How MTSS Has Increased Collaboration for This Teacher

This past spring, Branching Minds held a nationwide competition with educators, asking them “How has MTSS impacted their school?” 

We had amazing entries from educators around the country. Each entry showcased how a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) has the power to transform the educational journey of students in every school. One of our entries came from Keke Powell, M.Ed., an elementary teacher in Texas.

Ms. Powell submitted a video describing how MTSS has increased teacher collaboration by creating a seamless data culture that allows educators to better understand the needs of incoming students and adjust their instruction accordingly. Ms. Powell’s district utilized the Branching Minds’ MTSS platform to gather data and share this data with a student’s higher grade-level teacher. 

MTSS builds upon the foundation of a continuous problem-solving approach where educators participate in data-sharing meetings to plan intervention plans, adjust core instruction, and use the expertise of each other to better support the needs of their students. 

After all, teaching is a profession of collaboration, and Ms. Powell captures this perfectly in her video. Check out the video to learn about how MTSS transformed this elementary teacher’s approach to instruction and intervention. 

VIDEO: Using MTSS to Increase Collaboration and Student Success 

Learn More About Keke Powell

How Long Have You Been in Education?

I am going into my 8th year!

Why Did you Pursue a Career in Education?

I pursued a degree in education because I love inspiring our future generation to keep dreaming big! I want to be that positive role model for my students and know that I care for them in and out of the classroom. At an early age, I always knew working with students was my passion. I grew up working at my local summer camp as a camp counselor and fell in love with wanting to teach campers all different types of skills. I love being able to go to work every day doing what I love!

What Grades/Subjects Have You Taught?

I have taught grades 2nd-5th. Fun fact I was able to teach 2nd-5th grade all in a row!

What Is One Thing About Teaching/Being in Education That Brings You Joy?

One thing that brings me joy is the smiling faces I see that enter my classroom each morning. I am excited to see them, and they are excited to see me!

About Keke Powell

"Just a teacher spreading my Aloha through Texas. I taught for six years in Hawaii and relocated to Texas during the pandemic. I love being a lifelong learner and sharing my experiences with other educators!"

You can connect with Ms. Powell through LinkedIn and Twitter. 

Additional resources you may find helpful: ➡️ Read more about How Technology is Improving the Way We Implement MTSS ➡️ MTSS experience spotlight: How My School Transitioned to MTSS ➡️ Blog: Benefits of and Strategies for Teacher Collaboration in MTSS

---

Save teachers time and effort The Branching Minds platform enables teachers to find streamlined documentation, automate data ingestion from multiple sources, improving the efficiency of preparing for problem-solving meetings. Additionally, the platform provides data visualizations, collaborative input, and holistic student view, improving the quality of the problem-solving conversation during meetings.