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Click on the plus icon in the bottom right hand corner of the screen.

On the pop-up, add your name, Q1, then record a connection to, the first quote and teacher leadership

On a second pop-up, add your name, Q2, then record a connection to, the second quote and teacher leadership

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I feel like a broken record every time I bring up backwards design, but I truly this the first quote connects to this strategy. Killion writes, "...they tend to focus on what to do rather than the results they want to achieve. Process becomes more important than results." If we focus entirely too much on the process, we lose sight of the goal. We can do interim testing and summative testing all day long, but if we aren't using the data to drive change within our instruction, it's all for nothing. Rather than only "doing," we must also be cognizant of the desired results and use our goals to drive the process-- not the other way around.

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Often times as leaders, we are called upon to make what I call "game time" decisions; these decisions happen in the moment and we have to make a judgement call. If we want, as teacher leaders, to make the best possible judgement call or game time decision, we must also be incredibly aware and involved in the practices and processes happening. For example, if a teacher asks for advice with a student, but you don't have the entire story, you cannot possibly make the most optimal suggestions. By being involved in the processes, we can assist others with keeping the focus on the desired end goal.

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I've said this several times, but you have to look at your "end game" first. You have to understand your goals, standards and objectives for your students - as well as "what's next?". If you don't have a clear understanding of what the students are expected to be able to learn and do by the time they reach the end of their time with you, you are not going to understand how to plan and teach to ensure learning. The same concept applies to teacher leadership and helping novice teachers. Teacher leaders need to first examine the goals and objectives for their novice teachers before they can help guide them throughout the year. The "end game" should be the first thing on any teacher leader's mind when it comes to planning and helping other teachers grow so that other teachers can build a classroom of life-long learners.

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I believe beginning with the end in mind is the best way to view lesson planning and learning. If we do not have a solid understanding of the objective of the lesson, how will we know if we're on track? Regarding teacher leadership, it is imperative that we be the example for this. Using data to drive our next steps or determine if we need to intervene before moving forward. We have to be "big picture" oriented, even with our colleagues. If we spend all our time nit-picking the small things happening in the process, we easily lose sight of the end goal which is high impact for the students.

For example, in my grade level content team, we look at the end of module writing assignment FIRST and plan backwards to ensure that students receive all they need to before arriving at that last task.

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I really do love this quote! Yes - results must be the driver. When teacher leaders are helping both students and other novice teachers, they have to not only look at what the objective will be, but also have an understanding of how they will know when their students/novices have achieved their goal. Again, a teacher leader must first look at the "end game". Then they must plan and create high quality instruction. Then, they must assess learning. After assessing learning, they must evaluate the results and determine if their students/novices met the results. If not, they must be reflective and consider what needs to be changed so that their students/novices achieve their goals and objectives. I think that, as teachers and leaders, we are so pressured by outside sources and time constraints that it is very tempting to skip over the evaluation and reflective practices of teaching. However, skipping over these steps is what separates the novice teachers from the master teachers and leaders!

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Beginning with the end in mind is essential for planning strong instruction. I often find myself looking ahead to the assessment first so I can design lessons that align with what I ultimately want students to know and be able to do. This clarity helps ensure that every activity and interaction serves a purpose.

I’ve noticed that many novice teachers resist this mindset at first. When I ask, “What do you want them to know?” or remind them to begin with the end in mind, I often hear, “We aren’t there yet!” But that is exactly where we need to start. Without a clear destination, instruction can become disconnected and less effective. As teacher leaders, it is our responsibility to help others see that strong planning starts with clear outcomes, not just engaging activities.

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"Because many who work in professional learning are action-oriented, they tend to focus on what to do rather than the results they want to achieve. Process becomes more important than results."

So often when we do not have the end goal in mind, we can get bogged down in the details and the steps and ultimately never learn any of the things necessary to achieve the goal at hand. I believe that one thing that enables teacher leaders to be leaders is their ability to see the big picture. To recognize that there must be a clearly defined end goal -- here is what it looks like-- and the steps to get there are important, but sometimes the steps might not occur in the way that one originally planned. While others might allow that lack of sequential order to derail the end result, a teacher leader is able to go with the flow, because the end goal is ALWAYS clear... so that if a side-track happens, it is easy to bring everyone-- the students, themselves, their colleagues, etc.-- back on track.

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A true teacher leader does not only what the process to go well, but also wants the end result to be prevalent at all time to support students through the path of learning. It is necessary to assess throughout the process to determine the goal is still appropriate, the process was correct, or a need to change is necessary. True leadership accommodates and adjusts for successes and failures throughout a process to get the best and most successful results to reach the end results. It is always, "WHY" are we teaching what we are teaching. We can not lose sight of our goal, it is what drives our instructions, providing data to drive change.

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I took this quote two different ways; one way as a classroom teacher and one way as a mentor. Evaluation is imperative. If we do not evaluate our students (formative and summative), there's no way for us to know if they are mastering standards. Just the same, if we're not evaluating our teachers, how can we know they are highly effective? Feedback is SO important and the ability to accept it is even more important. Knowing the end goal is essential, but also knowing there are steps to that goal and opportunities to adjust is crucial also. The teachers who take the feedback and implement new or different strategies are the ones that have the greatest impact. Without reflection, I don't believe a teacher can be highly effective and impactful.

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As a teacher leader, we must be focused on results and outcomes. If students are not learning, then the process isn't effective. We have to plan and teach with the end in mind. Effective teacher leaders use data to drive their instruction and are always asking themselves if and how the students are progressing toward the intended outcome.

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"Leaders of professional learning who integrate evaluation into their normative practice make more informed decisions, respond more quickly to challenges that may interfere with results, use clearly defined outcomes as the primary measure of their success, and keep a laser-like focus on these results. When results are the driver, expectations are clearer and efforts are more aligned.”

Teacher leaders who acknowledge that assessment is key to recognize learning and growth-- and that all assessment does not look the same-- are much more likely to keep their fingers on the pulse of their students and colleagues they may be assisting. Frequent evaluative practices enable teacher leaders to assess the understanding at that moment, so that they can adjust and adapt to meet the needs of those they are assisting. To do this, they must be willing to be flexible and to incorporate sets of instructions or steps which are diverse, clear, and illustrative. When this is achieved-- because the end is always the focus-- the teacher leader can reach a wide variety of learners without loss of focus or frustration because the snowball effect of a small misunderstanding turning into a major mistake is avoided.

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Remember when Dena mentioned the number of 'tries' we get on our tasks for this class? If students do not understand a concept, we must give them another opportunity to learn it. Re-teach it. Too often, we feel pressured by timelines and pacing guides, but if students do not truly understand, we cannot simply move on.

This is where we can become creative with assessment. How else can students demonstrate what they know? What different opportunities can we provide for them to show their learning? Mastery should be the goal, not just coverage.

The same principle applies when working with novice teachers. If a new teacher—or even a seasoned teacher learning something new—does not understand an instructional strategy, we must teach it differently. Model it. Guide them through it. Give them practice. Support them until they succeed. Instructional leadership, like classroom teaching, requires patience, flexibility, and a commitment to mastery.

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A true leader will always monitor and adjust during learning, evaluating students learning constantly to see strengths and weaknesses and plan for interventions or extensions to support them. An evaluating teacher always reflects on their own teacher and next steps in adjusting instruction. It relates to Q1, in that a lot of times teachers can get caught up in the process and lose the target. It is necessary to recognize the required supports and adjust instruction to continue effective teaching to reach that end result.

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You have to know the purpose of what you are going through. What is our end goal? What results are we seeking? The process is pointless if you don't have a promiseland to reach. We are all moving towards the same goal not just doing tasks to check boxes. If I am action oriented, I should understand that my actions must have a purpose and be based off of what the data shows me I need to do. I can't take action if I don't know why I am doing what I am trying to do. We have to make sure what we are doing is working and be able to adjust where needed. As teacher leaders, we must lead this work and show our teams why we are doing what we are doing.

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I absolutely agree with this quote. This is what we should do and focus on as teacher leaders. We must evaluate the work that we are doing and use that data to determine our next steps. If what we are doing is working, great. However, if it is not, we must analyze the data to see why it is not working and take the steps to fix it. Then evaluate again to see if that worked. The goal is success for all students so we must look at what the data says and adjust accordingly. This will keep everyone on the same page and eliminate how we feel and what we think. It's not what we think or feel it's what does the data show us.

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This is a great quote. If only every teacher used data to drive their instruction and then evaluate their own teaching practices against student outcomes, then our state would be in a different place in regard to student achievement. If a student is not learning, we must reflect on our teaching and ask ourselves- what is working, what isn't working and how do I know? A teacher leader is reflective and always keeping the end in mind. Our actions influence student learning. Learning outcomes must be our measure for success. If a student isn't learning, it is our job to determine why and what next steps we will take to ensure high impact instruction is being delivered.

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"Because many who work in professional learning are action-oriented, they tend to focus on what to do rather than the results they want to achieve. Process becomes more important than results."

I am one who is so guilty of getting lost in the weeds. I overanalyze, overthink, and constantly worry about whether or not I am doing the right thing, even though I know that is the complete opposite of what I should be doing. I know that I have been taught to start with my end goal. What do I want my students to learn? How will I know they've learned it? Then, use the data to drive my instruction and in the end, reflect on what the students did or did not learn. What should I have changed or done differently, and how am I going to make that happen? I know that if I'm not setting the example of starting wit the end goal in mind, then I cannot expect anyone to. This is such a great reminder for myself.

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This quote resonates with me for many reasons. First as an executer, I sometimes lose sight the end goal because I am so wrap up in executing. Over my years in education, I have learned the value of collecting meaningful data that will help plan interventions, enrichment, and tier 1 instruction. When we lose sight of this aspect students suffer and our schools suffer. It becomes more of a "I taught this. Let's move on" as opposed to "Did my students learn this? Do I need to reteach? Do I need to extend?"

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"Leaders of professional learning who integrate evaluation into their normative practice make more informed decisions, respond more quickly to challenges that may interfere with results, use clearly defined outcomes as the primary measure of their success, and keep a laser-like focus on these results. When results are the driver, expectations are clearer and efforts are more aligned.”

I love the first part of the quote that talks about leaders in professional learning integrate evaluation into their practice make more informed decisions. I think this is so true. When we as teachers or teacher leaders are integrating evaluation into our everyday practice, the data becomes much more clear. It is easier to spot what's working, what isn't working, or what may need a little tweaking. A teacher who is constantly integrating evaluation, is one who is always reflecting. I believe reflecting on teaching and best practices is crucial in regards to being successful. It helps not only us as teachers become successful, but it ensures that our students can and will be successful, too.

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I loved, "When results are the driver, expectations are clearer and efforts are more aligned." To me this is both for students and teachers (novice or otherwise). When we plan instruction for our students, we must start with the end in mind. This sets a clear expectation of where we are going and how we will get there - similar to working a maze backwards! When we plan to meet with our novice teachers/colleagues, we need to have a goal of what we want to achieve so that we can articulate it clearly to them. Feedback for both students and colleagues need to be specific to their needs which requires evaluations. Evaluations have gotten a bad wrap over the years as a "gotcha," but we learn best from our mistakes and from getting feedback that is specific to our needs.

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These quotes remind me that teacher leadership can’t be just “doing all the things” (meetings, protocols, activities). If we don’t start with the results we want for students and teachers, the process becomes the goal and we can be busy without making real progress.

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As a teacher leader, building evaluation into normal practice keeps the focus on impact. When we use clear outcomes and evidence (student work, quick data, observation look-fors), we can adjust faster, give more targeted support, and keep everyone aligned on what success actually looks like.

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This quote reminds teacher leaders to stay focused on outcomes rather than just activities. It can be easy to plan meetings, trainings, and initiatives without clearly defining what success should look like. Teacher leaders play an important role in keeping teams grounded in the purpose of professional learning by asking: How will this improve instruction and student learning? When leaders keep results at the center, professional learning becomes more meaningful and intentional.

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It is very important to focus on the results that you are wanting to achieve and base your instructions around the end game. This makes your planning/lessons more intentional and gives you a pacing guide. Beginning with the end in mind allows you to see which students are struggling or excelling. Then you are able to navigate your instruction/small group around the needs. This helps you prevent getting to the end goal and then realizing how many of your students are not understanding the concepts.

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This quote highlights how evaluation strengthens professional learning. Teacher leaders who regularly reflect on results can adjust quickly, support colleagues more effectively, and keep teams aligned around shared goals. By defining clear outcomes and monitoring progress, teacher leaders help ensure that professional learning leads to real improvement in instruction and student success rather than simply completing tasks.

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It is easy to get caught up in the motions of teaching and not focus on student achievement. We as teachers need to look at the end goal and make adjustments as needed. If we set clear expectations for our students based on learning, we should see the student results that we want to achieve. If we focus on a check off list of things to do each unit, then we lose sight of student learning.

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Many times, as a teacher we tend to get bogged down by the routine and the compliance of lesson planning and daily objectives that we forget to take into consideration the end result. If we do not stop to consider the end result first, then we really have no sense of direction. Teaching should be like driving to a destination. We plug in the end address in our GPS and then we follow the step-by-step directions to get there. If we know the student learning outcome we want to achieve, we have the destination, now we can plan the steps to get there. If we focus on the process, then we can ultimately lose the objective because the process may fit will in our daily lesson but not connect to our overall standard or goal.

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Teachers who use this practice are more intentional in their teaching. This allows teachers to use results as guide. Teachers know where they are needing to go and the students are also made aware of the end-game. I do feel like new teachers can feel overwhelmed with all that is asked of them and are just trying to get by with teaching the lesson and moving on, but what they do no realize is both them and the students are going to suffer. The teacher is going to work just as hard and have no results/direction/progress.

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This quote reminds me that it is easy to get caught up in doing activities or checking off the boxes on a checklist. As a teacher leader, it is important to begin with the end in mind. Focus on the results and student growth not just the process and plan on how to get there. Good teacher leaders are able to look at data and see if what they are doing is working and if not they are able to make changes so that student learning is taking place.

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I think we often focus heavily on the "how" rather than the "what," (which both are important)! But backwards design/beginning with the end in mind is critical because we need to make sure we understand WHAT we are wanting our students to learn, then we are able to take clear steps to get there. I've seen myself as well as others get so caught up in the "how" that we really aren't even focusing on the actual end goal anymore and we end up veering off into other things rather than staying focused on what that learning goal is... I remember a mentor telling us to know our standard and "stay in your lane" meaning don't too low (below grade level), too high (above grade level), or dipping into other standards (things that our current standard are not asking).

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Many teacher leaders are "take action" or goal-driven people. It is really easy to get caught up in the planning and hyper-focus on the details of how something will be accomplished. Sometimes during the process, we forget that the results are the most important step. Instruction can only be meaningful if it directly connects to the outcome that we are working toward. This desired outcome has to drive the process. It is at the core of every decision that is made during planning. Teacher leaders need to be able to support other teachers in seeing the "big picture" by modeling using assessment as a driving force for their instruction.

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Beginning with the end in mind is so important for planning instruction. This allows for learning to be purposeful, measurable and aligned. We need to start with what results do we want to see from this. "What do I want them to know?", not what do we think students will learn if we try it this way.

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Teachers and teacher leaders need to stay reflective and focused on student learning. The best way to know if students are truly learning is by looking closely at our own instruction and the work students produce. When we take time to review lessons, analyze student work, and check the data, we can make small adjustments that lead to big growth.

Reflection shouldn’t be something we do once in a while — it should be part of our daily routine. When we regularly check for understanding and respond to what we see, our teaching becomes more intentional and effective.

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Evaluating your teaching practices helps to make daily and long-term decisions based on what is effective and beneficial to learning. By doing this, the teacher is relying on student data, observation evidence, feedback, and measurable outcomes rather than, opinions, assumptions, and traditions. This allows the teaching practices to be adaptable and flexible to challenges because the expectations are clear and the effort is aligned to an end outcome. The end product of results being the driver is student growth and teacher practice improvement. Results help us ultimately to refine our practice not to measure our worth as a teacher.

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Using results as the driver of instruction means being intentional. If we are focused on evaluating results, we are deepening our understanding of what is working and what is not. It is not possible to grow as an educator if we are not willing to face the fact that changes sometimes need to be made. Teacher leaders need to remember this when they are giving feedback to other teachers and students as well. We want to provide feedback that is helpful and will lead to reflection.

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This quote emphasizes that effective teachers regularly check that their planning and instructional results are promoting growth in their students. In doing this, we are not only able to better guide our students to their desired outcomes but also help to guide others in how to monitor and adjust their planning and delivery as well.

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One of my professors in college would always repeat, "monitor & adjust." Teacher leaders have to be able to monitor along the way to the end goal and adjust if something is not working. Having a clear expectation for the end game allows teachers to be able to make these changes quickly should they arise so that the focus continues to be on student learning.

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The importance of regularly analyzing student data, monitoring the information and reflecting on it afterwards is another connection I found. Teachers need to be able to make informed decisions and be able to adjust quickly when strategies are not meeting the quality we are desiring. We are looking for student growth not just a finished product.

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I see this first quote as Process vs. Results. The idea that professional learning can sometimes become overly focused on process rather than outcomes. In education, we often attend trainings with the intention of improvement, but without clearly defining the desired impact on student learning, the work can feel disconnected from the reality of the classroom. Teacher leadership requires shifting the focus towards measurable results and student growth. When we keep outcomes at the center, professional learning becomes more purposeful and grounded in real needs rather than simply completing tasks.

My example is similar to others in that my team plans with the end in mind. We look at where we need to be in content in May as soon as we start in August. We adjust along the way but always keep the end goal in mind for student growth and knowledge.

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"Process becomes more important than results." I like this part of the quote the most. It reminds me that I was chosen for this opportunity to help grow educators so they can grow students. When I focus on delivering best practices to educators who look to me for guidance, I have to remember it isn't just about the processes we decided on and implemented, but rather we have to remember to look at the results from the students and their growth.

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Integrating evaluation into professional learning strengthens leadership and decision making. Effective teacher leaders continuously reflect on data, feedback, and student outcomes to guide their next steps. In my experience, when results drive professional learning, expectations become clearer and collaboration becomes more focused because everyone understands the goal. Education is a career that must remain flexible because things are constantly changing and your focus is on students continued learning and understanding.

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"Use clearly defined outcomes as the primary measure." This part of the quote reminds me about the video we watched whole group, about the feedback the teacher gave to a new educator. One of the many aspects of teacher leadership is feedback. This part of the quote reminds me that our feedback to educators needs to be clear and specific for outcomes to be successful.

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If you don't know where exactly you are going, you will never get there. The same is true in education. Before you can determine your path, you have to know your destination. Being an action oriented person myself, I understand the need to jump the gun and go straight to the teaching. But you must have a strategic plan to make sure that you are on the right path.

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The most critical question teachers should ask prior to planning is “What do I want students to be able to do?”  All of their actions should be centered around this critical question.  The challenge is that most teachers want to be compliant, therefore focusing more on completing activities than on measuring their impact.  As a teacher leader, this quote reminds me that leadership is not about action, instead, it is about ensuring that every action leads to improved student outcomes.

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Data drives decisions and it allows teacher leaders to provide targeted support that is aligned toward improving student achievement.

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If we don't know where are kids are performing, we are not as effective in our planning as we could be. Consistent assessment even via classroom observation is vital in planning for engaging and effective instruction. We need to know where the gaps are so that we can bridge them and we need to know where the foundation lays so that we can build from there.

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Going back to an OLD program of Leader in Me...Begin with the end in mind! If we only have a focus of getting the job done and not what the end result will be, we are not looking at the whole picture. I'm not saying that action-oriented is not important, it just doesn't look at the big picture!

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One connection I see between these quotes and teacher leadership is the importance of staying results focused rather than task focused. As teacher leaders, it is easy to get caught up in meetings, planning documents, and professional learning activities without stopping to ask if student outcomes are actually improving. The quote reminds me that the process alone is not the goal. The real measure of our leadership is whether teacher practice improves and whether student learning increases. Teacher leaders have to consistently bring conversations back to impact, not just completion.

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The connection with this quote I found, is the idea that evaluation should be a normal part of leadership, not something separate or reactive. As a teacher leader, integrating reflection and data into our daily practice allows us to make quicker adjustments and provide more targeted support. When outcomes are clearly defined, it brings clarity to expectations and alignment across teams. This helps ensure that professional learning is intentional and directly connected to student growth rather than driven by preference or routine.

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As a special education teacher, I can get caught up in the process of creating lessons, organizing materials, following accommodations or modifications, abiding by visual schedules -- without always taking a step back to reflect on what my students are actually learning and questioning if they are making growth. As a teacher leader, I realize that my role will require me not to just model effective practices but to help if other teachers focus on the outcomes, such as student progress, engagement, and independence. It reminds me that being a teacher leader is about focusing on student learning, not just following steps.

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Knowing what outcomes are expected upfront, helps to guide the instruction. With these outcomes preset, we know how to plan our direction instruction, activities, and assessments. Data is our present and future.

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I think as a teacher leader you focus on what you can control. The hope is, if the process by which I present the content is effective, the receiver/learner will be successful. Scaffolding should be implemented in the process therefore, you can also control the outcome.

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"Leaders of professional learning who integrate evaluation into their normative practice make more informed decisions, respond more quickly to challenges that may interfere with results, use clearly defined outcomes as the primary measure of their success, and keep a laser-like focus on these results. When results are the driver, expectations are clearer and efforts are more aligned.” (Killion, 2018)

I agree with this quote. By not focusing entirely on delivering the information, but truly teaching synchronously and monitoring the learners understanding of the content allows for real time in the moment responses to challenges that may arise.

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Being a teacher leader means focusing on student learning outcomes, not just the activities that you think would be fun or cute to do. By regularly checking results, I can adjust support for teachers and students, set clear expectations, and make sure our efforts really lead to growth. Without doing those check ins, I would be going off my opinion in the hopes that gains were being made. This would set us up for failure.

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Teacher leadership involves helping teachers look beyond their actions, focusing more on their impact on students. Teacher leaders should help others learn how to effectively assess the growth of each of their students as individuals. Successes and failures, once highlighted, can then be used as the teacher returns their attention to their own actions, as they will want to prioritize the actions that were tied to positive student impact and retool or scrap the actions that proved ineffective or created negative outcomes.

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I agree that the process can become more important than the result. I know a lot of schools have data days for professional development during the summer. We study the data and make plans for improvement in weak areas, but that is only once a year. I know we have to wait on test results to dive in but it feels like once a year is not enough. My subject is not tested, so I do know that our test areas use interim data to drive instruction during the year, but I think our whole team would benefit from the results. When planning lessons, the outcome is always the goal, not the process.

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I like all the aspects of the quote, and it is all essential for teacher leadership. However, the main thing that sticks out to me is the amount of organization that is needed to make this a reality. The laser-like focus on results is because the energy needed to develop this type of organization is massive and anyone would hate to spend all that time and effort to create a system that fails to deliver the results sought. This quote also emphasizes the benefits of backward design.

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"Because many who work in professional learning are action-oriented, they tend to focus on what to do rather than the results they want to achieve. Process becomes more important than results."  (Killion, 2018)

This quote is basically saying that as professionals we do things out of compliance. We focus on the PLC meetings, staff meetings, workshops and so forth and come up with amazing plans but the action is lacking in the implementation of it.

Teacher leadership is intentional. They focus on strengthening school reform and improvement. They focus on whether or not if the activities are impacting student learning and outcomes. Teacher leadership focuses on the "Meaning" and not procedural or compliance.

The overarching goal is to move from a mindset of systematic thinking to a results oriented mindset. When "Action" takes place, so will the "Impact."

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What stands out to me about this quote is that evaluation should be integrated throughout the lesson. It should not just be a formal assessment at the end of the lesson. Using formal and informal assessments along the way allows for adjustments and modifications to ensure success. We should focus on the results, so students are clear on expectations and can align their efforts. I feel evaluation and reflection should be expected and part of the norm. The process may not look the same for everyone, but the outcome is.

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"Leaders of professional learning who integrate evaluation into their normative practice make more informed decisions, respond more quickly to challenges that may interfere with results, use clearly defined outcomes as the primary measure of their success, and keep a laser-like focus on these results. When results are the driver, expectations are clearer and efforts are more aligned.” (Killion, 2018)

This quote is directly aligned to teacher leadership. Teacher leadership is all about "putting it into action and seeing the results". When effective instructional leadership is taken place, the outcomes are good instructional practices, data driven decisions are coherent, alignment across the curricula, and strengthening accountability with all stakeholders.

Effective Teacher Leadership as stated before focuses on the results and in doing so the effectiveness of student impact and growth is evident in the daily reflections, evaluations, decision making, and etc... It will make an IMPACT if we allow it to do so.

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Sometimes it is easy to lose focus of the end goal and get bogged down in the process of getting there. We can "lose sight of the forest for the trees." Additionally, processes can become about compliance and not the results they are intended to produce. However, some processes are cumulative and necessary for long range goals. As student oriented teachers and leaders, we want to be about results. We don't want to check boxes and complete processes without understanding why they are important, how they lead us to a desired outcome, and how that outcome benefits students.

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The second quote refers to leaders of professional learning integrating evaluation into their practice. I assume this means those teachers who lead professional learning and development of other teachers. As a leader of another teacher's professional learning, the communication of evaluation can be tricky without also having the authority to make changes. However, we do want to be results oriented and make changes quickly and effectively when the products of professional learning are not ideal. In my role as an IF, this can mean pivoting mid-presentation if I realize that the content does not match my target audience. This is responsive leadership and teaching, and it does not have to be communicated directly. Without evaluation and adequate responses, the learning target may be missed.

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As teacher leader, we would need to direct our colleague that is focused on the actions of their lesson to the outcome of their lesson. We can redirect them by questioning "How will you know students are mastering the learning objective during the lesson?" "What can you add to give you this evidence?" "What are common misconceptions students make of this objective?"

As a leader, we will be tasked with providing the hard truth at times. We should always do this with kindness and respect of others. But student achievement should be at the root of all of our decisions.

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Because many who work in professional learning are action-oriented, they tend to focus on what to do rather than the results they want to achieve. Process becomes more important than results."  (Killion, 2018)

My grandfather always used to say that driving without a destination in mind is just a waste of gas. Teacher leaders need to not only be concerned with their path, but also the destination. That is what drives their actions. Both the action and results go hand in hand. Taking action and reflecting changes the path forward when you are teaching. Having a clear goal in mind helps keep focus when outside factors can influence the leaders actions. Distractions are everywhere and can pull a leader off course. The results and knowing what they want to achieve is the North Star that can get the leader back ont he right course.

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This is a great quote that all teachers should live by. Evaluation of student success should be the root of all our actions. Teachers that can keep this in the forefront of their minds will become effective teachers if they are not already. As a lead teacher, we should model this by example and move other teachers to this frame of mind. Effective teacher continuously reflect on their instruction and use student outcomes and data to drive their instruction.

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"Leaders of professional learning who integrate evaluation into their normative practice make more informed decisions, respond more quickly to challenges that may interfere with results, use clearly defined outcomes as the primary measure of their success, and keep a laser-like focus on these results. When results are the driver, expectations are clearer and efforts are more aligned.” (Killion, 2018)

Teacher leaders need to be results focused. That is the true measure of effectiveness in the classroom. Evaluations of not only their students performance, but also their own, is imperative for growth in their profession. It is how we grow as educators. What stands out to me in this quote is the connection it makes to "normative" practices. evaluation has to become second nature, not something done every now and again. It has to become a habit, or what we fall to when stressed and under pressure. Having a habit of evaluation will ensure that distractions will not take the leader off their path to the results they desire.

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As teacher leaders, we must train ourselves to begin our planning process with what we want to achieve. Begin with the end, or outcome we want to see. Doing this will guide our thinking process and the actions we take to achieve those outcomes--the true measure of success. As we become proficient with this planning technique, we can then coach others, including teachers and students, to see the value in it.

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While it has been common to design lessons first and then assessments, it is crucial that teacher leaders begin with evaluation. Beginning with defining criteria and intended outcomes allows us to determine the most effective ways to plan and present the material to ensure student success. As teacher leaders, using data from assessments can help us to make more informed decisions about our instruction and the challenges that may arise. It will improve our practice, which creates a ripple effect to our students, fellow teachers, and school.

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Data decision making drives effective lesson planning and preparation. Without knowing the student learning outcomes, it is impossible to know what students have learned. By using clearly defined outcomes, leaders of professional learning are able to make informed decisions as they relate to student achievement. For example, when planning for improving student achievement with Level 1 students on the ATLAS test, it was critical to determine what were the difficulties students had with the test. Was it content?

Was it the testing platform? Was it testing vocabulary? By utilizing practice tests and informal assessments, it was determined that these students do not have a grasp on the comprehension required of a test question-literacy or mathematics. Planning for instruction to teach students these skills is important in building their confidence and reducing their anxiety.

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Killion’s statement highlights a common challenge in teacher leadership—focusing on activities and initiatives rather than the outcomes they are intended to produce.

As an ILT, this was a gentler reminder for me to begin coaching cycles and PLCs with clear student and teacher impact goals. When the focus shifts from “what we are doing” to “what results we want to see in student learning and teacher practice,” teacher leadership becomes more purposeful, measurable, and aligned to instructional improvement.

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Killion’s 2nd quote resonates with me as an ILT because it highlights the importance of keeping student data at the center of professional learning. By regularly analyzing student data, teacher progress, and reflecting on my own progress, I can make more informed decisions and support my teachers and students better.

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The quote highlights the importance of being "outcomes-driven over task-driven". Teacher leaders are often action focused within their classrooms and also the entire school. They like to get things done. While their actions are important, when it comes to our students we need to focus on the results not only the process. Instead of asking "What activities can we do?", we should ask "What outcomes do I want to see and what results do I want?"

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The emphasis is on teacher reflection, data-driven decision making, and continuous improvement. Teacher leaders who embed evaluation into their practice are better equipped to monitor progress, identify challenges early and adjust strategies to support meaningful outcomes for students. By having clearly defined outcomes, teacher leaders make sure learning and teaching remains focused on improving classroom practice and student achievement.

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Quote 1: When leaders anchor professional learning to outcomes, they elevate the work from just compliance to transformation.

This is why process and structure matter. Results, and focusing on results, instead of just getting things done, is what gives it all purpose.

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Quote 2: When evaluation becomes part of normal practice, it changes everything. Instead of guessing why something isn’t working, leaders examine evidence. Evaluation becomes a compass, not a compliance checklist. Ideally, challenges are addressed early, and the outcomes will define success. And when outcomes are defined from the start, expectations become clearer. This kind of reflective leadership doesn’t just sustain initiatives, it strengthens systems.