Lead Lit Topic: Getting Organized
Getting Organized
Results
Strength in Assessment: A Professional Development Protocol
Recently I worked with a group of literacy leaders representing a number of different schools and experiences from all across the Portland, Oregon metro area. I knew they held a...
From Bootcamp to School: Building Enthusiasm for New Initiatives
Leadership is ultimately about the ability to influence others. Richard Dufour and Robert Marzano I joined a new gym. Part of my new exercise regimen is to attend a...
Collecting PLC Data with Google Forms
Like so many others, my district has adopted the professional learning communities (PLCs) model as one of our main sources for professional development. In doing so, we give teachers the...
Quick Check-ins: Touching Base Before Coaching Sessions
Coaching places teachers’ self-esteem and professional respect on the line, because it exposes how teachers teach, how they think about teaching, and how they plan for teaching to the scrutiny...
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...
Coaching Minute: Working with Principals
Ruth Ayres has advice for how literacy coaches can work effectively with principals in this one-minute video.
A Small Group Coaching Cycle in Action
Success! That’s the word that comes to mind as I reflect on a recently wrapped up small group coaching cycle. This particular group consisted of two kindergarten teachers, both new...
Video and the Thoughtful Coach
Three years ago I began video-recording teachers during lessons. It seemed like a win-win. The teacher would reflect on what went well and what needed tweaking inside their lessons, and...
Picture It: Objectives and the Coach
Setting and communicating clear objectives to students is essential. In his article “Objectives That Students Understand,” Robert J. Marzano points out that an ineffective use of objectives is “writing the...
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...
Clarity and Connection: The Language of Change
Effective leaders are able to articulate their most important ideas with clarity, and they use language that emotionally connects with their audience. Connection creates meaning, and change will not occur...
Creating a Master Schedule
As August approached each year, I was the teacher who began to think and plan for the coming school year. I watched the weekend ads for the latest sales and...
Picture It: Pinterest for Professional Development
This fall we are trying a new way to organize how we share professional readings and videos for our professional development sessions. We are creating text sets of professional readings/videos/blog...
Coaching Minute: Wait for the “In”
In this brief video, Heather Rader shares her strategies for getting into classrooms of teachers who may be hesitant about inviting visits from coaches. A transcript is available below the...
Assessing Students: Many Hands for a Lighter Load
Many of our informative assessments are administered individually. The benefit of these assessments is the opportunity they provide to notice which reading strategies each student uses, what the child comprehends,...
Picture It: A Soothing Workspace
This year I want to be more mindful about my workspace -- to use the space to help my work instead of hinder it. In my job as a principal,...
Alignment and Community: Planning a Year of Professional Development Opportunities
The role of the leader is to enable, facilitate, and cause peers to interact in a focused manner. Peer interaction is the social glue of focus and cohesion. Michael Fullan...
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,”...
Transcription: A Lens for Reflection
Having my picture taken is something I dread. Mostly because I know that later I’m going to have to look at the photo and I’m sure I won’t like what...
Picture It: Increasing Comfort with Technology
We know that technology has changed the way we access and use texts in our daily lives. Here you see both teacher- and student-generated ideas for future blog posts in...
Coaching Minute: On the Go Follow-Up Tip
In this Coaching Minute video, Heather Rader shares advice for dealing with teachers who need support when you are in the midst of other responsibilities. A transcript is available below...
