Lead Lit Article Type: Try It
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Field Notes: When a Coach Models in a Classroom
Jennifer Court is a longtime literacy coach at Aboite Elementary, and she is a favorite host for monthly Think Tanks, meetings for instructional coaches from schools across northern Indiana. Jen...
When There’s No Time for Debriefing
A new coaching cycle focused on conferring and small groups in reading workshop was starting, and Kate had asked teachers to sign up for a debrief time slot so that...
Smile File
Smiling makes people feel good and positive, conveying a sense of goodwill, rapport and trust. Dr. T. P. Chia "Everyone needs a smile file!" I heard the radio deejay...
Making Time for Reflection
One of the first things I noticed when I began to work with our 14 elementary literacy coaches was the harried pace they kept. They were asked to do a...
The 70% Rule
When practicing T’ai Chi, doing too much is the same as doing too little. Master Wong Chung-yua As I have progressed solidly into my 40s, my choices of physical...
The Toll of Constant Interruptions
Not long ago, a teacher marched into my office, closed the door, and sat down. She covered her face with her hands. I was taken aback. She was one of...
Portfolios for the Coachee
I haven't always liked my note-taking system. It’s always changing, and I'm always moving from one notebook to another. I am continuously searching for different ways to capture my thoughts,...
Environmental Walks: A Snapshot of a Literacy Culture
In spring, I facilitate a number of parent tours of the school. These building tours are for incoming students who are either new to the district because of open enrollment...
Starting with Consensus
The people must have ownership in the vision. They need to be enabled to accomplish it. If there is one investment you should make, it is in people. ...
Unleveling Classroom Libraries
Over the last two school years, we’ve followed the buzz around the dangers of a leveled classroom library. We’ve read articles and tweets, listened to podcasts, and talked to our...
Integrating PD into the School Calendar
I made my way around the room, watching staff members slowly and quietly go out the door, noticing a few others hastily catching up on parent emails or commenting on...
Mentor Texts for Teachers: Home Is a Place to Begin
Whether it is a grade-level data team, a staff meeting, a special-interest PLC, a session in a conference or EdCamp, or even a deeper dive into writing, I look for...
Where Confidence Begins
Our neighbor Ed is handy. A couple of weeks ago, he showed us pictures on his smartphone of the additional room he created on the backside of his garage. “Yep,...
Nice to Meet You Again
Recently, I went on a weekend trip with two dear friends whom I have known for years. We spent three days doing what we love most: eating and talking. On...
Heavy Edits
In college, one of my work-study jobs was in the public communications office. It was my responsibility to write news releases about the goings-on around campus. Various departments would submit...
I Still Am
When my oldest son was young, he would spend hours rooting through the dirt, inspecting what lived underneath the rocks in our yard and carefully examining every crawling insect he...
Staff Retreat
If you’ve ever flattened on the couch with a bad cold or an overload of exhaustion, the last thing you want to hear from someone is, “You really should get...
Narrative Mini-Charts
I spend a lot of time making charts. I have multiple sketchbooks that I’ve filled up with charts over the years: anchor charts, strategy charts, learning progressions. These books have...
Understand, Uncover, and Undertake
The school day was over, and the hallways were that type of quiet caused by the sudden absence of the cacophony of students during dismissal. The silence seemed to fill...
What’s the Temperature?
Recently, one of our coaches was out for an appointment on her building’s data-team day. It was an appointment she couldn’t miss, but scheduling half-day blocks for teams to meet...
The Power of a Rant
“Teachers work so hard each day. They walk out of school burdened with book bags weighted down with stacks and stacks of student papers to read and respond to at...
