Testimonials
Don’t Take Our Word for It
Thirty-eight quotes, unedited — from heads of school to sixth graders at schools like Blair Academy, Girls’ Prep, Shady Hill, and Nativity Prep.
Hear from the Community
School Leaders
Why schools choose R.E.A.L.®
“I had been searching for a common language for my Department to use to articulate Discussion standards across middle and high school — which felt urgent after COVID and aligned to our new Portrait of a Learner. R.E.A.L.®’s emphasis on authentic feedback complemented Penn Charter’s values as a Friends (Quaker) school. Ultimately, R.E.A.L.® has created a shared language for us as a team — and is informing conversations about assessment and curriculum design as well!”
Nora Landon
English Department Chair, William Penn Charter School (PA)
“In a ChatGPT world, R.E.A.L.® has given us a framework to document and celebrate the deeply human processes of idea generation, oral engagement, and writing that builds directly on class discussion. This is, of course, where we have always wanted to be: at the opening of young minds.”
Jim Moore
English Department Chair, Blair Academy (NJ)
“This ongoing PD feels like a luxury. I’m a department chair and so support everyone; to have someone supporting me in my teaching practice is rejuvenating. I first tried R.E.A.L.® with 10th graders, some of whom were already very fluent discussion participants, and I worried that they would think it was hokey and artificial. But the other half of the class was routinely silent. And so I remember my amazement and joy during our first R.E.A.L.® discussion, as I walked around listening and every student was talking. Every student. And all quoting from the text. And all connecting their ideas to things their classmates had said. And pausing to write things down. All while I said nothing. I was hooked.”
Erika Drezner
Department Chair, Berkeley Carroll (NY) · Director, Klingenstein Summer Institute
“R.E.A.L.® is an excellent, rigorous, research-informed program. I can see why it works! 👏”
Peter Nilsson
Editor, The Educators’ Notebook · Former Head of School, King’s Academy (JO)
“R.E.A.L.® PD was superbly organized, exceptionally clear, and thoroughly engaging, with laughter in the midst of deeply thoughtful points. Great blend of research and practical takeaways. Moreover, the support has continued into the year, with materials, guidance, and PLC. We are already seeing a transformation in classes where we’ve implemented R.E.A.L.®.”
Sumner McCallie
Dean of Faculty and Curriculum, McCallie School (TN)
“In the ever-evolving educational landscape, cultivating an environment where students’ voices are heard, and their individuality is celebrated is paramount. Enter R.E.A.L.® Discussion! In Liza’s workshops for TAIS, our educators explored how differentiation, coupled with accountability, empowers them to tailor their approach, accommodate diverse learning needs, and cultivate an inclusive learning space. The feedback from her sessions has been overwhelmingly positive! I highly recommend Liza and R.E.A.L.® Discussions. You will not be disappointed.”
Kristina Kalb
TAIS Associate Director
“At Shady Hill, we value real discussions about real issues — and R.E.A.L.® workshops equip adults and students alike with tools to have them. Liza facilitates a learning experience for our apprentice-teachers that models culturally responsive pedagogy, encourages introspection, and inspires teacher-leaders to amplify student voices. Now, more than ever, we need frameworks for empathy, respect, and kindness in conversation, especially when we disagree.”
Desiree Ivey
Executive Director, Shady Hill Teacher Training Center
Teachers
Teachers can’t stop talking about R.E.A.L.®
“The students are more confident in speaking in class and they’re also more confident that they’re going to be heard. The R.E.A.L.® nonverbal cues create an invitation to actively respond to each other. This builds trust and engagement. The tools for teaching disagreement are critical, too. Now girls know that even if someone disagrees with a point they make, their classmate will show them that they’ve heard them before explaining why they disagree with their idea — it’s not that they disagree with them as a person!”
Andy Arick
9th Grade English Teacher
“R.E.A.L.® is my favorite PD. It’s what every teacher should have learned in grad school. Now it’s my third year with the program, and the R.E.A.L.® Dashboard continues to make me happy. It helps me see my power as a teacher, and PLC is inspiring. I am so grateful.”
Alli Jordan
Middle School English Teacher
“I have used R.E.A.L.® in two very different schools — and it just works. It makes discussion teachable and learnable for kids. They are so proud of themselves as they master the conversational ‘moves’ they need to go deep with each other. They learn the power of their voices and of listening to others. And I get to keep learning alongside them!”
Patrick Farmer
Middle School Humanities Lead
“This is everything I looked for and didn’t find in Harkness for decades. It’s a game-changer for conversation and community in my classroom — and the Dashboards are 🔥!”
Linda Rodriguez
Upper School History Teacher
“One of the parts I really like is the freedom to not grade the discussion itself because R.E.A.L.® Portfolios capture so much evidence of student engagement. The students love not having a graded discussion — it feels authentic instead of performative, and I am more present too. I love looking at their reflections and giving a grade based on evidence. Plus, I’m not known for generous grading, so it’s a way to reach a detente with my students!”
Helene Sughrue
English Teacher
“The R.E.A.L.® format establishes equity, and all students have an opportunity to speak and run the class together. I was surprised how much they can do when I step fully out of the way. One powerful moment was in our Maus unit, when a very vocal student shared how the discussion changed her perspective. This student is a natural leader in our class, so her concession made an impact on the class, showing them that it’s okay to change your mind when presented with new information and interpretation. This would not have happened in my old discussion formats. That vocal student would have dominated the discussion. It was the arguments from historically silent students who shifted her thinking.”
Robby Urhman
8th Grade English Teacher
“I’ve been teaching for 30 years and don’t really try new things. I was surprised this worked, but I love hearing every girl’s voice!”
Ann Ramsey
Middle School History Teacher
“I had a student who is quiet in larger groups. When we started doing R.E.A.L.®, […] he sort of took a leadership position, saying things like, ‘Now, we haven’t heard from you…’ I thought, I can’t believe this student is taking on that role […] He was clearly proud. And for the other kids in the class, it shifted something in the way they viewed him. That was probably my favorite moment.”
Weesie Cook
Middle School History Teacher
“R.E.A.L.® feels foundational, like it’s something all Humanities teachers should be trained in. The students really bond with each other through R.E.A.L.® They’re so much more comfortable with each other, and there’s more of a community feel than in previous years.”
Cally Queally
English Teacher, R.E.A.L.® Program Lead
Quick takes from the classroom
“Democratizing the classroom in a beautiful way.”
Pam
Upper School History
“I know my students — and they know each other — so much better.”
Kay & Liz
Upper School Religion
“Game-changer for communication and community in my class.”
Linda
Upper School History
“Creating more empathetic, compassionate, and confident F2F communicators.”
Jake
Middle School Humanities
“Breaking the mystery of discussion into teachable, learnable skills.”
Patrick
Middle School Humanities
“R.E.A.L.® helps students define engagement — with each other and with our texts.”
Cally
Upper School English
Students
Students say it best
Middle schoolers: less anxiety, more confidence
“R.E.A.L.® makes it so I can talk to people in the real world instead of just standing there with my head down when somebody is talking to me.”
6th Grade Student
“I think that having the ability to ask and clarify what people mean is very helpful in real life. Instead of just listening to the person, confused but scared to ask what they mean, you can just ask and then they will explain and it will be very helpful.”
7th Grade Student
“On our first discussion, I was super shy and didn’t like to talk much. Our last discussion, I was more confident and spoke multiple times each question.”
8th Grade Student
“I think that I have learned to listen more to others. I learn more then. And everyone deserves to have their voice heard.”
6th Grade Student
“It has made me feel more confident in my social skills… I have social anxiety, but now I can feel safe when I have something to say to my class.”
6th Grade Student
“Now that I have R.E.A.L.® skills, if I go into politics I might be the first politician to listen to others and ask questions and value other opinions.”
8th Grade Student
“My class has grown because at first, everyone was ONLY calling on their friends, but now two people that AREN’T friends will call on each other based off of how many times they’ve spoken when they put their fingers up.”
6th Grade Student
“I have grown in the discussion process because in the beginning of the year I was scared to talk and thought I would be wrong. Now I know that my peers won’t judge me for what I say.”
7th Grade Student
High schoolers: trust and respectful disagreement
“I think that learning discussion skills help me respect other peoples’ opinions more in the ‘real world’. Doing discussions help me learn how to listen and respectfully agree/disagree with my peers.”
10th Grade Student
“I think I have gotten better at connecting evidence to arguments and being specific… I think I have also become a more attentive listener. It feels that way.”
9th Grade Student
“R.E.A.L.® helps us engage with each other and everyone gets a better understanding of the text when they look at it from different points of view. Personally, I have an issue with shutting down the ideas of others without considering them, but R.E.A.L.® helps with the life skill of realizing there are multiple correct answers, multiple ways to solve a problem.”
10th Grade Student
“I think I started off thinking I had to say something to get a good grade. Now I actually have things I want to say and don’t just say them to get a good grade.”
9th Grade Student
“R.E.A.L.® has made me conscious that I have started to ask more questions to move the discussion along, rather than just relating to my classmates. I think that this is a vital discussion (and honestly life) skill and I’m still working on it, but I have definitely improved.”
10th Grade Student
“I’ve listened a lot more, adding on to others’ ideas while discussing my own opinions. I’ve also been using more nonverbal cues to let my classmates know that they are being heard and understood by me.”
9th Grade Student
“I feel more comfortable stating my own opinion. I also realize that my classmates are actually interested in what I have to say.”
9th Grade Student
Case Studies
Real schools, real impact
Chattanooga, TN
Girls’ Preparatory School
“R.E.A.L.® gives GPS a common language for teaching and celebrating the communication skills students need to live into our long-held values: advocacy, agency, belonging, acceptance, empathy.”
Megan Cover · Head of School
Read the case study
Blairstown, NJ
Blair Academy
“R.E.A.L.® enables our English teachers to effectively track students’ progress as they develop communication skills and confront challenges along the way, while its platform and ‘rules of engagement’ offer all voices opportunity to be heard.”
Peter G. Curran · Head of School
Read the case study
Boston, MA
Nativity Preparatory School
“R.E.A.L.® has been an essential tool for giving our students the skills and confidence to be heard — and listen deeply to each other.”
Brian Maher · President
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