Content Category: Lead Literacy
Results
Learning from Students
I have long known that a teacher can render, ruin, or restore a child’s love of reading and writing. On the “ruin” side of things, I think of my brother,...
Demonstration Lesson: Learning from Series Books
Tammy Mulligan leads a demonstration lesson with a group of fourth graders who are reading series books. The lesson includes a prebrief and debrief with their teacher.
Coaching Minute: Listen and Be Brave
Deb Gaby has wise advice about the coach's role with teachers in this brief video.
Changing Focus with New Teachers
I push together two tables, set resources out, and adjust a dish of seasonal treats in the center of the table. Soon six “new” teachers will hustle in for our...
Forming a Partnership with a New Coach
My first years of coaching came at a time when our district began a five-year literacy initiative which brought the workshop model into every classroom for reading and writing. In...
Find the Common Ground
I knew I was going to fail. It was inevitable. The school was going through a state-sanctioned improvement process, and part of their plan for improvement was for grade-level teams...
Coaching Conversations: Collaborating and Celebrating Small Victories
Natasha Axelson shares some of the surprises and challenges of coaching, as well as the importance of celebrating small victories with Brenda Power in this audio interview. A full transcript...
Coaching Minute: Lunch Tip
Trying to build relationships with teachers? Heather Rader suggests informal lunches in this quick video tip. Whether you are a building-based or district-based coach, try to schedule a common...
Reflection and Growth with New Teachers
As a teacher leader with the Teacher Mentor Program in my district, I shared Charlotte Danielson’s P-T-R-A cycle with new teachers and their mentors. P-T-R-A stands for Plan, Teach, Reflect,...
Picture It: Mirroring
Askwomen.net defines mirroring as “A powerful tool that enables you to build closeness…Mirroring body language is a non-verbal way to say 'I am like you, I feel the same.’” Here...
Texts to Teachers
As we deepen our understanding of the Common Core, we are realizing more than ever that the texts we use matter. Finding just the right text or set of texts...
Coaching Conference Early in the Year
Melanie Quinn talks with Neisha about plans for writing workshop at the start of the year, and how Melanie can help.
Preparing to Model Writing Workshop
Of all the work I do as a coach, I continue to believe modeling makes the biggest difference in transforming instructional practices. I used to spend hours secluded in my...
Creating a Healthy Classroom Culture the First Week of School
Teachers are lucky: we get two New Year’s Days when we get to celebrate and make resolutions for a fresh start. The most important one, of course, is the unofficial...
Demonstration Small Group: Retelling Strategies in First Grade
In this demonstration lesson, Clare Landrigan works with a group of first graders who need help developing retelling skills. The video includes a prebrief and debrief with the classroom teacher...
Finding Purpose in Coaching with Organized Notes
The first two years of my coaching career were fun, and a lot of time was spent on building relationships, but I am not sure we accomplished as much as...
Coaching Minute: Notes
Heather Rader explains how she uses the "notes" section in organizers to build rapport with teachers in this quick video tip. A transcript is available below the player. Systems...
Leading a Multi-Day Curriculum Meeting
Twenty-four people. Six and a half hours a day. Four days. Two curricula to write. One coordinator to facilitate it all: me. All school year, I heard other coordinators...
Educating Parents on Supporting Boys
Working as a principal in a large suburban K-12 district that serves more than 9,000 students, we offer a lot of staff development for educators. In our desire to strengthen...
Literacy Learning and Parent Teacher Organizations
Soon after I began my work as an elementary principal, I had a conversation with a group of parents that seemed baffling at the time. It was during our monthly...
Coaching Conversations: Building a Foundation of Trust
In this audio interview, Brenda Power chats with Gwen Blumberg about her lessons from her first years of coaching: trust takes time, and baby steps toward change need to be...
