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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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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.

Choice Professional Development Sessions

Melanie Meehan tackles a professional development session scheduled at a tough time of year by turning it into an opportunity for participants to share their growth and learning.

Looking Back and Planning Forward

Cathy Mere finds that the last weeks of the school year are the best time for literacy coaches to reflect on long-term goals attained and missed, as well as to plan next steps.

Case Studies All Year Long

Kathy Provost and Heather Fisher talk with reading specialists about the value of following a case study over an entire year.

Building Self-Evaluation Skills: What’s Your Signature Move?

Signature moves are developed over years, not days. Gretchen Taylor explains how they can define literacy leaders in positive and negative ways.

Grammar Instruction in Fourth Grade

Melanie Meehan coaches a fourth-grade teacher who is trying to improve his grammar instruction.

First-Grade Demonstration Group: Why Read?

A first-grade teacher shares a guilty secret: she isn't sure some of her students have an innate sense of the value of reading. Clare Landrigan leads a demonstration group to examine the issue and brainstorm solutions.

Conference Records That Stay with Kids

If we want to teach everyone in the school to be student centered, conference records need to stay with kids. Ruth Ayres explains how this works.

A Checklist for Reflection

Brian Sepe develops a simple reflection checklist to plan next steps, calm his mind, and transition from school to home.

Developing Life Skills vs. Teaching to the Test

Melanie Quinn and the teachers she works with face the hard truth of low test scores in their school, and develop reflective practices to tackle the issue.

Coaching Minute: Lesson Planning Form

Kathy Provost and Heather Fisher talk about the value of using a lesson planning form with teachers as a shared record of plans, action, and reflection in coaching sessions.

“There Are Words All Over Our Hallways!”

Jennifer Allen shares a practical strategy for building vocabulary and interest in word study throughout a school.

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