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Getting Organized

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Coaching Connections: Morning Rounds

In this second installment of a three-part series, Gigi McAllister explores ways morning rounds will help instructional coaches stay accessible and connected to teachers.

Coaching Connections: Drop-In Visits

In this first installment of a three-part series, Gigi McAllister explores ways instructional coaches can make strong connections through drop-in visits. Download the Drop-In Visit note sheet and add drop-in visits to your schedule today.

Slicing Up the Pie

Matt Renwick masterfully outlines a complexity of public education: We are constantly making decisions on behalf of our students, and they rarely fully meet every kid’s needs. Knowing these limits and keeping students at the center of decision making (as opposed to the loudest calls to action from parents) ensures a more equitable educational experience for all.

Growing Professional Learning Communities

Cathy Mere encourages instructional coaches to take the best parts of workshop practice and apply it to coaching.

Building a Schoolwide Coaching Culture

Matt Renwick offers three contexts in which a coaching culture is deliberately built and supported in school.

Using a Filtering Process to Make Data-Driven Intervention Decisions

Gwen Blumberg describes a five-step filtering process of student assessment data designed to help make true data-driven decisions in an efficient amount of time. Download a visual guide of the data-filtering process.

Coaching Minute: The Gift of Time

Instructional coach Mary Brower shares an idea to give the gift of time to teachers.

Words of Reflection for New Coaches

Stella Villalba reflects on her journey as an instructional coach and offers advice to new coaches in a question-and-answer format.

Coaching Minute: The Importance of Patience

Instructional coach Mary Brower reminds us of the importance of patience, especially with ourselves.

Coaching Minute: Invitations for Secondary Teachers

Instructional coach Holly Wenning shares ways to invite secondary teachers to work alongside a coach.

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.

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