and the support they provide, revealing an accurate picture of district capacity for instructional improvement.

PEER III: Measuring the Implementation and Impact of Instructional Improvement

PEER provides an in-depth formative assessment for improvement strategies in mathematics or English language arts that, in addition to student achievement, measures content-specific leadership practice, teaching practice, teacher knowledge, beliefs and skills, professional community and professional development.