Choice Lit Topic: Literacy Coaches
A simple question – who will coach the coaches? If you’re a literacy coach, you already know there is no job more amazing or overwhelming in a school. Our Choice Literacy library includes a small sample of our resources for literacy coaches. If you work as a coach, you’ll want a subscription that includes access to our Leaders Lounge, where there are over 900 resources for coaches, including study group protocols, videos of demonstration lessons, and guides for designing coaching cycles.
Results
Introducing the Writing Common Core Standards: Planning for Professional Development
When I began to plan for how introducing the Common Core State Standards in Writing with a key group of leaders in our district, I kept these words of wisdom...
Loops and Blended Classrooms: Practical Tips to Start the School Year
Anyone who has taught the same group of children for two years in a row -- by looping up with them to the next grade level, or blending (where you...
Energy, Stamina, and Training Wheels for Coaching Teachers
Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving. Albert Einstein I remember the day I learned to ride a bicycle in vivid colors. The...
Discussing Observations with New Teachers
Jennifer Allen's new teacher group discusses what they learn from classroom observations in this video taped early in the fall.
The ABCs of Literacy Coaching (Part 1)
Summer gifts me time to think about the upcoming coaching season. In particular, I’m thinking about the new coaches: Vikki, Samantha and Meghan that I’ll be mentoring in the fall...
Ask Me – I’m Not the Expert
“If nothing else, children should leave school with a sense that if they act, and act strategically, they can accomplish their goals. I call this feeling a sense of agency.”...
Inferring and Word Learning in a Small Group
While demonstrating this lesson in front of teachers, Clare Landrigan uses the students’ previous work with inferring about author’s message to have them infer with unknown words they encounter in text.
Assessment and Curriculum Mapping
In this video from a new teacher study group for grades 3-5 teachers, Jennifer Allen demonstrates how teachers can use assessment data to develop instructional plans for individual students, and create curriculum maps for an entire class.
Word Choice Lesson: A Collaborative Coaching Session
Jennifer Allen collaborates with a new teacher, Jessica, early in the fall to teach a lesson in Jessica's 4th grade classroom. Click here to download the workshop guide. COMMON CORE...
Listen In: Strategies for Using Nonfiction Texts in Writing
Besides being good friends, Sammi and Alyssa had similar writing folder contents: nonfiction texts that were exact copies of a published book. In academic integrity studies of high school and...
What is the Content for Small-Group Instruction? (Part 2 of the Grouping Series)
My colleague Pam, who is new to small groups, had a goal of meeting with three groups of fifth graders each day. We had several pieces of information in front...
Voila! Best Writing and Entry Slips in Second Grade
Linda Karamatic leads a small group of second graders who are choosing pieces with the help of their peers to place in their portfolios. After reading and discussing their pieces, Linda shares an entry slip to encourage more careful selection of writing.
Listen In: Strategies for Using Nonfiction Texts in Writing
Heather confers with Alyssa and Sammi on how to use the nonfiction mentor texts as supports for their literary nonfiction writing without copying. The girls are introduced to four steps that they rehearse together during the conference
Listen In: Writing in Math
Heather Rader confers with Maya about her math riddles. Together they look at her homework assignment. Heather suggests the mentor text Tally O’Malley by Stuart Murphy to show how authors might write about math.
Listen In: XBox Game Writing
Heather confers with Cody about his gaming story. He starts off the conference by reading aloud an excerpt of his writing. Heather responds to it personally as well as compliments his growing awareness of audience. She then uses a mentor text “Shortstop from Tokyo” by Matt Christopher to show him how long and short sentences can be used to make active writing engaging. She ends with an invitation to play with this concept in his writing.
Literacy Chats: An Open Discussion Format
Principal Karen Szymusiak and Literacy Coach Pam Hahlen meet with grades K-2 teachers to discuss current literacy concerns. Topics include reading workshop and classroom environments.
Listen In: About the Author
Snowy owls. Polar bears. Arctic hares. These fine white creatures were all the rage in second grade during their literary nonfiction unit. Linda Karamatic and I co-planned the new writing...
Literacy Chats with Teachers: Routines and Guidelines
Principal Karen Szymusiak and Literacy Coach Pam Hahlen meet with grades 3-5 teachers to discuss current literacy concerns. Topics include reading workshop and connections across the intermediate grades.
Listen In: Maya is a Chapter Writer
William Strunk and E.B. White produced a no-nonsense writing book in the 1950s titled The Elements of Style. I have the third edition that sits by my desk. In the...
Literacy Coaching and Student Work with Diane Sweeney (PODCAST)
Diane Sweeney is the author of Student-Centered Coaching: A Guide for K-8 Coaches and Principals. In this podcast with Heather Rader, she talks about the dangers of focusing too much on...
I Can’t Quite Put My Finger On It
Have you ever been working with a teacher and they start to tell you about a new strategy or "program" you are not familiar with, but the description you are...
