Hi, my name is Matt Renwick, and I’m glad you’re here!
A little about me:
I am a dad to two teenagers and husband to Jodi, a special education teacher.
I am a constant gardener and currently recovering my identity as an athlete.
Previously, I was a classroom teacher and a school principal.
Currently I serve as a systems coach for a regional education service agency.
I am the author of three books on instructional leadership and technology integration.
Next are a few anticipated questions and responses about this space.
What can I expect from Read by Example?
Every Friday, I post a free newsletter to all subscribers that includes:
My current thinking on leadership and/or literacy.
Resources I’ve found useful and relevant for educators.
Additional opportunities for Community Members (full subscriber tier) and Literacy Leaders (founding tier members).
Free subscribers can upgrade to a tier at any time.
What specific benefits come with each tier?
A goal of this space is to facilitate professional learning for educators in the areas of literacy and leadership.
Full (paid) subscribers can access the following resources to support their growth:
Post comments and interact with colleagues in discussion threads
Engage in monthly professional conversations around articles and books via Zoom
Receive additional original articles on literacy and leadership
“I love your Zooms, Matt, because they're so welcoming no matter how many people are there. It's always both illuminating and comforting to have that kind of supported dialogue.”
- Dr. Mary Howard, Author, Good to Great Teaching: Focusing on the Literacy Work That Matters and RtI from All Sides: What Every Teacher Needs to Know
How do the article/book clubs work?
Community members ($75/year, $11/month) have access to the following experience:
At the beginning of the month, a discussion thread is posted around a common text. Questions such as the following are posed to guide conversation:
“Do I believe this is true, and why?”
“How might I be wrong?”
“How will I lead today?”
Mid-month, a virtual meeting hosted by Matt is scheduled to discuss the text more in-depth. A conversation guide is created to support open dialogue.
At the end of the month, our recorded conversation is later released as a podcast episode + video recording archive, which includes the conversation guide.
These monthly clubs are designed to build knowledge, model professional conversation, and promote self-reflection and renewal.
“Thank YOU for the incredible experience. I don’t think I’d realized until I joined the first session how much I needed a group of not-the-same-colleagues to learn from. It was energizing!”
- Debra Crouch, literacy consultant and co-author (with Brian Cambourne), Made for Learning: How the Conditions of Learning Guide Teaching Decisions
*Group Subscriptions
For schools or districts with at least two educators who are full subscribers, a 20% discount is available.
“Loved the conversation, hearing others thoughts and opinions about the text really does bring a deeper understanding and ways of thinking that I wouldn’t have gotten just reading it in isolation. Grateful to be part of this community.”
- Ryanne Deschane, classroom teacher and president, Wisconsin State Reading Association
What are the benefits of becoming a “Founding Member”?
In addition to everything at the Community Member tier:
“Gotta minute?” - Call or text me with a brief question and you need another perspective. (I will share my Google Voice number.)
Schedule a time to meet with me via Zoom to talk about what’s going on in your world.
Two 30-minute meetings per year (or one hour long session) on a topic or issue of your choice.
Upon request, schedule more virtual meetings for an additional cost.
Thank you to all paid subscribers for supporting this space. If you are planning to use school funds, you can use a version of this email template when making your request.
Any questions?
Please reach out by filling out the contact form below.
