Gwen Blumberg
Gwen Blumberg is a literacy leader for a K-8 district in Greater Boston. Gwen shares her passion for children’s literature by writing for the collaborative Teachers|Books|Readers blog. You can also find her sharing about all things literacy on Twitter & Instagram @gwenblumberg.
All Content
Morning Hike
Gwen Blumberg helps us consider and create space for a variety of personalities and learning needs. Inspired by a morning hike, she takes her observations and applies them to give space for all students to learn.
Let’s Begin
Gwen Blumberg reflects on the community developed at a writing retreat and encourages teachers to consider the community of learners they will intentionally nourish this school year.
The Joy of Learning Something New (or How Trying Something New I Totally Stank at Helped Increase My Understanding of the Learning Process)
Gwen Blumberg joins the Boston Roller Derby for a series of skills classes and immediately makes connections to the way students must feel when learning the complexity of reading. She shares how the importance of learning something new (especially something we aren’t good at) helps us remember the importance of joy to learning.
Uplifting Students’ “Ordinary” Stories with Mentor Texts
In a time when lives are showcased on highlight reels of social media, Gwen Blumberg reminds us of the importance of highlighting ordinary moments as worthy writing topics.
Read Alouds Aren’t Just for Children
Shared read aloud books are not just for children. Gwen Blumberg outlines the power of reading aloud with faculty.
Learning from Lasso: Cultivating a Coaching Mindset in New Literacy Coaches
Gwen Blumberg is inspired by Ted Lasso to consider intentional mindsets to foster success as a coach.
Combating Leadership Loneliness
Gwen Blumberg addresses the issue of loneliness in literacy leadership. She offers a variety of ways to create connections that will nurture and sustain leaders.
May 13, 2022: End with a Bang!
This week’s newsletter is about ending the year in special ways.
Using a Filtering Process to Make Data-Driven Intervention Decisions
Gwen Blumberg describes a five-step filtering process of student assessment data designed to help make true data-driven decisions in an efficient amount of time. Download a visual guide of the data-filtering process.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Screening Team
Gwen Blumberg provides a step-by-step guide to creating an assessment screening team that quickly and collaboratively administers one-to-one screening-style assessments to a classroom of children.
Aiming for a 5 on a Scale of 1–10
Gwen Blumberg adjusts her expectations to a 5, rather than a 10, as she sets a big assessment project in motion. This small shift in mindset allows the team to expect and embrace bumps and shifts along the way.
Fine-Tuning Our Coaching with an Equalizer Model
Gwen Blumberg is inspired by a stereo equalizer in adjusting instructional practices to find the just-right mix as she works alongside teachers and students.
April 23, 2021: End-of-Year Reflections
End-of-Year Reflection is the theme of this week’s newsletter.
Whale Talk: An Asynchronous Minilesson
Gwen Blumberg teaches an asynchronous lesson for a spelling strategy.
Coaching Through the Student Door
Gwen Blumberg outlines the way sharing an asynchronous minilesson with teachers allowed her to share instructional insights in a relevant and useful way.
Small Wins
Gwen Blumberg shares the struggle that since the pandemic fewer people are showing up for professional learning meetings. She helps us flip the potential negativity by encouraging us to look for small wins. Small wins are a simple way to bring joy to your work and the work of others—and that is in fact a very BIG thing.
