Grantastic!

Find Your Way through TA

In this episode of EIR Grantastic, host Amy Detgen discusses the various technical assistance (TA) resources available to EIR grantees with guest Ben Harper. They explore the different kinds of TA, including communities of practice, webinars, and workshops, and how to access these resources effectively.
 
AnLar wants to support you, so let them know your needs by emailing them here.
 
Check out the EIR TA website at this link.

The PD Meeting! Make the Most of It

Ginger Murray, Senior Project Director at AnLar, discusses the upcoming Project Directors Meeting with Patrice Williams. They explore the meeting's purpose, the importance of networking, and how attendees can maximize their learning and engagement. Ginger shares tips on preparation, highlights various networking opportunities, and emphasizes the significance of post-conference follow-up to continue benefiting from the experience.
 
You can review the PD meeting agenda at this link.

Strong Team, Strong Implementation: Communication Tools for Success

Nancy Gannon speaks with the Circle Up Project team, including members from CAST and Aldine ISD, about the critical role of communication in grant success. The team discusses strategies like early planning, co-design, and maintaining consistency to foster collaboration among diverse stakeholders and also highlight the transformative impact of clear, responsive communication on project outcomes, including stakeholder investment and student success.

Strong Team, Strong Implementation: Aligning Goals

Dr. Shalika Robie speaks with Tamara Cooper, Senior Manager of Federal Grants at the New Teacher Center (NTC). They discuss the planning process for grants, common challenges faced in professional learning, and the importance of aligning project and stakeholder goals. 

Strong Team, Strong Implementation: Getting Started

In this episode, Dr. Erum Nadeem discusses essential strategies for grant readiness, focusing on the importance of strong teams, community asset mapping, and ensuring buy-in for sustainable interventions. The conversation emphasizes the relational aspects of grant work, the need for clear communication, and the value of understanding community strengths to effectively implement and sustain grant programs.

Educator Well-Being: Step Into It

In this episode, host Amy Detgen discusses the RISE program, which focuses on enhancing educator well-being through social-emotional skill development and increasing resiliency. Guests Essie Hengeveld and Sarah DiGiacomo share insights on the importance of self-care for educators, the challenges faced in implementing well-being initiatives, and future research opportunities to further explore the impact of improving educator well-being.

Educator Well-Being: Shifting the Ecosystem

Dr. Julia Mahfouz and Amy Detgen explore the systemic changes needed in schools to support teacher well-being. They discuss the importance of principal support, innovative approaches like job crafting and mindfulness, and how to measure the impact of well-being initiatives. 
 
Here are a few additional resources from Dr. Mahfouz:
Principals’ Social and Emotional Competence: A Key Factor for Creating Caring Schools
CREATE: Creating Resilience for Educators, Administrators, and Teachers
CASEL: Build Foundational Support and Plan

Scaling & Sustainability: Building Capacity Within Their Structures

Tom DeWire (EdScale, LLC) and Margaret Troyer from the STARI program discusses her team's approach to sustaining and scaling a literacy intervention for middle and high school students who are reading below grade level. The program focuses on engaging students with age-appropriate texts and discussion-based interventions. The program is designed for scalability from the beginning, addressing problems of practice, student engagement, and end-user needs. They also leverage existing coaching structures and provide online professional learning to build local capacity.

Scaling & Sustainability: Equipping Partners for Sustainability

In this episode, Tom DeWire interviews Jen Foster from the eMints National Center, a grantee of the Education, Innovation, and Research (EIR) program. They discuss eMints' instructional model, the evidence of its effectiveness, and the importance of understanding adult learners as keys to strong sustainability. They also explore the role of external evaluators in driving results and the impact of proactive classroom management on student behavior. The episode concludes with practical takeaways for educators.

Recruitment: A Wide Net

In this conversation, Jessica Navarro, the Director of Partnerships for MIPLAN, discusses the importance of building relationships and maintaining connections in the recruitment process. She emphasizes the need to cast a wide reach and tap into different networks to recruit successfully.