"A good coach will make his players see what they can be, rather than what they are."-Ara Parsheghian

As educators, we know that our job is all about service and helping others become the best they can be. So, how do we do that?!

Really, every teacher is an instructional coach. Our job as teachers is to coach our students toward their learning goals for the year and bring out their best selves in the process. To do that, we have to be able to see our students' potential, find the path to get them there, and guide our students on that path.

Are students going to deviate from the path? Yup. Are they going to fail? Possibly. Are they going to struggle? Absolutely. It's all part of the journey.

So, how do we best coach our students? 

There are four steps in this process that needs for teachers with what I call velvet over steel. A great teacher needs to have a backbone of steel but a velvet touch. No yielding on what we know to be really important, but being willing to be...

There are certainly plenty of things to have regrets about or beat ourselves up about as teachers and as parents. But... here's a few you should never apologize for.

1. A lesson that didn't go as planned. So what. Learn something from it and try again.Show your students how to accept failure and start over. Now, three's a lesson worth teaching.

2. Being really good at something others aren't. If you resumer organized but others aren't and they give you trouble about it, shame on them. Enjoy your strengths and use them. We all have enough faults worry about, do don't add your strengths to the worry list.

3. Not having a Pinterest Perfect classroom. A perfectly coordinated room does not make you a better teacher. Either decorating in your thing or it's not. Make your room comfortable and welcome for you and your students. That's enough. Just teach.

4. Doing things your own way. Being different is a strength, not a fault. In some schools, teachers are expected to go lock step together...

"The language, Lisa! You, the words matter girl, would have been appalled."

My lovely teacher friend was lamenting the recent trend toward whining and complaining in her school's teachers' lounge. She was probably right. I would have been appalled. Additionally, she was right to be concerned. The thing about whining and complaining is, they are habits. Once we head down that path, it is really hard to stop. It gets in our heads and our hearts.

There is an old saying that goes something like this - A few bad apples will spoil the barrel.

I talk a lot about how our words matter with our students. It's also true that our words matter with our colleagues. It's great to share, seek advice and blow off a little steam once in awhile. We need that. However, when talk in the teacher lunchroom turns to whining, complaining or denigrating students or parents, it's gone too far. It can spoil the whole climate of a school or team. Speaking with respect for each individual regardless of our...

Have you been thinking about starting your own business? Maybe making some extra money on your lesson plans or becoming a consultant or independent coach?

It's totally do-able!

Here's a guide to get you started. All of the resources I have used to help create my business are here in one place. WARNING: There's a lot of information here.

It can be overwhelming weeding through all of the junk people offer you as help once they find out you are thinking of starting a business. What is good, and what isn't? Should you buy courses or just figure it out yourself?

I remember not knowing what I didn't know. Not knowing where to begin was the worst part. Do I start a blog, build a website, or??? Who do I connect with? How? Why? When? Who is my customer? What do I want to provide for my customers? What am I passionate about? HELP!!!

I'm here to help you. So, here you go.

I have assembled all of the resources that I have used at one time or another that were helpful to me. I am not an expert...

Summer reading is often an assignment, and for many students, it's the only reading they'll do all summer.

In my house, it's a different story. My kids will put off their required summer reading as long as possible because it comes with an assignment and often the books are not to their taste. However, reading for pleasure is a different animal altogether.

My kids and I have long lists of books we want to read someday and someday happens a lot over the summer. I'll spend a lot of evenings scolding them for staying up too late, begging them to put the book away and go to sleep and threatening to take their books and hide them so they'll rest. It's fun to read "just because".

Just because what?

Well, because the books are of their choosing. And, because there are no assignments attached. And lastly, because we will trade them around and share favorite parts out loud, talk about them on road trips and just enjoy reading for the sake of reading. That's the best part.

How did I get kids...

My Secret Love for Paper

I have to admit in our world of "going paperless", I love paper. The textures, colors, ink and all of the possibilities make me want to create something beautiful for someone I care about. I can't live without it, and I know I am not alone.

With all of our push to go paperless, paper and related products sure are popular. Colored paper, patterned paper, washi tape, fancy markers and colored pencils, wall paper, heirloom paper ... We even have stores just for paper products. The Paper Source.The Paper Seahorse. The Papery. Paper Emporium. The list goes on.

Why? Is it just me or are we rebelling against the "tech revolution" just a little? Perhaps.

Actually, I have a theory about it.

You're surprised. I know. Stay with me here. All of our techie devices are great. I wouldn't get rid of my computer or iPhone any more than I would get rid of my washing machine. They have become that essential to me.

However, we are sensory beings.

My devices only deal with...

The Secret to Making Summer Reading Fun

A Few Tips for Summer Homework

1. Summer homework should not be so cumbersome that kids feel like they never got a break from school. They will just come back resentful. Family vacations and togetherness come first.

2. The point of summer reading should be to get kids to read, but more importantly, to help them love to read. (If reading becomes a punishment or a chore, we have just shot ourselves in the foot.)

3. Be creative. Summer reading should mesh with your curriculum for the beginning of the year, not be an extra that is out of place. (I know I am successful if kids are excited, plotting and planning for the beginning of the year.)

Here's how to make summer reading meaningful and fun.

Entering Kindergarten

Summer reading for incoming kindergarteners is a family affair. Parents need to participate by reading to their child. Start with the Very Hungry Caterpillar and as many other Eric Carle books as they can get their hands on over...

HOW DO YOU TEACH SIGHT WORDS?

Sight Word Blitz is an easy system. Once I used it with my students, I realized it was a game changer. Students' sight word recognition and fluency soared after only 2 weeks! Amazing! There aren't many things we teach in school that have such fast results.

FRY OR DOLCH?

Using the Fry Words with the...

Teaching Reading Strategies with Targeted Reading Instruction

Teaching Reading Strategies is harder than it looks. It always seems so easy when you look at all the worksheets on strategies. Unfortunately, it is impossible to effectively teach reading strategies through worksheets. Let's face it, skills taught in isolation remain in isolation. As Nancie Atwell said, " A child sitting in a quiet room with a good book happens to be the only way anyone ever grew up to become a reader." I would add, rinse and repeat. Often.

So, how do we effectively teach the strategies and skills necessary for students to practice in order to become readers?

Teaching reading is a lot like directing an orchestra or teaching someone to drive a car. There are many parts that need to be learned, practiced and coordinated in order for real reading to occur. No wonder our efforts to teach students to read well becomes a struggle and often fails for so many students. This is why we need an overall plan, a...

" Jay sc- scr-am-ble-d, scrambled, Jay scrambled out of the way," read Alex. "Wow, you worked hard on that word and quickly reread to check! Does scrambled make sense?"

"Yes."

"Does it look right?"

"Yes."

"Does it sound right?"

"Yes."

"Keep up the hard work."

Great Reading Instruction

Making the time to sit with readers, listen and reflect is essential to great reading instruction. When I take time regularly to do this, I am assisting my students in accelerating their progress. Ultimately, the students are in charge of their progress by how often and how focused their reading practice is. I can't do that for them.

However, I am not in the business of  I can't. I am in the business of what can I do? By controlling what I can do and letting the rest go, I can impact student success immensely.

What can I do?

Well, I can provide time to read. Matching students with books they are interested in at their instructional level is an important step as well. Providing support with on...