Leaders Lounge

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.

Search Leaders Lounge...
Latest Content
Is the Pain Worth the Gain?

Suki Mozenter works with three fifth-grade teachers to design a unit based on Common Core standards that emphasize integrated learning and non-narrative texts.
 

Coaching Minute: Professional Development

Deb Gaby talks about the importance of professional development mirroring best practices in this quick video.

Picture It: Mentoring Organization

How are you helping new teachers reorganize their classrooms now that the school year is well under way and issues are emerging? Sharing snapshots of how other teachers work through organization issues can help. Here is one example from Mandy Robek's kindergarten classroom.

Writing Conference Role-Plays: Learning to Listen In

Ruth Shagoury uses role-plays in professional development to help veteran and novice teachers hone their conferring skills.

Everyone Needs a Carly

Gretchen Taylor explains why she moved from teaching to coaching, after her best year ever in the classroom.

Coaching Minute: Set Your Alarm

Heather Rader has a tip for ensuring you stay on schedule and "in the moment" during your meetings in this brief video tip.

Classroom Visits for Professional Development Insight

Jennifer Vincent finds that classroom visits are a good alternative to surveys when analyzing teachers' professional development needs.

Learning from Students

What makes a great teacher? Jennifer Schwanke asks students, and the provocative responses are wonderful food for thought.

Demonstration Lesson: Learning from Series Books

Tammy Mulligan leads a demonstration lesson with a group of fourth graders who are reading series books. The lesson includes a prebrief and debrief with their teacher.

Coaching Minute: Listen and Be Brave

Deb Gaby has wise advice about the coach's role with teachers in this brief video.

Changing Focus with New Teachers

Heather Sisson takes you through a professional development session in which she lets new teachers take the lead in guiding the conversation after she has carefully laid the groundwork.

Forming a Partnership with a New Coach

Kathy Provost shares practical advice for establishing a truly collaborative relationship with a new coaching colleague.

Find the Common Ground

Ruth Ayres is set up to fail in a toxic environment, yet finds a surprising way to build community among a middle school teaching team.

Coaching Conversations: Collaborating and Celebrating Small Victories

Natasha Axelson shares some of the surprises and challenges of coaching, as well as the importance of celebrating small victories with Brenda Power in this audio interview.

Coaching Minute: Lunch Tip

Trying to build relationships with teachers? Heather Rader suggests informal lunches in this quick video tip.

Reflection and Growth with New Teachers

Jennifer Vincent helps two new teachers look critically at their work with families, using research and practical tools to encourage them to grow.

Picture It: Mirroring

See what mirroring looks like in a professional development context.

Texts to Teachers

Jason DiCarlo has five easy strategies for matching teachers with books for instruction.

Coaching Conference Early in the Year

Melanie Quinn meets with kindergarten teacher Neisha in this brief conference, asking her to share her goals for the year in changing writing workshop, as well as how Melanie can assist her as a coach.

Preparing to Model Writing Workshop

Ruth Ayres explains how she uses conversations with classroom teachers to prepare for modeling instruction.

Creating a Healthy Classroom Culture the First Week of School

Ruth Shagoury observes how a classroom community is built in one sixth-grade classroom, and ponders how she can use what she has observed with the young teachers she mentors.

Choice Literacy Membership

Become a member for full access to Articles & Videos plus member-only Product Discounts

Membership

Explore More
Getting Organized
Guiding Teachers
Working in Classrooms

Choice Literacy Membership

Articles

Get full access to all Choice Literacy article content

Videos

Get full access to all Choice Literacy video content

Courses

Access Choice Literacy course curriculum and training

Membership Options

About

Choice Literacy is a community of passionate educators who lead. Come join us!

Learn more

Contact
Subscribe

Get free articles and insights delivered to your inbox every week with the Choice Literacy "Big Fresh" Newsletter!

Learn more

© 2025 The Lead Learners. All rights reserved.   Privacy Policy   |   Terms and Conditions

Website built by MemberDev

Loading...