Penny Joel is an instructional coach for BetterLesson who strives to support teachers in best practices for engaging students, creating a positive classroom culture and supporting participants in trying out new strategies with a focus on student-centered methods. She is a creative and innovative educator with extensive training and experience working with a large variety of students and demographics. Penny is inspired by students’ enthusiasm, passion and curiosity when they are given real opportunities to engage in their learning in meaningful ways. Her particular expertise is in experiential education, actively engaging participants in the learning process and is equally adept at direct instruction as well as informal programming. She is facile with educational technology and distance learning and has been involved in a vast array of innovative education initiatives in schools, summer camps and other education programs. She received her Doctorate in Jewish Education at the Azrieli School of Jewish Education at Yeshiva University with a focus on psychology and guidance and an MS Ed in Early Adolescent Education from the Bank Street College of Education. In her free time Penny loves to bake, travel and take advantage of cultural experiences around Israel and other places she visits.