Megan Kruse

Learning Through Blogging

  • Power of Positive Resources
    • POP Articles/Blogs
    • POP Books
    • POP Media: Podcasts/Videos/Social Media
  • Science of Reading Resources
    • SOR Articles/Blogs
    • SOR Books
    • SOR Media: Podcasts/Videos/Social Media
  • Teacher Leader Model Standards
    • Collaborative Culture
    • Research
    • Professional Learning for Continuous Improvement
    • Facilitating Improvement in Instruction and Student Learning
    • Assessments and Data
    • Outreach and Collaboration
    • Student Learning and the Profession
  • About Me

running

Faith and Flowers

January 26, 2025 by megankruse

Last week, I wrote about my trepidations with launching a reading intervention with some 7th and 8th grade students.  As is so true with many things in education, the past week did not go anything like I planned. It was already a four-day week because of Monday’s Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday.  Bitter cold temperatures … [Read more…]

Posted in: Assessments and data, Collaborative culture, Facilitating improvements in instruction and student learning, Personal Learning, Student learning and the profession, Teacher Leader Model Standards, Uncategorized Tagged: authenticity, Barbara Bruski, Brené Brown, Chimamanda Adichie, Corrine Swigart, Elton Kruse, faith, George Couros, intervention, Madelyn Swigart, Marie Forleo, Martin Luther King, Matt Burns, NASP, Patty Steffensmeier, routine, running, Sue Haeger, writing

Going in With…or Without a Plan

October 27, 2024 by megankruse

When it comes to planning, there are times when I am a master and times when I am a novice.  As it relates to planning for this blog, I am more of a novice than I’d like to admit.  I have a goal of posting each week by Sunday at 1:00 p.m.  I have a … [Read more…]

Posted in: Assessments and data, Collaborative culture, Facilitating improvements in instruction and student learning, Personal Learning, Professional learning for continuous improvement, Student learning and the profession, Teacher Leader Model Standards, Uncategorized Tagged: authentic, Beside the Point, cemetery, Chuck Vandenberg, Dr. Anita Archer, flexi-cute, FMCSD, intentional planning, multi-tiered systems of support, Papae Wymore, Pen City Current, planning, predictability, running, Stephanie Edgren, Sue and Reed Haeger, Tier 1, Word Press

Running the Marathon

October 6, 2024 by megankruse

The phrase, “It’s a marathon, not a sprint” has meaning in many different contexts.  When it comes to instructional coaching, this phrase holds great meaning.  In the systems coaching model that our district currently employs, we are assigned to teacher teams based on student data.  A level of proficiency has been defined that deems instructional … [Read more…]

Posted in: Collaborative culture, Facilitating improvements in instruction and student learning, Personal Learning, Professional learning for continuous improvement, Student learning and the profession, Teacher Leader Model Standards, Uncategorized Tagged: adversity, Amber Harper, burned out teachers, Chrissy Beltran, Donell Pons, FMCSD, George Couros, habits, instructional coaching, Jon Gordon, Lindsay Kemeny, Literacy Talks, Marie Forleo, Ms. B, positive, Reading Horizons, Reed Haeger, running, Stacy Hurst, Sue Haeger

Staying Committed

June 25, 2023 by megankruse

When I began writing this blog in January of 2021, I outlined my goals for the blog which are as follows:  Document my learning journey as a teacher, coach, and student  Improve my writing craft through reflection  Act as a producer rather than a consumer  Push my thinking  Connect with others Two and a half … [Read more…]

Posted in: Collaborative culture, Facilitating improvements in instruction and student learning, Personal Learning, Professional learning for continuous improvement, Student learning and the profession, Teacher Leader Model Standards, Uncategorized Tagged: 4th Annual Kruse Family Ride, Andrea Setmeyer, Clement Contracting, el education, fears, George Couros, goals, HIVE Conference, Iowa Reading League, Isaac Steffensmeier, Jack Dailey, Jennifer Lamm, Judith Hochman, Julie Eckhardt, Kara Veach, Lisa Williams, Louie's Lakeside Bistro & BBQ, Natalie Wexler, Open Up Resources, Papae Wymore, Rathbun Lake, running, Southeast Polk Community School District, Stephanie Edgren, summer learning, The Reading League, The Writing Revolution, William Penn University

The Habits We Form

October 31, 2021 by megankruse

As is usually the case, my writing today is inspired by the work of others.  I’ve been a fan of George Couros for years; my “fandom” runs much deeper than admiration:  I am inspired, on a nearly daily basis, by the guy.  And that inspiration has led to significant changes, or habits, that I’ve developed, … [Read more…]

Posted in: Collaborative culture, Personal Learning, Professional learning for continuous improvement, Uncategorized Tagged: being in the now, collaboration, Eckhart Tolle, exercise, George Couros, gratitude, habits, Hal Urban, Jon Gordon, learning, Mindset Mondays, questioning, reading, running, The Power of Now, writing

Scaffolds and Supports

September 26, 2021 by megankruse

The purpose of scaffolding on a construction site is to support people in getting to places that are out of their reach.  Without scaffolding, the job of a construction worker would be nearly impossible.  Scaffolding provides the “just right” amount of support needed.  It can be added to, and taken away. Supports in the Kitchen … [Read more…]

Posted in: Collaborative culture, Facilitating improvements in instruction and student learning, Personal Learning, Student learning and the profession, Uncategorized Tagged: Alanna Mednick, Amplify Science of Reading Podcast, Chelsea Page, coaching cycles, collaboration, Deb Ridgway, el education, FMCSD, gradual release, knees, Margaret Goldberg, Right to Read Project, running, scaffold, Sue Pimentel, supports, Susan Lambert, Universal Design for Learning

You Don’t Have To Be Bad To Get Better

May 9, 2021 by megankruse

I spend a good deal of time reading about, watching, and listening to resources that address effective literacy instruction.  Almost every one of these resources has a strong connection to the Science of Reading, “…a vast, interdisciplinary body of scientifically-based* research about reading and issues related to reading and writing,” as defined by The Reading … [Read more…]

Posted in: Facilitating improvements in instruction and student learning, Personal Learning, Professional learning for continuous improvement, Research, Student learning and the profession, Teacher Leader Model Standards, Uncategorized Tagged: At a Loss for Words, change, David Liben, Emily Hanford, Hard Words, Jessica Pasik, Jorene Cook, Know Better Do Better, Maria Murray, Meredith Liben, running, Scarborough's rope, The Reading League, the science of reading, the simple view of reading, What the Words Say

Collaboration Over Isolation

January 24, 2021 by megankruse

I have had the good fortune of working with amazing teachers for my entire 25 teaching career.  On each team that I’ve been a part of, we have worked together, laughed together, cried together, shared ideas, lesson plans, successes and failures. Teaching in a silo, without the support of others, whether self-chosen or forced on … [Read more…]

Posted in: Collaborative culture, Facilitating improvements in instruction and student learning, Personal Learning, Professional learning for continuous improvement, Student learning and the profession, Teacher Leader Model Standards Tagged: ALL Block, Becky Morey, Bernie Sanders, Bernie Sanders meme, Better Lesson, collaboration, Corrine Swigart, el education, Fort Madison Community School District, Julie Eckhardt, Julie Yurko, Kim Penn, Module lessons, Mr. T, PLC, Rachella Dravis, running, silos, solitude, Solution Tree, team, TLS, Wendy Bailey

Recent Posts

  • Choose Carefully
  • Who I Want to Be When I Grow Up
  • The Human Brain
  • Showing Up
  • Competence, Confidence, and Lessons from the Field

Recent Comments

  • Julie on Choose Carefully
  • Katie on Question Everything
  • Elton on Generosity Abounds
  • Katie on This is Where the Rubber Meets the Road
  • Katie on Value in Values

Goodreads

Megan's bookshelf: read

The Flight Attendant
really liked it
The Flight Attendant
by Chris Bohjalian
Get Out of Your Head: Stopping the Spiral of Toxic Thoughts
really liked it
Get Out of Your Head: Stopping the Spiral of Toxic Thoughts
by Jennie Allen
Half Broke Horses
it was amazing
Half Broke Horses
by Jeannette Walls
Ground Zero
it was amazing
Ground Zero
by Alan Gratz
The Third Rainbow Girl: The Long Life of a Double Murder in Appalachia
really liked it
The Third Rainbow Girl: The Long Life of a Double Murder in Appalachia
by Emma Copley Eisenberg

goodreads.com

Archives

  • July 2025
  • June 2025
  • May 2025
  • April 2025
  • March 2025
  • February 2025
  • January 2025
  • December 2024
  • November 2024
  • October 2024
  • September 2024
  • August 2024
  • July 2024
  • June 2024
  • May 2024
  • April 2024
  • March 2024
  • February 2024
  • January 2024
  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • August 2023
  • July 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021

Subscribe by Email

Completely spam free, opt out any time.

Please, insert a valid email.

Thank you, your email will be added to the mailing list once you click on the link in the confirmation email.

Spam protection has stopped this request. Please contact site owner for help.

This form is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Tweets by bmkruse3

Categories

  • Assessments and data
  • Collaborative culture
  • Facilitating improvements in instruction and student learning
  • Outreach and collaboration with families and community
  • Personal Learning
  • Professional learning for continuous improvement
  • Research
  • Student learning and the profession
  • Teacher Leader Model Standards
  • Uncategorized

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries RSS
  • Comments RSS
  • Edublogs - free blogs for education

Copyright © 2025 Megan Kruse.

Alpha WordPress Theme by themehall.com

Skip to toolbar
  • About WordPress
    • Get Involved
    • About Edublogs
    • Learn WordPress
    • Edublogs.org
    • Documentation
    • Contact
  • Log In