The Principal As Instructional Leader In Literacy

Based on a balanced literacy approach, this practical guide supports principals and school leaders in improving literacy instruction and increasing achievement for K–12 students.

Based on a balanced literacy approach, this practical guide supports principals and school leaders in improving literacy instruction and increasing achievement for K–12 students.

For the past decade in the United States, elementary principals have faced increased scrutiny. Student performance regardless of student experiences, district funding practices, or societal factors have been the responsibility of the principal. In a similar fashion, teachers have been ridiculed and scorned. As a result, principals are left trying to create positive school culture, evaluate teacher performance, and guide and support professional development initiatives. In the meantime, teachers in many ways do not see themselves as professionals, do not feel that they have autonomy in their classrooms, and as a result may not have the same joy that they once had. The goal of this guide is to assist principals and school leaders to cultivate a school culture where the principal is positioned as the literacy leader. This guide will support principals to address, define, and create a literacy culture. Most importantly, provide insight to support principals in their quest to becoming primary individual responsible for bringing joy to teaching and learning as part of building school culture.

Literacy is a skill for all time, for all people. It is an integral part of our lives, whether we are students or adult professionals. Giving all educators the breadth of knowledge and practical tools that help students strengthen their literacy skills is the focus of Read, Write, Lead. Drawing on her experience as a mentor teacher, reading specialist, instructional coach, and staff developer, author Regie Routman offers time-tested advice on how to develop a schoolwide learning culture that leads to more effective reading and writing across the curriculum. She explains how every school—including yours—can: implement instructional practices that lead to better engagement and achievement in reading and writing for all students, from kindergarten through high school, including second-language and struggling learners; build Professional Literacy Communities of educators working together to create sustainable school change through professional learning based on shared beliefs; reduce the need for intervention through daily practices that ensure success, even for our most vulnerable learners; and embed the language of productive feedback in responsive instruction, conferences, and observations in order to accelerate learning for students, teachers, and leaders. In their own voices, teachers, principals, literacy specialists, and students offer real-life examples of changes that led to dramatic improvement in literacy skills and—perhaps just as important--increased joy in teaching and learning. Scattered throughout the book are “Quick Wins”--ideas and actions that can yield positive, affirming results while tackling the tough work of long-term change.

Your best resource for curriculum leadership post-NCLB and beyond! Put quality curriculum front and center with this classic toolkit to savvy curriculum leadership for the 21st Century. Newly revised and updated case studies, research, and state and national curriculum and leadership standards complement a completely new section focused on emerging technologies. New features include: Major chapter revisions with research on ESSA, CCSS and more Up-to-date information on Professional Standards for Educational Leaders Concrete examples of district-level curriculum mapping, planning, and integration New information on professional growth, state curriculum frameworks, online assessments, SBAC, PARCC, and adaptive testing

This resource presents an overview of how three-, four-, and five-year-olds learn to read and shows school leaders how to implement and support quality early literacy programs.

First published in 2007. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

This succinct, engaging book explains how busy elementary school principals can support effective literacy instruction in their schools. Chapters outline the fundamental components of a successful literacy program and describe specific practices that can instill a culture of literacy in a school. Strategies are provided for initiating a professional development program, understanding and using appropriate assessments with students, involving parents in literacy education, and assessing the strengths and weaknesses of teachers’ instructional methods. Drawing from the authors' extensive experience as principals and teachers, the book’s numerous examples demonstrate what strong literacy leadership looks like in action. Helpful reproducibles are included.