Educators gather for the Playbook Launch at the University of Maine at Farmington (UMF).
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) Office of Teaching and Learning hosted five Literacy and Numeracy Playbook Launches this fall, bringing educators together to explore resources, examine instructional priorities, and plan for meaningful, sustainable improvement in their schools.
During events held across the state, participants explored literacy and numeracy needs through an asset-based lens, identifying existing strengths and resources as foundations for growth. Educators considered both classroom practices and schoolwide priorities as they began identifying approaches suited to their school communities.
Kathryn Will, Ed.D., associate professor of literacy education at the University of Maine at Farmington (UMF), highlighted the value of bringing future and practicing teachers together for professional learning.
“The opportunity for pre-service and in-service teachers to work side by side in the Playbook professional development created an authentic opportunity for all participants to engage in ongoing learning with real impact on learners in classrooms,” Will said. “There is strong synergistic impact when teacher education and the Maine Department of Education work together to provide iterative learning in the education profession. We look forward to the next time!”
Educators who were unable to attend an in-person session can explore an asynchronous version of the Playbook Launch. This self-paced experience introduces the playbooks and helps participants consider how to use the resources and support their use in schools and districts.
Beyond the Playbook: What’s Next?
After completing an in-person or asynchronous launch, educators can continue their learning through Beyond the Playbook: What’s Next? This five-part asynchronous series helps school teams of three or more develop a literacy and/or numeracy implementation plan grounded in their school’s strengths, needs, and available resources. The series is available through EnGiNE, the Maine DOE’s free learning management platform.
Teams will move at their own pace through five learning sessions: Explore, Engage, Prioritize, Connect, and Impact. Together, these experiences provide a clear process for developing an implementation plan, along with the structures to support that work—including asset-mapping tools, prioritization protocols, and guided reflection. These supports will help teams identify existing strengths, establish shared priorities, and translate their learning into actionable steps for improving literacy and numeracy outcomes.
Each session combines individual reflection with collaborative planning. Participants will capture their thinking, observations, and insights in a Google Professional Learning Journal and share their progress with the Maine DOE’s Interdisciplinary Instruction team, which will provide responsive coaching based on each team’s needs.
Discussion forums will also connect educators across schools, providing opportunities to exchange strategies and resources, work through challenges, and learn from colleagues engaged in similar efforts.
By the end of the series, each team will have developed a literacy and/or numeracy implementation plan shaped by its school’s context and focused on meaningful outcomes for learners.
School teams can register here for Beyond the Playbook: What’s Next?
For more information, please reach out to Interdisciplinary Instruction Specialist Erik Wade at Erik.Wade@maine.gov.
