Our professional development experiences are interactive, intentional, and designed to translate directly into improved classroom instruction.
Through dynamic whole-group discussions, targeted small-group collaboration, and individualized coaching, our sessions prioritize hands-on learning. Educators are not passive recipients—they are active participants, engaging in cognitive work that leads to real implementation for their specific classrooms and students.
Backed by decades of research from leading education experts like John Hattie, Robert Marzano, and others, our approach draws from hundreds of educational influences and effect sizes to guide everything we do.
What Makes Our Professional Learning Different?
Kids First sessions are structured as “work sessions,” where learning is immediately put into practice. Our High-Impact Facilitators and Instructional Coaches embed formative assessment strategies throughout, providing real-time, actionable feedback that clarifies misunderstandings, strengthens instructional skills, and builds educator confidence. Each experience is crafted in close collaboration with district and school leadership to ensure alignment with local priorities—and, most importantly, to ensure that all students grow and learn.
Our professional learning supports teachers and leaders through three integrated formats:
High-Impact Group Sessions
Research-based training aligned to district or school goals.
Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)
Deep dives into content knowledge, instructional strategy, and data-informed decision-making.
Classroom-Based Coaching
In-the-moment modeling, co-teaching, and debriefing that transforms reflection into action.
Our Four Core Commitments to Professional Learning
Grounded in research and adapted from Learning Forward’s Professional Learning Standards, our work is built on these essential conditions for meaningful professional growth:
- All educators are committed to the success of every student.
- Every participant arrives ready to learn and grow.
- Each voice matters—every educator has valuable insights to share.
- Educators learn in different ways and design experiences accordingly.
These commitments shape the conditions for impactful and sustainable professional learning in every school and district we serve.
Measuring What Matters: Professional Learning Impact
Our work doesn’t stop when the session ends. We assess every professional development experience through a customized evaluation process built on Thomas Guskey’s Five Levels of Professional Learning. This data informs continuous improvement and supports long-term success.
We measure:
- Participant Reactions – How participants perceived the quality and relevance of the session.
- Learning Outcomes – The knowledge and skills educators gained.
- Organizational Change – System-level shifts that support implementation.
- Instructional Practice – The extent to which new strategies are used in classrooms.
- Student Impact – Measurable changes in student outcomes because of the work.
Levels 4 and 5 are often conducted on-site to support long-term implementation and transformation at the school level.