Travis Bender

Husband, Father, Band Director, Educational Leader, Pinball Player, Theme Park Enthusiast.

[Travis Bender @travissbender]

@sfovergeorgia Can you share some insight on the downtime for Georgia Gold Rusher?

[Travis Bender @travissbender]

@ScottGustin @Lee5 Dare I say…ALL characters should be this way. Let it happen organically…not through lines.

[Travis Bender @travissbender]

@stouffers I had a dream about Stouffer’s “harvest apples.” Does that count?? 🍎🍏🍎🍏

[Travis Bender @travissbender]

@stouffers I wouldn’t complain if I opened my freezer and saw a box of Harvest Apples. 🍎 🍏

[Travis Bender @travissbender]

@James_Tierney Can you explain and walk us through the differences in some of the more popular versions of video poker? For example, what is the difference between bonus poker and double bonus poker? When I sit down to play, what should I be looking for?

[Travis Bender @travissbender]

This is also why a Fine Arts supervisors are so important for band, choir, theater, dance, art, and so much more.

[𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐝 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐧 @DrBradJohnson]

Veteran teachers don’t struggle with feedback because they’re unwilling to grow.
The issue is the system treats a first-year teacher and a 20-year teacher the same. That doesn’t make sense.
A new teacher is building a foundation. They need structure, modeling, and direct feedback. A veteran teacher is in a different place. They’ve taught thousands of lessons, worked with hundreds of students, and refined their craft. They need someone who can challenge them and understand their level.

But the system applies the same rubric, checklist, and process to everyone.

And it’s not working.
Large-scale evaluation reforms haven’t shown meaningful gains in student achievement. In another study, only about one in four teachers said feedback actually improved their teaching.

That should tell us something.
The strongest research points elsewhere. Instructional coaching shows significant improvement in both teaching and student outcomes. Why? It’s ongoing, specific, and grounded in real classrooms. It meets teachers where they are.

That’s the difference.
You can standardize evaluation, but you can’t standardize growth.

We’ve tried to fix weak feedback by making it more standardized. The problem isn’t the form. It’s the fit.
This isn’t about administrators doing something wrong. Most are doing what they’ve been asked to do. The system just doesn’t match the complexity of the work.

A veteran teacher doesn’t need more boxes checked. They need someone who understands what they’re trying to do and can think with them at a high level.
Evaluation should be less about judging and more about helping.
More aspirational. More conversational.

Not “Here’s what to fix,” but:
What are you working on?
What’s been effective?
Where do you want to grow?
Because growth is voluntary. You can require evaluation, but you can’t force improvement.
That comes down to credibility and relevance.
Teachers act on feedback when they believe the person giving it understands their work, content, and students.

That’s why coaching works. It’s ongoing, specific, and built around real practice. It creates ownership, not compliance.

Veteran teachers don’t ignore feedback because they think they know everything. They ignore feedback that doesn’t match their level.

After enough years, you learn to filter what helps from what just checks a box.

Because growth isn’t one-size-fits-all.

And pretending it is doesn’t make it better. It just makes it look more organized.

References:
National Bureau of Economic Research
American Educational Research Association / American Educational Research Journal
Review of Educational Research

[Travis Bender @travissbender]

@YouTubeTV If it’s got a great theme song, as all TV shows should, then I’m going to watch it 100% of the time.

[Travis Bender @travissbender]

@CEOAdam Hoppers is doing well, too. Nice to see the movies filling up again. 🍿

[Travis Bender @travissbender]

@thetimtracker Just one? Epcot. Tons of food options and wonderful variety of attractions. Not as good as I think Disney intended for it to be pre-Covid, but I’m hopeful for more renovations when Villains Land is complete.

[Travis Bender @travissbender]

@stouffers Harvest apples as a perfect, easy side with my entree!

[Travis Bender @travissbender]

@FrshBakedDisney @disneytipsguy I remember attending Hollywood Studios during construction of both of those lands. At one point, the park only had four attractions. Good thing Disney is good at everything else. I somehow still had a great day!

[Travis Bender @travissbender]

@stouffers @BenWalker2001 What about Harvest Apples, Stouffer’s?? I’ve been begging since the day you discontinued them. Bring them back!!!!

[Travis Bender @travissbender]

@bioreconstruct Curious - what is the “transfer track?” I’ve never heard of this. Would love to know what I’m looking at here. 🙂

[Travis Bender @travissbender]

@stouffers Nothing says the holidays like warm, harvest apples! Time to bring them back, @stouffers

[Travis Bender @travissbender]

@stouffers You know what pairs perfectly with food in the fall? Harvest Apples! 🍎 🍏

[Travis Bender @travissbender]

@stouffers Okay - seriously @stouffers …This is the PERFECT season to bring back Harvest Apples. Best dinner side EVER. Seriously, when might we see these again???

[Travis Bender @travissbender]

@stouffers Harvest apples!! 🍎 🍏 🙌

[Travis Bender @travissbender]

@stouffers Harvest apples!!

[Travis Bender @travissbender]

@EvanPatel11 In my opinion, rain is the biggest detriment for this park. It shuts down almost everything. I went in late June on a rainy, summer day. Rode 4 rides and saw 1 show in 11 hours that the park was open. We were there from rope drop to closing. Left feeling disappointed.

[Travis Bender @travissbender]

@JimShull Possibly drawn by Emerson R. Terry, one of the first African Americans to be an advertising illustrator. He graduated from the ArtCenter College of Design in California and gained noteriety in the 1950s.