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Getting Organized

Getting Organized

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Coaching Minute: Taking Risks

Instructional coach Mary Brower encourages us to notice leaders and teachers who are taking risks. Couple a quick note with an inspirational story, and you will build strong professional connections needed for meaningful leadership. Download a copy of the inspirational story.

Coaching Minute: Supporting a Principal’s Vision

Holly Wenning attests to the importance of instructional coaches knowing and supporting a principal’s vision.

If Your Walls Could Talk

Heather Fisher leads us in realizing the power of wall displays, and offers a reflection guide so all school leaders can make their walls talk in positive ways.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Screening Team

Gwen Blumberg provides a step-by-step guide to creating an assessment screening team that quickly and collaboratively administers one-to-one screening-style assessments to a classroom of children.

A Sense of Accomplishment: Four Strategies for Making Students’ Literacy Learning Visible

Matt Renwick makes the connection that learners are engaged when there is a meaningful goal. He outlines ways to make the process visible to lead to a sense of accomplishment. Download a copy of the Reading-Writing Portfolio Table of Contents.

Critical Questions that Lead to Powerful Change

Stella Villalba begins with a powerful question for educators to consider in order to begin dismantling systems that oppress marginalized communities.

When the Best Coaching Is Offering Advice 

Matt Renwick shares a classroom observation and his process for discerning what kind of feedback to give. By considering different coaching approaches, as well as their limits, Matt concludes that sometimes the best coaching is offering advice.

Watching Writers Work

Ruth Ayres leads us in developing confidence as teachers of writers through watching students work as writers. A printable observation and reflection form is available to download.

No More Learning Target Drudgery

Tammy Mulligan transforms learning targets into meaningful learning conversations in her first-grade classroom. This is a must-read for all literacy leaders who want learning targets to have a positive influence on students.

Affirm, Acknowledge, Ask: A Simple Protocol for Communicating Feedback

Matt Renwick offers an effective protocol for communicating feedback.

Finding Reliable Digital Resources

Cathy Mere provides a guide to determining the reliability of digital reading resources.

Everything I Need to Know About Teaching Children, I Learned Through Conferring

Stella Villalba pens a personal essay reflecting on her journey of learning to confer with students and reminds us of the importance of this practice.

Coaching Minute: Keeping Writers in Motion

Ruth Ayres explains the importance of keeping writers in motion and ways in which instructional coaches can empower routines that will help students keep writing.

Coaching Minute: Find a Network of Coaches

Inga Omondi encourages instructional coaches to curate a network of others who are doing similar work.

And Other Duties As Assigned…

David Pittman shares the importance of a principal-coach agreement and offers guiding questions to get started.

Encouraging Instructional Confidence

Angela Miller highlights ways to encourage, equip, and empower instructional confidence in teachers.

Choice, Voice, and Rejoice: Looking Back and Looking Forward

Jen Schwanke encourages educators to reflect on the positive ways the school year has unfolded.

A Word to Aspiring Coaches

Principal Jen Schwanke offers encouragement for teachers considering an instructional coach position.

Books Need Space

Jen Schwanke gives advice to literacy leaders about organizing and humanizing books in a school book room.

Have a Little Fun and Encourage Colleagues

Inga Omondi offers wise (and fun) advice on how to uplift and encourage colleagues.

Offer a Mirror: How Coaches Empower Reflection

David Pittman unfolds a coaching process to provide teachers with a mirror so they can reflect deeply and discover their next instructional moves.

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