Moving Literacy Forward

Leading Change in Literacy: Reflections from a Workshop with Eastern Townships School Board

I recently had the honour of leading a workshop with the dedicated Resource Teachers of the Eastern Townships School Board. Together, we spent the afternoon reflecting on the powerful literacy work unfolding across our schools—work that is both courageous and deeply rooted in student success.

This wasn’t just a celebration of progress—it was a moment to pause, name our learning, and ask: How do we ensure this momentum leads to lasting, system-wide change?

To help frame that conversation, we explored Kotter’s 8-Step Model for Change—a framework that resonates deeply with the challenges and opportunities of literacy leadership.

Why Kotter? Why Now?

Kotter’s model offers more than a roadmap. It presents a people-centered approach to change—one that emphasizes not just systems and structures, but the hearts and minds of those doing the work. And in literacy, that matters. Because the real shift isn’t about programs—it’s about culture.

As I shared my school's journey of change, I explained that we didn’t start with Kotter’s model—we arrived at it organically. It became a way to articulate the steps we were already taking and to bring language and clarity to our process.

Creating a Climate for Change (Steps 1–3)

1. Create Urgency We grounded our work in data—identifying gaps and recognizing the stakes are too high to wait.

2. Form a Powerful Coalition Change requires champions. Teachers, administrators, and support staff led with shared purpose.

3. Create a Vision for Change Reading is a basic human right. Every child deserves access.

Engaging & Enabling the Whole Organization (Steps 3–6)

4. Communicate the Vision From staff meetings to open dialogue, we made sure the vision lived in every classroom—not just leadership memos.

5. Empower Action We invested in professional learning, coaching, and the tools teachers need to feel confident.

6. Create Quick WinsWe celebrated growth—student gains, instructional shifts, mindset changes—because small wins fuel big momentum.

Implementing & Sustaining Change (Steps 7–8)

7. Build on the Change We went deeper into multi-tiered instruction, pushing ourselves to refine and elevate our practice.

8. Make it stick From co-teaching with new staff to recognizing literacy champions, we focused on making this part of who we are, not just what we do.

More Than Implementation: The Work of De-Implementation

One of the most courageous parts of our work isn't about adopting new strategies—it's about letting go of old ones.

Through our we’re learning to lean into the hard work of de-implementation—stepping away from practices like 3-cueing and balanced literacy that research no longer supports. This process requires us to foster risk-taking through reflection, emotion, and care—because for many educators, these practices are deeply personal.

 Image source: “Making Room for Impact: A De-implementation Guide for Educators” by Arran Hamilton, John Hattie, and Dylan Wiliam (2023) our past experience

Ensuring that we create space to explore:

• The emotional impact of learning that something we trusted may not serve students well

• The discomfort—and growth—that comes from cognitive dissonance

• The power of science to guide our next steps, even when it challenges

• How structured, evidence-based resources can reduce teacher burden and increase student success

  
  

A Cultural Commitment, Not Just a Literacy Program

What we’re building isn’t a one-time initiative—it’s a collective mindset.

To sustain meaningful literacy success, we must:

• Prioritize student well-being, even amidst leadership transitions

• Create time and space for dialogue, learning, and reflection

• Support teachers not just with expectations, but with tools, pacing, and grace

  
  

When we treat literacy as a cultural commitment, we position it not as another thing to do—but as the thing that transforms futures.

Final Thought: Leading with Courage and Clarity

This workshop wasn’t about launching something new. It was about recognizing the path we’re already on—and using Kotter’s model to name the steps, align efforts, and lead with clarity, courage, and confidence. Because when we do this right—when we lean into hard conversations, ground our decisions in research, and lead with empathy—we don’t just teach reading. We change lives.