Schools, Districts, and Universities

"The best professional development workshop I have ever attended."

Hands-on workshops are an energizing way for teachers to experience, grasp, and practice new techniques and tasks. Departmental workshops also create a shared learning experience that colleagues can draw on long after the workshop.

On-site workshops are customized based on correspondence with a representative of the department or district, allowing for highly targeted training. You can find more info on popular topics and creating a custom workshop here.

"The best thing about this workshop was the safe environment. I didn’t feel intimidated or pressured to convert my entire classroom. We learned very reasonable strategies and activities to use immediately."

"The kind of teacher/presenter I'd like to have a beer with."

JSB selfie with Hawaii workshop group December 2018

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"Justin has astonishing vision for big-picture language learning goals and how to achieve them through day-to-day, small-picture processes."

Troubleshooting your curriculum? Aligning with new guidelines from on high? Starting from scratch? Departments often ask me to review and help them refine their curricula. This may involve a wide range of topics, including scope and sequence, student learning outcomes, resources and materials, assessment and grading, vertical alignment, and even course offerings and timetables. I have also guided schools and districts through every phase of large-scale curriculum redesign.

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"Whenever I face a pedagogical decision, however big or small,
I ask myself, 'What would Justin do?'"

Time after time, teachers report that being observed and coached has been crucial to their growth. Observations can be open-ended or can focus on particular goals of the teacher or department. Either way, I highlight effective things a teacher is doing and offer adjustments to get more for the effort. I also create a list of realistic next steps and further resources specific to each teacher. I know from experience that being observed can be stressful, so I keep the process positive throughout!

I am also available to train teachers to coach each other.

Note: Instructional coaching is most effective if the teacher has been given the choice of whether or not to be observed and coached.

"I learned by experience that I really can do this!"

JSB teaching at Express Fluency 2016

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"It was crucial to see the real-world application of the techniques, to see the techniques come alive."

Sometimes you just need to see how something can work in your own classes, with your own students. Maybe you want to observe how I would approach a particular topic. Maybe you could use a day off from lesson planning! To all these ends, I am available to guest teach Spanish, French, Latin, and German classes. I communicate in advance with the teacher in order to get a feel for students' recent activities, current proficiency, and desired outcomes. Often several teachers or an entire department will observe my lesson and discuss takeaways for their own classes.

"Justin's ease with students is pure magic."

"Amazing and masterful teaching. Classroom management was seamless and Justin actually used students' behavior in his lessons with humor, but also a clear message on how to act."

"Holy gifted batman! Justin's command of a classroom is amazing."

"You treated everyone in the class like they mattered PERSONALLY to you. You looked them in the eyes, you remembered their names, you TOLD them they were interesting. You were laughing, they were laughing, and you let the mistakes be part of the fun. Their successes were yours - you were EXCITED by their success."

JSB teaching at Express Fluency 2017

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To help maximize the effectiveness, joy, and sustainability of language programs, I conduct formal reviews of curricula, programs, and departments, either solo or as part of a review team. Common features of the review process are outlined below.

Before a visit . . .

Details

♦ I communicate with one or more representatives of the department or district in order to...
◊ understand and refine the purpose and scope of the review
◊ discover the department’s goals and self-identified strengths and growth areas
◊ get an overview of the department’s current practices
◊ get a feel for the organizational culture of the department, school, and/or district
◊ establish a suitable format and timeline for the review process

♦ I review relevant documents and data, including...
◊ the school’s or district’s overall mission and purpose
◊ the department’s or program’s mission and purpose
◊ the existing curriculum guide
◊ scope and sequence of courses
◊ course documents such as syllabus and long-range plans
◊ any available data on student outcomes and growth
◊ any other information that instructors or administrators would like me to consider

During a Visit . . .

Details

♦ I observe as many classes as possible so as to...
◊ further understand teachers’ practices and their effects on learning
◊ further understand students’ engagement and attitudes toward the program
◊ further understand the culture of the school and the department/program
◊ provide oral and/or written feedback to the instructor (optional, based on the individual instructor’s wishes)

♦ I meet with instructors, administrators, students, parents, board members, and/or any other relevant constituents in order to...
◊ refine my sense of the department and constituents’ hopes for the department
◊ discuss my observations based on documents, observations, and meetings
◊ address any questions constituents may have

After a Visit . . .

Details

♦ I provide the department with a collection of resources customized according to the department’s goals and my observations

♦ (optional) I create and share a formal report that includes...
◊ overall observations and impressions of the department/program
◊ concrete strengths of the department
◊ prioritized steps for improvement, often including a timeline

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One of my most rewarding tasks is helping a school or program 'hack' pedagogical and curricular problems for which they are at a loss. Working with hundreds of teachers and dozens of schools a year, I collect ideas and evidence for just about any educational solution. I have a strong sense of what is possible and how to get there, and I relish the satisfaction of helping teachers, departments, schools, and districts thrive in ways they never thought possible.

"In 25 years of working with teachers, Justin is one of the best I have ever met. His understanding of pedagogical research is impressive and not limited to the classic schoolroom: I have seen his pedagogical expertise masterfully used in a variety of settings with learners of various ages and fluency levels. I have seen his constant attention to student engagement, equity, and empowerment create safe and supportive learning communities like no other. I am particularly amazed at his students’ ability to become pedagogical ambassadors outside his presence, bringing the encouragement, confidence, fluency, and teaching-and-learning tools they have gotten from Justin to other students and teachers to create a truly campus-wide learning community. If everyone taught language like Justin Slocum Bailey, we would have a world of self-directed polyglots."

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I got to see things I can ACTUALLY use in my classroom! Learning how to create these tasks and texts step-by-step was huge.

I loved the interactivity with the teacher and other participants. Justin’s enthusiasm and sense of humor were amazing!

One of the most inspiring teachers, and humans, I've had the pleasure of knowing.

JSB is my new hero. I mean, I really enjoyed watching him work and hearing him speak. He's authentic, intelligent, sincere. The real deal.

The best professional development workshop I have ever attended.

Justin's ease with students is pure magic.

Whenever I face a pedagogical decision, however big or small, I ask myself, "What would Justin do?"

Holy gifted batman! Justin's command of a classroom is amazing. Not only did I understand and learn Latin as an observer, but I learned a great deal about classroom management as well.

The movement! The hacks for staying in flow... So needed!

Justin Slocum Bailey is the ultimate educator.

The kind of teacher/presenter I'd like to have a beer with.

I learned by experience that I really can do this!