I'm glad you're here. The only way to grow a revolution is by expanding our reach. And we cannot leave the reading revolution to chance. Our children need us.
Default mode is holding us back / Leadership in a Reading Revolution Newsletter | May 2025
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“The role of the default parent (read: educator) includes significant emotional burden. The constant availability (or perceived availability) and perpetual need can be draining overtime and can lead to feeling overwhelmed.”
“Are you the default parent? If you have to think about it, you're not. You'd know. Trust me.” - M. Blazoned (Huff Post, 2014)
Your Work MattersI began thinking about default “parents” in education recently after seeing a Scary Mommy headline that read “‘Default Parent Divorce’ Is On the Rise - & It’s About A Lot More Than Chores.'” Default parents carry the emotional burden and many are living in a state of overwhelm. Is the same true for our educators? And what does this mean for our literacy work? Let’s address the word “default”. According to Merriam Webster, the word default means “a selection made usually automatically or without active consideration due to lack of a viable alternative” or in the case of computers “a selection automatically used by a program in the absence of a choice made by the user.” Some key words that are contributing to the issues with being the default: automatically, without active consideration, in the absence of choice. Herein lies the problem: we aren’t thinking critically. Instead, we are living in default mode and it is holding us back. Think about it - do you change the default settings on your phone during your setup? I’ve had to do the full reset to factory mode and it is agonizing. More than likely, there are a handful of educators in your school or department who serve as the default. They are the first folks that come to mind when there is work to be done or an effort to lead. It is easy to ask them because we trust their process and ability to get outcomes and we keep asking or allowing them to volunteer. The issues with this parallel the issues default parents face:
These consequences directly undermine the culture of collective efficacy that has the number one potential impact on student learning. (Hattie, 2018) Collective efficacy is “the perception of teachers in a school that the efforts of the faculty as a whole will have a positive effect on student learning.” When educators are experiencing burnout or mental health decline, their belief in having positive effects on learning diminishes. In addition, those who aren’t the default aren’t given the chance to contribute or build their capacity. Brinson and Steiner (2007) identify clear actions leaders can take to build collective efficacy:
What might this look like as a literacy leader? Providing ongoing job-embedded professional development can support building instructional knowledge and skills. If you are implementing a curriculum this might include linking what the research says to practices in the lessons. Leaders can use the instructional hierarchy to guide their support of teachers’ skills. (View the workshop recording on this topic here.) Facilitate discussions during planning that allow teachers to share their skills and experience - and don’t just lean on the default! Some teachers may need to be invited to share or need help practicing how to share. We can work with them on what they will bring to the planning discussion or help to share on their behalf. Conduct data meetings that allow for analysis of student performance, then facilitate reflection that allows teachers to consider their performance and instructional impact. If the culture is right, doing this in a group discussion allows for additional opportunities to share their skills and experiences. As we begin to make plans for next school year, include teachers in the literacy planning process. Ask them to share how the decisions being made affect them and their effectiveness. Invite them to work alongside you as you design the schedules they will implement. How do we do this while avoiding default mode? First, we need to know the people we support. Who are the hand-raisers and who needs a push? Then we need to stop asking for volunteers (because the hand-raisers will jump in) or automatically asking our go-to folks; rather it behooves us to ask or work with those who need a push first. While this might feel more challenging, it is essential to building the collective efficacy we seek. As a nonprofit leader, I’m learning how important it is to engage everyone in the work. Our board is entirely volunteer and we are living this experience right now - some of us are burned out while others are none the wiser. (No shade, I’m reflecting on my leadership here.) The best thing I can do is think about each of the people on our team and personally invite them to join in with clear ways to do so. Considering their strengths, I have reached out and asked them to take something on. I’ve explained how I see their strengths, affirmed their reason for volunteering to do this work, and clearly outlined how they can contribute to the group. And it’s working. Educators might not officially be volunteers, but our approach to work is very similar (I mean, look at the average teacher pay in your state). Consider your team and think about how you can engage EVERYONE in the work - you might just impact the collective efficacy culture (and therefore student results) in your system. Leadership Moves:
What does this mean for me?This time of year is an excellent time to reflect on whether you fell into the default mode trap this past year. If you did, consider some of the strategies shared here as you look ahead to next school year. How might you engage your educators over the summer or share with them how you’d like them to engage next year? What experiences and rituals might you build into your literacy plan that build instructional knowledge and skills, allow for collaboration, and provide feedback; how can you include teachers in developing this plan? Recommended Reading:
Where have we been?This month we've been wrapping up the work of 2024-2025 while looking ahead to next year. It's been a great year with wonderful clients! Thank you to the following clients for partnering with LRC this year - working with you to support your work has been a joy!
I've also been leaning into my volunteer work with The Reading League North Carolina. Did you know that everything we do is fueled by volunteers? It blows me away every time! New Service: Support for Literacy LeadersLiteracy Leaders don't have to do this work alone. I'm exploring options for offering literacy support and want to be as flexible as possible as we navigate the year ahead. If the cohort-style approach to the Literacy Leaders Circle doesn't feel right for you, but the support does, let's discuss some options! The Literacy Leaders Circle is a new service offering: a small, supportive cohort designed for leaders navigating the real work of implementing literacy initiatives across a school year. We’ll meet for strategic planning, mastermind-style collaboration, and (if you choose) personal support—all built around the natural rhythm of your year. This isn’t a training. It’s a space to lead with more clarity, confidence, and connection. Learn more here. **Note, we may not stick to the schedule so that this service works for YOU. Like I said, I'm flexible! Want to talk through it? Make time on my calendar Everyone deserves a community who gets it. Sharing the Work of Others Let's Work Together!I'd love the chance to work with you/your team. You can explore my services here but the best way for us to figure out how I can support you is by talking about it. Let's meet virtually!
| Where can we connect?Bold font shows events at which I'm presenting. 6/20 - Summer Virtual Symposium (TRL-NC) | Learn more here 7/9 - 7/10 - Get Engaged Coaching Con | Learn more here 10/8 - 10/10 The Reading League 9th Annual Conference | Learn more here
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Hi! I'm Linda
I'm glad you're here. The only way to grow a revolution is by expanding our reach. And we cannot leave the reading revolution to chance. Our children need us.
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