Today’s educators face a historic challenge. With engagement sliding, outcomes at risk, and students yearning for teaching that is affirming and meaningful, we need a fresh approach—one that feeds educators’ passion and fortifies instruction.
Our commitment to every learner unites us. UnboundEd works side-by-side with teachers, coaches, principals, and district leaders to ensure every student has access to grade-level, engaging, affirming, and meaningful — GLEAM™ — instruction. By cultivating the mindsets, knowledge, and skills at the heart of truly transformative teaching and learning, we can break the predictability of historic achievement patterns so all kids thrive. Let’s take the next step together.
The GLEAM Hypothesis
Our GLEAM hypothesis states that only when a teacher’s mindset and planning are purposefully put into the service of grade-level, engaging, affirming, and meaningful instruction do we see teacher actions and student experiences that exemplify culturally responsive and sustaining instruction.
Set Vision
Leadership Institute
Leadership teams will:
- Reflect on and assess your leadership practice as part of a shared community
- Define and recognize GLEAM Leadership and explore how to best leverage time, money, and people for change
- Foster cohesion and coherence to unlock your collective efficacy.
Build Mindsets
Standards Institute
Educators will learn:
- Content-specific, grade-level standards deeply
- To maintain academic rigor
- How to make GLEAM instruction real
Local Summits
Teachers and leaders teams will:
- Build understanding of educational inequities
- Understand GLEAM instruction
- Commit to actions aligned with GLEAM instruction
Shift Practice
Cohort Program
Leadership teams will:
- Develop a plan to disrupt inequities
- Build teams equipped to solve instructional challenges
- Learn to operationalize GLEAM™ systemwide
GLEAM Inventory
Together, we will:
- Build the mindsets and practices to implement GLEAM
- Measure GLEAM with our Equitable Instruction Observation Tool
- Turn data into action steps
Breathe life into your teaching — and your students — with instruction that meaningfully engages all learners.
Lacey Robinson
President and CEO of UnboundEd
We design professional learning and support for educators at the district, school, and classroom levels.
UnboundEd’s evidence-informed services weave together standards, content, high-quality curricula, and culturally responsive instructional practices to catalyze student learning and close the opportunity gap. Our systemic approach enables change from the classroom to the central office, aligning each facet of education essential to bringing grade-level, engaging, affirming, and meaningful — GLEAM — instruction to life for every student in every classroom. We focus, in particular, on the needs of students who have historically been at the margins because when that happens, all students benefit.
Our approach involves everyone — teachers, coaches, principals, principal supervisors, coordinators of curriculum and professional development, and district leaders officers — because sustained change in our schools is only possible when we’re all invested in the outcome.
The UnboundEd Difference
UnboundEd is unique in its ability to drive fundamental change at the core of instruction, changing outcomes for students who historically have been marginalized.
An unmatched focus on instructional excellence
When we focus on grade-level, engaging, affirming, and meaningful —GLEAM™— instruction, all students benefit.
From the classroom to the central office
Transformation from daily classroom instruction to the systems level.
Comprehensive, evidence-informed approach
Our approach cultivates educators’ mindsets, knowledge, and skills so they are equipped to help every child thrive.
Learn About GLEAM Instruction
GLEAM™ Instruction Mindsets & Planning
GLEAM™ Instruction in the Classroom
Grounded in Research
UnboundEd grounds its programs in research and develops them for maximum impact through the lens of Thomas Guskey’s five critical levels.
Guskey’s framework aims to organize professional development and all related system supports around a common instructional vision and ensure that all supporting components (e.g., including the curriculum, professional development, supervisory feedback, leadership vision, and related organizational and time-based structures) align to that vision.
We ground our programs in scholarship from areas such as culturally relevant teaching, teacher expectations and self-efficacy, effective school leadership, and best practices in English Language Arts and mathematics instruction. Our work also centers around the importance of, and the evidence base for, college- and career-readiness standards.