High-Impact Instruction: A Framework for Great Teaching

Small changes can lead to big results! The key to improving student achievement isn′t more teacher time—it′s more teacher impact. But how do you decide which instructional practices will deliver the most bang for your buck? In this handbook, written for teachers but suitable for use by principals and instructional coaches, best-selling author Jim Knight presents the high-leverage strategies that make the biggest difference in student learning. This is no one-size-fits-all to-do list for the classroom—it′s a simple and flexible framework you can customize to fit your working style and students′ needs. Grounded in more than a decade of work with instructional coaches, this revolutionary book focuses on the three areas of high-impact instruction: Content planning, including using guiding questions, learning maps, and formative assessment Instructional practices such as the use of thinking prompts, effective questions, challenging assignments, and experiential learning Community building, in which you shape a classroom culture that promotes well-being, creativity, learning, and high expectations This accessible road map for professional learning empowers and supports you in making changes to your practice with practical tools, including:  Checklists, numerous observation tools, and recommended resources for further reading Online videos that focus on implementation of high-leverage instructional practices  Ways that students, teachers, instructional coaches, and principals can support implementation of the practices Suggestions for using the book and videos in coaching and school improvement efforts When it comes to teaching, little changes can make a big difference. With High-Impact Instruction, you have a rich toolkit for improving your own practice and promoting great teaching every day in every class. "This book absolutely delivers on the promise of its subtitle, ′A Framework for Great Teaching.′ It is breathtaking in its comprehensiveness and heartening in its practicality and detail." —Robert J. Marzano, CEO Marzano Research Laboratory "Jim Knight has the capacity to be crystal clear at both the micro and the macro levels—a rare talent. High-Impact Instruction goes deep and it goes comprehensive. Planning, instruction, and community building become interwoven in a powerful manifesto for fundamental instructional and system change." —Michael Fullan, Professor Emeritus OISE/University of Toronto "Jim Knight′s High-Impact Instruction honors teachers as intelligent, complex, and dedicated people. While many have attempted to identify the attributes of effective instruction, Knight′s work singularly acknowledges the basic human need to be our best selves." —Stephanie Hirsh, Executive Director Learning Forward J

Table of Contents:
List of Companion Website Resources Preface Acknowledgments About the Author 1. Personal Bests Part I. Planning 2. Guiding Questions 3. Formative Assessment 4. Learning Maps Part II. Instruction 5. Thinking Prompts 6. Effective Questions 7. Stories 8. Cooperative Learning 9. Authentic Learning Part III. Community Building 10. Learner-Friendly Culture 11. Power With, Not Power Over 12. Freedom Within Form 13. Expectations 14. Witness to the Good 15. Fluent Corrections Conclusion References and Further Readings Index

About the Author :
Dr. Jim Knight, Founder and Senior Partner of Instructional Coaching Group (ICG), is also a research associate at the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning. He has spent more than two decades studying professional learning and instructional coaching. Jim earned his PhD in Education from the University of Kansas and has won several university teaching, innovation, and service awards. The pioneering work Jim and his colleagues have conducted has led to many innovations that are now central to professional development in schools. Jim wrote the first major article about instructional coaching for the Journal of Staff Development, and his book Instructional Coaching (2007) offered the first extended description of instructional coaching. Jim’s book Focus on Teaching (2014) was the first extended description of how video should be used for professional learning. Recently, writing with Ann Hoffman, Michelle Harris, and Sharon Thomas, Jim introduced the idea of instructional playbooks with their book on that topic. Jim has written several books in addition to those described above, including Unmistakable Impact (2011), High-Impact Instruction (2013), Better Conversations (2015), The Impact Cycle (2018), and The Definitive Guide to Instructional Coaching (2021). Knight has also authored articles on instructional coaching and professional learning in publications such as Educational Leadership, The Journal of Staff Development, Principal Leadership, The School Administrator, and Kappan. Jim is also a columnist for Educational Leadership and. Through ICG, Knight conducts coaching workshops, hosts the Facebook Live Program, “Coaching Conversations,” and provides consulting for coaching programs around the world.

Review :
"Jim Knight's High Impact Instruction honors teachers as intelligent, complex, and dedicated people. While many have attempted to identify the attributes of effective instruction, Knight's work singularly acknowledges the basic human need to be our best selves. A wonderful addition to the literature!" -- Stephanie Hirsh, Executive Director "Jim Knight's book, High-Impact Instruction, absolutely delivers on the promise of its subtitle 'A Framework for Great Teaching.' It is breathtaking in its comprehensiveness and heartening in its practicality and detail. This is a must-read for teachers, coaches, administrators, and anyone interested in furthering what is known about effective teaching." -- Robert J. Marzano, CEO "Jim Knight has the capacity to be crystal clear at both the micro and the macro levels-a rare talent. High-Impact Instruction goes deep and it goes comprehensive. Planning, instruction, and community building become interwoven in a powerful manifesto for fundamental instructional and system change-a treasure trove of clear concepts, great ideas for action, and the tools to implement them." -- Michael Fullan, Professor Emeritus "Seasoned author Jim Knight provides a masterful resource for teachers and other stakeholders to improve student achievement through a host of clearly defined instructional practices. The tools, resources, and examples he provides enable educators to easily implement his framework which comprise the key ingredients for effective instruction. Furthermore, his writing style makes it an engaging read." -- Kathy Glass, consultant and author of Curriculum Mapping: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Curriculum Year Overviews "It is really important to me that I am kind of getting the full circle view of my classroom and seeing these are things that matter and these are things that could be better, and things that I can do to hopefully make things better by watching my class." -- Beth Sanders, Teacher