June 2017
- A time and place for pie
- Using the Demands of Change Activity for “active” learning
- The What’s on Your Plate? Activity
- The protocol issue: A collection of articles about NSRF protocol and activity use
- Teaching the foundation of collaboration: setting classroom agreements using ChalkTalk protocol
- Gauging your effectiveness as a CFG coach and facilitator
- NSRF website in transition
March 2016
- Change is hard. CFG work and NSRF protocols can make it easier.
- Combining Tuning Protocol with Feedback Carousel in a non-profit setting
- Speed Consultancy + Tuning Protocol = Speed Tuning Protocol
- A reflection on CFG work and Growth Mindset
- Introducing NSRF protocols and CFG work within the RQI conference
- Book Review: Make Just One Change, Teach Students to Ask Their Own Questions
- Administrators, what’s on your mind?
January 2015
- Book review: Death of a King: The Real Story of Dr. Martin Luther King’s Final Year
- Why do some protocols call for the presenter to “scoot back and turn away” from the group?
- Collaboration and diversity are essential
- Critical Friends Group® and CFG® are trademarks of the NSRF®
- Mini-poster: Criticizing “friends” vs. Critical Friends Group®
- Using NSRF protocols vs. establishing a Critical Friends Group® community
March 2015
- Mini poster: In the depths of winter
- Book review Building a Better Teacher: How Teaching Works (and How to Teach It To Everyone)
- Communities of Practice support Early Care education leadership and professional development in Palm Beach County
- Big news! Coaches Handbook coming soon
- Why and when to ask “Why?”
November 2015
- Building more and better bridges between ‘us’ and ‘them’
- Using protocols outside school settings
- Critical Friends Coaches’ Handbook
- Using and adapting NSRF protocols and activities to help facilitate healthcare support groups
- Using NSRF protocols when leading a committee to complete a high-stakes, quick-deadline project
- Strategies for addressing issues involving our digital devices
- Shout Out to Researchers
- Lupus Nightmares Activity
- Book Review: Loving Learning
January 2014
- Letter From The Director: Agree Now or Pay Later
- The New American High School by Theodore R. Sizer
- Hellhound on His Trail: The Stalking of Martin Luther King Jr. and the International Hunt for his Assassin By Hampton Sides
- Creating A New Protocol: Filling the Buckets
- The Impact of Conversation Circles
- Employing NSRF Protocols in the Classroom to Teach Mindfulness Training and Conflict Resolution
May 2014
- Two Book Reviews: _Why School? Reclaiming Education for All of Us_ and _Back To School: Why Everyone Deserves a Second Chance at Education_
- Protocols in the Classroom: Text-based protocols in middle school classes promote authentic discussions and support CCSS
- New website, new protocols/activities redesign, and new protocols for upcoming open trainings
- Celebrate the end of your school year
July 2014
- Two book reviews: The Power of Mindful Learning, and Focus: The Hidden Driver of Excellence
- Featured TEDTalk: Science is for everyone, kids included
- The new www.NSRFHarmony.org website is launched at last and ready for you!
- Enlightenment at the heart of what we do
- Protocols in the Classroom
- NSRF protocols used in diversity training for Leadership Lancaster
- Quick tips on effectively working with “resisters”
- Reflections prompt list
- The importance of reflection
January 2013
- BOOK REVIEW: When Can You Trust The Experts?
- CFG TRAINING: Exploring Levels of Collaboration within NESA and its Schools
- Take Your Students on an ‘Intellectual Vacation’
- When Trainings Go Somewhere Different, or, ‘I Don’t Think We’re In Kansas Anymore’
- From the Director Mindful Facilitation Transforms Classes, Meetings and Trainings
- Book Review And New Protocol: Critical Response Process
March 2013
- Healing the Heart of Democracy: The Courage to Create a Politics Worthy of the Human Spirit By Parker J. Palmer
- From the Director Stress Management, CFG Style
- The role of ‘stance’ in developing Probing Questions
- What Would Martin Think?
- Critical Friends Groups and NSRF protocols help transform The Bishop Strachan School culture
May 2013
- From the Director How to Give Feedback Effectively
- S/he, She or He, They: Language Choices
- Finding a Better Way To Conduct Staff Meetings
- 30-Minute Meeting Save
- Critical Friends Travel the World
- From the Research Desk: Thinking About Teaching Thinking, Part 1: What’s The Urgency?
- Two Book Reviews: The Rainbow People, Spokes on the Great Wheel of Life
July 2013
- Reflections on Adapting/Creating Protocols adapted from “A Facilitator’s Book of Questions”
- BOOK REVIEW: What does it mean to “Create the Opportunity to Learn?”
- Mapping Out A Shared Vision: Utilizing a Critical Friends Group Activity with GEAR UP Tutors and Advisors
- Postcards from The Past
- From The Research Desk: Thinking About Teaching Thinking, Part 2, How Can We Do It?
- From the Director The Gift Of Feedback
September 2013
- Book Review: Temple Grandin’s latest book, The Autistic Brain
- Chalk Talk Advice
- From the Director Three Key Questions Around Planning a Great Meeting
- Protocols In Practice: Modifying The Fishbowl Technique
- Win-Win-Win: Using NSRF Protocols in a Partnership Between a County Museum, University Pre-Service Education Students, and Elementary Students
November 2013
- Big Changes Afoot: membership drive, a new website, and more!
- Reaching and Teaching Students in Poverty: Strategies For Erasing The Opportunity Gap by Paul Gorski
- No Citizen Left Behind
- NSRF Future Protocol supports math teachers in overhauling their curriculum
- Letter From The Director: To Create or Not Create a New Protocol. That is the Question
- From the Video Screen: Reviews of two videos conveying Latino American history and culture, Black in Latin America 2011, Public Broadcasting System Latin Americans: The 500-Year Legacy That Shaped a Nation 2013, Public Broadcasting System
April 2012
- From The Director
- The Function of Schooling: The Missing Question in Current Educational Discourse
- Have Protocol. Will Travel. Reflections on my National Facilitator Internship Year
- The TED Conference and TED.com I’ve drunk the Kool-Aid and why you should, too
- This I Believe To Be True: A New Protocol
- Traveling Bookmarks: An End-of-Meeting Block Party!
- White Teachers/Diverse Classrooms: Creating Inclusive Schools, Building on Students’ Diversity, and Providing True Educational Equity
- Urban Science Education for The Hip-Hop Generation: Essential Tools for the Urban Science Educator and Researcher By Christopher Emdin
Summer 2012
- We Can’t Teach What We Don’t Know White Teachers, Multiracial Schools Second Edition
- Coaching Lessons From Co-Rec Softball LESSONS FROM CO-REC (Reprinted from Winter 2004 Connections)
- From the Director
- A Report From The Field: How Does CFG Coaches Training Impact Teachers’ Practice and Student Success?
- Building A Collegial Community: A Lead Teacher’s Experience with Protocols
September 2012
- From The Director
- The Missing Puzzle Piece for Teacher Leaders in PLCs
- Student Work, Student Work, What Do We Really See?
- A Report From The Field: Two Damaging Myths in Public Educational Discourse
- The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing To Your Brain By Nicholas Carr
- Coaching Questions A Coach’s Guide to Powerful Skills By Tony Stoltzvus
November 2012
- Adapting Protocols: Variations on The Consultancy Protocol
- CFG Coaches Use Chalk Talk
- From the Director
- An Experiment In Group Dynamics: How I Learned to Stop Talking
- From A Facilitator’s Perspective: What To Do When a Participant Misses A Day Of Training
- I Must Know¦ Who Is Quinn?
- Three Book Reviews: The Colors of Nature, How Children Succeed, Fire in the Ashes
Spring 2011
- You Should Know! An Introduction To EdSteps What is EdSteps?
- Project Look Smart Ithaca College
- New Format For Connections!
- In Search Of Good Things People Worldwide Have Done, Are Doing, And Can Do
- Book Review: The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks
- Book Review: ¡Si Se Puede! Learning From A High School That Beat The Odds
August 2011
- Ask the Director
- Book Review: Why Don’t Students Like School? By Daniel Willingham
- A Friend Of The NSRF: “Collaborative art, Empowering Education” About Collaborative Artist Joe LaMantia
- Article Excerpt: “Critical Friendship Circles: The Cultural Challenge of Cool Feedback”
- Efficient And Collegial Modes Of Communication
Spring 2010
- Interview with Participants from the “Building Collaborative Learning Communities” Leadership Seminar in Bloomington, Indiana, Nov. 2009 and March 2010
- About this issue, from editor Dave Lehman – Spring 2010
- “Reflecting on ‘Democratic Communities’ and What It Means to be a Democratic Citizen’ in the 21st Century”
- “Tools for Leaders: Indispensable Graphic Organizers, Protocols, and Planning Guidelines for Working and Learning Together” by Marjorie Larner
- “The Power of Protocols: An Educator’s Guide to Better Practice” 2nd Edition By Joseph McDonald, Nancy Mohr, Alan Dichter, and Elisabeth McDonald
Winter 2009
- Center of Activity Report: San Antonio
- Center of Activity Report: Houston
- Consenting Adults: Conducting Case Conferences with Consciousness
- Director’s Report
- Fostering CFGs in a PLC Landscape
- NSRF’s Living History: An Interview with Tim Martindell
- NSRF’s Living History: An Interview with Ileana Liberatore
- Protocols in Practice: Structures Support Special Education Students’ Rigorous Practice
- Students At The Center An Historic Election – A Teachable Moment
Spring 2009
- Center of Activity Report: New Center Established in New York
- Coaching Whole School Change: Lessons In Practice From a Small High School
- Director’s Report
- Forming Learning Communities is Just the Beginning and Can Be A Dead End
- NSRF’s Living History: An Interview with Brandon Cosby
- Protocols In Practice: Racial Microaggressions Text-Based Discussion
- The Reason for the National School Reform Faculty – Students at the Center
- Winter Meeting Wrap-Up
Fall 2009
- Eileen’s Dilemma: The Magic of Critical Friendship
- An Interview with Terry Daugherty, a NSRF National Facilitator
- Protocols in Practice
- Reflecting on Coach and Coaching
- Thrive by Five WA’s Nurturing Families Initiative Communities of Practice Institute
- What If and Why? – Literacy Invitations for Multilingual Classrooms
Winter 2008
- The New Meaning of Educational Change A Book Review
- Center of Activity Report – Florida
- Courageous Conversations Across Difference
- Director’s Report
- Leading the Work by Doing the Work
- NSRF’s Living History: An Interview with Linda Emm
- Protocols in Practice: The Power of the Circle in Community Conversations about Equity
- Students At The Center: Using Protocols with Students in a Writing Workshop
- Students At The Center: White Privilege DNA
Spring 2008
- Still Separate and Unequal: Segregation and the Future of Urban School Reform Book Review
- The Warrior Method: A Parent’s Guide to Rearing Healthy Black Boys Book Review
- Center of Activity Report: Pennsylvania
- Shanghai American School
- Director’s Report
- Invite, Include, Inspire New Opportunities for Growing NSRF
- NSRF’s Living History: An Interview with Camilla Greene
- Protocols in Practice: The Triple Chalk Talk- An Alternative Way to “Set It Off”
- Research Forum Report
- Students At The Center Sunday Morning
- Winter Meeting Wrap-Up
Fall 2008
- The Reflective Educator’s Guide to Professional Development: Coaching Inquiry-Oriented Learning Communities Book Review
- Center of Activity Report: New York
- Director’s Report
- Ambassadors of Peace and Hope… The Khalil Gibran International Academy
- NSRF’s Living History: An Interview with Margaret MacLean
- Race Matters
- Students At The Center One plus One equals One
- The Five Freedoms Project Leadership Academy
Winter 2007
- Courageous Conversations About Race: A Field Guide for Achieving Equity in Schools Book Review
- Into the Classroom: Developing the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Book Review
- Center of Activity Report – Washington
- CFG/Equity Training and the Experience of a White Ally
- Critical Pedagogy
- Director’s Report
- Fear, Mistrust, and Misunderstanding in the Teachers’ Lounge
- Interrupting Business as Usual: A Principal’s Reflection on the Equity Project in His District and School
- NSRF’s Living History Interview with Kim Feicke and Tanisha Davis Doss
- Reflection on a “Protocol in Practice”
- Students At The Center – Melinda
Spring 2007
- Ask Mr. Reys A Tribute to the Power of Principal Collaboration Philadelphia Area Leadership CFG
- Director’s Report
- Inquiry Focus Puts Students at the Center
- In This Issue
- Protocols In Practice Interrupting Inequities
- Leaps
- NSRF’s Living History: An Interview with Kevin Horton
- Resources for Gay and Lesbian Families and Students
- Dear Rachel
- What Is Your Question? Reflections on the Second Annual NSRF Research Forum
- Winter Meeting Reflections
Fall 2007
- Principal Accomplishments: How School Leaders Succeed Book Review
- Director’s Report
- An Interview with Dr. Paul C. Gorski
- In This Issue
- Listen In on Our Courageous Conversations About Race Book Chat
- NSRF’s Living History: An Interview with Greg Peters
- NSRF Summer Activity Roundup
- Planting Oak Trees, Harvesting Acorns and Building towards “Reforestation” Indiana Center of Activity Report
- Protocols in Practice – Whose Voice?
- Collaboration + Relevant Content = Award-Winning Student Work
- Taking Responsibility for Anti-Muslim Discrimination in our Schools
- What Happens When We Intentionally Reflect on Our CFG’s Work?
- When White Educators Discipline Students of Color
Winter 2006
- Creating Great School: Six Critical Systems at the Heart of Educational Innovation Book Review
- Changing The Conversation Reflections of Rural New Mexico Principals
- Coaching for Educational Equity: A Joint Effort of BayCES & NSRF
- Director’s Report
- It Is Not Rocket Science The Challenge, Struggle, Will and Skill Lie Within Each of Us
- NSRF’s Living History: An Interview with Carrie Brennan
- NSRFs Partnership with LaRaza Towards a Coaching Platform for Early College High Schools
- How to Have a Good Conversation: By Fifth Graders at Aspen Creek K-8
- Sustaining Leadership: A Principal’s Reflection
Spring 2006
- Aggressive Neglect in Urban Districts Calls for Unreasonable Action by Warriors of Justice!
- Coaching for Educational Equity: Placing Equity at the Center of New Coaches Trainings
- Director’s Report
- Reflections on the First Annual NSRF Research Forum
- NSRF’s Living History: An Interview with Lakweisha Tibbs
- The Renaissance Across Difference: Engaging African American, Latino and Mainstream High School Students in the Italian Renaissance and a Tribute to Gordon Parks
- Storms Swell, Paradigms Shift
- Full-Contact Ecology Students At The Center
- The Effective Principal Book Review
- Tuning for Equity
Fall 2006
- Changing the Work: A Report from the Houston Center of Activity
- A Tale of Two Schools, or The Role of a Principal in a Collaborative Culture
- Results Now: How We Can Achieve Unprecedented Improvements in Teaching and Learning A Book Review
- Diversity Books for Young Children
- I Don’t See Color, Kids Are Just Kids
- Hip-Hop: A Crucial Addition to the Curriculum
- NSRF’s Living History: An Interview with Heidi Vosekas
- Protocol Structure as an Equity Pedagogy for Student-to-Student Critical Friendship
- Taking Up the Research Challenge
Spring 2005
- Protocols IN Practice A Different Kind of Classroom: Using Protocols to Increase Student Understanding
- CFG Coaches and NSRF Introducing and Practicing Peer Observation With New Coaches
- Director’s Report
- Indiana Center of Activity Report
- Interview with Gene Thompson-Grove
- Learning to See with a Third Eye: Working to Understand the Full Impact of Inequity
- NSRF New York
- Serendipity
- Students at the Center The Harmony/VISTA Project Helps Indianapolis Students Research Student Engagement in Their Schools
Winter 2005
- A Grand Slam
- The American School in Japan Apples and CFGs in Harmony: A Core Curriculum
- Apples and CFGs in Harmony: A Core Curriculum
- Whatever It Takes: How Professional Learning Communities Respond When Kids Don’t Learn A Book Review
- Doing Principals’ CFGs
- Laughing and Learning
- National Center Report
- Highlights from NSRF’s Centers of Activity in the North East Massachusetts / Southern New Hampshire
- Protocols in Practice Using the Success Analysis Protocol to Unpack a Text
- The Practice of Freedom
Fall 2005
- Coaching for Educational Equity from the Inside Out
- Director’s Report
- Intelligences at the Table
- Mighty Times: The Children’s March A Teaching Tolerance & HBO Film Movie Review
- NSRF’s Living History: An Interview with Ted Hall
- Protocols in Practice A Passionate Inquiry Into Teacher Practice
- The Role of the Inquiry Cycle in Changing Practice
- Searching for Answers: A Center of Activity Emerges in Milwaukee
- Sharing Our Stories: Tales From The First Ten Years
- Student as Learner, Teacher as Coach: Putting Collaboration to Work at S.A. Douglas High School
- Using a Blog to Intensify Reflections
Winter 2004
- Report from the Directors
- CFG Report New York
- Coaching Lessons from Co-Rec Softball
- Creating Effective Small Schools Oregon
- NSRF’s Living History A Conversation with Sharon Allen-Hamilton
- Philadelphia Center of Activity Report
- Students At The Center Meaningful Learning at Jules E. Mastbaum Area Vocational Technical School
- Success Analysis
- I Must Know: Who is Quinn?
Spring 2004
- Because of the Kids: Facing Racial and Cultural Differences in Schools Book Review
- Pathways: Charting a Course for Professional Learning Book Review
- Breaking the Rules
- Compassion: A Core Value of Skilled Facilitation – Insights from The Skilled Facilitator
- Michigan Coalition of Essential Schools: Collaborating for Students’ Success
- Now What? How Our Experiences at the Winter Meeting Continue to Change Our Practice
- NSRF Principals’ Seminar July 14-16, 2004, Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Our World Café
- Partner Fishbowl: A Structure to Start and Deepen the Conversation
- Report from the Directors
- Winter Meeting Reflections
- Mastbaum High School Students Reflect on Winter Meeting Internship
Fall 2004
- The Trouble With Friendship: Why Americans Can’t Think Straight About Race A Book Review
- Report from the Directors
- Houston Center of Activity Report
- Inquiry Circles An Appreciative Approach to Professional Inquiry
- Interview with Debbi Laidley
- Into the Light – Reflections from a New Coach
- Letters to the Next President – What We Can Do About the Real Crisis in Public Education A Book Review
- Making Learning Visible – Project Zero Learning from the Students of Reggio Emilia
- School Three – The Cambridge Rindge and Latin School
- A Sad Reality Students at the Center
- 9th Annual Winter Meeting a space for courageous work to take place Cambridge Massachusetts
Winter 2003
- A Sense of Power
- Bowling For Columbine A Film Review
- CES Northwest CFG Seminar Observation
- CFG Snapshot
- Report from the Directors
- Donations Sought For NSRF Scholarships
- An Interview with Lois Butler
- La Raza
- A New Teacher Makes Room in Her Class
- NSRF New York / NSRF Vermont
- Protocols in Practice: It’s Elementary! NSRF Work at the Bernice A. Ray Elementary School
- Research Data Evidence
- Walking the Talk… Peer Observation of Our Facilitation
- Creating a Culture of Conversation
Spring 2003
- Students at the Center Ridge Arts Actors and the No Child Left Behind Act
- At the Heart of Teaching: A Guide to Reflective Practice – A Book Review
- NSRF Center of Activity Chattanooga
- Eddying Out: Helping Your CFG Share Ownership of Planning and Leadership
- New Teacher Introductions
- NSRF’s Living History A Conversation with Nancy Mohr and Alan Dichter
- NSRF Summer Leadership Seminar on Equity
- Report From the Directors
- Small Schools: Ohio High School Transformation Initiative
- The Trees are Lovely, But Where is the Forest?
- Winter Meeting Review
- Fires in the Bathroom A Book Review
Fall 2003
- 8th Annual NSRF Winter Meeting
- The New Meaning of Educational Change A Book Review
- What’s Happening in the Chattanooga, Tennessee, Assistant Principal’s CFG
- It’s Not Magic, It’s the Future
- Report from the Directors
- Eulogy for Nancy Mohr
- Naming the Elephants- Breaking the Uncomfortable Silence
- NSRF’s Living History: A Conversation with Pete Bermudez
- Playing Doubles Moving Beyond Tag-Team Facilitation
- A Review of Gender Equity Literature
- Schools as Centers of Community Life: A Conversation with Tony Smith
- Creating Community: The Spring Symposium on School Improvement
- What’s Happening in the Chattanooga, Tennessee Assistant Principals CFGs
- What We Did Over Summer Vacation Understanding our Work
- What We Did Over Summer Vacation Challenging Assumptions
Spring 2002
- What Makes Arizona a Viable Center of Activity?
- What is Real Support from Principals?
- New York as a Center of Activity
- A School of Hope
- Crossing Over to Canaan: Book Review
- Vermont as a Center of Activity
- NSRF Centers of Activity Indiana
- Director’s Report
- Why Social Equity? Why Focus on Racism? Why Now?
- Protocols in Practice
- K-12 & Higher Education Partnerships: A Model for Collaboration
- A Small School Initiative: Manual High School
- Reflections on the Equity Conversation
- What if?
Fall 2002
- Schools with Spirit: Nurturing the Inner Lives of Children and Teachers
- Building Professional Learning Communities
- Creating a Community of Learners Among College Faculty Through the Use of Reflective Practice
- Report From the Directors
- Documenting Decisions: Making Learning Explicit in Our CFG
- Golf Progress Report
- Harmony/Vista Anti-Poverty CFG
- And Now a Few Words with the Author… An interview with Peggy Silva
- Looking at Student Work Collaboratively
- NSRF and the First Amendment Schools
- 7th Annual NSRF Winter Meeting
- Protocols in Practice: Houston High School Students Reflect on Reform
- Small Schools and CFGs
- UCLA School Management Program