Effective feedback training for school leaders

Effective Feedback Training for School Leaders — Driving Improvement of Instruction in K-12 Schools

Effective feedback training for school leaders is one of the highest-leverage investments a district can make for the improvement of instruction. Principals, assistant principals, and mentor teachers are in the feedback seat every single day — yet most receive little or no training on how to deliver feedback that actually develops teachers and improves instruction. In this highly interactive training, participants leave equipped with evidence-based strategies to transform how they observe, coach, and develop the teachers in their care. Participants will learn to:

  • Deliver specific, actionable feedback teachers can use immediately for the improvement of instruction
  • Build trust and a productive coach/teacher relationship
  • Use observation tools to identify instructional strengths and growth areas
  • Script and practice effective feedback conversations with confidence
  • Create high-quality action steps that move teachers forward
  • Communicate effectively with different teacher personality types
  • Lead post-observation conferences that motivate rather than deflate
  • Deliver difficult feedback to resistant or veteran teachers with clarity and professionalism
  • Build a schoolwide culture where effective feedback drives continuous improvement of instruction

Why Effective Feedback Training for School Leaders Is Essential for Improvement of Instruction

Effective feedback is not just a mentoring skill — it is a core leadership competency for every principal, assistant principal, and teacher mentor committed to the improvement of instruction in their school or district. Whether conducting a formal evaluation conference, following up on a classroom observation, or supporting a struggling teacher, the quality of a leader’s feedback determines whether teachers grow or stay stuck.

Most school leaders are trained in evaluation systems — but rarely in the art and skill of the feedback conversation that actually drives improvement of instruction. Selecting a teacher to serve as a mentor is one of the most important decisions a principal makes, yet most mentor teachers receive little or no training on how to provide effective feedback that develops novice teachers and strengthens classroom practice.

Effective feedback training for school leaders changes that. Principals, assistant principals, and mentor teachers who complete this training are equipped to:

  • Give feedback that is specific, timely, and focused on the improvement of instruction
  • Move struggling teachers forward with confidence and clarity
  • Reduce frustration and miscommunication in post-observation conferences
  • Deliver difficult feedback to veteran or resistant teachers professionally
  • Build a school culture where effective feedback is welcomed and valued
  • Retain novice teachers by helping them succeed in their first years
  • Lead evaluation conversations that feel supportive, not punitive

Effective Feedback Training for Principals, Assistant Principals, and Teacher Mentors — Improvement of Instruction Starts at the Top

Principals and assistant principals are making feedback decisions every single day — post-observation conferences, evaluation meetings, informal walkthroughs, and difficult conversations with underperforming staff. When school leaders are equipped with the skills to deliver effective feedback focused on the improvement of instruction, the entire school moves forward. Effective feedback training for school leaders at this level builds the confidence and skill to make every one of those conversations count.

This training equips principals, APs, and teacher mentors to:

  • Conduct post-observation conferences that are productive, teacher-centered, and focused on improvement of instruction
  • Script effective feedback conversations before difficult meetings with clarity and confidence
  • Deliver formal evaluation feedback that motivates improvement rather than creating defensiveness
  • Navigate feedback conversations with veteran teachers and resistant staff
  • Use DISC communication styles to tailor effective feedback to individual teachers
  • Follow up consistently to ensure action steps are implemented
  • Equip teacher mentors with effective feedback skills that drive improvement of instruction from the classroom level up 
  • Model an effective feedback culture focused on improvement of instruction that spreads throughout the entire school

Ready to Equip Your Teacher Mentors?

Teacher mentors and instructional coaches play a critical role in the improvement of instruction — but great teaching does not automatically translate into great mentoring. Effective feedback training for school leaders in mentor roles equips these teacher-leaders with the specific skills and structures needed to support and develop new teachers from day one. Mentor teachers and instructional coaches who complete this training are equipped to:

  • Give effective feedback that is specific, timely, and focused on the improvement of instruction
  • Move struggling novice teachers forward with confidence
  • Reduce frustration and miscommunication in mentoring relationships
  • Build a school culture where effective feedback drives the improvement of instruction at every level
  • Retain novice teachers by helping them succeed in their first years

Effective Feedback Training for School Leaders in Districts & Educational Cooperatives

Districts and educational cooperatives that invest in effective feedback training for their entire leadership team — principals, assistant principals, and mentor teachers — see measurable improvement of instruction from the very first year. This effective feedback training for school leaders is available as a full-day training or multi-session series customized to your district’s needs. Training is grounded in the works of Danielson, Maxwell, Marzano, Symonds Research, and Bambrick-Santoyo. Districts that bring this training to their teams can expect:

  • Stronger instructional outcomes driven by consistent, growth-focused effective feedback
  • Measurable improvement of instruction in classrooms with trained leaders and mentors
  • Improved novice teacher retention and confidence
  • A consistent, district-wide approach to effective feedback training
  • Principals and APs who lead evaluation conversations with confidence
  • Mentor teachers who lead with purpose and clarity
  • A healthier school culture built on growth, trust, and continuous improvement of instruction

Ready to Invest in Effective Feedback Training for Your School Leaders?

If your district or educational cooperative is ready to invest in effective feedback training for school leaders that produces real improvement of instruction, develops teachers, strengthens your leadership team, and transforms your school culture — this is where it starts. Jeanne Ford brings over three decades of real school and district leadership experience to every training session.

  • Available as a full-day training or multi-session series
  • Customized to your district’s goals and needs
  • Designed for principals, assistant principals, teacher mentors, and instructional coaches
  • Evidence-based strategies focused on the improvement of instruction that leaders can use immediately

Also Available: Comprehensive Mentor Teacher Training

Looking for a broader mentor development program? Jeanne also offers                                Equipping Mentor Teachers for Success a comprehensive training experience that goes beyond feedback skills to develop confident, effective mentors.

School Success Data

Reduce your office referrals; increase your scores

The success of Time To Teach has been published in Leadership magazine. Read Order in the Classroom, a published article written by Kelly Graham, National Director at the Center for Teacher Effectiveness and Elsbeth Prigmore, high school principal. Time To Teach is a consistent classroom management system that saves instructional time and improves school climate.
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“During my first two years as principal of Clark Street Elementary School, we experienced over 300 office referrals and over 150 out-of-school suspensions! This year we implemented Rick’s strategies and so far we have only had two office referrals in six weeks!”

John Hargrove, Principal, Clark Street Elementary, North Carolina

“Lawton Public Schools is a lower socioeconomic school district in Oklahoma that services 17,000 Pre-K through 12th grade students, over half of which are minority. Twenty-nine of our thirty-five schools were trained using the Time To Teach strategies, affecting more than 11,000 children. Following training, we experienced a 16% decrease in suspensions and office referrals and a dramatic decrease in pupil enrollment for Behavior Intervention and Behavior Disorder classes. We have also seen a 9% increase in test scores and none of our schools are on the school improvement list for No Child Left Behind.”

Billy Davis, Executive Director Elementary Education, Lawton Public Schools, Oklahoma

“We have used the Time To Teach strategies for eighteen years! These strategies allowed me to get into the classrooms and help teachers instead of having to deal with a line of students awaiting discipline intervention. Time To Teach truly delivers on its promise to gain back valuable teaching time that is so often lost to matters of discipline.”

Lynette Hedden, Retired Principal, Richland, Washington

“The number of student referrals in our middle school has dropped 30% on average, every year over the past three years. It is because of Time to Teach that I can say with pride, “Every day I teach!”

Keith Johnson, Teacher/Technology Director, Reading Community Schools, Michigan

“I have seen some of my students move up from Special Education and Title Programs to achieve at grade level performance. My referrals have been eliminated. Students that were never able to do so before are now meeting benchmark standards and making dramatic gains in reading and writing fluency. After 19 years as an educator, I finally have Time To Teach with care and compassion.”

Libba Sager, Elementary Teacher, Toledo Elementary, Oregon

“I have seen a 15 point gain in math and science scores on the state standardized test, which helped our school meet its AYP/API, and I have not sent a single student to the office all year. Time To Teach has helped me successfully teach second language learners, children with ADD, ADHD, Tourettes, learning disabilities, disenfranchised youth, and impoverished students.”

James Turner, Middle School Teacher, Lompoc, California

“At Lompoc Valley Middle School, the referral numbers for class disruption were reduced by 62% using Time to Teach strategies, and Lompoc High School’s referral numbers were lower than those of the rival high school for the first time ever.”

Carrie Chase, High School Counselor, Lahainaluna High School, Hawaii

“Pioneer Continuation High School has our district’s highest number of at-risk 11th and 12th grade students. Using the Time to Teach blueprint, we saw school suspensions drop from 39% to 18% over a three-year period, in-house suspensions cut in half, and significant increases in passing rates on the California High School Exit Exam and other student achievement measures. Overall, the school has experienced a positive, systemic cultural change.”

Elsbeth Prigmore, Principal, Pioneer Continuation High School, California