Instructional/Literacy/Math Coach

Sharon Seely contributed this post. Click here to read more of Sharon's thinking.

About a month ago a colleague was talking about a new book she was reading with the prompt, On the right bus…in the right seat!.?

A week later on the radio I heard: What will your eulogy contain…thoughts about how you climbed the career ladder, how you made a difference, combination or something totally different?

Then, two weeks ago I was contacted by two districts inquiring about implementing an Instructional Coach into their elementary building.  The possible new coaches to be had a lot of questions and asked me for a pros and cons list.  I started a list and then realized, “these are my pros and cons.”  A pro for me may be a con for them and vise versa. It’s all about perspective.

At this time of year as we contemplate next year, asking the first question, Am I on the right bus…education?  Yes, you are on the right bus.  You do make a difference in the lives of students and their families.  We thank you!

Now, Am I in the right seat…classroom, coach, both?   How does that question strike you?  Are you thinking, ‘Yes, I love what I teach and I want to retire doing what I do now.’ Or are you wondering: Where do I want to be?  What more can I do?

When I first thought about applying for an Instructional Coach position, I googled what did it mean to be an Instructional Coach.  I would say this is the article (published May 11, 2011) that best explains those important things to think about.

Whatever your decision may be…make it your own.  Follow what your heart.  

Coaching with Kindness Reflection via Free Verse Poetry

Lisa Weiss contributed this post. Click here to read more of Lisa's thinking.

I spent time rereading what I wrote this year, and in doing so, I started to play with phrases and lines that jumped out to me. This post is my expository writing from the year, reinvented as free verse poetry, using only the blog posts about coaching with kindness. There are many ways to go about this, but I pulled the six posts, highlighted the words and phrases that felt most powerful and/or carried importance, and then wrote them, in the order they occurred in the texts. But then, the organizational nut that lives in my head had to do some rearranging of the original words and phrases...great way to show students how expository writing can be repurposed into creative writing.

Honesty is the kindest move

Uncomfortable, but necessary

Navigating the uncomfortable territory

Providing honest feedback

with kindness

facilitates change

Commitment: Investing in the professional lives of teachers

Responsibility to provide feedback

given with integrity and kindness.

Feedback as an act of kindness

Courageous conversations

Brave conversations

Crucial conversations

Critical conversations

Uncomfortable conversations

What would I do if I wasn’t afraid?

Name the issue

Gently,

Respectfully,

Kindly,

A philosophy of coaching with kindness

Two permeating questions

What is the expectation?

What did I see?

Just the facts!

Just the facts!

Just the facts!

I’d avoid these conversations altogether

But…

Our purpose far too great!

I owe it to students

I owe it to teachers

But…

provide it kindly.

Gently coach back into the tracks,

Partnering,

Putting teacher back in position to SHINE!

But...

Sometimes

Even truth covered in kindness

stings.

Up to the teacher to embrace it...or not

Issue does not belong to me

Listening intently

Identifying defense mechanisms:

Excuses

Blaming

Topic -hopping

Challenging: What would you do?

Calmly thinking

Pondering the next question, thinking through the conversational map

Facilitate thinking through the defensiveness

Maintaining focus

Fears disappear: It’s not about me!

It’s about students, advocating for them

Knowing they deserve the best possible teacher

Had to hold the courageous conversation

Craving peace and

healthy relationships

Knowing feedback to teachers is

Unavoidable for

Effective coaches,

Even when peace will erupt

Knowing I am doing what is right for kids

Knowing I am doing what is right for the teacher, and

Knowing I am doing what is right for me

Peace returns

Call for Posts

The Literacy Booth exists as a place for literacy coaches to share and develop their expertise. Generally, posts come from a small group of literacy coaches spread throughout Wisconsin. Their names appear in the right-side menu.

June and July, though, are all about you!

Consider writing about your practice in the form of a blog post and submitting it to be considered for publication on The Literacy Booth.

Read previous posts for ideas about content and format. Generally, posts:

• are relatively short
• sometimes include links to supporting or ready-to-use resources
• do not express political views

Possible topics include:

• coaching
• standards
• intervention
• assessment
• universal instruction
• planning professional learning
• book reviews
• sharing professional resources

Submit your post via email to barb.novak@dpi.wi.gov. The post can be a Word or Google document.

What Are You Reading: June 2016

We believe it is important for educators to be readers and writers, so every month we take a day to report out on what we're reading. Join in by sharing your current reading list in the comments.

Maggie says, "I'm working my way through Challenger Deep and it's interesting to follow as the main character Caden suffers from mental illness. In this book, his perspective frequently shifts between his real life paranoia and compulsive pacing to a world where he is a crew member on a ship that is headed toward the Challenger Deep, the ocean's deepest trench. Provoking increasing concern from his teachers, parents, and friends, Caden retreats further into his own world as his own paranoia grows."

Jaimie is reading A Guide to the Reading Workshop: Primary and Intermediate Grades by Lucy Calkins. Jaimie says, "I read the Writer's Workshop version of this resource and it was so helpful, so I will be reading the Reading Workshop version this summer as I prepare for my district's roll-out next fall. So excited. :)"

Andrea is reading Katherine Bomer's The Journey is Everything. Andrea says, "It was just published and I haven't truthfully started it yet.  It 'emphasizes teaching the essay as a way to restore writing to think--that is necessary for students success in college and career'. It was recommended to me by Carrie Sand.  I'm excited to start it!"

Maggie is also reading The Last Book in the Universe by Rodman Philbrick. She says, "This is a fun and engaging science fiction book that I'm currently reading with my students as we finish the school year. Earlier in the year we read Freak the Mighty and the students are able to make several connections between the two books."

Lisa is reading, The Power of Grammar: Unconventional Approaches to the Conventions of Language by Mary Ehrenworth and Vicki Vinton. Lisa writes, "When I met Mary Ehrenworth, I knew I had to pick up this book because she clearly understands the transformative powers  workshop holds, and I had to know how she blends the teaching of grammar into workshop.  Love it! She talks about how grammar is tied to the culture of power, and how we would be wise to teach it as it relates to meaning and voice."

Barb is reading Dumplin' by Julie Murphy. She says, "My book club is reading Dumplin' and Fat Angie this month. Both look at issues surrounding body image, particularly for teenage girls."

Barb is also reading A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara. She says, "A few friends have recently read this book and promised it to be devastating and epic. It is. It soooo is. It tells the story of four male friends who met in college. One has serious physical and mental struggles because of a series of accidents throughout his life. The readers slowly learns the details of his story."

Carrie is reading

Collages made with piZap.

I See You, I Hear You Final Thoughts: Validation

Meghan Retallick contributed this post. Click here for more of Meghan's thinking.

As I’ve traveled through my reflective journey on hearing and seeing others over the last few months, I’m left with one final thought--the heart of seeing and hearing others is rooted in validation.

Merriam-Webster states that “to validate” is “to recognize, establish, or illustrate the worthiness or legitimacy of.”  So in other words, when we hear and see others, we show with our own words and actions that they are worthy.  This brings me back to my original statement in post #1 that this does not mean that others always do as we ask or want, but that our actions and words are acknowledged and considered.

You are worthy.  You matter.  My time spent with you is not wasted.  These are all beliefs and ideals that I hope I show others in my daily actions whether it is through teaching, coaching, or collaborating.  But what happens when we feel as if we are validating others and yet no one validates us?

As I’ve thought about this over the last few months because of creeping and growing doubt about my own worthiness, a thought struck me.  Maybe how I validate others is not the same language they use to make me feel validated.  This thought came to me after lunch with one of my girlfriends in which we discussed the relationship book called The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman.  The premise of this book is that we all feel love in five different ways, but each person has one of the five as the primary way we individually feel loved. The five possible languages are:  Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service, Receiving Gifts, Quality Time, and Physical Touch.  Yet sometimes there is a disconnect when we don’t speak the same primary love language as others we have relationships with.  The first book is written in terms of romantic partnerships, but this idea has since branched out into other books about relationships with our children and teens, in schools (grades 1-6), and workplace appreciation (I didn’t know this until I did research for this post, but now this book is on my to-read list!).  My love language is “words of affirmation,” so I feel appreciation when others praise me with words.  I find myself doing this often for the teachers I coach--giving them positive praise and encouragement verbally.  But, what if that isn’t their language?  What if my words to affirm them that mean so much to me, go on deaf ears because they aren’t in tune with the language I speak?  (I have noticed this in my own marriage as my husband speaks a different primary love language!).  What if others are showing me validation, but I’m missing the signs because they are not in the language I speak?

I think this has powerful applications in the workplace, especially in the form of coaching.  We want to be sure to see and hear how others feel validated, even if it is in a way that doesn’t work for us.  The first time I learned about validation and spent time reflecting on it was seven or eight years ago when this short movie entitled Validation went around my school district.  I share it with you now to remind us all that when we see and hear others we validate them with our words and actions.  We should also be mindful to the ways in which others are validating our work and remember that sometimes we could be missing validation if there is a disconnect in our communication styles.  I hope the end of the year brings joy and peace to you all as well as the knowledge that you are worthy and what you spent time doing this year matters.

Whole Class Novel: Part Deux

Andrea Reichenberger contributed this post. Click here to read more of Andrea's thinking.

Click here to read Andrea's previous post about the whole class novel.

A few months ago I shared my thoughts about using the whole class novel in the ELA classroom.  Although I’m certainly not a proponent, I argued that it could be done, but only when used in the correct context.  Recently, I had experiences with two different schools asking me the same question: Should the whole class novel be used in a science and/or social studies classroom?

Admittedly, the teachers’ hearts are in the right place.  Of course we want to encourage students to read and of course we want teachers to incorporate literacy into their classroom instruction, but using a whole class novel--especially in science or social studies isn’t the way to go about it. There are more authentic ways to promote literacy within these areas.  

Let’s start with the standards themselves. The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are very content-driven and if you’ve looked at them, there are a significant amount of topics to cover.

 

If you use the National Council for Social Studies (NCSS), you are lucky, as the C3 framework clearly outlines the connections to the literacy standards. However, the ELA standards also clarify specific literacy skills in that should be addressed in science and technical subjects as well as in History and Social Studies.

(History and Social Studies) ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.1

Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, attending to such features as the date and origin of the information.

(Science and Technical Subjects) ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.1

Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to the precise details of explanations or descriptions.

Novels are not primary sources or technical texts, but maybe we need to remind teachers that literacy isn’t just about reading.  The reading-writing connection also needs to be addressed in all disciplines. The writing standards for both science/technical subjects and history/social studies are the same. What types of text should we use in science and history when we review the writing standards listed below?  

ELA-LITERACY.WHST.9-10.7 Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.

ELA-LITERACY.WHST.9-10.8 Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of each source in answering the research question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.

ELA-LITERACY.WHST.9-10.9 Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

There are better ways to promote literacy in the science and social studies classrooms.  Do a book talk. If you are a reader, share the books you are reading with your students (both novels and informational texts). If you read The Martian and 1984 and think they would be great books for students to read as an extension--share that with them!  If you find an excerpt that ties in with your content, take a few minutes and read it aloud or provide a copy and have the students write a response or reflection and then talk about it!  Collaborate with an ELA teacher or literacy coach in your building if you need more ideas.

As a science or history teacher, you could certainly use a novel excerpt that aligns with a topic in your content area. Use it to create a close read with text dependent questions.  Then have the students do a close read of an informational text (maybe something from their textbook) on the same topic to make intertextual connections. Develop questions that align with both the literacy and the discipline standards.

I strongly encourage teachers to use authentic mentor texts from within their content area.  Scientists don’t use novels when researching.  The discussion about the texts we use needs to begin with not only the type of text, but also with the standards.  There is so much to choose from!  Photographs, video clips, research documents, journal articles, charts, graphs, diagrams, polls, law documents, personal accounts, newspaper articles, artifacts, and the list goes on and on.  A rich literacy experience can be created within any classroom without using a whole class novel.

Offering Professional Development Based on Choice

Heather Zimmerman contributed this post. Click here to read more of Heather's thinking.

We all know how powerful choice is- whether that choice be in the classroom or for our own learning. Choice is the powerful tool that leads to ownership.  When I plan professional development sessions, I always try to keep in mind choice.  Sometimes that is easier said than done.  I find a few factors play a role in this problem: time and capacity.

A few months ago, my school’s curriculum and instruction team put together some literacy-focused sessions and people signed.  The time piece was not as much of a factor as the capacity piece.  We needed to make sure all of our instructional support teachers would be available to facilitate the sessions we picked (instead of being a part of collaboration at one of their many other schools). Of course, teachers would be powerful leaders for the groups too, but that depends if there is a teacher is willing and also has the knowledge in the area of focus.  The feedback after, from the sessions, was positive and people requested the format again.  There were some sessions they wanted to attend, but had to make the choice of which one.  It is important to know teacher’s time is well-spent.  

As I was sitting down planning my next professional development time with my school, I kept thinking about the focus and how choice would fit in.  The focus for session was to look at student writing. Everyone was to bring in writing samples from their classrooms.  We had done this a few other times using a protocol the district provided.  The protocol was optional, and so I began to think about what I might do instead, so I could tie in choice.  I know my teachers are in different places when it comes to looking at student work and even providing opportunities for writing in their classrooms.  I felt the protocol was not meeting some of their specific questions or needs for collaboration to help writing instruction.

I decided to create a list of different topics (with the help of blogger and co-worker Lisa Weiss), a general protocol, and have teachers pick the topic they wanted to focus on.  I am very excited with the list and see the potential for great discussions to happen based off what the teachers want to discuss.

Click here to view the survey.

Click here to view the protocol.

How do you provide choice within professional development?