Summer Backpack of MTSS Resources

As you enjoy the summer break —whether you’re hiking a mountain path, lounging on the beach, exploring a new destination, or just taking a break at home—we’ve curated a collection of MTSS resources to keep your skills sharp and further your MTSS knowledge.

Resource #1: Summer PD Reading List

Whether you are looking for general leadership, philosophical, or education reads, reading in the summer allows you to digest ideas and improve your educational practice. But with so many great educational books out there, there is never enough time to get through them all.  If you are searching for a good one to put on your summer reading list (in addition to those beach reads!), check out these recommendations: 

• Leading Change, by John Kotter
• Great on Their Behalf: Why School Boards Fail, How Yours Can Become Effective, by A.J. Crabill
• Design for How People Learn, by Julie Dirksen
• Lost at School: Why Our Kids with Behavioral Challenges are Falling Through the Cracks and How We Can Help Them, by Ross Greene
• Feel Good Productivity, by Ali Abdaal
• ExSELent Teaching: Classroom strategies to support the social, emotional, and academic growth of students, by R. Keeth Matheny
• The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact, by Chip Heath and Dan Heath
  

Resource #2: Reflective Journal

After the end-of-year rush, structured reflection can help you process and prepare for the new year. Here is a resource to get you started. 

Download this short Reflection Journal to help you jump-start your reflection.  → Link to downloadable PDF → Access the Editable Google Doc Version

Resource #3: Build Your Own MTSS Learning Course

Branching Minds has great FREE resources to further your learning around MTSS and supporting students. Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

Resource #4: Catch the Replay of Our Mini-Summit 2024

We recently hosted a half-day virtual MTSS Mini Summit focused on MTSS-Behavior Essentials:

• Universal screening for social, emotional, and behavioral needs
• Behavior interventions, including ideas for secondary students
• Leadership in behavior
• … and more! 

Even if you weren’t able to attend, get instant access to the Mini Summit session recordings and resources led by experienced school leaders, including our most raved-about session, Getting Out of Emergency Mode: How to Build a Proactive Behavior Support System.

➡️ Access the MTSS Mini Summit Sessions

Resource #5: Great Podcasts to Follow

Need some inspiration, practical tips, and some laughs? Check out these experts share resources and their content. Here are a few great follows to add on Twitter or LinkedIn. 

• Vicki Davis - Host of the "10 Minute Teacher Podcast," Vicki covers a wide range of topics in K-12 education, providing actionable insights in a short format.
• John Spencer- Co-host of the "Creative Classroom Podcast," John focuses on student engagement, creativity, and innovative teaching practices.
• Angela Watson - Host of "Truth for Teachers," Angela provides practical advice and inspiration for teachers, focusing on productivity and maintaining a work-life balance.
• Jennifer Gonzalez- Host of “Cult of Pedagogy”, Jennifer showcases teaching strategies, classroom management, education reform, and ed tech tools through interviews and solo episodes. 
• Dr. Katherine McKnight - Co-host of “Science of Reading Podcast,” created this podcast, especially for 4th -12th-grade teachers, literacy coaches, and school and district leaders who need resources to grow literacy achievement in their students.  (She was a guest on Schoolin' Around!!)
• Jim Knight- Host of Coaching Conversations with Jim Knight and founder of The Instructional Coaching Group, explores the ideas of thought-leaders and coaching experts from around the world to highlight better ways to have a positive impact on the people around us.

Resource #6: Brancher Summer Playlist

What is summer without some great tunes to inspire your listening? We asked our team for a few recommendations and must-haves on your summer playlist and compiled them here on a Spotify Playlist! 

Download the full PDF of all of these resources using the form below ⬇️