How Teacher Leaders Can Guide Professional Conversations

            In this Kappan article, instructional coach Connie Hamilton says the way teachers talk about their students’ work reveals beliefs about students’ capabilities and determines the kind of feedback and follow-up students get. “When one teacher names a problem in a way that invites solutions, others step in with ideas, adjustments, and possibilities,” she says. “The opposite is also true. When language closes the door or shifts blame, the conversation and progress stalls.” 

            Hamilton suggests five ways teacher leaders can steer conversations in a positive, problem-solving direction:

• Tell specifically what students are doing. “The way we describe learning signals what we believe is causing it,” says Hamilton, “and that drives what we do next. Avoid statements like They don’t get it, This group is low, They’re confused, They can’t do this independently, instead using sentences like these:
• They are completing step one and missing step two.
• This group can identify the main idea and is challenged to support it with evidence.
• They are mixing up these two concepts.
• Look at the details of a learning breakdown. When students are stuck, dig into the causes of their confusion with questions like these:
• What do they already understand?
• Where do most students begin to get stuck?
• What are the students who are successful doing differently?
• Use language that invites solutions. “Some language closes the conversation,” says Hamilton, for example, This isn’t working. They should already know this. We tried that. We don’t have the resources. We don’t have time for that. We can’t force them to want to learn. We weren’t trained for this. Use language that opens up solutions, for example:
• What can we adjust to make this work?
• How can we build on prior knowledge?
• What part of that worked and what part needs to change? 
• Use the language of instructional ownership. Avoid laying blame – for example, They won’t do it. They are unmotivated. They didn’t learn it last year. – substituting questions that suggest possibility:
• What in this task might not be connecting yet?
• What do they need from us right now?
• What can we try differently? 
• Share experiences and reflections. “State what you notice,” says Hamilton. “It’s not necessary to have the answer” – for example:
• I noticed students could explain it verbally, but their writing wasn’t clear.
• When I added a model, more students were able to start.
• This question seemed to unlock their thinking. 

            “This is the kind of teacher leadership that builds a culture of efficacy, teamwork, and possibility,” Hamilton concludes. “The language we use makes it clear who is aligned with that culture and who is not.” 

 “Language Is Leadership: How Teacher Talk Shapes Team Thinking and Instructional Action” by Connie Hamilton in Kappan, Summer 2026 (Vol. 107, #8, pp. 71-73)

Please Note: This summary is reprinted with permission from issue #1140 of The Marshall Memo, an excellent resource for educators.