Competent Classroom

“You want a new mind to stir the pot of your group. You have the courage to invite her. But, because she may be unfamiliar with your group and their problems, you ask her to present AFTER she has participated with her audience in various breakout sessions. Then she presents, mesmerizing the audience as she makes her own points but draws examples from her group work remembering every name she has spoken with. The audience is in awe. She offers to do an evening question and answer. A big group shows up and I the leader have to shut it down when even the Tonight Show has already aired. Unforgettable. And, they are still talking about it! That is an accurate report from the Treasure Mountain Research Retreat In Pittsburgh, PA in 2005 with Allison Zmuda.” — David V. Loertscher, Professor of School of Library and Information Science

“In her role as a consultant, Allison Zmuda helped us improve the achievement of our students by working with our school leaders to create a vision of what our ideal school should look like and assisting us in developing plans to accomplish our goals. An educational researcher, Allison Zmuda models effective teaching practices for all. She has been thorough and persistent in her efforts on our behalf. Allison is able to recognize the significance of interpersonal connections in schools and recognize the value of human relations in meeting personal and professional goals for the benefit of the organization. She is a strong advocate for instructional programs that are conducive to student learning and staff professional growth. Allison has helped us find effective ways to meet our goals in spite of barriers. She was able to collect data from our school to assist us in making informed decisions essential to the operation and leadership of our school.” — Donald Slater, Principal

“I have had the privilege of engaging Allison Zmuda in the important work of increasing student achievement for the last five years. Allison brings a sense of pragmatism with a fierce passion for research-based proven practice. She is a master presenter and has worked with all of our staff preK-12. Her work with our staff has spanned all grades. She works with our elementary and middle school staff on instructional and curricular issues and is now leading a job embedded high school initiative to reform instructional practices. She understands the “big picture” of systemic improvement, and is facilitating a strategic planning effort that is student based and student centered.” — Harvey B. Polansky, Ph.D., Superintendent of Schools

“Allison has a remarkable ability to hone complex concepts down to a ‘user-friendly’ level. She is effective in introducing professionals who may be somewhat jaded by frequent systemic change to the benefits of backward design on instructional strategies and techniques as well as on curriculum development. Her focus is always on what is best for students, and she steadfastly maintains that focus throughout all stages of training. Allison works equally well with novice and experienced teachers and administrators, celebrating what is already working and boldly identifying areas needing improvement.” — Deborah S. Wheeler Ed. D., Director of Special Services

“I have worked with Allison on two occasions. My first contact with her was during a two-day workshop on Understanding by Design I attended. I was very impressed with her depth of understanding on the topic, her organization of content in the presentation and her ability to convey the benefits of writing curriculum in this format. Recently, Allison visited our school to conduct an afternoon professional development session on school reform. I was again favorably impressed with her approach to her task. She very effectively presented a case for the need to invest our collective efforts as a faculty toward this end. She once again demonstrated a depth of knowledge that was current, supported her claims with logic and data and motivated those present to engage in that endeavor. Her no-nonsense presentation was direct and compelling.” — Bruce Kopec, Science Teacher

“I have witnessed Allison Zmuda as an excellent teacher, professional developer, and writer. She has a coherent grasp of curriculum, instruction, and assessment and knows how to have them work together for effective teaching, learning, and student achievement. She also has a deep understanding of educational leadership as exercised by administrators and teacher leaders and uses this knowledge to foster sustained school reform. Allison Zmuda is a clear and engaging presenter, a masterful facilitator, and an acute listener. Her energy, knowledge, and skills has contributed significantly to the improvement of education within districts and schools.” — Robert Kuklis, Professional Development Associate and Adjunct Professor

“Allison’s depth of knowledge in teaching, learning, and assessment challenges all teachers to reflect on what all students should know and be able to do and how to move students to more sophisticated levels of understanding. Her skillful presentation style, practical “real life classroom” approach, and years of experience in the field of education at the secondary level are what make Allison such a sought-after consultant. After only two years, many of my own staff made a point to tell me that working with Allison has been the most “worthwhile” professional development they have ever had. Our staff can now celebrate a new math curriculum, a school-wide writing rubric, and many newly designed units of study that promote students’ genuine understanding of the content and skills in each discipline.” – Lorrie Rodrigue, Principal

“Allison Zmuda has worked closely with us on a number of educational issues. The sessions with Allison are guaranteed to be intense and stimulating, as she gets teachers and administrators to focus and sharpen their thinking through the use of adept questioning. One of Ms. Zmuda’s greatest strengths is her ability to relate well to both elementary and secondary teachers alike by using examples from every grade level and discipline. She naturally differentiates for a wide range of participant skills and knowledge levels. She has quickly become more than a consultant to our staff. Anyone who works with Allison comes away a more thoughtful and knowledgeable educator.” – Nancy Schisler, Secondary Teaching & Learning Director

“Allison Zmuda has a gift for facilitating and generating ideas for constructing curriculum. She has been an invaluable resource for our school district. Allison draws upon her many years of experience as a teacher, and her deep understanding of the backward design process to help translate ideas into practice. With her skill and knowledge, our district has designed and implemented a district-wide UbD curriculum that provides a common experience for all students.” — Christine Barry, Assistant Superintendent of Schools

“Allison helped the staff understand how to make curriculum come alive as an everyday part of teaching and learning. Allison has trained us in such a way and with a user-friendly model so that we can work independently on new units as a department, and assist any new staff that may join us. Allison even took extra time to work one-on-one with part-time staff who were reluctant to invest time in writing curriculum, or who just could not visualize how the UBD model fit their discipline. As a result, our K-12 Arts program has a cohesive program that can continue to build its curriculum and even cross disciplines between music and art. And, of course, we now have built-in K-12 curriculum articulation in the program. After seventeen years in the district, I am delighted that we finally have an expert who is taking us towards a completed and integrated curriculum.” — Wendy Costa, Art Teacher

“Allison Zmuda takes a school district well beyond what they may previously have envisioned in their curriculum, assessment, and instruction work. Her ability to think outside the box is matched only by her superlative verbal skills and her deep knowledge of most any academic area. The thinking of every person involved in a day of training with Allison is stretched beyond imagination.” — Deb Harder, Elementary Teaching & Learning Director

“Allison brings a sophisticated knowledge of curriculum, instruction and assessment, along with a deep understanding of continuous improvement to her work with schools and districts. She is able to work with a wide range of teachers, from the novice to the most experienced, and can move their thinking forward. Teachers respond to her leadership because she is grounded in real classroom practice yet can help them understand a larger, conceptual framework for their program or subject area. Allison’s ability to take an objective, analytical view of the work of our district has been pivotal in helping our teachers and administrators move student achievement forward.” — Diane Ullman, Superintendent of Schools

“Allison brings a wealth of background knowledge to any educational problem. I have rarely worked with a consultant who possessed such a profound depth of knowledge about teaching and learning as Allison. It is also clear that she has been a classroom teacher and fully understands what teachers need to make positive changes. One of Allison’s great skills is her ability to hear varied viewpoints and draw them together into a coherent whole that represents the best thinking of all stakeholders. When we were struggling to implement school wide change, it was Allison who helped us identify the problem and then take us through a clear and focused analysis of the problem that allowed us to see the bigger picture. Once we clearly defined the problem, Allison skillfully presented us with options to develop, departmentally and school wide, effective solutions. Allison is a true educational visionary who is able to bridge the gap between theory and practice. She gave us the confidence, the plan, and helped us with the logistics to establish a focused yearlong professional development plan to institute a true and collegial learning community.” — Kerry Meehan, English Department Supervisor

“Question. Analyze. Evaluate. Plan. Execute. Allison Zmuda makes you do all of these things all in the name of becoming a better educator and creating a better educational experience for students. Never one to shy away from an issue or problem or tell you what she thinks, Allison dives right in and tries to help lead you to the heart of the problem and then come through on the other side with potential solutions. Working with Allison, the crutch of ‘we’ve always done it this way’ is knocked away you are forced to examine and decide is what I’m doing really the best way to do it or are their other methods that would be more effective. Whether you agree with her opinions or not, one always comes away with having their mind engaged and thoughts and discussions are sure to follow.” – Carl A. Harvey II, Library Media Specialist and Vice-President, Indiana Library Federation

“Allison Zmuda is one of our most requested presenters in the area of educational leadership and the change process. Allison was able to guide district leaders in our county in crafting a viable, reform plan for their schools and districts. Allison’s candid questions and insights allowed school leaders to begin examining critical questions such as where are we now, why, where do we want to be in the future, how can we get there? She is a breath of fresh air with credible examples from first-hand experience, immediate ideas to apply and initiate change, and a long term sustainability plan.” — Mindy Pudlo, Regional Educational Services Center Coordinator

“Allison Zmuda is a master educator. She knows her audience and is adept at providing teachers with hands on, practical ideas around curriculum development. Most importantly, she works very well with educators in supporting the type of curriculum development and collegial spirit that brings the mission and vision of a school into reality. Allison is a true gem!” — Susan Crow, President of Exploring the Arts

“Allison Zmuda has been an invaluable resource for our school in our collective work over the last two years. We faced a tremendous challenge to revise very dated curriculum documents in all disciplines and bring them up to modern design standards. Allison’s ability to understand the challenges that teachers face in their specific subject areas when it comes to curriculum design allowed her to achieve hard-earned credibility with our staff. This was not a “one-size-fits-all” approach — she allowed the work of teachers to unfold in different ways so that the unit designs would be used as living and working documents to improve teaching and learning. In short, Allison challenges teachers to challenge students through improved instruction and rich performance assessments. I always look forward to the days she spends at our school.” — Neil Sullivan, Principal

“Early in my tenure as superintendent, I became concerned about the state of the district’s curriculum documents which were either outdated or nonexistent. A colleague referred me to another superintendent known for her expertise in curriculum writing. In speaking with her, she immediately suggested I contact Allison Zmuda, someone with a strong background in Understanding by Design. This was the best recommendation concerning an outside consultant I’ve ever received. Allison worked with a number of the district’s teachers and administrators, guiding them to develop curriculum that cover all state and national standards, and are teacher friendly. Staff members enjoy her style of presenting and her willingness to remain both available and accessible to them throughout the entire curriculum development process. I owe a debt of gratitude to Allison Zmuda. I can’t imagine taking on any curriculum project without first consulting with her!” — Robert D. Cronin, Ph.D., Superintendent of Schools

“Our school was intellectually struggling with developing curriculum which would accurately describe and fully serve our central Academic Expectations and Student Competencies. We felt UbD was the direction to go, but the enormity of the task was daunting. Our fortunate decision to contract with Allison Zmuda changed everything. From the philosophic to the pragmatic, Allison expertly worked with our entire spectrum of teachers and disciplines. Over the past two years she has guided and inspired us. In my twenty-eight years of initiating professional development for my faculties, no one has been able to command the respect and gain the confidence of a faculty as she has.” – Gene Horrigan, Principal

“Over the past year, our district has begun the process of incorporating the principles of Understanding by Design into our curriculum work. Allison Zmuda has been an incredible resource as we have begun this transition process! Her vast content knowledge, her understanding of UbD, and her incredible facilitation skills have helped us realize that this complicated work is doable and rewarding! Allison is definitely a “tour guide extraordinaire” for any district beginning or continuing their UbD “journey!” — Edward Chevallier, Executive Director, Curriculum & Staff Development

“The Academy used the services of Allison Zmuda as a curriculum consultant on our multi-year project to revise and refine the curriculum across the seven art concentrations we offer. We had some reservations about whether she could embrace our approach, which does not fit within the confines of public school arts teaching, and help us develop a document that would be viable. Allison devoted the time and care to observe our classes multiple times, to speak with our faculty and value their expertise, to help formulate a vocabulary to communicate what we do and how we do it, and to think out-of-the-box to create a document the is useful to our faculty and state-of-the-art in arts curricula.” — Kim Stroud, Assistant Director of the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts