“That’s what I really love about the Institute. They tap into that first-year teacher in all of us, where we were just going to change the world. They reignite that in teachers, and the focus is on learning and on kids and on the instruction, because the research will tell you that the instruction does matter.”
Our Beliefs
- No curriculum, program, or strategy can replace effective teaching.
- All deep, sustainable school improvement occurs from the inside out.
- The key to transforming educational practice is understanding the influence of identities and beliefs on behavior.
- The adults in every school control all the variables necessary to ensure student success.
- In schools, high-quality adult conversations are a prerequisite for student success.
- In 21st century education, collaboration is not optional; it is essential. It is a skill that must be learned and developed.
- Good relationships are fundamental, and they must be built and maintained among students and educators.
- Data must consistently guide decisions about teaching and learning.
- All decisions, big or small, must place the needs of students above the needs of adults.
- Self-directed, reflective educators are pivotal to school success.
Our Conversations
IEE is focused on “changing the conversation.” We want to see society begin celebrating education and holding up master educators, academic success, and educational excellence as pinnacles of achievement. We want to change the public conversation from Olympic athletes to triumphant schools; from recording artists to stellar students; and from superhero movies to superstar teachers. We want to see news stories about what is wrong in our schools become news stories about all that is right in our schools. Changing the conversation starts inside each and every one of us. Robert Marzano’s research tells us the most important factor in a child’s education is teacher effectiveness. With this in mind, educators can regularly re-examine their identities and beliefs, the resources at their disposal, and the role of collaboration and data in their work. When they do, they build their efficacy and empower themselves to impact the lives of children in extraordinary ways. They — and their communities — will find more reasons to celebrate all they do to make a difference. When you change the conversation inside, you change the conversation outside. We are here to help.
Our Impact: Victory Redefined
Grant High School and Lee High School are two schools from our coaches’ portfolio. *Both schools have been identified as Reward Schools and Beating the Odds Schools by the Michigan Department of Education for their rapid improvements in student achievement. 
Our Services
Coaching
Institute team members use Cognitive Coaching™ to facilitate continuous improvement. Coaching areas include leadership, instruction, data use, school improvement, culture, professional learning communities, and much more. Our coaches do not evaluate staff or mandate practices; instead, they collaborate with teachers and school leaders to identify and address a school’s needs. School personnel already possess the leadership, skills, and data necessary for success. We simply help develop untapped resources.
Professional Development
Institute trainers stay abreast of current research and best practices to help school community members acquire new skills. We stress facilitation that engages and motivates participants, so they internalize and apply their new learning in the classroom.
Revolutionizing Our Classrooms for Kids©
(Formerly known as our “Focused Instructional Model”)
Educators need a clear understanding of the content they teach. Revolutionizing Our Classrooms for Kids© (ROCK) is a professional learning series that focuses teachers on curriculum and instruction. In Phase I, teachers and school leaders review formative and summative assessment data, design purposeful practices, and develop tools to monitor student progress. In Phase II, educators build aligned assessments and differentiated instructional units. In Phase III, teachers analyze curriculum-based data and create curriculum-based interventions. The result is a detailed and methodical approach that not only guides but also energizes daily instruction, because the teachers have developed it themselves.
Special Education
Meeting the needs of all students in a diverse classroom is a challenge. The Institute’s special education team supports teachers and school leaders in providing differentiated learning environments that satisfy legal requirements while remaining manageable in the classroom.
Instructional Walks
The Institute conducts “instructional walks” that help school personnel view their school through fresh eyes. In the process, school staff gather data about their practices and identify steps toward continuous improvement.
