Lead Lit Article Type: Try It
Results
How to Hire a Great Teacher
In my most recent book, I guide school leaders to better support teaching and learning. It serves as a pathway away from traditional supervision and evaluation practices. The goal is...
Making PLCs Public
One of my favorite aspects of instructional coaching is the aerial view of learning in the school. I get the opportunity, in one walk-through of the school, to see a...
Building Teacher Confidence, Building Leaders: The Power of Observation
Believe you can and you’re halfway there. —Theodore Roosevelt Confidence is a necessary part of our profession. Let’s face it: When we are in front of multiple groups of dynamic...
Connect with a Larger Community!
Human connections are deeply nurtured in the field of shared story. —Jean Houston Eleven years ago I wrote my first article for Choice Literacy. I had written a reflection paper...
Teacher Book Club
Teachers read all the time: assignments, professional books, student writing, all the emails. In the hectic nature of school days, it’s easy to forget when we last made time to...
Know Your Teachers
Teaching is about building relationships with students. Donald Graves, in his book A Sea of Faces, reminds us that we must know 10 things about each of our students before...
Crafting a Vision of Teaching and Learning Rooted in the Strength of Multilingual Learners (Part I)
Sandra and I sat together to read the book My Two Border Towns by David Bowles. As soon as I finished reading the title of the book, she said with...
Making the Most Out of Teacher-Librarian Partnerships
“Can I help you find something?” I ask as a classroom teacher pokes around the biography section in the school library. “Our kids are going to be doing a big...
Six Journaling Ideas for Teacher Self-Care
About 10 years ago I began writing and journaling. I found that not only did my teaching of writing improve but so did my personal well-being. My notebook became my...
Picture It: Pebbles in Our Shoes
Sometimes there is tension during professional learning sessions. This is particularly true for school-wide sessions that are developed to propel change. It isn't a surprise that change is met with...
Energizing Yourself
I define connection as the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they derive sustenance...
Making Learning Visible from Coaching Cycles
Sometimes I feel the need to reach a wider audience while working in an instructional coaching cycle since I often work with a small group of teachers for an extended...
Classroom Library Elements in School Library Design
I have always imagined that paradise will be a kind of library. —Jorge Luis Borges “I have a vision of a student-centered library where there is student writing on signs...
Combat Self-Doubt: Make a Ta-Da List
My first word was hardball, which is shooter slang for a type of ammunition. I was Dad’s best assistant at reloading ammo. I could take apart, clean, and name each...
Getting to Know You . . . More: A Midyear Idea for Helping Kids Tune (Back) In to Each Other
Our social life is a living system, and it needs exercise . . . It’s a choice you make to invest in, week by week, year by year—one that has...
Let Poetry Be the Leader
Communication and motivation are the keys to strong leadership. I learned this quickly as a young teacher. One of my directors would leave little notes periodically in faculty mailboxes. I...
Maintaining an Inquiry Stance: Seeking to Enhance the Practice of Questioning in Leadership
A person who asks questions is more helpful than the person who offers advice. —James Clear "What should I do?" The classroom teacher turned her face toward me with a...
Redesigning Experiences for Parent/Guardian Conferences
October and February are usually the months for parent-teacher conferences in most schools. I admit that at the beginning of my teaching career, I never questioned any aspects of these...
35 Ways Leaders Can Improve School Culture
When the principal sneezes, the school catches a cold. —Todd Whitaker The school culture is defined as the school’s unwritten rules and traditions, customs, and expectations (Deal & Peterson, 2016). ...
A 30-Day Coaching Challenge
Instructional coaching can feel a bit like a roller coaster. Some days feel like we’re sailing through the day with the wind in our face and our arms outstretched with...
Classrooms as Spaces of Identity Development
“The classroom environment serves as a space for identity development where children learn about their humanity, strengths, and justice,” Erica Buchanan-Rivera writes in her book Identity Affirming Classrooms: Spaces that...
