Principal January/February 2015: Literacy and Reading

While the Common Core and other new college- and career-ready standards have reinvigorated English Language Arts and reading instruction, the purpose of reading broadly and deeply remains the same. The authors of “Diving In,” which leads this issue’s focus on literacy and reading, describe the purpose of reading as “deeply understanding a text and then doing something with it.” This issue of the magazine focuses on the principal’s role in leading a schoolwide effort to help students achieve deeper levels of understanding, preparing them for lifelong success. As always, a wide array of Web resources is available for readers to supplement these articles on principal leadership.
Click here to read the digital edition.
LITERACY AND READING
Diving In Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey Help students get to the bottom of close reading and complex texts.
When Old Becomes New Aradhana Mudambi Bringing vocabulary instruction back into our schools.
Digital Native Does Not Equal Digital Literacy Ann M. Martin and Kathleen R. Roberts By working together, principals, librarians, and teachers can transform learning environments to ensure that students achieve digital literacy.
New Arts + Literacy Standards = Opportunity NAESP’s Gail Connelly discusses the intersection of arts-integration, college- and career-ready standards, and pre-K-3 with NAESP President Mark White and NAEA President Dennis Inhulsen.
FEATURES
Best Practices in Action H.J. Cummins Nine principals share their successful strategies for school leadership.
Strategies for Aligning Pre-K-3 Susan McLester Education researchers, policymakers, and thought leaders provide insight into the principal’s role in aligning early childhood education.
IN EVERY ISSUE
From the Editor A Culture of Reading —Kaylen Tucker
Snapshots Research, PLC Checkup, Member Spotlight
Practitioner’s Corner Student Success Through Academic Coaching —Brenda D. Byrd
Speaking Up The Case for BYOD and Tech-Smart Schools —Rosie O’Brien Vojtek
Parents & Schools A Mutually Effective Relationship With Your PTO —Jennifer Schwanke
Principal’s Bookshelf
Hire Better Teachers Now: Using the Science of Selection to Find the Best Teachers for Your School By Dale S. Rose, Andrew English, and Treena Gillespie —Reviewed by Adam D. Drummond
Flipping Leadership Doesn’t Mean Reinventing the Wheel By Peter M. DeWitt —Reviewed by Erin Simpson
Best Practice A New Strategy to Identify Teacher Leaders —Rachel Jones
The Reflective Principal The Teaching Principal —Debra Ann Berndt and Shireen Ann Fasciglione
Ten to Teen Homework: Friend of Foe? —Richard Wiesenthal
It’s the Law The Family and Medical Leave Act —Perry A. Zirkel
Postscript The Tale of the Struggling Reader —Gail Connelly