Improve teaching practice through powerful professional conversations!

Move beyond isolated teaching, passive observations, and ineffective workshops to be the leader who engages staff and affirms the value of reflective and informal professional discussions. Launch meaningful conversations and a powerful team of teachers who understand how students learn, what motivates them, and how to implement that research in the classroom.

Good leaders know that sharing, discussing, and examining teaching practices and student work improves student learning through professional examination, inquiry, and growth. Educators who harness the power of informal professional conversation invite teachers to do the intellectual work needed to connect with students and boost achievement. The second edition of this powerful book includes:

• A new chapter guiding conversations to align with new state standards
• Outlines for specific conversation skills needed to initiate and succeed
• Mental maps, sample topics, and conversation activities

Read Talk About Teaching! and build a culture of understanding, respect, and empathy that encourages your team to reach for new possibilities.

"This is a great resource for leaders who regularly facilitate conversations with teachers. I use it in my graduate class in supervision and strongly recommend that students keep this book as a resource for the future."
Diane Canino Rispoli, Clinical Professor of Educational Leadership and former school leader
Syracuse University, Syracuse NY

"The book’s major strength is that it combines a discussion of what constitutes good teaching and how to conduct productive professional conversations. This book would be an excellent resource for supervisors and principals."
M. Susan Bolte, Principal
Providence Elementary, Aubrey, TX

• Identifies topics for professional conversations that are linked to the "big ideas" or essential components of successful teaching
• Links the "big ideas" to both critical research and to the author's frameworks
• Identifies and describes research-based conversation skills, including setting the tone, probing, paraphrasing, and inviting thinking
• Demonstrates how to create an environment that supports informal and effective professional conversations, e.g., making time for the conversations, establishing the necessary trust, reaching consensus on the essential components of successful teaching
• Provides an entire chapter of very specific conversation activities or protocols organized around the "big ideas" that comprise suggested questions, materials to support the conversations, and likely outcomes of discussions