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Lead Literacy Articles & Videos (formerly leadliteracy.com)

Our lounge is your home for exploring hundreds of articles and videos for literacy coaches and school leaders. Our contributors share their best advice for working one-on-one with teachers in coaching cycles, hosting professional development sessions, and designing demonstration lessons and study groups.

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Coaching Minute: Be Wholly Present

Ruth Ayres shares the the importance of setting a norm about presence. This is part of a series about the importance of norms.

Critical Questions that Lead to Powerful Change

Stella Villalba begins with a powerful question for educators to consider in order to begin dismantling systems that oppress marginalized communities.

How the Influences of Reggio Emilia’s Teaching Approach Still Affect My Practice

Stella Villalba shares four values of Reggio Emilia that enhance literacy learning for multilingual students.

Coaching Minute: The Importance of Norms

Ruth Ayres shares the reason why norms are important for professional learning sessions. This is the first installment in a series about the importance of norms.

When the Best Coaching Is Offering Advice 

Matt Renwick shares a classroom observation and his process for discerning what kind of feedback to give. By considering different coaching approaches, as well as their limits, Matt concludes that sometimes the best coaching is offering advice.

Bite-Sized PD

Jen Court shares a “sweet” idea for practical and meaningful professional learning. Download a template to tailor professional learning for your school.

Three Books that Changed How I Teach and Think About Reading

Matt Renwick reflects on three essential professional books for understanding how to teach and think about reading instruction.

Watching Writers Work

Ruth Ayres leads us in developing confidence as teachers of writers through watching students work as writers. A printable observation and reflection form is available to download.

No More Learning Target Drudgery

Tammy Mulligan transforms learning targets into meaningful learning conversations in her first-grade classroom. This is a must-read for all literacy leaders who want learning targets to have a positive influence on students.

Guided Reading Debrief

Lora Bieghler debriefs with teacher Cheryl Miller after a guided reading lesson.

Affirm, Acknowledge, Ask: A Simple Protocol for Communicating Feedback

Matt Renwick offers an effective protocol for communicating feedback.

Finding Reliable Digital Resources

Cathy Mere provides a guide to determining the reliability of digital reading resources.

Everything I Need to Know About Teaching Children, I Learned Through Conferring

Stella Villalba pens a personal essay reflecting on her journey of learning to confer with students and reminds us of the importance of this practice.

Coaching Minute: Keeping Writers in Motion

Ruth Ayres explains the importance of keeping writers in motion and ways in which instructional coaches can empower routines that will help students keep writing.

Coaching Minute: Find a Network of Coaches

Inga Omondi encourages instructional coaches to curate a network of others who are doing similar work.

Coaching Minute: Supporting New Coaches

Literacy coach Jen Court explains how she supports coaches who are just beginning their work.

One Powerful Way to Improve Your Strategic Plan

Matt Renwick offers one powerful strategy to improve your strategic plan by considering the obstacles and how to overcome them.

How to Let Go of Outdated Literacy Practices

Matt Renwick shares research, experience, and practical application to disrupt outdated literacy practices and make room for new ways of teaching and learning.

And Other Duties As Assigned…

David Pittman shares the importance of a principal-coach agreement and offers guiding questions to get started.

Five Business Books Every Leader Should Read

Matt Renwick shares five business books every school leader should read.

A Checklist of Ideas to Support New Teachers

Brian Sepe offers a quick but powerful checklist for instructional coaches to consider ways to form a solid foundation for working with new teachers.

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