Dominique Smith – författare

Effective school leadership is effective leadership, regardless of where it occurs In March 2020, there was no manual for leading schools and school systems during a pandemic. School leaders had to figure things out as the crisis unfolded. But starting now, leaders have the opportunity to prepare for leading schools through distance learning with purpose and intent—using what works best to accelerate students’ learning all the while maintaining an indelible focus on equity. Harnessing the insights and experience of renowned educators Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, and John Hattie, The Distance Learning Playbook for School Leaders applies the wisdom and evidence of the VISIBLE LEARNING® research to understand what works best. Spanning topics from school climate at a distance, leader credibility, care for self and colleagues, instructional leadership teams, stakeholder advisory groups, and virtual visibility, this comprehensive playbook details the research- and evidence-based strategies school leaders can mobilize to lead the delivery of high-impact learning in an online, virtual, and distributed environment. This powerful guide includes:

Actionable insights and hands-on steps for each module to help school leaders realize the evidence-based leadership practices that result in meaningful learning in a distance environment Discussion of equity challenges associated with distance learning, along with examples of how leaders can work to ensure that equity gains that have been realized are not lost. Analysis of the mindsets that empower leaders to manage change, rather than technology Space to write and reflect on current practices and plan future leadership strategies The mindframes for distance learning that serve leaders well in any instructional setting and will position schools after the pandemic to come back better than they were before 

The Distance Learning Playbook for School Leaders is the essential hands-on guide to leading school and school systems from a distance and delivering on the promise of equitable, quality learning experiences for students.

Sharpen your instructional leadership skills and guide your school toward equity and excellence for all.

Just think about how great schools could be if every instructional leader exercised their influence to create change—maximizing the efforts of others and mobilizing those efforts to work toward a shared goal.

How Leadership Works: A Playbook for Instructional Leaders walks educators through the processes of clarifying, articulating, and actualizing instructional leadership goals with the aim of delivering on the promise of equity and excellence for all. Grounded in Visible Learning® research, the exercises in this easy-to-use playbook illuminate the essential mindframes necessary for effective instructional leadership and prompt veteran, new, and aspiring educators to identify challenges and determine next steps. It includes:

Ten essential mindframes for leaders, together with the leadership practices that illustrate each mindframe in action Teaching practices, such as teacher clarity or student engagement in learning, that support teachers in delivering quality instruction, along with tools to document the impact of those practices on learning Strategies for leading learning, including establishing school culture, utilizing feedback, and supporting professional learning communities as a pathway to building collective teacher efficacy. Tools for applying the principles of change, conducting an initiative inventory, and implementing and de-implementing initiatives

Exercise-by-exercise, educators and front office staff will deepen their knowledge, frame their priorities and practices, and gain new tools for supporting the instructional focus and initiatives designed to support learning at your school.

Utilize restorative practices to create a safe, accepting, and equitable school climate where learning can flourish.

When students have unfinished learning, educators create opportunities for students to learn. Unfortunately, this role seems to end when it comes to behavior. How can we turn behavior into a teachable moment?

The Restorative Practices Playbook details a set of practices designed to teach prosocial behaviors based on strong relationships and a commitment to the well-being of others. Implementing restorative practices establishes a positive academic and social-emotional learning environment while building students’ capacity to self-regulate, make decisions, and self-govern—the very skills students need to achieve. In this eye-opening, essential playbook, renowned educators Dominique Smith, Douglas Fisher, and Nancy Frey support educators with the reflection prompts, tools, examples, and strategies needed to create restorative practices around several key concepts:

A restorative school culture, grounded in respect, that builds agency and identity, establishes teacher credibility, sets high expectations, and fosters positive relationships Restorative conversations that equip adults and students with the capacity to resolve problems, make decisions, and arrive at solutions in ways that are satisfactory and growth-producing Restorative circles that promote academic learning through dialogue, build consensus in decision making, and help participants reach resolution through healing Formal restorative conferences that foster guided dialogue between victim(s) and offender(s) and include plans for re-entry into the school community

By becoming adept in the skillful use of restorative practices, educators will foster equitable discipline that reduces exclusion and creates a school community driven by relationships and respect.

Passion, vision, relatability—can we ever quantify the facets of successful leadership? Is there sufficient “there-there” behind these feel-good words to transform a school into a culture of learning and bold hope? Yes, and yes!  Inspired by John Hattie’s impressive research, Fisher, Frey, Lassiter, and Smith bring their trademark clarity to turn aspiration into energized action. For each of the five components that all effective leaders possess—trustworthiness, competence, dynamism, immediacy, and forward-thinking—leaders learn the first steps and bold leaps to mentor others.  Each chapter abounds with professional development tools, including:  Self-assessments so you know your baseline Pause and ponder questions to envision change REAL features to lead with alacrity Checklists to stay focused and strategic Relevant research to assimilate and share Now more than ever, schools need to be places where openness and trust are baked into every hallway hello and every meeting, so collective talents can take us farther than we ever imagined. Let Leader Credibility be your guide to steering others to that greatness. 

The essentials for creating a supportive and inclusive space for all

Learning is hard work and the latest education research shows that a sense of psychological safety is a must if we want students to successfully progress along their education journey.

In Mindframes for Belonging, Identities, and Equity, you'll discover 10 unique mindframes backed by extensive education research and real-life scenarios. Through self-reflection and powerful vignettes, you'll learn how to apply these core principles in your daily life to foster a more inclusive and understanding learning environment. Inside, the authors explore the five critical themes behind these mindframes, including

Impact and EfficiencyFeedback and AssessmentChallenging GrowthLearning Culture and RelationshipsOwnership and Accountability

Harnessing the power of these mindframes is not just about improving education--it's about fostering an environment where every student feels valued, safe, and able to learn without fear.

Inspire trust, raise engagement, and advance learning outcomes with teacher credibility

Why do some instructional strategies work better for certain teachers than others? Given the same materials, time and effort, these teachers seem to possess the secret to success when it comes to high-impact teaching. No secrets here—the key to increasing student learning outcomes is teacher credibility.

The Illustrated Guide to Teacher Credibility dives into one of the most impactful aspects of teaching, helping educators understand how trust, competence, dynamism, and immediacy shape students’ perceptions and influence their motivation to learn. By focusing on the relationship between teacher credibility and its influence on learning, this book delivers the goods for educators to overcome barriers, establish meaningful connections, and achieve high-impact teaching. With practical insights and strategies and a research-backed Visible Learning effect size of 1.09, the authors demonstrate how credibility is not just a concept but a fundamental driver for student success with:

Comprehensive Frameworks: Explore the four pillars of teacher credibility (trust, competence, dynamism, and immediacy) and how to cultivate them in your practice.Practical Strategies: Gain actionable tools for building trust with students, improving teacher clarity, and fostering dynamic, engaging learning environments.Self-Assessments and Tools: Evaluate your own credibility and use reflective tools to enhance professional growth.Real-World Applications: Learn how to apply immediacy and proximity to improve communication and create enriched classroom relationships.

This essential resource is for every educator whose aim is to inspire trust, raise engagement, and advance learning outcomes. By focusing on credibility, you’ll empower your students and create an environment where they can thrive academically and socially.

Every teacher wants engaged students. No student wants to be bored. So why isn’t every classroom teeming with discussion and purposeful activity centered on the day’s learning expectations?  Consistently finding a rhythm—where students progress through relevant and challenging content—isn’t easy. But not only is it possible, it can also seem effortless when teachers have the right design for genuinely engaging students.   Classroom dynamics are inherently complex, as multifaceted as the personalities in the room, so where should a teacher begin? Engagement by Design gives you a framework for making daily improvements and highlights the opportunities that will bring the greatest benefit in the least amount of time. You’ll learn about relationships, clarity, and challenge, including

How getting to know each student a little better can fundamentally change the classroom dynamics—and how to do that What it means to be an “intentionally inviting” teacher, and how it gives you an advantage in creating an environment conducive to learning How to bring more clarity to key aspects of your work—and how it can reap substantial rewards for you and your students How opening the culture to student voice—listening to students—is linked to academic motivation, and how to use it to shape your day-to-day planning The best ways to increase learning for your students, boosting the proportional value of their school year

Understanding engagement—and actively pursuing it—can make all the difference between forging a real connection with students and having a classroom that’s simply going through the motions. Engagement by Design puts you in control of managing your classroom’s success and increasing student learning, one motivated student at a time.

Disrupting the cycle starts with you. No matter how conscientious we are, we carry implicit bias… which quickly turns into assumptions and then labels. Labels define our interactions with and expectations of students. Labels contribute to student identity and agency. And labels can have a negative effect beyond the classroom. It’s crucial, then, that teachers remove labels and focus on students’ strengths—but this takes real work at an individual, classroom, and schoolwide scale.  Removing Labels urges you to take an active approach toward disrupting the negative effects of labels and assumptions that interfere with student learning. This book offers:

40 practical, replicable teaching techniques—all based in research and best practice—that focus on building relationships, restructuring classroom engagement and management, and understanding the power of social and emotional learning  Suggestions for actions on an individual, classroom, and schoolwide level Ready-to-go tools and student-facing printables to use in planning and instruction

Removing Labels is more than a collection of teaching strategies—it’s a commitment to providing truly responsive education that serves all children. When you and your colleagues take action to prevent negative labels from taking hold, the whole community benefits.

Ready to transform your classroom into a place where every student can thrive?

Effective classroom management isn’t just about control—it’s about creating an environment where trust, fairness, and purpose guide every action. Instead of relying on quick fixes, this practical guide digs into proven strategies that go beyond simple compliance, helping you build real connections and engagement with your students.

This guide is fully illustrated, with visuals created to make complicated concepts easier to digest and remember. Whether you’re a visual learner or just want ideas to stick, the illustrations don’t just decorate the pages—they actually help bring strategies to life, making communication clearer and your own understanding stronger.

Inside, you’ll find:

Clear explanations of classroom management and discipline, showing how they work together for a supportive classroomResearch-based tips to create a positive climate, boost your credibility, and build communityProactive routines to kick off the year, manage transitions, and design instruction that fosters responsibility and belongingHandy quick guides for tackling common challenges, from off-task behaviors to conflicts

By blending strong management with responsive discipline, you can help students feel safe, empowered, and ready to learn. Perfect for new and experienced educators alike, this guide is your companion for building a classroom culture where every kid has the chance to succeed.

Create schools students don't want to miss

Chronic absenteeism continues to affect schools across the world, yet traditional approaches—rewards, punishments, and attendance campaigns—rarely address the underlying reasons students miss school. Improving Attendance in Your School and Classroom offers educators, school leaders, counselors, and support staff a comprehensive, research-grounded framework for improving attendance through relationships, engagement, systems, and support. Rather than asking, "How do we make students come to school?" Dominique Smith, Douglas Fisher, and Nancy Frey challenge you to ask a better question: "How do we create a school students don't want to miss?"

This practical, interactive resource provides:

Strategies for building the conditions for attendance, including belonging, school climate, and strong adult–student relationshipsApproaches for designing engaging, meaningful instruction that gives students a reason to show up every dayTools for identifying and removing barriers to attendance, including practical access issues and trauma-sensitive classroom designFrameworks for leading schoolwide systems that sustain attendance improvement over time

When students feel known, safe, and connected to meaningful learning, attendance stops being a compliance issue and becomes the outcome of everything schools do well. This guide equips every educator to make that vision a reality—and ensures every student has a reason to return tomorrow.