Content Category: Lead Literacy
Results
Coaching Connections: Drop-In Visits
At the start of my first year as a literacy coach, I was more than a little overwhelmed by my new role. I needed to quickly build relationships with teachers,...
Using Photographs for Coaching Conversations
When beginning a coaching cycle, I typically start the conversation with student achievement goals. As I work side by side with a teacher, we start with a goal where we...
Slicing Up the Pie
I had just sent my email response to a parent when the phone call came in. “Are you still able to step in for Sarah’s classroom? Her students are coming...
Coaching Minute: Keep the Focus on Students
Inga Omondi suggests keeping the focus on students in order to entice apprehensive teachers into a coaching relationship.
Growing Professional Learning Communities
Life as a literacy coach can be busy and overwhelming. There are meetings to attend, teachers to sit beside, and students of concern brought to our attention. Many of us...
Building a Schoolwide Coaching Culture
Anytime I ask for qualitative feedback about my performance as a school leader, I risk a negative response. This is especially true when I create a space for open comments....
Using a Filtering Process to Make Data-Driven Intervention Decisions
In response to early literacy screening legislation, as well as a desire to better know all of our students, I advocated for our district to screen all our grade 3-5...
Coaching Minute: Navigating Tough Conversations
Instructional coach Holly Wenning shares advice for navigating tough conversations.
What Happens When Teachers Receive Conflicting Advice?
As we sat across from a brand-new teacher and listened to him share the writing lessons his team was using, a million questions and thoughts flitted through our heads. Does...
Coaching Minute: The Gift of Time
Instructional coach Mary Brower shares an idea to give the gift of time to teachers.
Words of Reflection for New Coaches
One afternoon, I opened my work email and found a lovely note from three of our new instructional coaches that had been sent to the whole coaching team. I found...
Coaching Minute: The Power of a Stopwatch
Ruth Ayres shares how timing parts of an observation gives unique and meaningful data for reflective conversations.
And I Quote: Coaching Through Quotes and Sayings
I excitedly grabbed my phone to capture the image of this sign while doing a little retail therapy one Saturday morning. Although my shopping cart and purse could not handle...
Coaching Minute: The Importance of Patience
Instructional coach Mary Brower reminds us of the importance of patience, especially with ourselves.
What Does Your Feedback Say About Your Coaching Relationships?
Walking out of Emily’s room, I had that post-coaching high. It had been the kind of meeting you leave knowing that you’ve pushed practice and impacted students all while sharing...
Coaching Minute: Invitations for Secondary Teachers
Instructional coach Holly Wenning shares ways to invite secondary teachers to work alongside a coach.
Crafting Coaching Conversations
“You know, I didn’t think the tool you shared with us at professional development last week was anything my class needed. I thought that by fourth grade, they had reading...
Coaching Minute: Taking Risks
Instructional coach Mary Brower encourages us to notice leaders and teachers who are taking risks. Couple a quick note with an inspirational story, and you will build strong professional connections...
Coaching Minute: Supporting a Principal’s Vision
Holly Wenning attests to the importance of instructional coaches knowing and supporting a principal's vision. Holly is a secondary instructional coach.
If Your Walls Could Talk
I plopped myself down on the couch for a moment of mindless television watching before continuing with our family’s nightly routine. As I turned the television on, a commercial for...
A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Screening Team
To effectively teach our students, we need to know their strengths and areas to grow. Our school, like all schools, gives a suite of assessments at various benchmark intervals during...
