What is something from the podcast Mitchell Brookins, Leading with the Head and the Heart that made you think in a new way?

Something from the podcast that made me think in a new way is to only expect what you inspect and that we need to have those one on one interactions with kids to know what they need help with so we can drill down and help with them with needed phonic instruction.

Growth is not attainment. Student performance has to be measured based on grade level proficiency not student development. Both matter. Only one counts as meeting the goal.

The shift from focusing on comprehension to using fluency and phonics to respond to upper elementary students who were also struggling reading. The fact that he knew what he was doing wasn't working and sought to find answers. I also love when he stated "inspect what you expect".

I loved how the speaker focused on progress of the students. He mentioned that just because something has always been done a certain way, doesn't mean it will work for your student. We need to be willing to try something new if we want to move students forward.

You never stop being a student, even as a leader you are always learning, growing, and adapting.

The shift from "growth" to "attainment" is one of the most powerful mindset shifts Mitchell Brookins highlights, and it completely reframes how we educators should measure success.

It made me think about how we (leaders/teachers) are always learning new ways or different approaches on how to help our students and other teachers.

Phonics matter, period! often time we think phonics are only for lower grade levels but if we don't put emphasis on them, our kids are missing a solid foundation that wont allow them to be on grade level! This is a decisive move that can sink an entire school!

One thing that made me think in a new way is when observing, to focus on students' strengths and weaknesses to determine the need in that classroom.

What really stood out is that he acted when he saw that what was being implemented was not working. He then investigated to figure out what needed to be done to make a significant change.

I liked the idea that mastery is a mandate. That we tend to focus just on growth, but never push for more attainment from our students.

The Transformation of Mitchell Brookins The Problem: Faithfully followed leveled guided reading, but his lowest-performing students wouldn't move. Promoting methods he knew were failing caused intense self-doubt. The Shift: Discovering the National Reading Panel Report grounded him in the Science of Reading, prompting a shift to explicit phonics and fluency. The Strategy: Used a three-step method—teacher read, choral read, independent read with annotation. The Results: State test scores jumped 20% in 20 weeks. He then used this blueprint to lift an "F-rated" New Orleans turnaround school to a "C" in one year. Core Leadership Takeaways Coaching via Role-Play: Practice instructional techniques to automaticity through direct role-playing, shifting focus from compliance to teaching quality. Urgency for Kids: "People work by day, paperwork by night." Clear the path for teachers, because students don't have time for adults to figure it out.

I like how he stated that learning to read should be a human right.

Mitchell's message was impactful because of his reminder that "it's all about the students." His natural curiosity to become an effective literacy coach/leader by reading the Nat'l Reading Panel Report from 2000 made me want to go out and gather information as well. Something that made me think in a new way/ a take away is the 20 weeks model he used. Tenacity and caring go a long way.

It is important as an instructional leader to understand and stay grounded in the work required for student success.

It was a refresher of what quality literacy instruction entails.

Growth isn't enough. We want students to make real gains.

We have to make sure all students know how to read before they leave elementary school. If older students can't read they know they are different.

I appreciated that he shared his journey of adapting his practcie once he understood the science behind reading.

It is important to examine your work and understanding of reading to make sure that it is bringing student success.

inspect what you expect- thought it as a campus admin, but thinking through what that looks like as a classroom teacher.

Reflect on past and current practices from guided reading to the science of Reading structures and how they impact student learning/internalization of Reading.

PD is like Tier I instruction and coaching is where the real gains can happen.

Growth is not the same as attainment, and growth by itself is not enough for us to be satisfied. Our expectation is that every student reaches grade level, and we're holding everyone to that standard. That means we'll continue to set clear goals, monitor progress closely, push for results, and communicate openly about the success (or lack there of) we're achieving.

Something from the podcast that made me think in a new way was when Mitchell Brookins said,"Growth is not attainment." I have always viewed student growth as a sign that what I am doing is working, even if a student has not completely reached the expected level yet. Brookins made me think about how a student can make progress and still be significantly behind where they need to be. He explained that this realization changed his leadership because he stopped being satisfied with students simply showing growth and began asking what they needed to actually reach proficiency. As a kindergarten teacher, this really stood out to me because I celebrate every bit of growth my students make, and I still think that is important. However, the podcast reminded me that I also have to look beyond the celebration and ask, "Is this growth enough to get this student where they need to be?" It made me think differently about using data, not just to show that a child improved, but to identify what skills are still missing and adjust my instruction accordingly. I think that balance connects perfectly to Brookins's idea of leading with both the head and the heart: caring about and celebrating the child while also using research, data, and effective instruction to make sure they are truly prepared for what comes next.

As a leader being "boots on the ground" with teachers experiencing and learning with them.

The importance of phonics.

The idea that you can't lead work that you don't know about. Entering into the third year of structured literacy for me has been an incredible learning journey.

When Mr. Brookins was describing that is a "mind shift". For me, this mind shift has been a process, leaving everything I know about guided reading behind and thinking in a new way.

The simple reminder that as leaders, we must inspect what we expect, was both needed and appreciated.

Effective literacy leadership combines strong instructional knowledge with empathy and a commitment to ensuring every child becomes a successful reader.

His statement "growth is not attainment." He explained that as an educator, he had been satisfied when students were making progress, but he realized that progress alone was not enough if students still were not reaching the level they needed to succeed

The relationship piece MUST be a part of literacy instruction - the "why" of providing the most meaningful teaching should drive our commitment to this work.

Attainment vs. growth

Effective literacy leadership requires knowledge, care, urgency, and belief in students. If students aren't learning, investigate why. Set high expectations for students.

As an instructional coach: The head: using research, instructional knowledge, student data, and clear learning goals to guide my work. The heart: building relationships, listening to teachers, understanding their challenges, and keeping students' needs at the center of every decision.

When he talked about making the shift and not just focusing on growth.

Repeated reading in grade-level high quality texts is very important. Taking kids through the process over and over allows for deeper understanding.

Growth is a shared commitment. Instructional leaders must remain closely connected to classroom instruction and student data to understand progress and identify areas for improvement. Setting clear goals and fostering a culture of accountability are essential, where achieving goals is the expectation and continuous improvement is non-negotiable.

The quote "Growth is not attainment" is something I haven't thought about before. I like that instead of growth.

The podcast made me think more about growth vs attainment. I like the idea of focusing on mastery. Although we want to celebrate growth, we need to bring more attention to attainment.

Improvement as a goal is different from making sure students actually achieve what they need to achieve.

I appreciated the quote "so goes the principal, so goes the school".

In the podcast, he talked about how we need to figure out what each student needs versus just putting them in a leveled book. Find out the skills they are struggling with, set goals, and work with them there in order for them to meet those goals.

As a leader we have to know about what we expect our staff to implement otherwise how can we support the instruction effectively.

Something that made me think in a new way is when he said that mastery should be the expectation. If we expect all our students to master the content, our teaching will be higher for all students.

That it is ok to not know something. Mitchell Brookins is right in the middle of it with the teachers.

As a leader it's important to keep the cycle going. "The cycle doesn't stop." We have to engage in instructional monitoring, coaching, and data analysis. Consistency is key to effective moves for campus practices and the culture of our school.

I really liked the way he spoke about "Mastery as a Mandate." We have been working hard to align our student goals with grade-level proficiency, so this message really resonated with me. It reinforced the work we are already doing, but I especially appreciated the wording. "Mastery as a Mandate" creates a clear expectation that our goal is not simply student growth, but ensuring that every student is continually working toward mastery of grade-level expectations.

After reading and reflecting, Principal Brookins had a shift in mindset: It is not ok to be a leader who still has 40-50% of kids not reading. Though he previously believed growth was the goal, he realized growth is not attainment. He said he no longer will speak growth; he will speak attainment. The goal is for children to be proficient.

One of the many things that landed with me in an impactful way was when he said "fidelity to instructional quality." To be more clear and specific and efficient in the support and navigate to where to start ...

I liked where Mr. Brookins stated, "I am now the student. Practice it in front of me and we're gonna do two, three rounds of it, until you build automaticity with that instructional routine." I believe practice makes perfect and that then leads into data analysis.

If something not working, it's okay to try something else.

Growth is not good enough! We need to focus on getting the kids proficient and not just growing with little to no reading outcomes.

I feel like this was the same mission we are on in order to fill those gaps in literacy.

Thinking outside of the box when meeting the kids needs, even when the majority may be doing something different.

Brookins wasn't just leading teachers from the sidelines. He was right there in the trenches with them, actively working to help students who were struggling. That kind of hands-on leadership speaks volumes!

understanding our students and their needs is what we need to help our students master reading, if implemented correctly.

Challenges cannot always be solved by one person or one approach. When we figure things out together, listen to different perspectives, and recognize that everyone has a role in creating a solution. Instead of focusing only on the problem we need to ask, "What can I do to be part of the solution."

I appreciate the honesty about his journey as a teacher and literacy coach and how he was open to try new things to be better

I appreciated Mitchell Brookins honesty and vulnerability in sharing his journey in literacy. The way he felt as a teacher, literacy coach and administrator was unsuccessful at first. However, Brookins was very open to learning new ways to grow, and he had the heart to see success through. His approach to reading and literacy was tied to instilling a lifelong love for reading. What really hit me, is that Brookins whole approach was tied to building the students' fundamentals in fluency and phonics in order to move them to a depth of reading comprehension.

The importance of Goal Mastery is a mandate. The expectation for each of my students and their success is not an opening a door to their future.

Mitchell Brookins shares his emotional journey with literacy and the science of reading. In the journey he took he realized that everything that he'd been doing wasn't working and that it never actually helped students to read. During his doctoral he did some research and that's when he learned some new information that worked for the students to be able to read. He shared it with some teachers and was applied in the classroom. Results were positive.

I love that he said attainment is not growth. Leadership is a journey not a destination. This is a growth mindset and if we are not applying what we learn, there will be no growth. I love that he chose to reflect on his leadership, instead of taking anything personal, he humbled himself and put into actions steps to improve his leadership and target goals for his campus.

That becoming completely involved in a child's education, from researching new teaching strategies and techniques, analyzing data, learning styles, communicating with all stakeholders and most importantly leading with the heart, are key.

It was tefreshing to hear what I feel is effective teaching methods.

"Growth is not attainment" resonated with me. While growth definitely should be celebrated, grade-level proficiency is still ultimately the goal.

What stood out to me was Mr. Brookins' willingness to acknowledge that what he had been doing was not working and to adjust his approach based on the science of reading. It reminded me that, as educators, we must continually review our students' data, reflect on our instruction, and be willing to make changes. Growth is important, but the ultimate goal is for every student to become a proficient reader.

It made me think about the importance of celebrating student growth and continuing to believe that every student can succeed and reach grade-level mastery.

You can't lead the work you don't know.

The professional developments that guide us to implement strategies that are effective. It makes the process of the growth continuum a smoother navigation.

Dr. Brookins was very inspirational. His journey from teacher, to director, to administrator, and now to consultant is truly admirable. He does not give up and is always seeking answers by studying, researching, and finding solutions. His dedication to continuous learning and growth is something I truly admire. I can also make it **more personal and reflective** if this is for a training evaluation or professional reflection.

I need to have a balance with the students and parents. By having high expectations for my students and work with the parents and focus on the individual needs that the student have.

Something that made me think in a new way was the idea that caring about students is not enough by itself. We also have to make sure the way we teach reading is based on research and actually helping students make progress. It made me think more about how important it is to look at student data, notice when something is not working, and be willing to change my instruction. I also liked the idea of using both the "head and the heart" because good teaching requires knowledge, but also patience, encouragement, and strong relationships with students.

Something from the podcast Mitchell Brookins, "Leading with the Head and the Heart", that made me think in a new way was his description of the cycle of inquiry for campus leaders which includes setting the expectation/vision, getting into the learning and understanding of the evidence-based strategies to lead the work, doing the instructional monitoring and coaching necessary, and the data analysis that is necessary to sustain the work.

The importance of using data to identify specific student needs. Also, teachers should receive support from their leaders with opportunities to inquire and collaborate. Leaders can be more helpful if they monitor instruction while supporting teachers with analyzed data with students at the center of every decision.

What we expect needs to be inspected. We need to be in the classrooms with the students.

We appreciated how he emphasized a student first mentality. Putting students first should drive our instruction along with motivate our campus goals.

After watching his video, it made me think if you lack passion for Reading and searching for ways to improve the love for it, you will remain asking yourself...why aren't students improving in Reading?

Something that stood out was having a mind shift when doing classroom walkthroughs or observations, instead of focusing on if the lesson cycle or routine is spot non, focus on the students' needs and if they are actually being met; (for example, "what phonemes are students having trouble with?") and if they're being met. So going from fidelity to instructional quality.

The importance of balancing high expectations with genuine care for people. It reminded me that effective leadership is not just about making the right decisions, analyzing data, or holding people accountable; it is also about understanding the people behind the work.

That in order to know if students are showing growth we need to be involved in the learning and the instruction.

When teachers feel valued and supported, they are more willing to grow and make positive changes.

Our students want to learn how to read, each student learns at a different rate. We need to continue working with them to figure out what they need to make it happen.

The approach I take to intervention reading strategies in my classroom was impacted on how shared reading is essential.

Something from the Mitchell Brookins podcast that made me think in a new way was when he mentioned that "growth is not attainment". Students should reach proficiency and become successful readers because "just growing" is not enough. Which to me, changes how I am going to set goals and monitor student progress.

Student Data forced him to rethink his beliefs.

He had a moment of reflection and acted upon his vision. He has passion to make a difference. Everything we do is for student success.

Something that made me think in a new way was that literacy is not effective unless combined with research and student relationships.

I just like how they put younger children in the forefront to build their literacy. Making lower grades a priority to build literacy is a must and needs to shift from focusing on STAAR Assessment grade-levels. As a leader, I need to make literacy instruction in the lower grades a priority.

Something that made me think in a new way was the idea that lasting instructional change requires both the "head" and the "heart." As a CLL/Instructional Coach, I may know the research, data, and instructional practices I want to support, but that alone does not create change. I also have to build trust, listen to my teachers, understand where they are, and support them through the learning process. It reminded me that my role is not just to provide teachers with resources or tell them what to do differently. It is to learn alongside them, help them understand the "why," and create a safe space where they feel comfortable asking questions and growing. When teachers feel supported rather than judged, meaningful change is more likely to happen—and ultimately, that benefits our students.

"We should not settle for growth when students still need to reach proficiency."

That there has to be intentionality with how we are observing the classes focusing on the students so that way we can see how we can support them.

A connection that I made with the podcast was that leaders need to go back to the classroom and really know what is happening. Theory is great, but every campus is different and what works in one in not necessarily the solution for another. Yet, really looking at our needs and focusing on what our individually campus need. The science of Reading is the approach we are working in implementing across all our early childhood classroom to ensure of students needs are meet through our campus structures.

shared reading over guided reading was a success

I appreciate how he was very self-reflective with his career pathway and staying to true to how he wanted to make a lasting impact.

I learned that any educators journey is never complete and everyday we have an opportunity and responsibility to learn in order to keep students at the forefront of knowledge and growth.

One idea that especially stood out to me was the importance of focusing on students during classroom walkthroughs. Rather than entering a classroom looking for what a teacher is doing wrong, I want to enter asking, "What are students learning, what evidence shows that they are learning it, and what do they need next?" That mindset makes instructional leadership less about compliance and more about inquiry.

He explained that research-based instruction and data monitoring are important, but it's also important to remember the students behind the data and what each child needs to be successful.

His story about helping his 5th grader learn to read was so inspiring. It helped me to remember that the reason why we are here is to help students by any means necessary. I feel so inspired!

According to Mitchell Brookins the combination of communication of the set expectation/vision, and study of team (children, teachers and admin) where do we start once we get data. The importance of making time to study and understand that "Mastery is a mandated". We need to have children attain the goal set. "Lead with the head on heart"

Shared Reading has more emphasis over guided reading.

I appreciate how he continued to be dedicated to finding a solution to helping his students who were not making reading progress. Even though there was a district level expectation and he did what he could to implement it, he didn't stop there and kept searching for ways to support his students.

I loved his quote, "Mastery is a Mandate".

I thought about how during the reading block we only stay on a story for a few days at most and he talked about inquiry and truly diving deep into a text. It made me reflect on my own practice.

As a school leader, I'm reminded that effective leadership requires both data-driven decisions and genuine care for our students and staff. We don't need to have all the answers, but we must be willing to learn, reflect, and make changes that truly matter. My takeaway: Lead with both the head and the heart, keeping students at the center of every decision.

Brookins stated, "No longer am I going to speak growth from my students, but I'm going to speak attainment." This has it pros and cons - You cannot reach the final standard without mastering the building blocks.

It really made me relfect on the children in my buidling who are non-readers. Also, it reminded me that research based practices work.

It is important to support teachers and their practices, always keeping student needs in mind, based on data.

What resonated with me most was the idea that growth is not the same as attainment. While growth is important, we must ensure students are actually reaching mastery. I also appreciated the reminder that effective leaders continue learning alongside their teachers and understand the "why" behind the work.

One of my strongest take aways from Mr. Brookings was that the foundations of learning to read is built in the foundational grades, the science of reading practices from the beginning (foundational grades) are crucial. It is not simply whether we are implementing the strategies, it is the quality of the instruction students are receiving. It is important to keep going, study, and not give up on our students.

When listening to the podcast there were many statements that resonated with me but one thing that stood out to me and allowed me to think in a new way is the method in which education is constantly adapting to meet student needs. In the discussion, with Mitchell there was a mention in how he was constantly searching for how reading works and striving to change in order to ensure student success.

We don't have to wait to identify students in need. Providing a true picture to the parents and the students to meet their needs.

Something that resonated with me was the fact the leaders need to understand literacy instruction in order to support, monitor and coach teachers but most importantly, always keeping our students at the center of all.

Something from the podcast that made me think in a new way was the idea that good leaders need to use both their head and the heart, it's not only about making smart decisions but understanding people.

The podcast helped me understand that sometimes it's okay to change what we have been doing for years in the past in order to adopt evidence based practices to help our students learn how to read.

One of the views that made me think in a new way has been the importance of using data to identify specific student needs instead of simply looking for overall score.

Something that made me think in a new way is the way leaders are to study , set expectations, monitor, support, and review data. Those are the 5 key aspects that leaders are to always have in mind. Leaders are to also follow with their head and heart and keep in mind that growth is important but overall we must always reach every student to succeed.

The importance of clarity. Focus on growth, focus on individual needs, the focus os always the student. As leaders, we need to ensure we are growing our teachers to grow students.

Shared reading over guided reading is a more effective approach.

One of the things that made us think a new way is the importance of setting up goals according to individual students needs.

What stood out to me was the idea of leading with both the head and the heart. We can understand the research and know what effective instruction should look like, but lasting change also depends on relationships and how we support teachers through that change. In my role as a CLL/Instructional Coach, I want teachers to feel comfortable asking for help and know that I'm there to support their growth, while always keeping what is best for our students at the center of the work.

My biggest takeaway from this podcast is the importance of using research and student data to understand what each student truly needs while keeping the child at the center of every instructional decision we make.

The purpose of literacy work is not simply completing an intervention or program. The focus should always be whether students are becoming better, more independent readers. Another takeaway would be that educators should be willing to examine their instructional practices and make changes when evidence shows that students need something different.

One of the things that resonated with me about Mr. Brookins is the idea that you cannot improve literacy instruction if you do not deeply understand literacy instruction. Change start from within, reflecting on who we are as leaders and what we want students to achieve.

Mitchell Brookins emphasized that effective instructional leadership means regularly observing instruction, supporting teachers, and providing feedback that helps improve teaching and student learning.

A quote from the podcast that stood out to me and made me see things differently is "Growth is not attainment." We focus on growth, and although it is important to, it is not always enough.

Something from the podcast was the power of coaching and feedback. The days of working in isolation are gone. We have to be intentional when supporting our teachers!

I was surprised to learn that students that struggle to read in first grade still struggle at the fourth grade level.

As leaders, we have to move beyond checking boxes. Understanding literacy instruction allows us to look deeper than compliance and focus on what really matters: student learning. When we observe classrooms, the key question should not be, "Is the teacher doing what was asked?" but rather, "Are students receiving instruction that is helping them grow and achieve mastery?" At the end of the day, mastery is non-negotiable, and our observations should reflect that commitment.

What resonated with me the most was move from fidelity to instructional quality. Focus on "did the routine produce the intended learning?"

Growth vs Attainment- A student can make meaningful growth and still not reach the expected outcome.

I loved his quote: "People work by day; paper work by night". This was a good follow up to his statement that "you can't lead a work you don't know about". This did not cause me to think in a new way, rather affirm the importance of understanding the key details that lead to change!

I really thought it was important when Mr. Brookins said that the students were his main focus. That teachers shouldn't take feedback personally because at the end of the day we are all here for our students and to see them succeed.

There are several ideas that made me think in a new way: 1. Being a leader, not just manager. 2. Coaching is where the change happens. 3. Focus on instructional quality. 4. Data Analysis that tell me where students are deficient.

The development of students should not be left to the teachers alone.

Engage in instructional monitoring. Know the instructional problems. (This is new thinking for professional development). Get curious of what is going on.

What resonated with me the most was move from fidelity to instructional quality." Focus on "did the routine produce the intended learning?

Instructional coaching and monitoring are pivotal for both teachers and student success. Consistent instructional coaching and monitoring are essential to strengthening teacher effectiveness and improving student outcomes

Everything that you do should be with the kids in mind. What are we doing to make sure they are successful. It's not just about following a script.

Mindset shift! Instructional monitoring is key!

We should take into heart and mind and care to teach our students. Putting ourselves in their shoes and being an advocate for them to learn and move and progress forward.

We need to do more than identify our subgroups /students. We need to know exactly what subskills they need.

Foundational skills are important.

We need to be actively involved in with our children and thinking about the best solution on how to help them.

To engage in Instructional Monitoring/Instructional Coaching using "RolePlay" tool until students builds automaticity and is confident about it to do it alone and is able to help others. Prescriptive Diagnostic Instruction is also another tool that we as teachers should do on-going to study, monitor, and keep inquiry about our students in order to move forward.

He was actively involved with students needs and finding the solution.

Actively listening and trying to find a solution.

We need to provide students with meaningful opportunities to read in a variety of ways, echo read, shared read and for different purposes, and with clear meaning and understanding.

I appreciated how he emphasized that administrators need to be present in the classroom to support teachers and observe how they can help them be successful.

Brookins made changes to the reading programs in schools and reminds us to go back to research for best outcomes. His realization that everything he used to teach reading wasn't working but how seeking out on science of reading research brought transformation and success to his schools.

Effective leadership isn't a choice between being rational ("the head") and being compassionate ("the heart"). The strongest leaders deliberately use both. It made me think about leadership as more than making good decisions. A leader can have the right strategy and still fail if people don't feel valued, understood, or connected to the purpose. Conversely, caring deeply without sound judgment can lead to ineffective decisions. The takeaway is that leadership requires balancing emotional intelligence with critical thinking—using the head to determine what should be done and the heart to understand how it will affect people.

Being willing to look closely at student data and change our daily routines if it's not leading to real growth.

He realized old teaching methods weren't working and chose to change for his students, showing that effective school leaders must be open minded and willing to learn.

It made me think that these students that we have in our classroom that can't read are in desperate need of help. We need to help them become literate so that they can succeed in the next grade level and on. If they can comprehend when we read to them, imagine how much better they will succeed and grow academically.

Growth is not attainment. It is not enough for students to grow.

Looking at data and seeing that students are progressing and realizing that is not attainment.

Growth is not attainment. Mastery is a mandate. Teachers are expecting me to develop them. Go where the instruction is. Engage in instructional monitoring: people work by day, paperwork by night. The closest you are to the kid, that's where you can impact the learning. Most importantly, inspect what you expect.

As leaders, we must continue to study and be in the work with alongside the teachers.

Changing your mindset from feeling that growth alone is acceptable. Shifting to the idea that growth is not attainment and mastery is a mandate.

Students not being able to read in the upper grades and how he was able to figure out how to help them be successful.

When Mitchell Brookins said, "Growth is not attainment", it really hit me in the heart. Grade level proficiency has to be the expectation regardless of growth. As a leader, this conversation has been constant with staff when there are struggles with shifting mindsets or implementing new practices. Another idea that is not new but of pivotal performance for changes to happen across classrooms is the presence of the instructional leaders in the classroom. Becoming learners of structured literacy with teachers is a priority that must be on the daily dashboard of teachers.

Mr. Mitchell Brookins brought to life how students can learn if they are strategically taught with a purpose. His research encourages educators to try new research and put it into play. He allows me to focus on instruction by reviewing evidence of literacy practices rather than rely on basic teaching methods. He challenges us to make or create systems that intentionally supports comprehension, critical thinking and meaningful student learning

The quote that resonated with me the most was, "growth is not attainment". Yes, we celebrate small wins. But we should also have the expectation that students will meet proficiency and mastery levels.

Growth is not attainment!

I don't think there was anything groundbreaking in the podcast. I do agree that having a strong reflective practice with decisions based in data is the only way to drive academic improvement.

The cycle of inquiry! Study the areas your students need the most help in, and focus on learning more about those areas so that you can start the cycle from the beginning!

Growth is important, but it is not always attainment. We can celebrate growth, but we also have to ensure our students leave us prepared for the next level. We have to set goals around attainment and communicate those expectations clearly.

Mastery is the mandate.

I think having a strong reflective practice based on data and ensuring teacher efficacy is building.

Moving from fidelity to instructional quality.

Mitchell said something that really stayed with me. He said that he goes into classrooms not to observe to see what the teacher is doing wrong but to have a hyper focus on what kids in that room need. Action talks with teacher are centered around what he found that kids need rather than what the teacher is doing wrong. How does a teacher not buy into a conversation from that perspective!

We have no time to waste . We can not settle just for growth, we need mastery and every child on grade leve

When Mr. Brookins mentioned that PD is tier one instruction for teachers. It is just the beginning of the work in addition and not the end all be all.

The importance of mastery goals. Also, as a leader, acknowledging that teachers may be "vulnerable" when faced with the realization that past practices were effective and change is required.

We have to focus on growth now as we look at supportin the campus. There is no time to wait, so focus on the problems immediatly.

One idea that shifted my thinking was the importance of leading literacy change with both the "head and the heart." Brookins' reflection on realizing his past practices weren't fully serving students made me consider how often good intentions aren't enough without strong knowledge. It highlighted that change can feel uncomfortable for educators and must be approached with empathy. This reminded me that true instructional change is not just about new strategies, it's about supporting people through the process.

We often celebrate growth, especially when students make progress from where they started. However, we have to consider whether growth alone is enough if students are still not reaching proficiency or grade-level expectations.

When the 5th grade student said he wanted to be like everyone else and be able to read.

That "growth is not attainment." Growth is important, but students must maintain proficiency.

What is a good template for focused walkthroughs, when the instruction is in the middle of a structured literacy lesson activity?

There is a missing next step: Principals have to study. They can't lead a work that they don't know about!

Something from the podcast Mitchell Brookins, Leading with the Head and the Heart that made me think in a new way is that coaching should shift from focusing on routines to instructional quality. There should be a balance o the two. I also love the quote "MASTERY IS A MANDATE". Finally, I walked away with the mental shift of student's don't have time for adults to figure it out (at least not all of the time).

Something that resonated with me was the framing of growth vs.attainment and the correlation of this with proficiency.

Here's a polished version: > As a leader, this made me reflect on my own role and ask myself, *What am I doing to support teachers, and how am I helping them grow?* It also made me think more intentionally about my coaching practices and whether teachers are truly prepared for implementation. The experience highlighted the importance of focusing on rehearsal opportunities so teachers can build confidence, receive feedback, and be better equipped for success in the classroom.

As a leader, studying is necessary to help develop teachers. Then you must inspect what you expect.

Not really thinking in a new way, but a great reminder not to focus so much on the teacher during classroom visits, but rather focus on what the students are doing/learning/understanding/struggling with...

As an insrtuctional leader, you set the vision. You set the expectation. What ever you expect, you have to ispect. You can't lead a work you don't know! As a leader, teachers are expecting you to devlop them.

One thing that really stood out to me from Leading with the Head and the Heart was the reminder that strong leadership is not just about making decisions it's also about building relationships and trust with people. It made me think differently about how being intentional with both accountability and compassion can create a stronger school culture.

A quote from the podcast that stuck with me is, "Growth is not attainment."

As leaders we must continue to learn new things and search to do what is right for kids.

It's not just about 'academics'. It is a moral responsibility to ensure students know how to read.

It is how we look at student data to determine student performance.

PD is tier 1 instruction. How are we providing our teachers with quality PD in order to ensure their tier 1 instruction is quality?

Growth is not attainment!

It reinforced for me that successful implementation of the Science of Reading isn't just about having the right curriculum or training; it's also about building trust and helping people feel confident as they grow in their practice.

As instructional leaders, our first responsibility is to be learners. We must become experts in the needs of the specific students we serve and understand the instructional practices that will help them succeed. Once we know what our students need, we must be present in classrooms, observing learning through the lens of student outcomes and identifying both strengths and areas for growth. Effective leadership goes beyond telling teachers what needs to be fixed. Our role is to partner with teachers in the work by providing clear, actionable guidance and modeling the "how," not just the "what." When we identify an instructional gap, we must be able to explain and demonstrate the strategies that will address it, provide ongoing feedback, and support implementation. Teachers deserve more than a list of problems—they deserve a leader who can help them navigate solutions. The most impactful leaders build teacher capacity by coaching, modeling, and supporting continuous improvement. We move beyond simply identifying areas for correction and instead focus on developing the practices that will lead to better outcomes for students. In doing so, we create a culture where both teachers and leaders are continuously learning, growing, and improving together.

The biggest thing that made me change my thinking was the conversation about growth vs. attainment. Growth is not enough. All students DESERVE to be proficient and staff must buy into that new frame of thinking and goal.

Mitchell Brookins was reflective and combined what he saw was working in the individual student as well as feedback from his teachers and research to ensure the students of his campus were getting what they needed to learn to read. When he saw a problem he researched it, found new strategies to implement and ensured follow up with teachers to see results. He also puts students at the center of all of he does every student ready.

Growth is not the same as attainment. While progress matters, it cannot become a substitute for mastery. We fail students when we celebrate improvement without ensuring proficiency. Mastery must be the non-negotiable standard—not an aspirational goal, but the expectation. Every student deserves the opportunity, support, and accountability necessary to achieve it.

He pointed out that he himself is still learning and that using the knowledge he obtains through his own learning can give students a better chance of success. You have to scaffold learning to meet the needs of your students at all levels.

It made me think of the perspective of instructional leaders who do not come from a background of SoR; there is a huge learning curve to get up to speed with SoR, especially if you come from the world of only balanced literacy.

Digging deeper in passages with students. Asking higher level questioning. Students need to go back to reading more for fluency, during coaching walks spend more time with students, asking what they need and how they are learning.

I thought how interesting was how he planned to be in the classrooms, ask questions to students to see what they were learning.

PD is Tier 1 -- coaching is the true learning.

The mindset shift. Set, communicate and monitor goals that students WILL be proficient. Mastery is a mandate. Study and understand problems and needs. You cant lead a work you don't know about. This makes me reflect on growing the capacity of the ILT around the STR goal sand practices.

One idea from Mitchell Brookins' podcast that stood out to me was the importance of balancing the head and the heart in leadership. While data, systems, and accountability are important, lasting change happens when leaders also build relationships and show genuine care for people.

It reinforced the need for phonics instruction.

INTERVENTION FOR STUDENTS: REPEATED READING FOR FLUENCY & PROGRESS MONITORING FOR STAGES FOR ALPHABETICAL PRINCIPLE OR SCREENER OR MEASURE MASTERY OR TO DETERMINE WHAT INTERVENTION IS NEEDED.

I appreciated how he took the time to research the area of need for his students. After finding the area that students needed support with, he intentionally turned it around to his teachers to see growth in reading fluency, and then also saw the area of need with phonics when reading fluency wasn't enough.

Successful literacy change isn't just about implementing research; it's about supporting teachers through the change process with empathy and understanding.

Inspect what you expect. Even though I have heard this sentiment before, how he broke it down by a master goal, made it hit harder.

Mastery is a mandate. This connects to establishing a culture of high expectations for all, including staff and students .

The leader was able to reflect, researched and take Science of teaching tools and implement on campus and follow through.

I liked his mindset that PD is truly the tier one instruction. It's the coaching , the coaching is the true learning.

Set master goals and monitor them to ensure success!

I'm not sure it made me think f anything in a new way, but it confirmed many things that I already thought.

The biggest thing that made me think in a new way was the concept of not just settling for growth with students but to hold teachers and students to an expectation that they will be reading at grade level by the time the school year ended. This is a new concept for me as the thought of not really looking for growth but mastery as the expectation never really crossed my mind.

One idea that really stood out to me was the when he spoke about the importance of knowing the content and being in classrooms, close to the students. "From fidelity to instructional quality" is the quote that really resonated with me.

Selecting a VIP section of your daily reading to help students focus on rereading and annotating on purpose.

The portion where he talked about shifting from just focusing on growth.