Book Talk Thursday ~ Read, Write, Lead

As summer approaches, I want to share a book that every leader in a school should read, especially the principals for Book Talk Thursday.

This year I participated in a book study with some other reading specialists to read and discuss the book Read, Write, Lead: Breakthrough Strategies for Schoolwide Literacy Success by Regie Routman.

This book was a total eye opener for all of us who read it.  I spent much of my graduate work learning from Regie Routman's ideas and work, so her ideas were not foreign to me.  I was stoked to be able to read her book and learn more from her.  This book really made me evaluate our own literacy program and want to change everything about it.  But to do that, I have to convince my administration to change it as well. I am hoping that the principals in our district will have to read this book.  I am going to sum it up for you using the 3-2-1 strategy.

~ All staff must work together for a common literacy goal.  Getting everyone on board may be tough, but it can be done!  Professional Literacy Communities are important in a school and work together for that common literacy goal.

~ Every school needs a literacy committee full of leaders in literacy.  This group drives the instruction in a school to ensure that good solid literacy instruction happens every single day.

~ Observations should happen more often and give immediate feedback.  In a simple walk-through, the observer can see so much.  A positive comment before leaving the room can make a teacher's day.

~ When given choices, students learn and thrive.  Children want choice, and it helps them to become better readers and writers.  This comes as no surprise, and we have heard so much about it from many authors.  Our school system is embracing Personalized Learning, where students have choice.

~ Literacy should be the focus in a school.  As the reading specialist, I couldn't agree more!  But without key literacy skills, students are unable to succeed in any other subjects.  Reading and writing are key skills for life!

~ Teach the students, not the standards.  Though this is something we all know, many times we forget it and focus on what needs to be taught.  The other day I was working with a group of sixth graders who need remediation to retake the Virginia SOL test.  Many of them admitted they didn't even read the passages!  Those students need guidance, not remediation on something they have already learned.  Now I know where to go with them!

I got a lot out of this book and will share it with my administration.  I just hope she takes the ideas to heart, and we can begin a new era in literacy at our school.

So, now that I have given you something to think about, don't forget to link up this week with a book you would like to share.  Any book will do!



   

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