Mike Rutherford

Many thanks to Dr. Rocky Wallace at Campbellsville University (KY) for his recent book review of The Artisan Teacher. Thanks for the kind words! BOOK REVIEW - 'The Artisan Teacher: A Field Guide to Skillful Teaching' blog.taaonline.net/2026/03/book-r… via @TextandAcademic

conta.cc/489enuC Keen classroom observers can spot and analyze effective teaching moves.  A “move” is a “short burst of teaching technique that puts the teacher at a quick advantage.”   Great moves have two parts:  cause (what the teacher does) and effect (how the move affects learning and learners).  This Feedback & Coaching Note, Learn to Look at Classroom Cause and Effect, describes the necessary skills for success.

A great day at Henderson Mill ES (DeKalb Co., GA) on Tuesday! Thank you Dr. Blanton for hosting our Feedback & Coaching Lab sessions!

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I enjoyed working with the SHS (Louisville, KY) leadership team this week on observation skills and 30 Second Feedback. This group has a keen eye for spotting effective teaching moves! Thanks Principal Sampson for the opportunity!

Perspective | We need fuller pictures of teachers’ reasons for leaving the profession ednc.org/perspective-we…

This arrived in my feed at just the right time- thanks @DanielPink!

Success in an interview is a poor predictor of classroom success. Some good ideas here to improve our selection practices.

Great article Sean! Thank you. I’ve always thought that school leaders who exude genuine curiosity about their teachers’ effective practices are shaping a rich culture. It’s quite affirming when someone is curious about your work.

Great to spend the day at Dunwoody ES! Working today on observation, analysis, and growth-evoking feedback. Thanks DeKalb County Schools, GA for providing this series!

It was a blessing and pleasure to work with instructional leaders from E-Town KY this afternoon on how to use Feedback and Coaching skills to support teacher retention. A great group of thoughtful, skillful leaders! Thanks Supt. Paul Mullins for the opportunity!

Thank you principal Mark Weese for hosting our Feedback & Coaching Lab sessions today at Indian Riffle ES in Kettering, OH. We saw lots of excellent teaching!!

conta.cc/3MURUuc What’s the difference between something that sticks in your mind and something else that is forgotten too easily and quickly?  Some interesting science on this question is contained in Artisan Teacher Theme 23, Delight.  A delight is a positive surprise that activates memory.  Successful teachers use this approach to reduce the need for repetition and review.

conta.cc/4l33WOH We are all biased. Bias is a natural element of human thought and behavior. Bias is the result of a human brain trying to navigate a complex reality at the speed of life. We take mental shortcuts. We replay automatic scripts. Mostly we do this without conscious awareness. This RLG Leadership Note provides some helpful science to equip educators to see and avoid bias in their practice.

13 years! Wow. Thanks Steve. And nice work on your sketch note. It’s powerful when someone takes time to draw a picture of an effective moment of instruction and share it with the teacher. It can even become a keepsake, or sorts.

Today’s work: Intro to Feedback & Coaching Lab for DeKalb County, GA instructional leaders. A great group of admins and academic coaches!

Great work with admins at Southern HS in Louisville, KY today on observation, feedback, and coaching skills. A great group! Thanks Principal Sampson for your kind invitation!

conta.cc/4aTQyaV School leaders are often asked to select teachers based on little more than an application and an interview. Interview responses are often poor predictors of future job performance.  These 12 questions, however, can shed light on a dependable predictor of job success and student achievement–a teacher’s sense of efficacy.  In The Artisan Teacher™ we describe teacher efficacy as having three elements:  content knowledge, pedagogical skills, and compelling nature. Below are questions and answers aimed at revealing a teacher candidate’s level of development in each of the three elements of efficacy. Four questions for each of the three elements = 12 Good Questions.

conta.cc/4s3F3oh We know that teachers have more room for growth in areas where they already have talent and skill.  Faculties are the same.  An Instructional Practices Assessment (IPA) identifies an entire faculty’s areas of strong practice.  This equips school leaders with critical information for hiring, grade and subject assignments, professional learning, and education resources.  Spring is the ideal time for an IPA since it drives decisions and planning for the summer and the following school year.

This is so true! Retaining our effective staff has never been more important. Drs. Schuler and Huff will show us how it’s done!