Coach From The Couch

09/05/2026

5 totally different approaches to mapping out your literacy block so nothing gets left out.

Be sure to scan the QR codes for more tips on refining each one to fit your unique needs.

The 5th plan is a truly integrated approach you won’t find anywhere else—you’ll want to check it out!

09/03/2026

As the school year begins, it doesn’t take long before it feels like there is never enough time for ELA.

Before you throw in the towel, it’s very worth checking out these 12 very common time traps that cause us to lose time without even realizing it. They are SNEAKY!

Even one or two of these tips will help you get some of your precious time back every single day. It really is possible!

Comment traps and I’ll send you the link!

09/02/2026

Teaching literacy is hard. So much to think about, so much to fit in. That’s why having a thinking partner by your side is so important.

In my one-on-one work with virtual clients, I serve as that thinking partner to help you simplify, streamline, and strengthen your literacy instruction with the tools that you already have at your fingertips in your school.

If you’ve got something on your mind around literacy instruction, reach out! I’d be happy to help!

08/31/2026

If you’re literacy block feels like a never-ending game of Tetris, you’re not alone.

There is a lot we’re supposed to fit in.

But I’ve been thinking about whether the solution is really to get better at squeezing all those pieces into a separate section of the day.

The research actually suggests something very different: the components of reading are highly interconnected. They shouldn’t actually be separated.

So what might happen if we organize our literacy block with that interconnectedness in mind?

That’s what I explore in my latest block post, Rethinking How to Organize the Literacy Block. Check it out through the link in my bio.

08/30/2026

As we head back into the swing of things at the start of a new school year, we're usually faced with figuring out how to organize a strong literacy block.

With so many important pieces to fit in, it can feel like a puzzle that never quite comes together.

I think the answer actually lies not in figuring out where each piece fits, but thinking differently about the pieces themselves.

Which is what my newest post, Rethinking How You Organize Your Literacy Block digs into.

I take a look at what the research says about the five pillars, what they miss, and why I think reading, writing, and the work of understanding real texts need to be at the center of the way we think about organizing our literacy block.

Link to the post in the comments below.

08/23/2026

School is designed to build knowledge.

It’s litearlly what school is for.

So do we really need to buy a separate “knowledge-building” curriculum?

We have state standards that tell us what students need to know. We have teachers who can build units, select text sets, facilitate discussions, and connect reading and writing to content.

So why have we come to think that knowledge-building is something we need to purchase?

I dug into this in my newest blog post, including one issue I think we need to talk about more: whose knowledge gets prioritized when we hand over that decision to a commercial program?

Link in comments.

08/19/2026

Participation is super important. But students shouldn’t stop there.

One word/phrase choral responses have a very important place in instruction. But students also need opportunities to:

✅ Grapple with ideas
✅ Process information
✅ Explain their thinking
✅ Apply what they’re learning

🎯Both kinds of engagement matter.

As you’re planning your first lessons, it’s worth asking yourself not only “how will I get everyone involved?” But also “what will require everyone to think about the content in deeper ways?”

It’s a topic I dig into in my latest post. (Link in bio.)

08/17/2026

Time can get away from us in ways we don’t even notice. Which leads to exhaustion and overwhelm.

This school year, put these very simple habits into place from the start so your precious teaching minutes don’t get away from you.

08/16/2026

All across the country, teachers are planning hose first literacy lessons of the year. Something to consider at the same time?

What student engagement will look like in those lessons.

A class full of students answering questions, responding chorally, or talking with a partner can certainly seem engaged. And often, they are. But participation doesn’t necessarily tell us how much thinking is happening.

That doesn't mean we should ditch choral response or other strategies that get everyone involved. They have a very important place in instruction.

But we also need to give students opportunities to grapple with ideas, process information, discuss their thinking, and apply what they’re learning.

Both kinds of engagement matter, in big ways.

In my newest post, I dig into the differences, and what to consider when planning lessons.

👉 Check that out here: https://coachfromthecouch.com/2026/08/15/what-does-student-engagement-really-look-like/

And if you're planning those first lessons and wondering how to make them work for the students actually sitting in front of you, that's something I help clients work through with 1:1 coaching. Send me a message to get started!

Not all student engagement strategies are created equal. Students need to recall information and they need to think deeply.

08/13/2026

Morning work does not need to be a separate thing.

Those 10 to 15 minutes while you take attendance, check lunch count, answer a quick email, or get everyone settled can actually be a great time to strengthen learning.

The key question is not “what should my students do…”It’s “what learning do I want to strengthen?”

It’s a small shift that makes a huge difference.

What’s something your students could revisit tomorrow morning instead of completing another worksheet?