Feedback from the field
Here are brief testimonials from a few of the schools and districts Kim has worked with in recent years:
Kim Marshall’s work has been a cornerstone of my leadership practices and my coaching of instructional leadership teams for many years. Timely, relevant teacher feedback and coaching has continued to be a key driver of our instructional improvements over the last three years (even during the transitions to remote learning, to hybrid learning and now back to in-person learning). When we have lost our way as a school it has always been refocusing on the quality and consistency of feedback to teachers that has helped us find our way back to significant improvements in student learning. Kim’s ideas help leaders outline ways to systematize feedback aligned with the standards, our school’s instructional priorities and school cultures.
Drema Brown, Head of School, Children’s Aid College Prep Charter School, Bronx, NY
When we first opened 9 years ago, we asked Kim to work with the staff on how to design units that are coherent and promote deep understanding. His work helped shape the culture of the school in the way we look at curriculum, provide feedback and design lessons. Kim also worked with the new administrators on how to conduct effective observations and provide targeted feedback. We consider this work as the foundation for the success that we have had with our students and highly recommend Kim as a consultant. His warm personality, breadth of knowledge, thought-provoking questions, and modeling of best practices will serve any school well if they are serious about improvement.
Phuong Nguyen, Principal, Civic Leadership Academy, New York City
Drawing on his decades of experience as an administrator, principal coach, and professional trainer, Kim reminds us that adults are a critical lever to maximize student success. He implores participants to leverage their focus specifically on the school leader by providing timely, specific and direct feedback, along with targeted support for teachers. As a participant in Kim's sessions, you will learn techniques to strengthen your practice, whether you are a teacher, school leader or district office administrator – all undergirded by his extensive research and observations of schools across the country. Learn with Kim and leave with the ability to demystify the assertion that success is possible for all children, regardless of their demography.
Shahara Jackson, former New York City principal, Harvard EdLD graduate
Kim Marshall has transformed the way that we observe teachers and give feedback at our school. Short, frequent, and timely visits to every classroom occur with face-to-face feedback. As a result, teachers feel that we, as evaluators, have a fair perspective of what is happening in their classrooms and they truly value our instructional eye. As a school, we have utilized his expertise in developing cross-content, standards-based units of study. His support and the resources he has provided have impacted the way we, as educators, think about teaching and learning. Through backwards design and the development of “Understandings” and “Essential Questions,” educators are really thinking about what they want students to think about and learn rather than simply planning the activities their student will do.
Amelia Gorman, former Principal, Lee Pilot School, Boston, MA
Kim Marshall has been a reliable resource to Hamilton County since 2009 when he first shared his ideas expressed in Rethinking Teacher Supervision and Evaluation. We were so inspired by his work that under Kim’s guidance we began development of our own state-approved teacher and administrator evaluation model, Project COACH.
John Stewart, Hamilton County/Chattanooga Public Schools, Tennessee
Kim Marshall brings a deep knowledge and breadth of experience to his consultation work and has served as a thought partner for our schoolwide growth. Kim is highly effective in his presentations and workshops with teachers and provides strategic planning support to his work with our instructional leaders. In particular, his mini-observations model, which includes classroom visits, debriefs, and the development of effective teacher plans, has provided a strong foundation for our teacher support framework.
Nick Tishuk, CEO, Bedford-Stuyvesant New Beginnings Charter School
Kim, in just two days of observation and document review, provided our charter network with thorough, specific, high-quality, actionable feedback. We engaged his services to help us narrow our focus for strategic school improvement planning. Thanks to his keen eye and extensive expertise we have updated our teacher support process and clarified our curriculum development processes and norms. Kim is respectful and direct, using his onsite time to gather as much information as possible in order to make his offsite report writing clear and useful. All recommendations were accompanied with resources, articles and artifacts to reference and use in our ongoing planning and work. We know Kim is only a phone call away to continue to provide thought partnership and guidance and we count ourselves fortunate to have him on our team as a trusted adviser.
Katie Severn, President and Chief Academic Officer, DC Prep Charter Schools, Washington, D.C.
Over the past five years, Kim Marshall's work with the Manhasset School District's teachers and administrators has been exemplary in supporting the school district's ongoing commitment to the improvement of instruction through workshops, numerous classroom visits and extensive debriefing. His accessibility, ongoing encouragement, and extraordinary insight have contributed to our teaching and administrative staff embracing Marshall's frequent, unannounced mini-observation model and teacher evaluation rubric.
Charles Cardillo, former Superintendent, Manhasset, New York Public Schools
Kim Marshall’s evaluation model stimulates an effective partnership between a teacher and his/her evaluator where the focus is on strengthening instruction. What makes the model even more powerful is that Kim himself is so approachable and responsive. He is only as far away as an e-mail, and quickly provides meaningful and valuable answers to our district’s specific questions.
Barbara B. Ball, Human Resources Specialist, Westfield Public Schools, NJ
When Kim visited our school, he presented the theory behind teacher observation and also provided examples of real-time authentic feedback. This gave our teacher leaders the methodology of the rubrics while also giving them opportunities to see the mini-observations in action with our own teachers. It was affirming to hear his guidance and his focus on a collaborative model of teacher observation. Improving student learning is at the heart of his passion for teacher observation and that was clearly evident in all of our work with him. Our teachers enjoyed working with him as he thoughtfully answered every question and gave them clear strategies to put into place.
Sarah Fast, West Point Grey Academy, Vancouver, Canada
I’m writing to thank you for creating and implementing a highly effective professional development experience for our faculty. Prior to the program, you took the time to visit us to learn about our concerns, understand our culture and, most important, to listen to our faculty. Your wisdom, experience and gentle manner cast its spell. Not only was the program a success, our team gained insight into our school during casual, but pointed conversations with you. In a short amount of time, we were able to incorporate several substantive practices that have already enhanced our learning community.
Ira Miller, Director of Academic Mentoring and Advisement, Frisch School, NJ
I have had the pleasure of working with Kim Marshall for the past 4 years in various capacities. I was first introduced to Kim through his weekly Marshall Memo. When the opportunity came up to bring Kim out to our international school in Shanghai, I jumped at the chance. Kim presented on effective teacher supervision practices, time management, and formative assessment to our leadership team. He also spent time doing walk-throughs with our administrators, providing on-the-spot feedback and guidance. I was so impressed by this visit I sought him out as a leadership coach and have now worked with him for the last two school years in my new position as a head of school in Cape Town, South Africa. Kim brings his wide-ranging knowledge, founded on his own experiences and his expansive research base to provide highly effective coaching, all with a great sense of humor! I would highly recommend working with Kim in any capacity.
Daniel Jubert, Headmaster, American International School, Cape Town, SA
Kim provides educators with the tools and process to move their work forward. He uses examples, his own successes and, importantly, his failures to light the way forward for school leaders. His unrelenting and seemingly limitless storehouse of ideas leave attendees with specific tools and steps they can use and a burning desire to learn and do more. Kim is often referenced as the nation's expert on teacher evaluation. The praise is accurate but fails to describe his greatest gift – the ability to inspire and motivate educators to make the impossible possible. He is a stellar American educator and gifted presenter.
Mark Shellinger, Director, National SAM Innovation Project