Tonya Gilchrist

The best schools I visited last year didn’t do more.
They focused on less—on purpose.

🎯 Clarity > Complexity
🎯 Alignment > Activity

Watch Ep. 1 of my new #TinyShifts series.

#just4you #EDUsky #schoolleadership #agencyineducation

Yes, I agree, Christine! If we don't see a purpose in what we are doing, it's much more difficult to find it meaningful. I think it's so vital to remember that kids (and teens!) are people, too. #just4you #EDUsky

Yes, I agree, Christine! If we don't see a purpose in what we are doing, it's much more difficult to find it meaningful. I think it's so vital to remember that kids (and teens!) are people, too. #just4you #EDUsky

Many of you resonated w/ what I shared earlier:
“Students don’t need more motivation. They need more meaning.”

Here are a few tiny shifts we can make this school year to help students connect to their learning.

Which of these have worked for you? What would you add?
#just4you #EDUsky #backtoschool

Motivation is fleeting.
Meaning is foundational.

What are you doing this year to co-create meaningful learning?

#just4you #EDUsky #education #backtoschool

What might a flexible Workshop model look like for single-subject specialists? How might it nurture both agency and inquiry?

Loving this layered artifact from the Radford College team—so much wisdom in one page. Grateful for the hybrid learning we get to grow together! 🌱

#just4you #EDUsky

Moving Schools Forward | LinkedIn 🎥 JOIN TONYA, MATT & LAURIE Calling School and District Leaders! 🗓️ Thursday, July 17th – 4:00 PM ET If you’re looking for affordable, scalable, and impactful PD, this is your chance! Join Tonya Gil...

Tired of 1-and-done PL that doesn’t stick?

Join me, Matt Joseph, & Laurie Guyon on July 17 for a powerful, practical convo on Moving Schools Forward—featuring Circles courses that are research-informed, human-centered, & actually make a difference.
www.linkedin.com/events/movin...
#just4you #EDUsky

I'm beyond inspired by the learning leaders at Euro Sur in Monterrey! 💛 From a warm welcome to a tiny chair symbolizing every voice at the table—including students!—the heart and vision here are unmistakable. I'm honored to be part of this vital work. #just4you #EDUsky

⏰ Want to strengthen your approach to mathematics? Start in May—not August.

This week, AISG teams reflected forward with me to name what to maintain, let go of, & amplify.

August is for lift-off. May is for getting ready to fly. ✈️

#just4you #EDUsky

For months, the diverse & vibrant team of specialists at Radford College have been engaged in sustained, reflective, practice-based learning. Check out their reflections using an appreciative inquiry protocol after putting tools into practice for nurturing self-regulating learners!
#just4you #EDUsky

I'm STILL feeling the energy from my session yesterday hosted by ClassCover Learn!
What a 🎁 to meet w/ educators around the🌎—some even jumping in at 2 AM their time!—to explore how environments can honor agency, cultivate belonging, nurture self-regulation, & support deep inquiry.
#just4you #EDUsky

Less than 24 hours to go!

I hope you can join us for this FREE session.

You can register here:
event.webinarjam.com/register/80/...

Your learning space is already teaching...What is it saying?

#just4you #EDUsky

💭 𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚒𝚝 𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚞𝚗𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚒𝚐𝚗 𝚒𝚗𝚚𝚞𝚒𝚛𝚢-𝚛𝚒𝚌𝚑 𝚖𝚊𝚝𝚑 𝚎𝚡𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚜 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 1𝚜𝚝 𝚐𝚛𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚜?
💭 𝙷𝚘𝚠 𝚖𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚠𝚎 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚟𝚒𝚍𝚎 𝚕𝚘𝚠 𝚏𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚛𝚜, 𝚑𝚒𝚐𝚑 𝚌𝚎𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜, 𝚠𝚒𝚍𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚜, & 𝚛𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚌𝚎𝚍 𝚌𝚘𝚛𝚗𝚎𝚛𝚜? 
💭 𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚖𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚊𝚌𝚛𝚘𝚜𝚜 𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚞𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚜?

What a JOY to dive into this at Washington International School!
#just4you

💖💗💖

⚠️ 𝚆𝚊𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐: 𝙲𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚕 𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙸𝚂 𝙲𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚕 ⚠️

Here is a quick snapshot from my time w/ G3 students at IS Hamburg. We explored how critical readers can analyze & consider persuasive writing as they form their own opinions—a skill that is proving especially vital today! 🌟

#just4you #EDUsky

What is inquiry, really? What steps can you take to immediately begin to cultivate an inquiry spirit & stance?

Jump in on demand to explore all of this & more thanks to the incredible folks at ClassCover Learn! 💖✨

Join here: www.classcoverlearn.com.au/course/trans...

#just4you #EDUsky #PYPchat

Just keeping it real...
😵‍💫🥴😬
💞💞

𝙻𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚊 𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠! 🤩🤩

Environment is a 3rd teacher, & the ecologies we co-create have a significant impact on student learning.

What a gift to be back at Canadian International School of HK! The view is gorgeous—but what's even MORE gorgeous are the people. ⭐🙌

#just4you #EDUsky #PYPchat

At IS Hamburg, they design for miracles, not minimums. It’s evident! I most definitely see this in how they welcome me w/open arms—not only on the 1st visit, but on the 2nd visit, & on the 3rd…

Too many focus on doing as little as possible—yet here is ISH, going above and beyond!💗 #just4you #EDUsky

💬 In your school, how have you created systems that explicitly AND implicitly value emotional regulation, learning, & wellbeing over busyness & so-called perfection? Share your thoughts!

(+ Reach out to me for professional learning options if that's a next step!) 🧵 (7/7)

#just4you #EDUsky #PYPchat

Sadly, schools (and societies!) often reward hustle culture, but this is what students really need:
✅ Routines that prioritize rest
✅ Praise for effort, progress, and thinking—not just results
✅ Emotional literacy skills to process stress
🧵 (6/7)

↻ It's a cycle! Students' nervous systems learn that their worth = how much they achieve...
1️⃣ Fear of failure → Leads to overwork
2️⃣ Burnout → Creates self-doubt and shame
3️⃣ More work to prove worth → The cycle repeats ↺
🧵 (5/7)

🧠 More research...
In 2024, 81% of teens surveyed reported pressure that made them feel bad in at least 1 area—w/ 52% saying they experience negative pressure in 3 or MORE areas! Plus: an alarming 27% of teens are actively struggling w/ burnout (Weinstein, Lenhart, & Konrath, 2024). 💔💔 🧵 (4/7)

🧠 What does research indicate?
Students pressured to overachieve show higher levels of anxiety & burnout (Luo et al., 2023). 🧵 (3/7)

Many students (and adults!) believe their worth is tied to productivity. But this isn't motivation—it’s a dysregulated nervous system craving control. 🧵 (2/7)

🚨 PSA: Hustle culture isn’t ambition—it’s unresolved trauma disguised as productivity. 🚨
This mindset is destructively harming students (and adults!). What can we do instead? 🧵 (1/7)
#just4you #EDUsky #PYPchat #selfregulation

#pypchat Save the Date! March 19, 2025, See you there, tell a friend!
@yunisantosa.bsky.social
@keeneelou.bsky.social
@tonyagilchrist.bsky.social
@rozzuell.bsky.social
@pypwithniko.bsky.social
@chadhyatt.bsky.social
@kirtidakale.bsky.social
@thinkchat2020.bsky.social

Hey there, #PYPchat friends! Please join us next Wednesday, March 19 for a joyous chit chat!

𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚜 𝚊 𝚖𝚊𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚊𝚜𝚔 𝚊 𝚁𝙸𝙲𝙷 𝚖𝚊𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚊𝚜𝚔? 💭

I loved exploring this question w/ Colegio Anglo Colombiano!

Plus: How can we utilize Math in Focus/Singapore Math as a common resource to support equity & cohesion while ALSO contextualizing it for who we are at The Anglo?

#just4you #EDUsky #PYPchat