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Guiding Teachers

Here is where you'll find information on guiding teachers.

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Brain and Movement Breaks for Teachers

Heather Fisher explains why breaks are important for learners of any age, and how to incorporate them into professional development sessions.

An Open Apology

Jennifer Schwanke crafts a letter (never to be sent) to parents of her students from years past, remembering all her early blunders as a middle school teacher. This would be a fun piece to share at a new-teachers orientation, or as a workshop icebreaker for chatting about how teachers have changed over the years.

Good Intentions Gone Wrong

Julie Johnson experiences a horrible moment as a literacy coach, and realizes she needs to slow down and prioritize her time in new ways.

Empowering Teachers to Share: Leading More Powerful Professional Development Sessions

Ruth Ayres provides more time and opportunities for teachers to share learning and artifacts from their classrooms during professional development, and is amazed at the results.

Coaching Conversations: Carry the Water

In this audio interview, Susan Kennedy chats with Brenda Power about the challenges of starting a new coaching position in a different part of the country, and building relationships with resistant teachers.

Guiding Reading Specialists to Lead Professional Development

In this video, Kathy Provost meets with reading specialists to plan professional development for paraprofessionals. She explains the importance of surveying participants.

Professional Development and Personality Types

Jason DiCarlo revisits a classic activity for uncovering personality types and building a stronger professional development community.

Talk to the Text Discussion Closure

Amanda Adrian and Heather Sisson lead a literacy coaching group discussion of an article using the “Talk to the Text” protocol. This is an excellent activity for fostering contributions from introverts. The video is Part 2 in a two-part series.

Learning How to Communicate: From Teacher to Coach

Gretchen Taylor weeds through old teaching files in her early days as a literacy coach and finds a common theme in both roles: the tendency to send overly long emails and notes.

Talk to the Text Discussion Activity

Amanda Adrian and Heather Sisson lead a literacy coaching group discussion of an article using the “Talk to the Text” protocol. This is an excellent activity for fostering contributions from introverts. The video is Part 1 in a two-part series.

Narrative Nonfiction Conference

Literacy coach Heather Rader confers with Beth Lawson about using more narrative nonfiction in both reading and writing workshops.

When Guided Reading Goes Wrong

Shari Frost has suggestions for coaching teachers when guided reading isn't working in their classrooms.

Getting Creative in Building Relationships with Teachers

If you are struggling to build relationships with a few teachers in your community, you might enjoy these creative suggestions from Ruth Ayres.

Apps in Perspective

Jennifer Vincent helps a group of teachers who request suggestions for apps in Spanish. She "zigs" when they want her to "zag" by encouraging them to go deeper into exploring what students need.

Staying Focused: How Leaders Can Keep Their Passion for Literacy Alive

Jennifer Schwanke shares nine strategies to use in the midst of days, weeks, and months that seem to be nothing but distractions.

Resourceful and Cheap: Professional Development That Sparks Learning and Change

Jennifer Allen provides a sample agenda and inexpensive resources for leading a professional development session on anchor charts.

Coaching Minute: Explore

Heather Rader explains the value of surfing the web with a professional development purpose in this quick video tip.

Pause Paraphrase Probe: Developing Coaching Skills

Amanda Adrian and Heather Sisson lead their coaching colleagues in an activity to practice paraphrasing skills in this excerpt from a coaching support group.

Coaching Cycles Matter

Julie Wright explains how coaching cycles fit into the larger scheme of ongoing professional development. She includes templates for planning and protocols in her piece.

Tips for Conducting Demonstration Lessons, or How to Avoid the “Am I Doing This Right?” Question

Clare Landrigan and Tammy Mulligan have advice for literacy coaches leading demonstration lessons.

Where Am I Going and How Did I Get Here?

Melanie Quinn shares a simple professional development activity to help teachers match their beliefs and practice.

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