Lead Lit Article Type: Try It
Results
Coaching Tool: Presentation Binders
In Tammy’s family, we never go out on a hike without our “hiking backpack.” There isn’t anything special about this backpack except that certain supplies are always in it: a...
Starting with Core Beliefs and Values
Working with a leadership intern this year brought back memories of student teaching, working with a mentor my first two years of teaching, and hosting practicum students. I’m thankful for...
Coaching and Tracking Conferences
I admire teachers who ask questions about conferring since conferring is at the heart of writing workshop, but it is one of the hardest parts. Unlike the minilesson, teachers don’t...
A Test Run for Difficult Decisions
Making decisions is difficult. Whether it is a personal or professional decision, it can feel overwhelming to consider all the pros, cons and potential effects of one decision. Leaders need...
Improving My Feedback
I’ve spent most of my career dreading the feedback portion of my relationships. It felt as though my actions were just being checked off of a list. The feedback always...
Transcribing Conversations During Instructional Walks
As a principal in a high-poverty, low-resource elementary school, I do not have access to an instructional coach to work with our teachers or with me on our schoolwide literacy...
What Are You Working on Today?
Conferring with readers is the heart of reading workshop. Conferring is where you meet kids right where they are and teach them exactly what they need to know to move...
From Coaching Logs to Coaching Reports
In all of my interactions with administrators, I’m mindful of the confidentiality of and delicate trust in my relationships with teachers. That said, I also have the responsibility to reflect...
Coaching Collaboration: Visual Note Taking in First Grade
Entering a new coaching cycle with teachers is an exciting time. Teachers bring eagerness and a willingness to try novel ways of teaching skills and strategies, and collaboration is at...
Coaching Tool: Voice-Overs
Demonstration lessons and coteaching settings are great contexts for engaging in the “partnership learning” approach to literacy coaching. What happens when the debrief discussion takes place hours after the lesson?...
Voice Notes
As coaches we plan so many professional developments sessions that it is difficult to remember the content we discussed, the things we decided to skip, the opportunities we noticed for...
Ending Coaching Cycles with Reflection
I am approaching the end of a coaching cycle with a fifth-grade teacher with whom I've been working throughout her information-writing unit. Her students are highly engaged, so we have...
The Power of Sketchbooks for Coaches
I used a variety of sketchbooks as a classroom teacher to brainstorm possible charts to create for read-aloud, minilessons, and small-group instruction. However, I never really found one I loved...
Taking a Literacy Temperature
I am the principal of a different school this year. Although I was devastated to leave my previous building—I loved it, and it truly felt like home to me—part of...
CoffeeEDU
One thing we are all searching for is “on-demand” professional development that is relevant and timely. Twitter is a great platform for getting this form of PD. The concept of...
The Power of a Hashtag for Districtwide Reading
We’ve all seen them, the “#” sign with some words behind them. Maybe you’ve seen them as part of a television show or part of a skit from Jimmy Fallon...
One Task Fits All
Teachers, often and with good reason, get exasperated by all the demands on their time that don’t connect with their daily work in the classroom. The day-to-day planning of instruction...
Collaborative Brainstorming
“Turn to those around your table and talk for a moment about where your thinking is right now." This is a phrase that I often utter as I lead professional...
The Honeymoon Is Over
“The honeymoon is definitely over.” This is what I heard walking back into my office a few weeks ago after dismissal. Pausing to soak it all in, I realized I’d...
The Common Core and Parents: Building Bridges, Not Walls
One of our challenges at our school is parent involvement. We are paying particular attention to the feel and tone of our parent conferences. Holding up the mirror is not...
Coaching Basics: Routines
“I can’t take it anymore!” When conversations start like this, I perk up and listen closely. It’s critical to be an active listener as the teacher elaborates. The listening becomes...
