Kagan Leadership Support Services

Graphic of characters shaking hands Graphic of characters shaking hands

Educational leaders play a vital role in successful school improvement. That’s why Kagan stands ready to support the efforts of leaders. Kagan offers free and fee-based support services as well as an array of leadership workshops designed specifically for educational leaders. Take advantage of these offerings to create the Kagan school or district.

Leadership Support Services

FREE Services

Sounding Board

Service Delivery: E-Mail, Video Conference
Kagan has experts on staff who have firsthand experience in leading a cooperative learning initiative. We understand that leading a change effort is fraught with challenges. Need to troubleshoot? Problem solve? Ask questions? Discuss how Kagan connects to other initiatives? Contact us, and we will be happy to dialogue with you about leadership strategies that will support implementation efforts.

Planning Session: Next Steps

Service Delivery: E-Mail, Video Conference
School improvement is a process. Planning the next step to ensure teachers successfully implement can be difficult. Should we offer another day of training? When should we coach teachers? How do I connect cooperative learning to other initiatives in the organization? Visiting with Kagan experts can better ensure the next step you take is the right one!

Implementation Planning: Plan Development

Service Delivery: E-Mail, Video Conference
Kagan has created a 3 Phase Plan for Success to assist leaders with long range planning. Seldom can any initiative be fully implemented in one calendar year. Kagan has extensive background in helping organizations create 3-5 year plans that will launch the training, help build internal capacity, and define how implementation will be sustained. This service will enable leaders to think and plan long term so that the training investment pays off.

Faculty Meeting Agenda Review

Service Delivery: E-Mail, Video Conference
Crafting a cooperative agenda can be a challenging endeavor. The art of facilitating meetings to ensure all staff members are fully engaged lies not in one’s delivery but in the planning of the meeting. Kagan can provide support by reviewing draft agendas and offering feedback in regard to content, structure selection, and management of the meeting. The prerequisite for this service is having attended the Kagan Cooperative Meetings two-day workshop.

Structure-A-Month (SAM) Club Meeting Agenda Review

Service Delivery: E-Mail, Video Conference
SAM Clubs are a specialized type of PLC meeting. Communications during implementation is far more important than communications before implementation. Structuring dialogue to problem solve, troubleshoot, and extend learning is critical for teachers to ensure they implement structures with fidelity and frequency. Kagan can provide support by reviewing SAM Club agendas and offering feedback. The prerequisite for this service is having attended the Instructional Leadership Academy, SAM Clubs workshop, or Kagan School Trainer.

Fee-Based Services

Implementation Planning: Plan Development

Service Delivery: Face-to-Face, Small Group Work Session
As noted above under Free Services, putting together a multi-year plan to ensure teachers successfully transfer training to the classroom is a leadership responsibility. If a face-to-face planning session with a small group of key leaders is preferred to one conducted virtually, then this is an option that should be considered.

PIES Analysis

Service Delivery: Face-to-Face, Walk-Throughs
Creating a common definition of what constitutes effective student engagement is critically important. PIES can be that definition. These four basic principles are rooted in cooperative learning structures, thereby ensuring that all students are fully engaged. However, PIES can also serve as the lens through which we examine any type of student engagement. Kagan can help create inter-rater reliability when it comes to determining levels of student engagement. The prerequisite for this service is having attended Level I Cooperative Learning (i.e., minimum of Days 1-2).

Kagan Coaching Preparation

Service Delivery: Face-to-Face, In-the-Moment Coaching
Kagan recommends having a coaching system in place to ensure teachers are coached with frequency (i.e., at least once per month). In order to do so, internal Kagan coaches need to be put in place. In Kagan Coaching Preparation, only future internal coaches receive Kagan Coaching. The process Kagan uses to coach future coaches replicates the system that internal coaches will implement once they are fully trained. Kagan Coaching Preparation ensures that future internal coaches use structures with fidelity; additionally, the experience helps them better comprehend how the Kagan coaching model works (i.e., what it feels like to be coached).

Kagan Coaching Shadowing

Service Delivery: Face-to-Face, In-the-Moment Coaching
Supporting internal coaches to ensure inter-rater reliability is critical. One way to make that happen is to shadow a certified Kagan coach (i.e., watch a Kagan coach in action or receive support from a Kagan coach while coaching one’s peers). By walking and talking with a Kagan coach all day, internal coaches gain deeper insight into what constitutes effective coaching and become more skilled and confident with their coaching practices. The prerequisite for Kagan Coaching Shadowing is having attended Level I Cooperative Learning and the Kagan Coaching workshop.

Implementation Analysis

Service Delivery: Face-to-Face, Small Group Work Session
Sometimes, having an outside entity examine implementation efforts can provide clarity in terms of next steps. Kagan has created a set of implementation rubrics that can be used to take an inventory of how the initiative is progressing. Kagan has staff members who served in district leadership roles prior to joining the Kagan team. They have a wealth of experience in leading a cooperative learning initiative. These people can come alongside leaders, assess strengths and growth areas, and help create focus for future implementation plans. The prerequisite for this service is having attended the Instructional Leadership Academy.

Photo of Dr. Vern Minor

We’re Here to Support You!

For more info about Kagan’s Leadership Support Services, pricing for fee-based services, or to schedule a consultation, please contact:

Vern Minor, Ed.D.
Director of Educational Leadership
949.545.6381
vern@kaganonline.com