Rolling Up Your Sleeves: Series (Part 1)

On By LaurenMKaufmanIn 1. Mission, Vision, and Core Values, 10. School Improvement, 4. Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment, 6. Professional Capacity of School Personnel, 7. Professional Community for Teachers and Staff, Personal Learning, Professional Standards For Educational Leaders

Rolling Up Your Sleeves – Series Part 1

“How you walk into a room matters,” is a sentiment Dr. Mary Hemphill shared at this week’s FETC conference. As I listened to her powerful words, I was reminded that leadership isn’t just about presence, it’s about intention. Whether you’re leading a team, coaching a colleague, or modeling best practices for students, the way we show up shapes the culture of learning and growth in our organizations.

This week, I had the honor and opportunity to make a very quick stop at the FETC Conference to share ideas about what it can truly mean to “roll up your sleeves” in leadership. Whether we’re coaching teachers, leading professional learning, or modeling instructional strategies, the work we do requires us to step into the learning process with a hands-on approach. Leadership isn’t about standing on the sidelines; it’s about being part of the process, embracing challenges, and creating meaningful experiences that lift learning to the next level.

I’ve had the unique opportunity to serve in many roles, classroom teacher, literacy specialist, and instructional coach, before stepping into a formal leadership position. I still firmly believe that my time as an instructional coach gave me the invaluable opportunity to zoom out from my own classroom walls and step into the mess of learning in a variety of educational spaces. This experience allowed me to observe best practices across classrooms and cross-pollinate ideas, fostering a culture of shared learning and growth.

Coaching also gave me the chance to recognize the unique gifts in others, gifts they might not even see in themselves. It reinforced the idea I share in my book The Leader Inside, that true growth transcends individual limitations when we leverage the collective experiences and expertise of those around us.

As Adam Grant shares in his bestselling book Hidden Potential,

“It’s easy for people to be critics or cheerleaders. It’s harder to get them to be coaches. A critic sees your weaknesses and attacks your worst self. A cheerleader sees your strengths and gets you to be your best self. A coach sees your potential and helps you become a better version of yourself.”

As I reflected on what it truly takes to lead with impact, I identified four key ways we can roll up our sleeves and make a lasting difference in our school communities:

  • Create Learning Ecosystems
  • Make Learning Accessible
  • Step into the Mess of Learning
  • Let Others Lead

In the spirit of making these ideas more digestible, I will make these posts a series and focus on one at a time. Sound good? Okay… Let’s start with some ideas about how to Create Learning Ecosystems.

Create Learning Ecosystems

In her book Arise, Elena Aguilar shares, “There’s generally an agreement that educators need more knowledge, skills, practice, and support after they enter the profession.” Just think about this: In Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell calculates that it takes 10,000 hours of deliberate practice—practice that promotes continuous improvement—to master a complex skill. Ready for this? That 10,000 hours can take seven years for those working in schools.

To cultivate these ecosystems, consider the following strategies:

Ask Questions That Help Others Flourish

  • Ask Reflective, Open-Ended Questions, such as:
    • “What strengths do you see emerging from your recent experiences?”
    • “How do you see your work impacting others?”
  • Acknowledge Growth and Potential, using affirmations like:
    • “I can see how much you’ve grown in this area. What do you feel most proud of?”
    • “How do you see your work impacting others around you?”
  • Create Space for Calming Conversations, by encouraging dialogue with questions such as:
    • “What’s one small win you’ve had this week?”
    • “What are you finding most rewarding in your work right now?”

When we create learning ecosystems that celebrate growth and provide space for reflection, we empower educators to take meaningful steps forward. Here’s an infographic to use with your teams, filled with more coaching questions for consideration.

Model Risk-Taking

If we ask educators to try new practices, we must roll up our sleeves and try them ourselves! Leaders must stay connected to classroom spaces where the learning happens. Here are a few ways to put on your coaching hat and step into the work…but remember, it’s important to go in with a plan.

Model a Lesson:
Recently, I have been modeling interactive read-alouds to strengthen students’ vocabulary and oral language skills and demonstrating complex phonics instruction. Here’s an example of how to introduce a lesson to a teacher:

“Today, I’d like to try using an interactive read-aloud to develop language comprehension skills in your students. My goal is to model language structure, elevate vocabulary, and use the engage, expand, repeat technique.”

Intervisitation:
Leverage the expertise within your organization by providing opportunities for educators to observe peers teaching best instructional practices. Set a clear focus to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Try using this language:

“The purpose of this visit is to focus on the language and pacing of the mini-lesson. This will ensure concise lessons, allowing students more time to write with greater volume and giving teachers more time for small groups and personalized instruction.”

These visits require:

  • Classroom Introduction:
    Greet students and explain that you are there to learn from them and their teacher. Learning should never be a secret!
  • Pre-Meeting:
    Pull teachers together briefly within the classroom to set the lesson focus while students engage in a short turn-and-talk.
  • Teaching Observation:
    Provide a structured note taking template to keep observations focused and actionable.
  • Debriefing:
    Reflect on the lesson by asking:
    • What did you notice?
    • What did you wonder?
    • What did you hear?
      Highlight specific strategies teachers used, such as the Engage, Expand, Repeat technique, to deepen student learning.

This keeps the focus on student learning and the impact of instructional practices within our ecosystems.

Moving Forward

Rolling up our sleeves in leadership is more than taking action; it’s about fostering environments where learning and growth thrive. It’s about stepping into the work with curiosity, collaboration, and the belief that small, intentional actions can lead to meaningful impact.

How you walk into a room matters. How we lead with others matters. Let’s continue to show up with purpose, empower those around us, and create spaces that inspire everyone to grow.

One conversation, 

one classroom visit, 

one question at a time.