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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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Professional Reboot

Jennifer Schwanke finds she is jealous of a colleague attending a summer training session, so she attends herself. It's a reminder to her of how powerful professional development can be for school leaders.

Summer Quiet and the Three Rs

Matt Renwick shares his “Three Rs” for literacy leaders in the summer: read, reflect, and recharge.

Coaching Purposeful Classroom Design

Gretchen Taylor helps middle school teachers rethink their instruction by considering areas of the classroom as “zones” for learning, and redesigning them accordingly.

Bringing Order to the Bookroom

Shari Frost visits a school bookroom and discovers many issues with organization and use. If you have a school bookroom, summer is the perfect time to rethink its purpose and procedures for checking out books.

Demonstration Lesson: From Play to Literacy in First Grade

Young children need a place and props for play in their classroom. But how can we transfer this learning from play to literacy instruction? Clare Landrigan works with a first-grade teacher and a small group of students to think through this dilemma in this demonstration lesson.

Motivating Reluctant Writers in Third Grade

Kathy Provost and a third-grade teaching team discuss how to motivate reluctant writers.

Jumpstarting Student Writers

Melanie Meehan shares a simple coaching tool she uses to rev up young student writers.

A Better Hiring Process

Matt Renwick shares five tips for ensuring you have a smooth and smart hiring process.

School Leaders and Written Communication

Jen Schwanke is horrified at the quality of writing she receives when teaching a graduate course for school leaders. The experience gets her thinking about what motivates writers of all ages.

Paraphrasing to Let Teachers Lead

Matt Renwick talks about the importance of paraphrasing and meandering in conversations after classroom observations so teachers can take the lead in their learning.

You Say Tornado . . .

Suzy Kaback shares the power of taking time to honor results late in the school year with teachers in professional development settings.

The Power of a Plastic Frame

Melanie Meehan shares her favorite tool for leaving a bit of her coaching behind in classrooms, one student at a time.

First-Grade Engagement: Debrief

Heather Fisher and a young first-grade teacher debrief after a demonstration lesson for a partner group on engagement. This is the final video in a three-part series.

Literacy and Last Days: Keeping It Simple

Matt Renwick knew he didn't want any showy event for the last day of school, so he concentrates on finding quiet ways to celebrate reading and writing that don't stress staff or students.

Dealing with Side Conversations

It's hard to judge the engagement of teachers during professional development sessions when there are side conversations going on. Dana Murphy has some practical tips for dealing with side conversations in a tactful yet firm way.

First-Grade Engagement: Demonstration Lesson

Heather Fisher and a young first-grade teacher lead a demonstration lesson for a partner group on engagement. This is the second video in a three-part series.

The Thin Line Between Mentoring and Coaching

Matt Renwick resists the urge to console a teacher who is disappointed in a student assessment. Instead, he considers whether taking on a mentoring or coaching role would be most helpful.

Rocking the Boat

Ruth Ayres recalls a humorous canoe trip as a teenager when a group leader had to rescue her and she didn't like it. She realizes sometimes this is just the role literacy coaches need to take on, even if it sparks initial resentment in teachers.

First-Grade Engagement: Planning the Lesson

Heather Fisher meets with a young first-grade teacher to plan a demonstration lesson for a partner group on engagement. This is the first video in a three-part series.

Improving Professional Learning for All

Matt Renwick explains why the work before and after any professional development session is crucial in helping teachers become invested in the work.

Assessing First-Grade Learning

Jason DiCarlo leads a first-grade study group as they discuss different options for young learners to demonstrate understanding beyond written responses.

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