Making HQIM Work
From Adoption to Implementation: Making HQIM Work
We're glad schools are adopting high-quality instructional materials (HQIM). Some schools are seeing significant academic gains after HQIM adoption, but most aren't.
There are five big challenges:
The materials are not teacher-friendly. Often, a teacher has to sift through multiple PDFs and other materials to make sense of the day's lesson.
There is too much fluff. Some curricula, even those rated green, fall in love with KWL (what I know, what I want to know, what I learned) charts, "extension" activities that aren't text-based or rigorous, and activities that just aren't that meaty.
There is too much each day. Related to #2, too many lessons are impossible to get through in the allotted time.
The "meat" of the lesson isn't clearly marked.
The result? Teachers spend way too much time planning (#1) without intellectually preparing for the meat of the lesson (#4) and then spend far too much time on ancillary activities (#2) for lessons that are days or weeks behind the pacing guide (#3).
The solution? You have your curriculum, now it's about how teachers use it. Teachers should do the intellectual prep that will help them focus on the most productive struggle:
Do all the student work
Identify the 2-3 meatiest sections of the lesson
Create criteria for success (what great work must look like) and a misconceptions/response plan for those meaty sections
Mark time stamps to ensure lesson pacing focuses on the most productive struggle.
What's Most Important Right Now?
Winning on the Rigor Arc
Teacher Intellectual Prep: Teachers should be adjusting pacing in their lesson to ensure they are spending the MOST time on the MOST rigorous content in the lesson.
Leader Coaching: The most proven way to help teachers get better faster is through real-time-coaching. Why wait to give feedback when you can give feedback in the moment and watch the teacher implement it? Better yet, step in and model for the teacher so they can see the vision of excellence in action.
Grade Level Bar: Coaches should be observing with a laser-like focus on the quality of verbal and written responses and whether they include evidence, complete, sentences, and discipline-specific vocabulary.
Physical Space: Criteria for success and a word wall should be up in each room so that teachers and students can refer to it to ensure their responses are top quality. Don't forget to infuse a bit of joy into the physical space and incorporate seasonal decorations for the fall!
Adult Culture: You've already done your listening tour, and now is the time to make sure your staff knows that you are doing something about it! Report out weekly (in a whole staff PD or email) what you have been doing based on their feedback. This not only makes adult culture stronger, but also builds trust in leadership.
A Simply Great Resource
We know that pacing can be a challenge, especially when it comes to winning on rigor.
The good news? We have countless resources to help your leadership teams master the art of real-time-coaching, including practicing scenarios in response to videos.
Check out a slide from one of these resources below, which focuses on real time coaching on pacing.
Click here to see a real-time-coaching practice scenario!
How Can We Work Together?
Leader Curriculum: Our ready-to-use leadership curriculum saves leaders hundreds of planning hours while boosting retention and achievement through 50+ scripted PDs, practice clinics, and coaching tools.
Curriculum Implementation: We partner with schools nationwide to bring math and ELA materials to life, helping teams deliver instruction that drives measurable achievement gains.
1-on-1 Coaching: From superintendents to APs, we coach leaders at every level to run great schools, grow great teachers, and deliver great results for kids.
Keynote Speaking: We’ve inspired and equipped leaders at conferences and PD days with practical, immediately actionable insights that spark motivation and results.
Cohorts: Our customized leadership cohorts rapidly build skills through a blend of live PD, coaching, site visits, and robust resources that create lasting impact.