Workshops Webinars Library Calendar Welcome to the September edition of FCI Connect From the desk of our Executive Director What tools are critical for leaders in the 2025-2026 school year? A map & a compass. Without these, leaders wander aimlessly from teacher to teacher, observing classrooms, jotting notes, and too often offering vague praise that offers NOTHING to teachers. As a leader, yes, you should praise the extraordinary efforts you see teachers make….but they will REALLY VALUE direct, substantive ways to get stronger. And with the right map & compass, you can do just that! With these tools, you can chart a path that ensures feedback is specific, actionable, and connected to what matters most: student learning. Doug Lemov reminds us, “Practice doesn’t make perfect. Practice makes permanent.” That permanence can either be mediocrity or mastery, and the difference lies in whether teachers receive feedback sharp enough to shape their practice. Teachers deserve feedback that isn’t a pat on the back but a mirror—clear, reflective, and useful. A good monitoring map ensures leaders don’t just notice what’s wrong, but they pinpoint the moves that drive learning forward. As Dan Willingham explains, “Memory is the residue of thought.” If leaders want students to
