What’s Working in Your Classrooms? A Midyear Reflection Guide for School Leaders

By midway through the school year, leaders and educators have gathered valuable insight into what is effective in their districts and schools, and identified where students and teachers may need extra support. This moment offers an opportunity to take action on that reflection.

To support leaders in taking action on their reflections, NIET developed a midyear reflection guide designed for school leaders and instructional coaches looking to lead strengths-based conversations with their teams using a research-based process. This resource builds on instructional strengths already happening in the classroom so that educators can be more effective in the second half of the year.

View the Guide

What Are Leaders Asking? 

As school leaders and coaches reflect on the first half of the year, they may be asking questions like: 

• What instructional strategies have I seen this semester that led to strong student engagement and ownership?
• How have teachers tried new approaches - and how did we respond or recognize those efforts?
• Which teacher strengths could be leveraged more broadly across the building?
• How can we recognize effective practice while also encouraging continued growth?
• What structures already exist that allow teachers to learn from one another?
• What structures already exist that allow teachers to share and build on strong instructional practice within the school? 

Using these reflective questions, leaders can facilitate strengths-based conversations with teachers to spread best practices across their buildings. Another helpful resource for teachers working to strengthen areas of instruction is the EE PASS video library of classroom lessons, which provides opportunities to view, reflect on, and discuss effective instruction in action.

As schools look to support students in meeting their year-end goals, the midyear reflection guide offers leaders a thoughtful way to visualize steps to success and turn reflection into action, ensuring progress continues across all classrooms.