Dr. Kelly Cartwright: Executive Skills and Reading Comprehension

👋Hi, it’s Matt. This week, I spoke with Jen Schwanke, former principal, current deputy superintendent, and author of Trusted. (Full subscribers can watch the video of our conversation below.) Enjoy! Also, my feedback survey closes soon. If you have a few minutes to spare, I’d love to know more about your experience here. Take care, -MattJen Schwanke has spent her career inside schools as a teacher, a building leader, and now a deputy superintendent in Ohio. She is the author of five ASCD books, including her most recent, Trusted: Trust Pillars, Trust Killers, and the Secret to Successful Schools. She also writes the newsletter “Principal Problems with Dr. Jen” and co-hosts the Principal Matters Podcast, which has surpassed 1.5 million downloads.In this conversation, Jen and Matt discuss what it takes to lead with trust: riding the inevitable ups and downs of the principalship, delegating without losing accountability, building the self-awareness to recognize when you are undermining relational trust, and staying connected to students when compliance and logistics pull you in every other direction.What We Discussed* The connection between trust to student outcomes* The difference between being trustworthy and being trust-willing* How to recognize when you are unintentionally harming trust with your staff* What it means to lead through teachers, from the inside out* The area where teachers are most willing to take feedback from their principal* The two things that keep Jen grounded as a leader when the job gets enormousAbout Jen SchwankeJen Schwanke, Ed.D., is a longtime educator who has served as a teacher and leader at all levels. She is the author of five ASCD books, including Trusted: Trust Pillars, Trust Killers, and the Secret to Successful Schools. She writes the newsletter “Principal Problems with Dr. Jen” and co-hosts the Principal Matters Podcast. She is an instructor in educational administration at The Ohio State University and currently serves as a Deputy Superintendent in Ohio.Find Jen at jenschwanke.com, on X at @JenSchwanke, and on Instagram at @DrJenSchwanke.Resources Mentioned* Trusted: Trust Pillars, Trust Killers, and the Secret to Successful Schools by Jen Schwanke (ASCD, 2025)* Principal Matters Podcast* Principal Problems with Dr. Jen* Choice LiteracyEnjoyed this conversation? Share it with a colleague and let us know know in the comments! Paid subscribers get additional access to this community, including the ability to comment, networking events, and invitations to join professional conversations like this one. Reduce isolation as a literacy leader - join us!Full TranscriptMatt RenwickHi, my name is Matt Renwick. I am a coach, former principal, classroom teacher, and I am joined today by a colleague, also a former principal, former classroom teacher, current deputy superintendent, Jen Schwanke. Welcome, Jen.Jen SchwankeHi, Matt, so good to be here, thank you.Matt RenwickGood to be connected with you again. I want to read your bio. You’re a long-time educator, teacher, and leader at all levels. You’re the author of 5 books. The last one is the one we’re going to talk about today, Trusted: Trust Pillars, Trust Killers, and the Secret to Successful Schools, published through ASCD. In my review that I wrote for it, for Middle Web, I wrote it was a book that I wish I would have had when I was a principal — it was just really well done. We’re going to talk more about that, but Jen has published 5 books, all focused on leadership at the school level. She’s a frequent contributor to multiple educational publishers, including Choice Literacy, which we’ve both been contributors to and proud writers for. She also consults with districts and school leaders in the areas of school climate, personnel, and instructional leadership. She’s a frequent presenter at national organizations, including ASCD, ISTE, NASSP, and NAESP, and also an instructor in educational administration at The Ohio State University. She currently serves as Deputy Superintendent in Ohio. You can find her at JenSchwanke.com, on X at Jen Schwanke, and on Instagram at Dr. Jen Schwanke. Welcome.Matt RenwickWhat made you decide that you wanted to write a book about trust?Jen SchwankeWell, let me tell you a story related to that. I’ve been lucky to have a great relationship with my editor at ASCD, and this book came to life because I had just published one on conflict management for school leaders. The ink was still warm on the press, and I reached out to my editor and said, I want to write one about trust. And she said, Jen, my goodness, be quiet for a minute. And I said, no, no, these things do go hand in hand. Managing conflict in a school, and how you talk to people, and how you try to anticipate and analyze and act on conflict is so tied to trust. So here’s what she said to me: we really need you to come up with something that has a true effect on student outcomes. So anything you write about trust has to be tied to student outcomes. And I thought, I don’t know how to do that. I know how to write about how trust feels and how to not be a jerk, but I don’t know if I can tie it to student outcomes. Then I started doing some research, and I was shocked — I should not have been — I was shocked to find how much of a correlation there is between principal and staff trust and student outcomes. Students achieve more when teachers trust their principal. After that, the book was easy to write, because I was able to really focus on the why, my intentionality with building trust, and what happens with students.Matt RenwickI’m glad you wrote it. I’m glad you convinced the editors, because you do get at the student level, and that’s one thing I appreciate about the book and your writing. I’ve read your writing with Choice Literacy, and I’ve been on peer review groups with you. I always appreciate your stories — small anecdotes from your own experience, the ups and downs of the principalship. It’s an interesting polarity: conflict management and trust, those two tensions.Jen SchwankeThat’s exactly right, because you can’t do one without the other. You and I met, probably 10 years ago. You were doing some writing for ASCD, I was too, and we went to an authors’ retreat together, and where we geeked out together was with the literacy piece — the reading, and the writing, and student engagement. To me, it was a little bit of an aha moment to think about how it really all is tied together, including student achievement and progress.Matt RenwickYou note in the book that the only way to be successful as a school leader is to learn to ride the inevitable ups and downs. That conflict, and engagement with it, and trust — that’s something I both miss and don’t miss as a former principal. What strategies did you use in your 17 years as a building leader to ride those waves?Jen SchwankeI had a little bit of an aha moment. I was probably in my 10th year as a school leader, and I was complaining to my dad about it — about a teacher, or a parent, or a curricular resource, or a data point. He happened to be standing on his skid steer with a chainsaw at the time, cutting down some branches after a recent summer storm. And he said, you know what your problem is? You always think there’s going to be a point where there’s no more problems. You’re always dissatisfied, because there’s always another problem. And he looked up to the tree and said, a storm blows in, you gotta cut a few branches down. It’s just the day’s work. I thought about that for quite some time, and I thought, that has been my weakness as a leader. I’m looking for this moment when there’s no more conflict, everybody’s getting along, everybody understands what we’re trying to do, everybody’s engaged in the learning — and that’s never going to happen. Because we’re humans, and we have feelings and responses. So rather than feel like I’m chasing an impossibility, I found a great deal of peace in thinking, problems are going to come and go. That is literally w… This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit readbyexample.substack.com/subscribe

The science of reading has made real progress in how schools think about decoding and language comprehension. But for a significant number of struggling readers, those two buckets don’t explain what’s getting in the way. Dr. Kelly Cartwright, Spangler Distinguished Professor of Early Child Literacy at UNC Charlotte, has spent her career mapping the territory other reading models leave out — specifically, the role executive functions play in coordinating what skilled readers do.In this conversation, Dr. Cartwright explains what executive functions (EF) actually are, why they matter for every reader and not just students with ADHD, and what her research reveals about the kind of EF interventions that actually move the needle on reading outcomes. She also makes the case that the field’s tendency toward dichotomous thinking — decoding over here, comprehension over there — may be leaving a large group of students without the support they need.Check out the video recording of this conversation below, available to full subscribers. Join the community today!Show NotesResearch and Articles (links embedded in title)* Duke, N. K., & Cartwright, K. B. (2021). The Science of Reading Progresses: Communicating Advances Beyond the Simple View of Reading. Reading Research Quarterly, 56(S1), S25–S44.* Cartwright, K. B., & Palian, S. R. (2024). Considering Roles of Executive Functions in the Science of Reading: A Meta-Analysis Highlighting Promises and Challenges of Reading-Specific Executive Functions. Educational Psychologist, 59(4), 263–290.* Wagner, R. K., et al. (2021). A Model-Based Meta-Analytic Examination of Specific Reading Comprehension Deficit. Annals of Dyslexia, 71(2), 260–281.* Austin, C. R., Vaughn, S., Clemens, N. H., Pustejovsky, J. E., & Boucher, A. N. (2022). The relative effects of instruction linking word reading and word meaning compared to word reading instruction alone on the accuracy, fluency, and word meaning knowledge of 4th-5th grade students with dyslexia. Scientific Studies of Reading, 26(3), 204-222.* Chi, M. T. H. (1978). Knowledge structures and memory development. In R. S. Siegler (Ed.), Children’s thinking: What develops? (pp. 73–96). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.Assessments Mentioned* Graphophonological Semantic Flexibility (GSF) Assessment — freely accessible; measures cognitive flexibility in managing letter-sound and meaning features of words simultaneously (from Chapter 4 of Executive Skills and Reading Comprehension - see below)Books Mentioned (embedded Bookshop links are an affiliate account)* Cartwright, K. B. (2023). Executive Skills and Reading Comprehension: A Guide for Educators (2nd ed.). Guilford Press. (Bookshop) (Guilford Press - download flyer for 25% discount)* Adams, M. J. (1990). Beginning to Read: Thinking and Learning About Print. MIT Press. (Bookshop)* Page, L. This Book Made Me Think of You (Bookshop) — recommended by Kelly Cartwright* Weir, A. Project Hail Mary (Bookshop) — recommended by Matt Renwick* Richtel, M. How We Grow Up (Bookshop) — recommended by Debra CrouchModel Referenced* The Active View of Reading (Duke & Cartwright, 2021) — diagram available via the Reading Research Quarterly article linked above (and below).Full TranscriptMatt RenwickHi, I’m Matt. Welcome to Read by Example, where teachers are leaders, and leaders know literacy. I am excited to have someone that I’ve been reading about in a pretty specific, but I think important subject area. I’m joined by Kelly Cartwright. Dr. Cartwright is the Spangler Distinguished Professor of Early Child Literacy at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. She is the author of Executive Skills, Reading and Reading Comprehension, second edition through Guilford. Welcome, Kelly.Kelly CartwrightThank you. I’m so excited to be here with you today.Matt RenwickAnd Debra Crouch, author and co-author of Made for Learning with Brian Camborne, is also here. Excited to see Debra again. Are you in the classroom still, Debra?Debra CrouchNo, not right now. I’m actually supervising a couple of student teachers right now. That’s what I’m up to.Matt RenwickAlright, but you were teaching second grade, right?Debra CrouchYes, second and third grade. Both grades.Kelly CartwrightAnd technically, you’re in classrooms, so…Debra CrouchYes, always in classrooms.Matt RenwickSame here. Whenever I can get in, it’s a treat. So, Kelly, I want to start with curiosity. Executive functions have not been a prominent part of the conversation around reading instruction. What made you think they should be? What about this field captured your interest and focus for your research?Kelly CartwrightThat’s a great question. I started out in psychology, but I was interested in how reading works — how reading works in the brain, how our cognitive processes support our ability to read. I was learning about executive functions, learning about the fact that kids, when they are young, are learning to be flexible in thinking about things. It occurred to me that reading is super complex, and it requires that we think about words in lots of ways. I was reading Marilyn Adams’ book, Beginning to Read, while in graduate school, and learning about all of these wonderful executive functions, and realizing that kids have to manage a ton. Grown-ups have to manage a ton of things in their heads, and I wondered about this connection. So, I started off my work in the area of looking at cognitive flexibility specific to reading — flexibility in thinking about words, sounds, and meanings — because kids have to think about words in a lot of ways to learn to be good readers, and we do it without thinking about it. Lots of people are looking at it now and realizing that being able to manage your thinking and manage your reading processes is a really important part of being a good reader.Matt RenwickAre you seeing more interest in this due to the world we currently live in, with constant connection and distraction? Do you see that contributing to this interest?Kelly CartwrightMaybe. I think that people are aware of executive functions in the context of special education, or when a child has ADHD in your classroom and the school psychologist has done assessments and says, “This child has a working memory problem,” or, “This child has an inhibition problem.” We’ve seen more and more diagnoses of executive skill difficulties, like ADHD, over the past few years. Is it connected to technology? I don’t have data on that. But I think the piece that we don’t always think about is that for a child who has executive skill difficulties, we see evidence that there’s a problem — but when everything’s going well, and your working memory and flexibility are supporting your reading processes, it’s invisible. We don’t see them. We see evidence for difficulty, not evidence for success. But being a successful reader means that you have those things in place.Matt RenwickADHD has been referred to as an invisible disability — or difference, however you want to term it — and that resonates with me, because kids don’t always demonstrate it. It’s often an internal kind of thing.Kelly CartwrightExactly.Matt RenwickYou mentioned executive functions, and I think when people hear that, they sometimes just resort to ADHD as a rule of thumb. But they’re different. How would you describe executive functions in a way that’s separate from a diagnosis like ADHD, and connects it to what every reader is trying to do?Kelly CartwrightExecutive functions, when you have difficulties with them, people see evidence of those things when you have a child who can’t focus, or can’t inhibit attention to all the things that are so interesting. But we recruit executive functions in all of our daily activities. Think about going to the supermarket. You need to keep your list of needed items in mind — you don’t want to get home without the noodles for the spaghetti — and that’s working memory, having to hold all that stuff in your head. You might make a list, but that kind of offloads … This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit readbyexample.substack.com/subscribe

In this 45-minute presentation, I walk through five beliefs about the science of reading. The intent is to spark curiosity and encourage conversation. Watch this presentation in tandem with my free eBook What School Leaders Need to Know About the Science of Reading. Use these resources as a starting point for holding much-needed discussions in your school around effective literacy instruction. If you would like support with facilitating this type of conversation, don't hesitate to get in touch with me here.Take care,MattP.S. Join me for the next professional learning event: a conversation with Dr. Kelly Cartwright, author of Executive Skills and Reading Comprehension: A Guide for Educators.Full TranscriptWhat School Leaders Need to Know About the Science of ReadingTranscript of a presentation based on the free ebook resource available to download.About MeHi, I’m Matt Renwick. I’m sharing this presentation: What School Leaders Need to Know About the Science of Reading, based on the free ebook resource available to download.A little bit about myself. I’m a father of two teens and a husband to Jodi, who is also a teacher. My son is currently in college — whenever I visit, I try to find something fun for us to do together. My daughter is a junior in high school. I’m also a very part-time bookseller at an independent bookstore in my hometown. This is our dog, Millie. She works Sundays with me and is excellent at her job. And one of the things I most enjoy is visiting national parks. My most recent trip was to the Rocky Mountains for a mountain biking trip — though I’ll admit I’m not a big fan of heights, so I drove the rest of the party up to the trailhead and cheered them on from there.Starting With a BookI want to begin by referencing a book — not reading it aloud, but using it as a frame. It’s called Duck! Rabbit! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld. You may have seen it. It uses an optical illusion — is it a duck or a rabbit? One person sees a duck; another sees a rabbit.I’ve found this book especially useful for lowering the emotional temperature when we start talking about the science of reading. After reading it aloud, I typically invite a group to pause and reflect on these three questions:* When we debate reading instruction, are we arguing about what’s best for kids — or about who’s right?* Where in your work do you notice people looking at the same data and seeing completely different things?* What would it take for you to genuinely consider a perspective on reading instruction that you’ve resisted?If you’re watching this with a group, I’d encourage you to pause here and have a conversation.How This Resource Got StartedThe impetus for this presentation came from a colleague who was supporting a new administrator. This new administrator was already getting inundated with requests for evidence-based workbooks and heavily phonics-focused resources. She reached out and asked me to share my take on the science of reading with this administrator.Here’s what I shared in an email:First, reading instruction is complex. It’s not a simple equation you can plug resources into and expect to produce readers.Second, science requires inquiry, not dogma. If a field is a true science, it will continue to conduct research, look at what’s working and what’s not, and reevaluate its philosophies in light of new evidence.Third, multiple sciences of reading matter. We can’t just look at cognitive science. We also have to look at the science of engagement, the science of motivation, the science of efficacy, and the science of goal setting. These all matter.Fourth, authentic texts should support skill development. A lot of resources strip away rich, relevant text in service of isolated skill practice — and we know that doesn’t work.Fifth, programs do not equal responsive instruction. I’ve heard this called “solutionitis” — the idea that buying a program will automatically raise reading scores. We know that’s not the case.I sent that email and waited a few weeks without hearing back. I eventually reached out to my colleague and learned the administrator had left the position. My first assumption was that the complexity of the topic had scared them off — but actually, they’d landed a dream job. Still, the experience got me thinking about all the new administrators coming into these roles without much background in this area. That’s what I want to address through both this presentation and the ebook.My Beliefs — A DisclaimerWhat follows is based on my current beliefs, grounded not just in my own experience but also in research and in conversations with colleagues who know more than I do in certain areas. These beliefs are evolving. I hold them with humility.Belief 1: Teaching Reading Is Not SimpleThere’s been a lot of conversation lately about the “simple view of reading.” I’d argue that teaching reading is anything but simple. It takes a long time to become highly skilled at teaching readers.I recently came across a New York Times article titled “Kids Rarely Read Whole Books Anymore — Even in English Class.” I found it striking because when I taught fifth and sixth graders 25 years ago, we were reading multiple novels a year as a class. Then we moved away from that — toward anthology series, excerpts, comprehension questions, skill packets. I’m not saying whole-class novel study is a best practice across the board. But it’s worth asking: we introduced all these programs, and the result is that kids aren’t reading books anymore. How do we find the balance — where resources support instruction without becoming the curriculum? As Peter Afflerbach likes to say: How do we teach readers, not just reading?The Simple View of Reading — from Gough and Tunmer — reads like an equation: decoding + language comprehension = reading. There’s research that supports this. The problem is that it’s incomplete. It doesn’t account for all the other ways kids become readers.One of the biggest promoters of this simplified narrative has been Emily Hanford’s Sold a Story podcast. I counted the transcripts of the first eight episodes: phonics is mentioned 48 times, comprehension 10 times, and engagement 0 times. You can see how media shapes the public’s understanding of reading instruction — and how that narrative flows into legislation. Wisconsin’s Act 20, for example, is heavily phonics-focused. Some of the assessments it prioritizes, like oral reading fluency, can be useful indicators — but they don’t even measure comprehension.An Active View of Reading — introduced by Duke and Cartwright — is what I promote instead. It still values word recognition and language comprehension, but adds important components: bridging processes (print concepts, fluency, vocabulary knowledge), and active self-regulation (motivation, engagement, executive functioning, strategy use). These aren’t extras — they’re prerequisites for students to become highly effective, engaged readers. Notably, this is a reader model, not a reading model. It recognizes that reading is also shaped by the texts we choose, the tasks we design, and sociocultural context — including diverse authorship, representation, and the absence of bias.A practical implication: expand your assessments. As a principal and teacher, I learned that what we measure is what matters. Right-to-read legislation may mandate oral reading fluency screening, and that’s fine — but we can also look at attendance and behavior as root causes, consider whether language barriers rather than reading skill are the real challenge for some students, and include teacher observations and student voice. Think about what it means to take a fuller picture of a reader.Belief 2: The Science Is Anything But SettledI once posted this on Twitter:“I don’t know who needs to hear this. Teaching a literacy curriculum program like a script, lesson by lesson, to all kids without considering their current interests, abilities, and needs is not scientific, drains the joy out of learning,… This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit readbyexample.substack.com/subscribe

Listen to my conversation with Penny Kittle, author of Micro Mentor Texts: Using Short Passages From Great Books to Teach Writer’s Craft (Scholastic, 2022). This will be our book club selection for January - March 2026. Join the chat below.Full subscribers can also access the video recording of our conversation here. See a preview below.Brief Bio* Penny is a long time teacher at every level of education. She writes about her practice at https://substack.com/@pennykittle. * She is the author of several books, including Write Beside Them and 180 Days (with Kelly Gallagher, with whom she also co-hosts digital discussions). * Penny is also the chairman of the board for the Book Love Foundation, dedicated to providing “classroom libraries comprised of hundreds of books carefully chosen by the teachers to meet students where they are and lead them to the deep rewards of reading”. Check out the Book Love Foundation Podcast to learn more. * When not in the classroom, Penny enjoys spending time with her grandchildren in New Hampshire. SummaryIn this conversation, Penny talk about a variety of topics, including:* the importance of teachers being knowledgeable and able to problem solve,* how to build students’ confidence as writers by showing them the process of writing that you as a teacher use, and* simple strategies, such as prompt writing, that can lead to students engaged in deep conversations during book clubs.Educators will walk away with a renewed sense of hope and agency in their own work with readers and writers.What part of this conversation resonated the most with you? Share your thoughts in the comments.Enjoyed this conversation? Restack and share this post to let others know!Full TranscriptMatt Renwick: Hi, this is Matt Renwick, and welcome to Read by Example, where teachers are leaders and leaders know literacy. And I'm joined today by someone I've met, I think a year ago in Wisconsin, when she was here doing a training around micro-mentor texts, Penny Kittle, long-time teacher, professor, all things education, literacy. So welcome, Penny.Penny Kittle: Thanks, Matt. It's good to be on your podcast. I enjoyed meeting you that day, that was a lovely day.Matt Renwick: Yeah, it was fun. I don't think it was on my schedule, but I'm like, I'm gonna make this on my schedule, like, I wanna hear Penny talk. Just all the good things I've heard from Reggie Routman, and just what I read about you, so I was not disappointed. It was a great experience, and I know the teachers walked away that I was working with, like, this is good, like, we want... and I'm still working with those teachers, actually.Penny Kittle: Oh, that's cool.Matt Renwick: Yeah, we still talk about the micro-mentor text, and just giving them that foundation, that knowledge that I think they were craving. They were looking for just a resource, and you really give them some nice ideas to build their practice, so...Penny Kittle: That's good.Matt Renwick: So I have been reading, as this year before, Micro Mentor Text through Heinemann, Using Short Passages from Great Books to Teach Writer's Craft.Penny Kittle: From Scholastic, just so they would want to know that.Matt Renwick: Oh, I'm sorry. I told you I'd mess something up, Penny.Penny Kittle: We all do.Matt Renwick: Yeah, I'm not gonna edit it out, though, so... Thank you for correcting me. Yeah, Scholastic. And, yeah, terrific book, very practical, very wise. I'm like, I think I'm highlighting the footnotes as much as the content.Penny Kittle: Oh, that's so funny. I had so much fun writing that with footnotes.Matt Renwick: Just the asides were just really cool, some of the cool stories from, like, Don Graves and Don Murray. But your subtitle says it pretty well, but what is your definition of a mentor text? Because I hear that tossed around a lot. What makes a mentor text micro?Penny Kittle: Yeah, I mean, I think that I always talk to students about, we're mentors to the authors and their craft, right? The text is just that particular vehicle, and we're using it to say, what kind of decisions do writers make? Are they things that I want to try? Are things that I want to imitate, or are these things that will make my writing stronger? So anytime we're studying anything, we're looking at pieces of work in that genre. You know, it's the idea of authenticity in a writing classroom. We're making things that exist in the world, and here are some people who make those things, and then what do our essays or poems or whatever we're writing look like next to them. And so, micro-mentor texts came about because I do quick writing with kids day after day, and I realized how much of the time, if I used a passage from a book, and said, what do you think of this? What do you... and used it instead of the whole, that I could get them interested in reading a book, but I could also, in a few minutes, look at craft. It was almost... I think we put a magnifying glass on the cover of the book, because I said it's like, a micro-mentor text is small enough that you can just look at it carefully. And you can't do that with a whole book. So, that is the idea, is that we look at a passage, we think about how does it work, and we imitate it.Matt Renwick: I used to teach 5th and 6th grade, and I would do, like, book blurbs, and I would read a small passage from it to promote it, to recommend it, but what you're saying here is you almost got, like, a two-for-one, like you're sharing great literature, but you're also honing in on those specific craft moves that writers do.Penny Kittle: It is definitely the way to combine a book talk with a little bit of writing. And I, you know, I honestly feel like I've taught more grammar through Micro Mentor texts than anything else. Because I'm often, when I ask them, what do you notice? Talk to each other, and I wander the room, they'll bring things up. You know, what is that? Is that the colon or the semicolon? What's it, you know, if it doesn't come up naturally, I often don't have to say anything, but I like that oftentimes this organic... Okay, do you see how this sentence is structured? Why is this such a long sentence, kind of thing. A really natural way to make grammar a decision, not a right or wrong.Matt Renwick: Yeah, you're pulling the lines away from the craft of it, you know, you're giving kids access to a writer, to the author's intentions.Penny Kittle: Right. And their choices.Matt Renwick: Yeah. So, let me frame it this way. I think with the science of reading, a lot of folks are concerned with decoding, and how kids learn to read, and I see less about actually helping kids comprehend text. I mean, it's there, but it's not as prevalent. And there's like this double-edged sword where I think literacy leaders, teachers want to get away from the 3-cueing system, we want to support kids with being good decoders. But I think what happens is we're not teaching kids to like read text for real, like once kids know to decode a word, what's the purpose of actually reading the text? And so what I like about your book is, you're using real text, you know, kids are reading it for real reasons, and so I'm wondering what are the connections between micro-mentor texts and the science of reading that you've been thinking about.Penny Kittle: I mean, I think for me, in the idea of what I do with a micro-mentor text, I'm not decoding it, right? Unless they're stopping and asking me. But I usually read it to them. And so I'm a fluent model, or another student in the room is a fluent model. And then we're diving into this idea of the pattern, the rhythm, what makes it interesting? And so to me, when you're looking at written text and thinking about writing text, you need fluency. And fluency is one of the pieces of the science of reading. So sometimes I'll have kids with me that are reading two and three years below grade level. And fluency was something that we never worked on. They're still word callers in high school. And so getting them to read w… This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit readbyexample.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit readbyexample.substack.comThis video recording is an exclusive benefit for paid subscribers to Read by Example. Thank you for your support!You can use this content in a variety of ways:* Watch it by yourself or with colleagues, and use this conversation guide to engage in your own conversation, reflection, and learning around the ideas discussed. * Use this video as part of your pro…

In this episode of “Read by Example,” I sat down with educators and authors Joe Schmidt and Nichelle Pinkney to discuss their influential book, Civil Discourse: Classroom Conversations for Stronger Communities (Corwin, 2022). They explore the urgent need for structured, empathetic dialogue in K-12 classrooms, especially in today’s politically charged environment. Drawing from their extensive backgrounds in social studies education and leadership, Joe and Nichelle provide practical frameworks and strategies for teachers to foster productive conversations, empower student voices, and build stronger, more understanding classroom communities.Key topics discussed include:* The four foundational building blocks of civil discourse: Courage, Understanding, Belonging, and Empathy.* The crucial difference between “contentious” and “controversial” topics.* Strategies for moving classroom activities from debate to more inclusive discussions and dialogues.* The importance of grounding student opinions in evidence-based sources and curated text sets.* Practical advice for teachers on how to prepare for difficult conversations and build a support system within their school.* How administrators can create a supportive “sandbox” for teachers and the importance of transparent communication with parents and the community.After listening to this episode, you will walk away with a greater appreciation for supporting student conversations in every classroom.Take care,MattP.S. Next week Thursday, 5:30pm CST, I speak with Jen Schwanke, author of Trusted (ASCD, 2025). Full subscribers can join us for this professional conversation!Official TranscriptMatt Renwick: Welcome to Read by Example, where teachers are leaders, and leaders know literacy. I am joined by two colleagues and educators who I have looked forward to speaking with ever since I read their book, Civil Discourse: Classroom Conversations for Stronger Communities. Welcome, Joe Schmidt and Nichelle Pinkney.Joe Schmidt: Thanks for having us, Matt.Matt Renwick: You were both formerly high school classroom teachers and are now in leadership roles. Nichelle and Joe, would you share a little bit about your backgrounds?Nichelle Pinkney: Hi, I’m Nichelle Pinkney. I’m entering my 21st year of education. It’s hard to say out loud. I started teaching elementary for a year or two, then decided I wasn’t ready for that season and went to high school. I went from first graders to 12th graders and started teaching government and economics, then moved into AP Government and Econ. I’ve pretty much taught everything at the high school level.A few years ago, I wanted to help other teachers learn what I had, so I became an instructional coach at the middle school level. Now, I’m a curriculum director in my district, overseeing social studies and world languages, curriculum, professional learning, and teacher development. I’m involved in my state organizations, and I love social studies and students learning about the world we live in.Matt Renwick: And you were just elected president of that organization?Nichelle Pinkney: Yes, I’m president-elect of the Texas Social Studies Leadership Association, starting in February. I’m super excited because my dream has always been to fight for social studies, and I’ll get to do that through work with legislation.Matt Renwick: Well, congratulations. Joe?Joe Schmidt: I started as a high school teacher in rural Wisconsin. My first year was 9th grade, my second was 10th, and my third was 11th. I had one student seven times across our block schedule in those three courses. I left the classroom after nine years to become Madison, Wisconsin’s first Social Studies Curriculum Coordinator. I was also the state specialist for Maine, and since then, I’ve worked for a couple of national non-profits.I’m currently the president-elect of the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) and will become president on July 1st, 2026, three days before America turns 250. I will be the lead host for the Chicago conference in 2026. This December, NCSS will also have a conference in Washington, D.C. (link to conference here). NCSS is the largest professional organization for social studies educators, with more than 8,000 members.I went from being a classroom teacher where people said, “You have good ideas,” and I felt like I was just making it up, to a district coordinator, to the state level, always feeling that same way. That’s why I say teachers are humble heroes; it’s very rare for them to toot their own horn. I do more than 100 trainings with over 2,000 teachers a year, and almost without fail, someone will share something brilliant they “just made up.” Anytime I can help teachers celebrate and recognize their own expertise is a good day. That’s what has driven me: finding different venues to not only support teachers but celebrate them.Matt Renwick: We have two knowledgeable individuals in the social studies realm here, and I’m honored. As a former principal, I learned that there’s so much knowledge in every classroom. It’s not about improvement but about surfacing that expertise so everyone can benefit. It’s great you’re in positions to connect colleagues.I had your book for a couple of years after we did a statewide book study on it. I’ll be honest, I didn’t read it until I went to the Sphere Summit through the Cato Institute. I brought the book, and it connected perfectly with the sessions. I was back in my hotel room reading it while everyone else was out. It just really clicked for me. It feels like your book is so needed right now, especially as I see teachers self-censoring and avoiding certain books because they don’t want to deal with the politics or conflict.I’ll start with how you frame your book around four building blocks of civil discourse: Courage, Understanding, Belonging, and Empathy. Can you say a little more about how you came to those four guiding principles?Nichelle Pinkney: I’m an acronym junkie. Joe is very intelligent, and he’ll explain things, and I’ll say, “Okay, it’s got to be simplified.” We were on a call with our author mentor, Julie Stern, and I was just writing down words, trying to make it simpler. We knew all these components had to be there, but it had to click.It was broken down this way because a lot was going on when we were writing this during COVID. We were at home—I think we were just stir-crazy. But seriously, the ideas of courage and understanding were huge. I think understanding and belongingness are huge because you can’t have the necessary conversations in our world today without them. And the courage part—as you said, you were at the conference, you had the book, and you felt a need for it. That was courageous. Then, instead of going out, you dug deeper into the book. You took the courage to build understanding, and now you’re applying the other pieces—belongingness and empathy—so these things can happen in a bigger venue.Matt Renwick: So it’s like a simple first step. You don’t have to start by talking about immigration on day one. Maybe the first step is just to get your book or another resource to become more knowledgeable.Joe Schmidt: Part of the impetus for the book was that as COVID hit, I was doing a lot of virtual sessions. People kept asking for sessions on what is now civil discourse. We were heading into the 2020 election, and people would say, “I told my department not to talk about the election; it’s too contentious.” I thought, “They’re not going to get this in math class.” We can’t just abdicate our responsibility.But we had to acknowledge that this isn’t easy. It’s important, but it’s not easy. We always start there. We know this is hard, but it is worth it. We don’t want people to think there’s a judgment if you’re not doing it. The point is, let’s just do it. It’s hard, and we’re not going to be perfect at it. We made mistakes. But don’t just jump in on day one with the most controversial topics. That’s how you end up on the news.That takes you through the p… This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit readbyexample.substack.com/subscribe

In this video demonstration, I share key journaling tools - simple tracking tools and intentions for success - to start my month. The ultimate goal is improving outcomes for teachers and students. That includes a sense of well-being, not just achievement. When others feel supported and successful, so do I as a coach and a leader. A written explanation is also available below if you prefer to read vs. watch.Page 1: Monthly TimelineThis idea comes from The Bullet Journal Method by Ryder Carroll. It is a calendar for the month in a list format. On the first page of the month in a dot journal, I document one thing I did each day that stood out to me. For example, yesterday (Monday, September 1st, or “1M”), I took a tour of a stone cottage with my family with a realtor.It’s not a calendar; I don’t typically add planned events ahead of time unless they are important. That’s what my digital calendar is for. The function of the timeline comes after you add your activities. It’s a tool for reflection. During weekly and monthly reviews (which I will share more about next month), I examine how I am spending my time and make changes if I am not happy with my actions. One way to facilitate this reflection is to separate the monthly timeline into two columns: personal and professional. This helps me quickly assess where I am giving more of my attention and time: to work or to personal commitments. If you are limited on space in your journal, you can use a highlighting system to differentiate between the two, such as green for personal.Finally, I like to track my key habits on the side of the timeline. For me right now, that is writing (W), exercise (E), and budget ($). I put a dot under each column. Again, a simple and visual way to track the positive habits I am trying to build.Page 2: Monthly IntentionsI use the word “intention” purposefully. In the past, I have titled this page “goals”. The problem with this language, at least for me, is that my goals aren’t always in my zone of control. For example, I would like to hit a certain weight. While that is a great goal, a lot of factors and influences go into making that happen: watching my diet, exercising, and eating healthy foods. So, intentions are not the same as goals, and they are more than just projects. They cannot be accomplished with one or a couple of steps. They exist somewhere above both goals and projects. More importantly, they are an aspiration for what I want to accomplish this month. It’s easy to fall into the “goal/project” list. For instance, in my current set of intentions (also divided by personal and professional), I initially listed “clean out attic” and “set up yearlong P.D. schedule”. These are projects. I revised them with clearer intentions: “Create the start of a studio space for art, storage, etc.” and “Provide high-quality learning experiences for colleagues”. They are more motivating and open. Projects and goals can exist within them.Note: I don’t have more than a handful of intentions listed at any one time. I have dozens of projects saved in a task management app (Todoist). What I want to accomplish this month, I migrate over to my intentions page for the month. I aim to have no more than ten (10) intentions, an idea that comes from Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman. It’s a good constraint: just the right amount of options to choose from in the moment. We experience decision fatigue and procrastinate when we have too many options, for example, 20 different kinds of ketchup at the grocery store. From there, my daily log should at least partially reflect these intentions. In the example below, from yesterday, I documented a tour my wife and I took of a stone cottage in our small city. We are exploring the idea of downsizing. This wasn’t part of our plan when I created my intentions list. Seeing that it is important to us, I will add it. Not as something to accomplish to prioritize. That means it will get more of my attention than other, lesser requests for my attention.Likewise, today (9.2.T), I noted that I wanted to capture insights from my interactions with coaches and leaders during school visits. So I created a custom collection on the next page as a simple tool for this purpose. This became another intention on my monthly list. When this coaching log is complete, I can review all the insights and determine what the common needs are with clients. I may use A.I. to help me with this analysis (I masked the names). While technology is helpful in this way, I find paper and pen to be most beneficial for seeing everything all at once. Digital tools have a way of hiding my commitments - out of sight, out of mind. Next month (October), I will share more about daily logs, as well as how to start a brand new notebook! Let me know what questions come up for you from this post in the comments. Paid subscribers can also join me for an “Empower Hour” on Thursday, September 25 at 4:00pm CST to discuss these topics in real time. Register below. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit readbyexample.substack.com/subscribe

Matt speaks with Regie Routman, longtime educator and author of many books, including The Heart-Centered Teacher, for the inaugural episode of Literacy Unscripted. This podcast series challenges traditional approaches to literacy teaching and leadership. In this professional conversation, Regie and Matt explore the meaning of belonging in schools, the impact of a single teacher, and the crucial difference between curriculum as a conversation versus a rigid script. Listeners will walk away with an appreciation for creating joyful and empowering learning environments for every student.Key Discussion Points:* The Power of Belonging: Regie and Matt share personal, resonant stories about the first time they felt truly seen and valued by a teacher, highlighting how these moments can alter a person's life trajectory. Check out Regie’s latest article for MiddleWeb on belonging in schools here.* Beyond the Script: They advocate for professional knowledge over prescriptive curriculum, likening skilled teaching to a chef who can create a masterpiece with limited ingredients by mastering the basics, rather than simply following a recipe.* Celebrating All Strengths: The conversation emphasizes the importance of seeing every individual—from students to bus drivers and cafeteria workers—as a valuable contributor with unique gifts to share, fostering a sense of shared ownership and equity within the school community.* Trust and Autonomy: They discuss the transformative power of giving students genuine agency, citing a real-world example of students managing their school library, which led to increased literacy, empathy, and leadership skills.Read here for more information about the school library book budget project.Take care,MattP.S. Join other school leaders and me this October for the first cohort of my new course based on my book Leading Like a C.O.A.C.H. Over four weeks, you will learn key strategies and skills for engaging in coaching conversations that lead to lasting schoolwide literacy excellence. Join the waitlist today to secure your spot for this fall.Official TranscriptMatt: Welcome to Read by Example. This is a special series called "Literacy Unscripted." So, I'm talking to literacy experts in the field who have pushed back on a prescriptive approach to literacy instruction. And it's very appropriate that my first conversation is with Regie Routman, who I've spoken with multiple times—a colleague, a good friend, just the person I go to whenever I have a question in this regard. So, welcome, Regie.Regie: Thank you, Matt. It's great to have a conversation with you and not have it be about a technology problem.Matt: Always happy to help there, too. But you've got an article with MiddleWeb about building a culture of belonging, and I just thought it was very appropriate for this time of year. If I were still a principal, you know, I'm trying to motivate my staff or to help staff kind of take a step back and think about what's really important. I'm looking at one of your articles that you've written in the past. And this one is also so good around belonging in schools. And we were chatting before we hit record about when the first time we felt a sense of belonging in our educational experience. And I thought your story resonated with me. So if you don't mind sharing, Regie.Regie: You know, I don't. It's a great question, actually, because I think when I think back about when did I feel a sense of belonging, it wasn't until I was an adult and I had attended an International Reading Association conference. I'll tell that story. But when I was went through the grades, I never thought that I was had any kind of special talent. I don't remember forming a close relationship with any teacher K-12 or even in college. Part of that, I think, was that I didn't grow up in an intellectual atmosphere. And my parents were fine with me just going to college and finding a husband. And I did really well in that regard, but they weren't really interested in what I was going to do with my mind. And I hadn't thought that much about it. You and I are very different generations, and you know, my mother didn't work. And so they just thought, well, you know, you'll find a nice husband and you'll be a good cook and a good mother. And I didn't have anybody in... I never had a teacher who said, "You can be more than that," which I think is so important. I never felt even in high school that I belonged with any particular group. I didn't mind. I wasn't a member of the popular club, but I think I didn't know that I was missing that until I went to my first International Reading Association meeting, which was after I was married and had two children. And the only reason I was able to go—I was working as a reading specialist in Shaker Heights, Ohio—was that every seven years they sent the reading specialist, but my term came up because I couldn't have afforded to go.And I think the thing that was shocking, because I had never been to a national conference or even a local conference, was seeing women intellectually challenged. And I met Marie Clay and seeing what was going on across the world. It was just eye-opening for me. And so I think that was the first time that I felt a sense of belonging. Not initially, because I didn't feel that I was any part of that, but I was so inspired. And I was inspired by leaders. I just have this picture here. This was the person that made me feel that I could belong. Regie: So he was the father of shared book experience. He at one time was in charge of Scholastic Australia, and he told me that he never should have been in charge of a publishing company because he said he ran them into the ground. I mean, he was great. He was a brilliant literacy professor, and he was just such a kind person. And he saw something in me. He showed up. When I was speaking about belonging, I knew I had to get back to the International Reading Association. I was so stimulated by the people that I met and what was happening all over the world that I didn't have an idea about. I'd been reading about it, but to actually meet the people that were, like Don Holdaway, like Marie Clay, that were making things happen, and that they were so forthcoming and treated me as an equal. And I knew the only way I could get back to the conference, and I was really feeling this sense of, "I want to be part of this," was to get my district to send me. And the only way that that would happen is if I wrote a proposal, which is what I did and got accepted. It took two years. I didn't know how to write a proposal because that's its own genre, right? And so then when I didn't make it, then the next year, and Don Holdaway showed up at my session. I couldn't believe it. He said, "I've come to learn from you." And I'm like, "What are you doing here? I don't know anything yet." And we became close friends, and he became my most important mentor. And I think that was because he wasn't just about literacy. He was all about bringing joy into learning. And nobody was really talking about that then. We're going back many, many years, bringing joy into learning and also the importance of the social-emotional. It was all together. He was teaching in a one-room schoolhouse for kids that were not learning to read well. And he had like K through 8 all in one room together. And he invented the shared book experience where he created a big book and so had the kids gather regardless of their age around. And so they could see the print as he was reading. And it was that whole bedtime experience, very nurturing, very loving, very comforting. And so that was a big deal. And he was at my house, and I brought him into the district, and we really became close friends and colleagues. And I felt that was the first time because I was not... I don't have a PhD. It was the first time I thought, "Well, maybe I could be an influencer. Maybe I could write a book." You know, and then I was encouraged to do that. But not by any of my te… This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit readbyexample.substack.com/subscribe

In this launch episode, host Matt explores the tension between literacy mandates and the messy reality of school leadership and teaching. Drawing from his experience as a principal and systems coach, Matt introduces the concept of "scripts" in education—from literacy curriculum programs to unwritten cultural rules—and examines how they can both support and constrain professional judgment.Matt shares why he believes educators need to move beyond being "curriculum deliverers" to reclaim their roles as thoughtful professionals who use resources as guides, not gospel. He outlines the four core themes this series will explore: recovering autonomy, identity, humanity, and agency in literacy education.Whether you're a classroom teacher feeling overwhelmed by mandates or a leader seeking to balance compliance with authentic learning, this episode offers a framework for going "off-script" in healthy, productive ways that put students first.Perfect for: Teachers, literacy coaches, and school leaders who want to restore professional wisdom to their practice while working within existing systems.Join the conversation: Monthly virtual discussions are free for all listeners, with implementation toolkits available for full subscribers.Duration: [6 minutes]Read by Example is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support this community, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Official Transcript: Earlier this month, I along with other coaches and consultants spent two days supporting three district leadership teams. Our goal was to help them develop a strategic improvement plan for the coming school year.If you've been through this process before, you can imagine the process:* Assess current reality through a data dig* Use systems mapping and root cause tools to identify the most important needs* Select an evidence-based improvement strategy (EBIS) to implement across the organizationIt's calming to put together a plan of action. You can see it written out on paper or on a screen. You can imagine the ideal journey that your school will take to achieve the desired results.And then you begin to imagine all the obstacles that can come up: all the other initiatives currently in place and also asking for your attention; the one teacher team that struggles to hear each other's ideas; the reality of your students arriving and caring little about your agenda as they have their own needs to be met.Yet even these areas of responsibility can be responsibly addressed with some careful planning.* Too many initiatives? Create a priority list with your leadership team, and break them down into manageable projects and next actions.* Teachers not getting along? Ensure staff meetings and professional learning days explicitly teach collaboration skills, using data and not egos to drive conversations.* Students displaying challenging behaviors? Set up bi-weekly student study meetings with your pupil services team to address these unmet needs with systems of support.Now we feel even more comforted, more in control.Having gone down this path for several years as a principal, I can say with confidence that as nice as these plans are, the journey we took as a school never followed these scripts. We have to be adaptive and responsive to the unpredictability of life. That requires a toolbox of skills and resources beyond any plan. As Seth Godin notes, strategic planning has nothing to do with strategy.And that's what these plans are really, right? Scripts. Actions, settings, and dialogue. They're everywhere in schools when you take a moment to think about it.* The literacy curriculum programs* The mandated and banned instructional practices* The behavior lesson plans for common areasSome of the scripts aren't written out but are still just as present and powerful. Who you can talk to and trust in a building, and who you cannot. What a school culture celebrates and what is taboo. To veer from the script invites risk: of not belonging, of being ostracized, even when what we want to say aloud supports what's right for each and every child.I am not entirely against scripts. For example, I often referenced our student handbook when making disciplinary decisions for students. The literacy curriculum resource we purchased and implemented at my last school had lots of culturally relevant texts and authentic tasks. But we used these resources as guides, not gospel. In the end, it was our wisdom, judgment, and sense of professionalism that determined whether we were successful as teachers and leaders.That's the purpose of this post and future ones within the new series Literacy Unscripted. It's a learning journey to discover how educators like you and me are going off-script in healthy and productive ways. It's an attempt to combat professional erosion to ensure students have access to excellent and engaging learning experiences.Specific themes I'll be exploring include:* Recovering a Sense of Autonomy - How do we create the conditions for staff and students to make meaningful decisions on behalf of teaching and learning? What opportunities are there within a scripted literacy experience for authentic choice as readers and writers?* Recovering a Sense of Identity - If a mandated literacy program does not adequately represent who students are and can be in our classrooms, where else can they see themselves and the world through text? What moves can faculty make within these constraints to truly serve as teachers and not merely curriculum deliverers?* Recovering a Sense of Humanity - How can we address harmful perspectives perpetuated by insensitive curriculum materials while not stressing ourselves out? How might we leverage our knowledge and position to create life-affirming professional spaces?* Recovering a Sense of Agency - When we see the disparities created by a scripted literacy experience, what tools and mindsets do we need to empower both ourselves and our students to resist? What oversimplified narratives about our students might we challenge through action research and student-led inquiry around meaningful projects and tasks?These are questions I will be pondering. I hope you will too, by joining me in this podcast series and learning journey.Here's how you can participate:* Join us for monthly virtual conversations around specific topics related to literacy and leadership. (free for all)* Engage in online professional dialogue through comments and the chat feature. (free for all)* Download an implementation tool kit that will accompany the video recording of our virtual conversations, to use as resources to support your school's PD plan. (full subscribers)More information to come. Please reach out with any questions you have.Take care,Matt This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit readbyexample.substack.com/subscribe

Happy Monday! This week’s focus is on being a noticer vs. a judger during classroom visits.📚 PROFESSIONAL STRATEGYWhen informally observing classroom instruction, shift from judging to noticing. Start by acknowledging what you see and hear without evaluation: "I'm noticing..." rather than "This is good/bad..." Naming our observations keeps them at an objective level; noticing activates the brain’s prefrontal cortex which moderates emotional reactivity. We create mental space between what we observe and any premature conclusions we might draw about a teacher’s practice. We can respond then more thoughtfully with our feedback.From my Choice Literacy article: "Off the Hook: How to Engage with and Reframe Our Obstacles in Order to Reduce Anxiety and Stress”🌱 PERSONAL TIPStart small in your observations if classroom visits are new to you. Begin with one aspect of instruction. Share what you noticed with the teacher, followed by a genuine question. This can lead to noticing/sharing two aspects of instruction, and so on. Build on success.📢 FOR YOUR TEAM & SCHOOLToday's Quote: Joke for Announcements: Which month of the year is the shortest? May. It only has three letters. (Source: Reader’s Digest)Bonus: Check out the Four-Week Instructional Walks Tracker in the printable version of this memo below! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit readbyexample.substack.com/subscribe