Five Decades of Expertise, Improving Teaching and Learning
Led by Harvey Silver, today’s top expert in instructional strategies, our team of Thoughtful Classroom trainers, coaches, and consultants has extensive experience working with schools in urban, suburban, and rural communities to meet the needs of diverse learners. Over our nearly fifty-year history, our organization has successfully executed thousands of professional development contracts, including many multi-year partnerships. We also have a long legacy of success working with schools and districts in Illinois, and we are proud to have been an approved IL-EMPOWER Learning Partner since 2018.
Dr. Harvey F. Silver
Support for Your Improvement Goals
Professional Learning Support Areas
- Leading School Improvement
- Safe and Engaging Schools and Classrooms
- Curriculum Audit
- Standards-Aligned Curriculum
- Instructional Practices
- Professional Learning
- Instructional Coaching
- Leadership Coaching
- Family and Community Engagement
- Shared Leadership
PD & Coaching Services
- Needs Assessment, Planning, and Leadership Support
- Leadership Academy
- Kicking Off the Initiative
- Building Successful Classroom Culture with the Four Cornerstones
- Focusing in on Problems of Practice
- Curriculum Writing and Instructional Design with the Five Episodes
- Coaching & Capacity Building for Leaders (School, District, & Instructional)
- Sustainability – Train the Trainers / Coach the Coaches
We support schools and work with . . .
- All educators, from classroom teachers to building and district leaders
- All grade levels, K–12
- All six regions across Illinois
- All PD formats, providing onsite and online support
What’s Behind the Success of The Thoughtful Classroom?
We attribute the long-term success of our Thoughtful Classroom approach to professional development to these key features:
Partnership
At Silver Strong & Associates, we view professional development as a partnership, and we always begin our work by learning about the needs, capacities, and goals of the districts we serve. Then we work with school leaders to develop a meaningful plan aligned with the district’s vision and objectives.
Know-How
Successful professional development is not just about good content; successful professional development builds know-how. In our in-person workshops, online sessions, and on-demand learning suites, we model tools and strategies so teachers can see how instructional techniques work. Then, through coaching, we help teachers put these tools and strategies into action in their own classrooms.
Engagement
We know that classroom instruction must be active, engaging, and enjoyable for students; professional development is no different. At Silver Strong & Associates, we make the work of school improvement motivating and inspiring.
Expertise
All Thoughtful Classroom trainers are experienced educators who have served as school and district leaders. Our team is led by Dr. Harvey Silver, a renowned author and expert on instruction and school improvement. Together, Harvey Silver and the Thoughtful Classroom team have helped hundreds of school districts build powerful professional development solutions that get results.
Support Resources
To bring about long-term change, teachers and school leaders need practical resources to continuously support their efforts. That’s why we created Thoughtful Education Press, a publishing imprint dedicated to producing practical resources that help educators put their learning into action.
- Our flagship Tools for Today’s Educators book series and other best-sellers have won multiple awards because they are proven to make the work of improving teaching and learning easier and more effective.
- We have also recently developed a collection of online, on-demand professional learning suites to further support teachers and instructional leaders as they implement new tools and strategies.
Published Articles
Opening a Window Into Better Professional Learning: How an A-Ha Moment Made our PLCs Stronger
Sharon Paver-Nepote, EdD | Thoughtful Classroom Blog
Building a Successful Classroom Foundation
Harvey F. Silver | Thoughtful Classroom Blog
Integrating Literacy Across the Curriculum: An Easy Way to START
Harvey F. Silver, Matthew J. Perini, and Abigail L. Boutz| ASCD Educational Leadership® Magazine
5 IDEAS for Developing Real-World Thinking Skills
Harvey F. Silver, Abigail L. Boutz, and Jay McTighe | ASCD Educational Leadership® Magazine
The Thoughtful Classroom Blog
Explore our blog posts and more articles!
Case Studies
Wagoner Elementary School | Cook County, Illinois
How a Diverse Elementary School Built a Culture of Success and Raised Achievement
The Thoughtful Classroom Works!
A Collection of Case Studies
Meet Our Illinois Team
Sharon Pavor-Nepote, EdD
Ida Teverbaugh-Turpin, PhD
