Research For Better Teaching, Inc.

Research For Better Teaching, Inc. Founded in 1979 by Jonathon Saphier, Ed.D., Research for Better Teaching (RBT) is a professional dev

Three ideas from our conversation with Art Costa that remain especially relevant:Teaching thinking is as important as te...
08/28/2026

Three ideas from our conversation with Art Costa that remain especially relevant:

Teaching thinking is as important as teaching content.
Cognitive Coaching can unlock the thinking and potential of others.
Habits of Mind give learners dispositions for approaching challenge, uncertainty, and complexity.

There’s much more in the full conversation.

Watch the Art Costa Interview Series:
https://www.rbteach.com/videos/collection/19?video=194

What is your classroom teaching your students?Every space, routine, and system sends a message.Does yours communicate:✓ ...
08/27/2026

What is your classroom teaching your students?

Every space, routine, and system sends a message.

Does yours communicate:

✓ You belong here.
✓ We believe you can succeed.
✓ Your learning matters.
✓ You are capable of independence.
✓ We do important work here.

Classroom design isn't simply about where the desks go. It's about intentionally creating an environment that supports learning, communicates high expectations, and helps every student succeed.

Design intentionally. Teach intentionally. Impact every day.

Read Your Classroom Teaches Before You Do:
https://www.rbteach.com/pages/70 -741

Professional learning matters most when it changes practice.After watching the interview, consider trying one of these t...
08/27/2026

Professional learning matters most when it changes practice.

After watching the interview, consider trying one of these this week:

✔️ Schedule one meaningful feedback conversation.
✔️ Invite teacher voice into an important decision.
✔️ Reflect on one aspect of your own practice and identify one next step.

Small changes create lasting improvement.

Watch the full interview:
https://www.rbteach.com/videos/library/144

What runs without you?It's a powerful question to ask at the beginning of the school year.Can students get the materials...
08/26/2026

What runs without you?

It's a powerful question to ask at the beginning of the school year.

Can students get the materials they need without asking?

Do they know where completed work goes?

Can they transition to the next task without waiting for directions?

Strong classroom systems don't just make a room more organized. They reduce downtime, protect instructional time, and help students take greater ownership of their learning.

More in Your Classroom Teaches Before You Do:
https://www.rbteach.com/pages/70 -741

Today's schools face enormous complexity.Jeff Howard reminds us that lasting improvement depends on:✓ Strong professiona...
08/25/2026

Today's schools face enormous complexity.

Jeff Howard reminds us that lasting improvement depends on:
✓ Strong professional relationships
✓ High-quality feedback
✓ Leadership distributed throughout the organization

These ideas remain as relevant today as ever.

Watch the conversation:
https://www.rbteach.com/videos/library/144

Content matters. But so does what students learn to do with it.Art Costa spent his career helping educators think about ...
08/24/2026

Content matters. But so does what students learn to do with it.

Art Costa spent his career helping educators think about the habits, dispositions, and cognitive skills that enable students to become increasingly independent learners.

As a new school year begins, it’s a timely question:

Are we designing learning experiences that ask students to remember—or experiences that teach them to think?

Watch the Art Costa Interview Series:
https://www.rbteach.com/videos/collection/19?video=194

What in your classroom can students do without you?Student independence starts with more than giving students responsibi...
08/24/2026

What in your classroom can students do without you?

Student independence starts with more than giving students responsibility. We have to create the conditions that make independence possible.

Think:

✓ Easy-to-find materials
✓ Predictable routines
✓ Clear visual cues
✓ Logical classroom flow

When students know where things are, what to do, and what comes next, they can spend less time waiting for the teacher—and more time learning.

Read the latest RBT newsletter:
https://www.rbteach.com/pages/70 -741

Don't just explain routines. Teach them.We wouldn't introduce important academic content once and expect every student t...
08/23/2026

Don't just explain routines. Teach them.

We wouldn't introduce important academic content once and expect every student to master it. Why should classroom routines be any different?

Model it. Practice it. Reinforce it.

When students know how to enter the room, access materials, transition between activities, and get help independently, less time is spent managing—and more time is available for learning.

Read Your Classroom Teaches Before You Do:
https://www.rbteach.com/pages/70 -741

Looking for practical ideas you can bring back to your school?In this conversation, Jeff Howard and Jon Saphier discuss:...
08/22/2026

Looking for practical ideas you can bring back to your school?

In this conversation, Jeff Howard and Jon Saphier discuss:
• Effective effort
• Teacher leadership
• Challenging fixed beliefs about learning
• Building stronger professional cultures

Watch the complete interview:
https://www.rbteach.com/videos/library/144

See the room through their eyes.Before students arrive, walk through your classroom as if you're entering it for the fir...
08/21/2026

See the room through their eyes.

Before students arrive, walk through your classroom as if you're entering it for the first time.

Can students easily find what they need?
Are expectations visible and clear?
Is the next step obvious?
Can everyone see and participate?
Does the space communicate belonging?

Small design choices can remove barriers before they become interruptions—and help students spend more time focused on learning.

Explore more ideas in Your Classroom Teaches Before You Do:
https://www.rbteach.com/pages/70 -741

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