Going Independent

What does an educational consultant actually do, and when would a school hire one? I’m Erika Sanneman, founder of The Multilingual Mind, based in Sugar Land in the Houston area. My work includes teacher coaching, curriculum and professional development design, Spanish immersion support, team collaboration, and practical school systems. Sometimes the request is specific: help a teacher practice a positive intervention, work through a differentiation question, or clarify responsibilities in a shared classroom. Sometimes that conversation reveals something wider. A teacher may need practice and feedback, while the schedule, materials, or team agreements also need attention. That is where I start: what support does this person need, and what needs to change around them for that support to work? The engagement can then include diagnosis, design, initial training, and coaching as people put the work into practice. The scope depends on what we find. How does that compare with a larger professional-learning provider? I’d compare the actual scope, not just the size of the organization. If a school needs a broad program, a large delivery team, or a particular licensed model, those requirements should guide the choice. If it needs focused work on one team, practice, or workflow, a bounded consulting engagement is worth discussing. I want clients to leave with usable tools, clearer decisions, and more capacity to continue the work. If you lead a school or education organization and have a specific problem in mind, tell me what you want people to be able to do and what is getting in the way. We can discuss whether my support is a fit. …more