Lead Lit Article Type: Read It
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Reframing Questions to Build a Reading Community
On a cold December morning, a group of teachers came together to talk about reading workshop and how we could support our readers as they grow. One question emerged: How do...
Tips for Conducting Demonstration Lessons, or How to Avoid the “Am I Doing This Right?” Question
Teachers spend most of their day alone with their class, and each day they are required to make hundreds of "in-the-moment" instructional decisions. Here are just a few of the...
Coaching Letters
Does writing a letter lead a teacher to a deeper understanding of curriculum, instruction, and assessment, or does writing a letter lead an instructional leader to better serve those they...
I Should Have Stopped at the Staples
As a fourth-year literacy coach, I like to think that I have lots of experience under my belt to share with new teachers and can be more of an "expert"...
When Is Coaching a Waste of Time?
I met Lisa, a new literacy coach, for dinner early in the fall. She’d just come from an afternoon meeting with Mary, a fifth-grade teacher. They had discussed designing a...
Above the Clouds
The few days before my trip to Boston had been stormy, dreary, and overcast. I knew the forecast predicted rain at my destination, but as I was leaving for the...
Everyone Needs a Carly
This is kind of one of those “I’m leaving the classroom” pieces. But it isn’t. This “leaving the classroom” piece, mercifully, is driven not by the demons of standardization, defunding,...
ABCs of Coaching
Summer gives me time to think about the upcoming coaching season. In particular, I’m thinking about the new coaches—Vikki, Samantha, and Meghan—whom I’ll be mentoring in the fall as well...
Coaching Owls, Larks, and Hummingbirds
What do birds have to do with coaching? More than I initially suspected. I first read about sleep patterns of larks, owls, and hummingbirds in John Medina’s book Brain Rules:...
Systems Thinking and Educational Change
Making decisions can be challenging, and making good decisions that are systemic can be even trickier! Over the past several years I have worked to better understand Systems Thinking as...
Developing a Collaborative Vision for Leading Literacy Coaches
Let us make a special effort to stop communicating with each other, so we can have some conversation. Mark Twain It’s August, and Amanda and I are perched in...
Lessons from a Multitasker
Harvard Business Review reports that multitasking leads to as much as a 40% drop in productivity, increased stress, and a 10% drop in IQ. Peter Bergman I was getting...
Cultivating Teacher Leadership
The growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership. Harvey S. Firestone For the past year I have been entrenched in curriculum development with grade-level teams...
Virtually Coaching a Lesson
I'd known Chad for about two months when his first observation was scheduled. Chad had shared with me that he didn't feel like his new principal understood him. Even though...
The Power of the Spoken Word
I am exploring the new Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts (ELA). I flip to a new section and read Speaking and Listening, Comprehension and Collaboration. My eyes...
There’s a Lot More There Than Just a Share
It’s the last eight minutes of writing workshop and Cheri calls the students back together. Most students stop and look up from their writing spots, but not all. She shows...
The Dangers of Overplanning
I am a planner and a list maker. I am the person who goes out jogging in the morning, sits down, makes my list, and writes “jogging” and crosses it...
The Worried Parent
Jackson’s parents came into my office one day in early November, right on time, and settled into the chairs across from me. From an earlier phone call, I knew they...
Phasing in New Initiatives: Keep the Baby!
Laura, a literacy coach, came to the first coaches' meeting of the year with a glum look on her face. With just a little prodding, she told her story. The...
Turning “Unfortunate” into Good Fortune
Recently I sent an email to an administrator that went to everyone in the school. It was an email regarding the strengths and needs of teachers. Although I scrutinize every...
Improvement Plan
Maria taught sixth-grade language arts in the middle school where I was an assistant principal. When I first came to the building, my principal warned me about Maria. “She’s struggling,”...
