Leaders Lounge

On Being Observed

In this brief video, Jeni, a third-grade teacher, shares insights about the experience of being observed and what needs to be in place in the school climate for classroom observations to work well.

Lesson Observation Debrief

Leslie Lloyd debriefs with teachers and her principal in this quick video after a minilesson observation.

Interview on Lesson Plans

Reactions to the Book Paper Things

In this quick video excerpt from a grades 4-5 teacher study group, Jennifer Allen leads a discussion of the challenging themes in Jennifer Richard Jacobson's book Paper Things. The author is also present and responds.

Leading a Demonstration Lesson: When It Doesn’t Go Well

In this brief video, Jennifer Allen talks in a leadership team meeting about the unsettling but valuable feedback she received from a principal and teacher on a demonstration lesson that didn't go well, and the reflection the feedback sparked.

Launching Meetings with Video

Jennifer Allen always launches study group meetings with short video clips. Here she shares some of her favorite free videos on the web.

Meeting Snapshot: Checking In

Jason DiCarlo launches the monthly lesson study with the first-grade team by checking in on learning since the last meeting—what was applied from the previous study (especially when it comes to standards), what went well, and what was surprising.

Picture It: Reorganizing a Professional Book Library

In this quick tip, literacy coaches Heather Fisher and Kathy Provost reorganize their professional book library in a simple way that will save hours over the year of hunting for texts.

What I Wish I’d Known As a New Coach

Melanie Meehan shares her best advice for new coaches, hard-won from experience.

Taking Breaks

This quick tip from Clare Landrigan and Tammy Mulligan will ensure you don’t overlook one of the most important elements of successful meetings: breaks.

Transitioning from Teaching Children to Adults

Erin Ocon makes the transition from teaching children to mentoring adults, and finds that most principles and practices for literacy learning still hold true.

Collaborative Teaching: Debrief

Literacy coach Kathy Provost and second-grade teacher Jen Volpicelli debrief after teaching a lesson on opinion writing to Owen and Laura. This is the third video in a three-part series.

Getting Organized with Google

Gretchen Taylor finds Google is indispensable for keeping her literacy coaching work organized. She explains how she uses Google for everything from surveys to collaborating with teachers.

Sign-In Sheets, Professionalism, and Being Human

Clare Landrigan and Tammy Mulligan explain why they will not take responsibility for one record-keeping tool: the sign-in sheet for professional development sessions.

What Am I Doing Here?

Dana Murphy questions the value of her participation as a literacy coach in professional development sessions designed solely for teachers, and discovers unexpected benefits.

Collaborative Teaching: Opinion Writing

Literacy coach Kathy Provost and second-grade teacher Jen Volpicelli teach a lesson on opinion writing to Owen and Laura. This is the second video in a three-part series.

A Good Coach Is a Good Wingman

Ruth Ayres explains how a literacy coach is a wingman for teachers, with a mission of watching for danger, protecting, supporting, and encouraging.

Writer’s Notebook Minilesson

Sean Moore shows his second graders how he develops topics in his writer’s notebook in this demonstration lesson.

Breaking Away from the Team

Literacy coach Gretchen Taylor is stymied by a grade-level team with one dominant member. She needs to find creative ways to separate individual teachers from the "group-think" herd to guide and collaborate effectively.

Planning for Collaborative Teaching

Literacy coach Kathy Provost plans for small-group instruction with second-grade teacher Jen Volpicelli. This first video in a series is excellent for thinking through how coaches can make their planning and instruction for demonstration lessons more collaborative with teachers.

Struggling Teachers? Don’t Force It

Melanie Quinn confronts the dilemma that vexes many coaches: how to support struggling teachers who are required to receive coaching, whether they want the help or not.