Supporting Student Success

One of the painful realities in K-12 education is that new tools and programs rarely come with enough professional development or coaching for teachers. It’s not a surprise why. Training educators is expensive and hard to scale. Which means solution providers are dissuaded from overinvesting in it, because it’s bad for business. But when we skip it: 1. Teachers feel overwhelmed and pulled in too many directions. They are inundated with “solutions” but aren’t given a clear vision for how to integrate them into their classrooms. 2. Budgets are wasted on solutions that sit idle or unutilized. 3. Even promising solutions end up being implemented ineffectively, sometimes hurting rather than helping student outcomes. For any initiative to truly make a difference in K-12 education, we must invest as much in supporting educators as we do in creating the solutions themselves

Some thoughts from recent discussions and observations: 1. A lot of teaching is too abstract and out of context for weakest learners. Not enough scene setting—images, videos, real objects, experiences, stories, concrete examples—make it real, concrete, vivid. Spell it out. 2. Modelling is a process that should only end when everyone can do what you’re modelling. They all need a chance to do it, so you need to check they all can. Reteach and scaffold as needed—but at least check. Can *everyone* do the equation, paragraph, explanation, skill? 3. It’s so common for a few students’ answers to be taken as representative of the class. Show-me boards, proper structured pair talk, or full circulation checks ensure all students think, practice, make meaning; you have to do these things or else you have no idea how it’s going. 4. Too much retrieval practice assumes we’re at the ‘strengthening connections’ phase when actually many students simply don’t understand the material at all. Quizzing must reveal wrong answers leading to reteaching. Green penning isn’t teaching. Design RP for a high success rate. 5. We underplay the need for extensive rehearsal and repetition. For example, one student gives a half-decent answer; they are not asked to improve it, and nobody else is asked. Versus pair talk being used so every single student is answering, and sampled responses are probed and deepened.

It's surprising how much poor collaboration between departments can cause issues in higher education. When communication breaks down, it affects students, faculty, and staff alike. Take scheduling, for example. When different departments don't coordinate class times, students may face conflicting schedules, making it hard to take required courses. This can delay graduation and increase frustration. Another issue is the lack of shared resources. If departments don't communicate, students might not know about available labs, workshops, or tutoring services that could help them succeed. This lack of information can leave students feeling unsupported. Faculty collaboration is also crucial. Without collaboration, professors from different fields can miss interdisciplinary courses or research opportunities, which limits students' exposure to diverse perspectives and real-world problem-solving skills. Poor collaboration can mean inefficiencies for administrative staff in handling student services like financial aid, housing, or academic advising. It creates bottlenecks and confusion, affecting the overall student experience. We need to foster better communication and collaboration across all areas of our institutions. This will allow us to provide a well-rounded experience that benefits everyone involved. It truly takes a village to assure student success, and every department and person is important, impactful and a part of the student journey toward success! What steps can we take to improve inter-departmental collaboration in higher education? Have you seen successful strategies in action?

Universities and colleges put enormous effort into welcoming new students. Orientation weeks are colourful, busy, and full of opportunities to connect, but research shows that the sense of belonging students gain in those early days often fades as the semester progresses. The challenge, and opportunity, is for practitioners to design approaches that sustain belonging beyond the first few weeks. A recent study (International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being, October 2024) examined how students navigate educational transitions and highlighted the importance of realistic preparation, sustained connection, and the role of educators in shaping belonging. Drawing on the study, here are five domains to guide practice: 1️⃣ Prepare by setting realistic expectations. Too often, students arrive with glossy images of university life, only to feel blindsided by the pace, workload, or challenges of forming new friendships. Providing honest, balanced information before arrival helps normalise difficulty and reduce the shock of transition. Examples could include current student or alumni-led Q&A sessions, “What I wish I’d known” videos and resources.   2️⃣ Connect by creating micro-moments not just big events. Large welcome events can spark initial excitement, but belonging is sustained through everyday micro-connections - someone to sit with in class, a lecturer remembering your name, a peer inviting you to coffee. Encourage tutors to use ice breakers beyond week one, support student leaders to facilitate ongoing low-barrier activities that foster peer and staff connection like weekly walks or shared study sessions. 3️⃣ Empower educations as ‘belonging builders.’ The research reinforces that educators play a critical role in student wellbeing. Approachability, empathy, and inclusivity from teaching staff often matter as much as peer friendships. Small practices like checking in, learning names, or acknowledging diverse perspectives can have outsized impact. 4️⃣ Integrate by addressing compounding transitions. Academic demands, social shifts, housing changes, and wellbeing challenges often overlap. Students rarely experience these in isolation, and when combined, they intensify stress and risk of disengagement. Consider integrated and holistic advising models where academic, wellbeing, and housing staff collaborate to support students. 5️⃣ Monitor, recognising loneliness as an early signal Finally, loneliness is often the first indicator of deeper wellbeing issues. Monitoring connection levels can provide an early warning system for support. Use pulse surveys, quick check-ins in tutorials, or digital tools to flag students at risk of isolation, paired with clear referral and early intervention pathways (e.g., peer connectors, student mentors, proactive outreach). 🔗 Read the full study: https://lnkd.in/gjvUH6sa

Identifying and Supporting 'Learners of concern' In every classroom, approximately one in eight children may have additional learning needs, often categorised under terms like Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD), Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEN/D), or more recently, referred to under the broader and more inclusive terms of neurodiversity and neurodivergence. Recognising and supporting these learners can sometimes be challenging due to constraints like time, resources, or the subtlety of their needs. Understanding 'learners of concern' 'Learners of concern' are students who may not have a formal diagnosis but show signs that they might benefit from additional support. These signs could be academic, behavioural, or social and are often noticed by teachers, parents, or the learners themselves. Without identification and proper support, these students may face significant barriers to learning and development. How can we help? The Do-IT Schools Profiler is an innovative tool designed to facilitate the identification and support of these learners in a nuanced and effective manner. Here’s how it can help: Early identification: The Profiler provides a systematic way to assess students who may require additional support. By screening for a wide range of learning needs, it helps in identifying learners who might otherwise go unnoticed. Child-centred guidance: Once a learner is identified, the Profiler offers tailored recommendations and strategies to help the SENCO and classroom teacher. This personalised approach ensures that interventions meet the specific needs of the child, enhancing their learning experience and outcomes. Cost and time efficiency: Screening all children in a classroom may not always be feasible. The Do-IT Schools Profiler focuses on those who exhibit potential signs of learning challenges, making the process more manageable and focused. Support for teachers and parents: The Profiler equips teachers and parents with insights and tools to better understand and support their students and children. This collaborative approach fosters a supportive learning environment both at school and at home. Enhancing educational equity: By providing targeted support to those who need it most, the Profiler helps in levelling the playing field, ensuring that all students, regardless of their learning needs, have the opportunity to succeed. The transition towards recognising and supporting neurodiversity in schools is crucial. With tools like the Do-IT Schools Profiler, educators can ensure that every child receives the attention and support they need to thrive in their educational journey.

𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲. It’s not just about money. Here’s why: Imagine being in a place where you feel: • Unsupported • Unseen • Unimportant • Overwhelmed • Undervalued • Misunderstood • Isolated • Overlooked • Disrespected • Unappreciated • Ignored • Stressed Not great, right? Now imagine a place where you feel: • Valued • Encouraged • Connected • Respected • Supported • Motivated • Confident • Inspired • Trusted • Appreciated • Heard • Safe That's the power of investing in people. It’s more than just providing resources. → It’s about creating opportunities. → It’s about fostering growth. → It’s about building a supportive environment. It matters so much. Because investing in people leads to better outcomes. And empowered individuals are more productive. ☑ They are more committed to their goals. ☑ They bring innovative ideas. ☑ They contribute positively to the community. ☑ They achieve greater success. Leaders, take note! You are the catalysts for this change. You set the standard with your: → Vision → Actions → Leadership And, with the culture you create. Want to see real progress? Want to empower aspiring students? Start by investing in people so they can feel: • Supported • Included • Trusted • Valued Here’s how: 1. Offer Guidance Provide mentorship and support. 2. Build Trust Be transparent. Keep promises. Trust their potential. 3. Recognize Efforts Celebrate achievements, big and small. 4. Support Growth Provide opportunities for learning and development. 5. Prioritize Well-Being Ensure a balance between work and life. 6. Encourage Collaboration Foster a sense of community and belonging. 7. Lead by Example Be inspiring. Be fair. Be supportive. With these steps, you can transform lives. And create a thriving community. It’s not just good for individuals. It’s good for society, too. Invest in people. Make it count."

This is a great insights paper published by myfuture for anyone who supports young people on the autism spectrum. Young people on the autism spectrum face unique barriers in the education to employment transition. The rate of participation in work among autistic individuals of working age is considerably poorer than for non-autistic individuals and those living with disability. But with the right support, they can thrive! ✨ This report highlights five evidence-based principles to help educators and supporters guide young people on the autism spectrum toward meaningful futures: ⭐Encouraging big dreams ⭐Starting transition planning early ⭐Adolescent-centred planning ⭐Focus on the big picture about work ⭐Having a supportive champion Tools like myWAY Employability and inclusionED offer practical, strength-based resources to make career planning more effective and inclusive. I will add the link to the insights paper - Career planning for students on the autism spectrum in the comments below, as well as the links to the myWAY Employability and inclusionED websites in the comments below 👇 if anyone is interested in exploring these resources. #inclusiveeducationandemploment @autismspectrum @careerdevelopment

Most institutions aren’t capable of change because they haven’t built the infrastructure for it. Colleges and universities are filled with brilliant ideas and purpose-driven employees. Yet, these organizations fail to execute strategies – including critical student success initiatives – because the necessary structural and cultural supports aren’t in place. In my book Essential Practices for Organizational Change in Higher Education, I discuss organizational change capacity as a core competency of innovative and adaptive higher education institutions. I break down the concept into three key components: opportunity, motivation, and capability. -Opportunity is the plausibility of a change and involves factors that prompt or foster a change initiative. -Motivation is the meaningfulness of a change and activates an individual’s drive to participate in a change process. -Capability is the do-ability of a change and comprises the physical, technical, and psychological assets that enable individuals to engage in change-related activities. Oftentimes, senior leaders address opportunity and motivation adequately. They’ve conducted a force field analysis and determined there were sufficient factors in favor of advancing a new strategy, and they’ve aligned the need for change with what their stakeholders value. Leaders feel decisive and excited, but that doesn’t mean their organization is ready. Too little too late, leaders observe the initiative stalling. At first, they can’t quite put their finger on the problem. “This strategy made sense. People rallied around it. What’s going on?” If this sounds familiar, chances are, you have a do-ability problem. -Your lack of enterprise portfolio management is causing change saturation and fatigue. -Your insufficient staffing to support employees’ endless straddling of project work and operational work burnt them out. -Your inaccurate assumption that people inherently understand what’s expected of them and how to do it led to their confusion and low confidence. -Your lack of technology to enable streamlined messaging led to communication gaps. -Your depleted professional development funds translated to middle managers having no idea how to lead change in their localized contexts. -Your informal decision-making practices led to a lack of ownership, dead ends, and no accountability. In the end, change didn’t take hold across the organization because you failed to enable the change process with capability. Change is inescapable, but it does not need to be volatile. Deliberately creating a change-ready and resilient environment buffers the disruption that change causes for faculty, staff, and managers. Prioritizing organizational change capacity and resourcing the infrastructure necessary for capability is the key to reducing the pain points of institutional change and unlocking the collective potential of impacted stakeholders. 

Here's a cheat sheet to support special education students, ideal for teachers, therapists, and caregivers. It includes strategies, accommodations, and communication tips—simple and practical! 📘 Cheat Sheet: Supporting Special Education Students For teachers, therapists, and support staff 🧠 Understand the Student ✔️ Read the IEP (Individualized Education Plan) ✔️ Know their strengths and needs ✔️ Learn their triggers and calming strategies ✔️ Build rapport and trust 🤝 🛠️ Classroom Strategies 🔤 Instructional Supports ✅ Use visuals (charts, symbols, schedules) ✅ Break tasks into small steps ✅ Repeat & rephrase instructions ✅ Use multi-sensory teaching (see 👀, hear 👂, touch ✋) 📚 Academic Supports ✅ Extra time for assignments ✅ Modified workload ✅ Use assistive tech (text-to-speech, audiobooks) 🧘 Behavioral & Emotional Support ✅ Use calm tone & clear expectations ✅ Offer choices to reduce power struggles ✅ Use positive reinforcement 🎉 ✅ Provide break options (sensory corner, quiet time) 🗣️ Communication Tips ✔️ Use clear, simple language ✔️ Allow processing time ✔️ Use visuals or gestures 🖼️ ✔️ Confirm understanding ("Can you show me what to do?") 🧩 Collaboration 👨👩👦 Work closely with families 📅 Hold regular meetings with the IEP team 🤝 Collaborate with therapists (OT, speech, PT, etc.) ❤️ Build an Inclusive Environment 🌍 Celebrate differences 🫂 Encourage peer support & empathy 📣 Promote strengths and talents 🔁 Daily Routine Ideas ⏰ Visual schedule 📦 Morning check-ins 📕 Preview of changes ⭐ End-of-day review Would you like this turned into a printable Ms word, a visual graphic, or adapted for a specific age group (e.g., preschool, high school)? #specialkids#occupationaltherapy#specialeducation#speechtherapist#abatherapist#socialpost

Walls don’t have to stop learning! They show us where to focus. I created an infographic that maps eight common learning barriers (lack of motivation; learning disabilities; language barriers; socioeconomic issues; emotional problems; poor teaching methods; classroom environment; physical barriers) and pairs each with practical, actionable strategies to help learners break through. Why this matters: barriers are rarely single‑cause problems. When we match targeted supports (assistive tech, language resources, counseling, flexible teaching methods, accessible materials) with small, consistent habits, learners gain momentum and confidence. A simple approach to start: pick one barrier you see in your classroom or organization, try one small habit for two weeks, track progress, then reflect and adjust. Small wins compound. If you work in education, training, HR, or community programs share one barrier you’re tackling and one strategy that’s helped. Let’s build more inclusive pathways together. #LearningBarriers #InclusiveEducation #EducationEquity #StudentSuccess #GrowthMindset #Accessibility #TeachingStrategies #EdTech #MentalHealth #LifelongLearning