End-of-Year Reflection and Planning With MTSS: Connect the Dots With Branching Minds

    Data-Driven Decisions, Branching Minds Platform

    Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) supports academic, social-emotional, and behavioral development for all students. The ultimate goal of MTSS is to use data to drive decision-making and improve outcomes for all students. To ensure that students receive the best support possible, it's important to assess their progress throughout the year and report the data to all relevant stakeholders.

    Addressing the Top Four Challenges in Secondary Math Intervention

    MTSS Practice, Interventions and Learning Supports' Strategies

    In my first year of teaching, I was hired as a special education teacher at an alternative high school on the south side of Chicago. I had a great experience there and truly loved working with high school students. I had never considered myself to be “a math person,” but I ended up enjoying teaching math much more than I expected. What I did not expect was that I would be teaching resource classes for high school seniors who were performing at around a 4th-grade level in math. In this situation, math interventions became my new best friend. 

    PBIS: More than Points and Parties

    SEL and Mental Health, MTSS Practice, MTSS Infrastructure

    My experience in education has made me a true believer in the good things that can come from a fully implemented Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) practice. I worked with students who went from ditching daily to being eligible for graduation because they found a person on campus who saw their abilities and recognized them for their efforts until they grew toward success. When looking for a solution to behavior problems and disproportionalityon campus, PBIS is typically at the top of the search list. Many educators hesitate to invest in PBIS, though, because they have heard it is just “points and parties.” But a PBIS system, when implemented with fidelity, is so much more than acknowledgments and celebrations. And it is not a replacement for campus discipline procedures!  Rather, PBIS is the behavior and attendance branch of a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS). Just like MTSS, PBIS is a three-tiered, evidence-based framework that enables the success of all students while improving social-emotional competence, academic success, and overall school climate. This blog will share the why and the how behind creating a campus-based PBIS practice with integrity.

    Top 4 Tips for Leading Effective MTSS Teams

    MTSS Infrastructure, Leadership in MTSS

    Being a Chicago native, I am a huge fan of Phil Jackson, the former Chicago Bulls basketball coach. In addition to coaching the Bulls to six championships over nine seasons, Jackson has a superb resume, including being an excellent basketball player in his own right, and coaching individuals who are now known as some of the greatest to ever play the game of basketball. Three things are for certain. Phil Jackson…

    • Knows the game of basketball;

    • Knows how to build effective teams; and

    • Knows how to coach them to success consistently

    Mindset is a Resource in MTSS – Webinar Recap

    MTSS Infrastructure, Reflective Teaching, Leadership in MTSS
    In college, my best friend was on the cross-country team. For an entire season, she was injured and not running, but she still went to practice. The coach wanted her there because she was such a positive team member and always encouraged others to keep learning and growing. The coach knew her mindset and attitude were a valuable asset to the team, even when she couldn’t run!
     

    The Executive Function Toolkit

    Academics, Interventions and Learning Supports' Strategies

    Executive functioning in the educational setting is often used synonymously with skills associated with focus and organization. While this can be true in some circumstances, executive functioning skills are defined as “the mental processes that enable us to plan, focus attention, remember instructions, and juggle multiple tasks successfully.” (Harvard University) In order to find success with these skills, it is important to have the tools to filter distractions, prioritize tasks, set and achieve goals, and regulate impulses. The complexity of executive functioning and the interconnectedness of the associated soft skills are essential for academic achievement.

    A B-Corps From the Beginning: Staying True to Our Values & Growing Into the Future

    News

    Authors: Maya Gat and David Magier, Co-founders of Branching Minds

    For us, choosing to become a B-Corps in 2015 was a no-brainer. We started Branching Minds as a way to make education more accessible, equitable, and effective, and we are driven by our desire to have a positive impact on society. The governance structure of B-Corps helps facilitate our commitment to creating value for our stakeholders, including our staff, customers, and the wider education community.

    Supporting Students’ Social, Emotional, & Behavioral Needs: Moving From Referrals to an Interconnected Systems Framework

    SEL and Mental Health, MTSS Infrastructure

    It is widely recognized that students' sense of well-being plays an important role in learning outcomes. Therefore, it is no surprise that schools have a growing need for systemic practices that better support students' social, emotional,  and behavioral needs. In a lot of cases, classroom teachers are the first people to recognize when students have an escalated need for support. Yet, most teachers do not have the training or available time that is needed to address intensive social, emotional, and behavioral needs of students on their own. This is why schools need to ensure that a system of support is in place along with practices and procedures for early identification and the implementation of supports and services before issues become escalated.

    How Universal Design for Learning Connects With MTSS

    MTSS Practice, Academics

    As a middle school teacher, I tapped into every creative avenue for presenting information to my students. My students were diverse, not only culturally but also with different interests, strengths, and challenges. Hooking them on a concept was hard work! I was competing with their phones and social lives. Even so, I wanted to ensure the skills and concepts covered in my English class stuck in their brains for a long time. 

    6 Daily Engagement Practices for Every MTSS Tier

    MTSS Practice, Academics

    Student engagement remains a consistent topic of interest for educators. How do educators and schools compete with all the other entertainment forms that captivate students? As a former middle school teacher, I often felt like I needed to be a circus performer to capture students' attention, standing on my desk and keeping a continuously high-energy environment. However, that isn’t the case. Engagement within the classroom often starts at a simpler level, by meeting the needs of students and building an environment they want to be a part of each day.