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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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Virtual Icebreakers: Maintaining Human Connection (Part 2)

In this second installment of “Virtual Icebreakers,” Heather Fisher shares more creative ideas for opening meetings in order to maintain strong staff relationships while meeting virtually.

Virtual Icebreakers: Part 1

In this first installment of “Virtual Icebreakers,” Heather Fisher shares creative ideas for opening meetings in order to maintain strong staff relationships while meeting virtually.

Coaching for All

Jen Schwanke believes in the importance of leaders seeking a coach in order to remain sharp as a professional. She offers three identifiers to know it’s time to find a coach.

Coaching Minute: Side by Side

Jen Court explains how she works side by side with teachers in this quick video.

Insight Before PD

Stella Villalba explains how professional development planning at a new site begins with lots of questions and observations.

Plan It, Don’t Wing It

Heather Fisher works with teachers to create a tool to make conversations in classrooms more thoughtful and clearly defined around learning topics. Download a copy of the tool to plan your next conversation.

Defining Through Experience

Heather Fisher works with a group of teachers to define and visualize what “coaching feedback” looks and sounds.

Coaching Minute: Notes and Forms

Clare Landrigan and Tammy Mulligan explain the value of using the same notetaking forms teachers use with students as they coach teachers. The practice not only informs their coaching, but helps teachers think through the strengths and weaknesses of the tools.

How Teacher Evaluation Can Support School-Wide Change

Matt Renwick explains how teacher evaluation can be integrated into school-wide plans for literacy improvement by attuning to “promising practices.”

Harnessing the Power of Change

David Pittman reflects on the change cycle and determines ways to make the best of it.

Coaching Minute: Better Communication

Literacy coach Jen Court explains how she works to support better communication about literacy instruction in her school.

Trending Hashtags: Finding Priorities in a Unit of Study

Brian Sepe is inspired by trending hashtags and offers a step-by-step guide to lead colleagues in finding priorities in a unit of study.

Listening and Learning from Literature

Stephanie Affinito proposes that a first step toward anti-racist coaching and teaching is through carefully selecting the books we read and recommend to teachers.

Cheering On Teachers Through Seasons of Change

Heather Fisher has a knack for cheering on teachers and she inspires us to do the same with these three simple and meaningful ideas.

From a Coaching Vision to a Coaching Menu

Stephanie Affinito guides us in transforming a coaching vision into a practical coaching menu so teachers can choose their ideal way to work with an instructional coach. Download a copy of a coaching menu.

Hidden Gems: Five Ways to Keep Your Positive Vibes

Heather Fisher shares five “hidden gems” she uses to keep her positive vibes strong.

Measure for Measure

David Pittman thinks through what really matters and nourishes him as well as the teachers he serves when it comes to assessing his impact as a literacy coach.

Leaders Need Coaches Too

Matt Renwick explains why literacy leaders need coaches and how they are helpful.

Coaching Minute: Language of Reading

In this brief video, Cathy Mere talks with Andrea, a literacy coach and reading specialist, about the importance of common language during debrief sessions when talking about reading.

Saying No

When David Pittman says no to a task outside his coaching role, he shows a commitment to his priorities. David describes the tension and nuances of saying no, and the effect it can have on coaching relationships.

Maintenance as Leadership

Matt Renwick encourages a continuous effort of ensuring the systems of a school are operating as they should by maintaining relationships, literacy and learning, and presence.

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