Peter M. DeWitt
Peter DeWitt (Ed.D.), a former school principal in Upstate, NY, previously taught elementary school for 11 years. His syndicated blog, Finding Common Ground, is published by Education Week and he is a freelance writer for Vanguard Magazine. Peter has traveled the world, developing content, visiting school sites, influencing policy, and presenting with John Hattie. He has worked with educators at schools, districts, educational service centers, and educational organizations, including the Council of Chief State School Officials. His presentations focus on school leadership, school climate, as well as safeguarding LGBT students and other social justice topics.
Learn more about Peter's onsite professional development consulting, Collaborative Leadership.
- Equity and Diversity
- Student-Centered Classrooms
- Collaborative Leadership
- School Voice
- Visible Learning
- High Impact Instruction
Workshops
- Collaborative Leadership: 6 Influences that Matter Most: In order to really put a focus on learning we need to let parents in on the secret of school, encourage student voice, and maximize the efficacy of teachers so that all stakeholders feel that they have a place at the table. Collaborative leadership: 6 Influences That Matter Most focuses on how leaders can use 6 of John Hattie’s high effect influences on learning to foster growth in their teachers and put the focus on learning for students.
- Flipped Communication: In this seminar, Peter DeWitt teaches school leaders how to flip their meetings and parent communication, build better engagement in the school community, and steer clear of the pitfalls associated with technology. Attendees will be able to use flipped communication to actively engage stakeholders, utilize different methods of flipping their meetings, and streamline meetings so all stakeholders can focus on what is important.
- Dignity for All: Safeguarding LGBT Students: In this workshop, Peter DeWitt explains how LGBT students' needs can be met and how school administrators and staff can help safeguard "at risk" populations. The workshop will provide academic and teaching resources, as well as ways that administrators can set the tone for a more inclusive school environment that will be beneficial for all schools.
- Student Voice and Aspirations Workshops: These workshops are a series of four one-day events exploring strategies for harnessing a voice that deserves to be heard; cultivating an engaged classroom; and ensuring overall positive academic, personal, and social outcomes.
- High-Impact Instruction Workshops:These workshops reveal proven teaching practices that have the greatest effect on student learning, and show that small changes can make a big impact on moving towards better instruction in every classroom.
- The Visible Learningplus Collaborative Impact Program: Supports systems in creating the conditions to bring about ongoing and sustainable improvement in achievement for all students. The customized program aligns system leaders, school leaders, and teachers with a proven process to build capacity for change over 3-5 impact cycles.
- The Visible Learningplus Foundation Series: Begin your Visible Learning journey by building foundational knowledge of the Visible Learning research. Teachers and schools will be introduced to tools for gathering evidence in their schools and classrooms and to create a plan for making learning visible for all students.
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The Visible Learningplus The Inside Series: Once school teams have developed an action plan through the Foundation Series, educators can dive deeper into various strands of Visible Learningplus with the Inside Series. In these individual seminars, you can focus on the areas of greatest need for your school based on your implementation plan.
What People are Saying
“Peter DeWitt was a charismatic and engaging presenter. His belief in Instructional Coaching was apparent in his positive energy and passion about Jim Knight’s Coaching Model. His energy inspired the staff to create a book club to continue the momentum as the district moves toward implementing the IC model. Peter has provided follow up support to the district by answering questions through email and Twitter. We look forward to the continued partnership with Peter as we embark on this endeavor.”
-Jennifer Dale, Ed.D. Coordinator of Instruction – Special Education, Worcester School District, MD
“Peter was well-prepared, engaging, thoughtful and thorough in his workshop. He spent a great deal of time prior to the workshop understanding where we were in the process and our needs to move forward. His workshop was informative and engaging and as such very relevant to our leaders. Peter received among the highest ratings we have seen for leadership workshops. He has the unique combination of credibility as a practitioner and the skills of a seasoned presenter. It is my sincere hope that Peter will return in the near future.”
-Steven M. Constantino, Ed.D., Superintendent, Williamsburg-James City County School District, VA
“Dr. DeWitt made his presentation and team building activity positive and relevant by sharing with staff the good reputation we have in the community. He tailored the presentation to show how our present structures can help us to foster student growth with all of our students which are predominantly hard to reach given our mission and the population we educate. He also gave us some insight into how our personalities and perceptions can be an advantage to how we operate as teams and in our professional learning communities. Dr. DeWitt was engaging and effective throughout the presentation and set the tone not only for our staff days but for the whole school year.”
-Cheryl Marcella, School Leader, Wildwood School, Niskayuna, NY
“Dr. DeWitt was incredibly engaging and he presented in a manner that was very relatable to our administrators”
-Paula Renfro, Executive Director of Professional Development, Duval County Public Schools, Jacksonville, FL
“Peter does an excellent job in making the material relevant to those that attend. He is a fantastic communicator and presenter. Participants consistently say that they can take the information back to their schools and use it. He always makes everyone feel welcome and his personality allows participants to make a personal connection with him”
-Jim Verlengia, Director of Leadership Supports, Heartland AEA 11, Johnston, IA