Leaders Lounge

Word Choice for Coaches

Jan Miller-Burkins explores the "how" of shifting language so that it is less judgmental in discussions with colleagues.

Making the Case for Literacy Coaches

If your district is considering cuts to its literacy coaching program, you’ll appreciate Shari Frost’s advice.

Reflecting on Student Work in Staff Meetings (TEMPLATE)

Jennifer Allen describes a protocol for analyzing student work in teacher study groups and staff meetings, and includes a template for discussing classroom artifacts.

Calendaring a Literacy Coach

The joy and challenge of literacy coaching lies in creating a good structure for the day. Heather Rader has suggestions for short- and long-term planning on the coaching calendar.

How Study Groups Are Like Self-Cleaning Ovens

With a few key elements in place, Brenda Power and Jennifer Allen explain how study groups can almost run themselves and get everyone involved.

Creating a Coaching Schedule

Tammy Mulligan and Clare Ladrigan give advice on creating schedules for literacy coaches that integrate district goals and teacher interests.

Supporting Successful First-Year Coaches

Heather Rader gets the inside word from novice literacy coaches about the support they need to thrive.

Quick Take: Protocols for Teacher Study Groups

In this three-minute Quick Take video, Clare Landrigan describes the teacher study group protocol she uses to foster shared understanding and allow for differentiated learning among teachers.

Not That Into Me

If you’re a literacy coach, those teachers who don’t want to work with you can make you feel like the wallflower at the prom or the last kid picked for the basketball team.  Heather Rader has positive, proactive suggestions for making the best of an awkward situation.

Three Little Phrases No Literacy Coach Can Live Without

Brenda Power shares trade secret phrases for communicating with colleagues.

Undercover Coach: Making Time to Work with Children

If you're a literacy coach, the most important question to ask yourself may be this: how much time am I spending in classrooms?  Shari Frost writes about how coaches can move beyond a quest for perfect demo lessons to a stance of learning alongside teachers.

Engaging Teachers with Coaching

Heather Rader has some thoughtful advice on broaching the subjects of clarity, purpose, and confidentiality when engaging with teachers early in the coaching relationship.

What Coaches Carry (Part 1)

Some teacher leaders work outside of a classroom and still need to keep their tools at hand. This round-up of advice focuses on what goes along with coaches.

Concise, Conversational, and Consistent: Explaining the Work of Literacy Coaches

Heather Rader shares the language she uses to describe literacy coaching to others.

What Coaches Carry (Part 2)

When coaches consider what to carry, they think about what they value and how to stay student-centered in their approaches. Read on for more tips.

The Power of Linking Words and Perceptions

Melanie Quinn relays a powerful practice for staff members to reframe language and perceptions while putting common labels for students in a whole new light.

My New Favorite: Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing has received a bum rap in some professions, but Heather Rader finds it is an essential tool in her literacy coaching.

Eight Tips for Building Relationships: A Tale of Two Literacy Coaches

Shari Frost presents a tale of two literacy coaches — one who has had success building close relationships with colleagues, and one who has struggled. In analyzing their experiences, she presents eight practical strategies for building relationships over time.

Starting the School Year: A Checklist for Literacy Coaches

With all the checklists for launching the school year available for teachers, isn't it about time someone developed one for literacy coaches? Jan Miller Burkins has done just that — her Launching the Year Checklist is concise, and tackles everything from reformatting computer files to touching base with each teacher.

Ways to Avoid Coaching Traps

There are many traps for new literacy coaches that are rarely discussed. Clare Landrigan and Tammy Mulligan share the most common four they try to avoid.

When They’re Hard to Teach