Lead Teacher Role at Lynwood Elementary

Mrs. Kellie Compton is the “Lead Teacher” or instructional coach who supports teachers at Lynwood Elementary School. All MSD of Decatur Township Schools have a lead teacher on staff.

What does a lead teacher do? Mrs. Compton, who has over 30 years of teaching experience, explains her role: “I like to think of myself as a thought partner and collaborator. Teachers have the answers. They just need someone to talk it through.” 

Instructional coaching can include a variety to topics, but Mrs. Compton likes to focus on student-centered coaching, or conversations about how the students are performing and their learning data. Discussions often include how the teacher is currently instructing and then research together to implement new strategies. Mrs. Compton shared that, “The teacher knows his/her students best. I can help teachers by researching best practices, assisting with data analysis, modeling, or co-teaching.”  These conversations take place individually or in small groups such as professional learning communities that Mrs. Compton facilitates weekly.

Why is this role important in our schools? Mrs. Compton explained that, “I would want someone in this role to support me if I was in the classroom teaching. It’s so nice to have someone to talk things through from a different perspective. It takes a village to support a teacher, and I’m one person in that village.”

Mrs. Compton has been a part of the Instructional Leadership Team at Liberty and now Lynwood for six years and loves finding new ways to support student learning. She has coached or led staff training sessions on many topics including the Science of Reading, UFLI curriculum supplement, grouping students according to targeted skill data, vocabulary instruction, and student ownership.