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Jon Saphier, Ed.D

Conversation with Distinguished Educator Jon Saphier, Ed.D

with Linda Belans, Ed.D

Dr. Saphier is founder and president of Research for Better Teaching, Inc. (RBT), a professional development organization dedicated since 1979 to improving classroom teaching and school leadership throughout the United States and internationally. 


Because of his deep experience, dynamic collection of data and keen ability to make it user friendly — what-you-can do-tomorrow information — he is transforming how to lead, teach and ultimately help our kids get to college. He gives our profession the deep respect hard working teachers and leaders deserve. Since 1979, he and his RBT colleagues have worked with more than 200 school districts in the United States and other countries. 


Dr. Saphier is an author and co-author of eight books, including The Skillful Teacher — now in its 6th edition, which has sold over a quarter million copies, and is the bible of teaching in hundreds of districts around the country. It is used as a text in 60 university teacher preparation programs including Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Dartmouth, Brown, Middlebury and Williams. 

Here is an audio link.

Transcript available on request.

We are grateful to Drs. Dick Streedain and Dick Best, founding co-directors of the KIPP/ NLU(National Louis University) Masters in Educational Leadership Program, for their vision for these conversations. The series is hosted by Linda Belans, EdD, founding Sr. Director of the KIPP Leadership Coaching Program. 

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