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Amanda Sutera | Instructional Literacy Coach & Consultant

@hands.on.heads

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Coaching leaders and teachers in Years 5-9 to build clarity, capacity and consistency for literacy improvement.
Book a Literacy Strategy Session ⤵️

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To the literacy leader and Head of English who is trying to create change but struggling to bring your team with you… this is for you.

Comment 'WEBINAR' for your FREE access to the training. by @hands.on.heads

A lot has changed in three years…

but some things have stayed the same

Comment 'LIT' to start your literacy success journey with a FREE resource for literacy leaders, my Literacy Clarity Compass. by @hands.on.heads

Accountable Independent Reading (A.I.R.) is one of those small, but powerful routines that strengthens reading stamina and deepens comprehension - all in under 15 minutes.

A.I.R. is more than silent reading.

A.I.R isn't about filling in time, nor is it reading to settling in (although, that's important for a different purpose).

It’s intentional, purposeful and ends with a quick written response so students can demonstrate their thinking.

A simple structure:
1️⃣ A clear focus or question
2️⃣ 10–15 minutes of independent reading
3️⃣ A short written response
(Teacher conferences/small group instruction while students independently read)

Small routine. Powerful impact. by @hands.on.heads

One of the reasons I love working with middle leaders is because I used to be one!

Making big-picture decisions, developing strategic goals for the school action plan, creating professional learning opportunities for teams, and leading PLCs, curriculum meetings, literacy planning sessions.

Embedding literacy practices in classrooms, coaching and modelling for classroom teachers, implementing the big-picture goals, collaborating with teachers in planning, meetings and classrooms.

But sometimes, middle leaders end up in a position of leadership because of their extremely strong content knowledge and literacy expertise. Often, that doesn't necessarily mean there's the same leadership expertise or experience they bring to the role.

It can feel more like telling rather than empowering teachers.
It can feel more like doing a lot of the work on your own, rather than working towards a collective goal.
It can feel more isolating and lonely rather than collaborative and connected.

That's why I've created the Literacy Leadership Coaching Experience- an opportunity for middle leaders leading whole-school literacy improvement to improve their leadership skills, embed a coaching approach to leadership, and connect with other middle leaders facing similar challenges and working towards similar goals.

We begin in February 2027, with places limited to only 10 schools.

Comment 'LEAD', and I'll send you the link to the details and the early bird special! by @hands.on.heads

1.How does that sound?
-asking for their input and feedback

2.What do you need from me?
-showing up
-demonstrating your credibility and trustowrthyness

3.What are your next steps after this?
-calling for accountability
-there's follow up and ownership

4. What will success look like? How will you know students have achieved XXX?
-painting a picture of success in their eyes
-clarifying achievement

5.Tell me about....
-open-ended
-non- judgemental and non-threatening, but enough to get curious and find out more

Comment 'LEAD' to learn more about a coaching approach to your literacy leadership. by @hands.on.heads

If it can be done between 3 year levels, over 20 classes, across 3 campuses and with 1 Instructional Model, it can be done in your school too.

If you and your school need help to:
- enhance literacy outcomes
-develop the leadership capacity middle and senior leaders
- provide ongoing professional learning for our teachers + leaders
-ensure that all strategies and recommendations are evidence-informed
I invite you to a Literacy Strategy Session to explore a 2027 partnership.

Comment 'STRATEGY', for your link to book a call. by @hands.on.heads

I don't know about you, but personally and professionally, I HATE being told what to do (must be the eldest sibling in me - always wanting to pioneer my own way!).

So, as leaders, it's no wonder some teachers don't respond well to just being told what to do.

But here's the thing- being told what to do is not the same as knowing what to do and how to do it.

The difference between an English curriculum leader who simply tells teachers what's needed and one who helps teachers understand what's needed, why it matters, and what they'll do together to make it happen looks like this:

-use student literacy data to clarify the rationale behind decisions
-involve teachers in the analysis of student literacy data with a thinking routine
-gathering teacher input to learn what will be managable and sustainable
-learning from, with, and beside teachers
-providing ongoing PL during planning times
-collaboratively planning English units as teams, with leader input

Comment 'LIT' to learn more about how to be an active, inclusive and empowering English curriculum leader. by @hands.on.heads

Here's what needs to happen in order for consistent literacy practices to be visible in Years 5/6 and Years 7-9 and the rest of the school:

-agreed literacy expectations and non-negotiables

-a shared literacy vision

-a clear instructional literacy model

-a clear purpose as to the whole-school/certain year level literacy goals (5/6 restructuring literacy blocks; 7-9 literacy mini lessons before literature studies)

-time for sustainable and fair PL (not one teacher off here, and another teacher off there)

-consistent literacy planning/English planning templates

-trust, credibility and visibility established and demonstrated by leaders by @hands.on.heads

A learning walk can do a few things.
-It can build a shared understanding of what effective teaching looks like.
-It can help leaders identify strengths and opportunities for growth.

-t can open up conversations about classroom practice and inform the support teachers need.

But, if the purpose of the learning walk hasn’t been clearly communicated, articulated and agreed upon, it can quickly feel like observation, judgement or a compliance check.

And that’s not what we want.

Before your next classroom visit, try this:
1. Get clear on the purpose:
What are you looking for, and why does it matter for student learning?
What specific teaching practice will you be looking for? What might it look and sound like in the classroom?

2. Bring teachers into the conversation.
Have teachers had the opportunity to understand the focus, ask questions and contribute to the process?
Are teachers aligning the visit with their personal/collective literacy or instructional goal?

3. Agree on what happens next.
How will you use what you notice to inform professional learning, coaching and next steps?
Where will teachers record their self-reflections?
Where will teachers share their insights about strategies and achieved success?

The purpose of a learning walk isn’t simply to see what teachers are doing.

It’s to understand what’s happening, why it's happening, what's working and what are opportunities to edge closer to achieving the goal.

Clarity before the classroom.
Conversation after the classroom.
Growth throughout by @hands.on.heads

by @hands.on.heads

I see you, because I used to be you.

Doing all the talking to get your team on board.
Trying even harder to make something work.
Doing it for teachers because you just need it to get done.
Overwhelming your team - and yourself - in the process, until the work starts costing more than it's worth.

I created Literacy Leadership Coaching because I know what it teels like to carry the responsibility for literacy improvement, and I want to help you learn from my mistakes rather than keep repeating them.
You don't have to do it all yourself to lead meaningtul change.

Comment LEAD to learn how Literacy
Leadership Coaching can support you in 2027. by @hands.on.heads

How do you know your literacy leadership is working, and working well?

This is the work I do alongside literacy leadership teams in schools, and in 2027, I'm bringing it online.

Your literacy leadership team can refine their leadership work themselves to not just lead, but to lead literacy well.

Comment 'LIT' to learn more. by @hands.on.heads