September 14, 2017, was a very special #G2Great. We celebrated our friend, Rich Czyz’s new book The Four O’Clock Faculty A Rouge Guide to Revolutionizing Professional Development. Rich wrote this book to help us to expand our thinking about what professional learning might be. The #G2Great PLN understands that professional learning has been forever changed. They embrace and look for new opportunities to learn.
As I reflect on this chat I am struck by four takeaways that can shape what professional learning might be. These learning opportunities are always there for us when we know what to look for…
Learning Opportunity 1: Always Say YES
We can always say yes to learning. It begins when we define and envision what our professional learning ought to be. Once we know what we need, there are ways to incorporate 21st Century technology to our learning lives.There are virtually limitless resources available to us, and makes our learning lives relatable to our students. We can take what might be a negative learning experience and make it purposeful. Our learning is what we make of it:
Learning Opportunity 2: Set Meaningful GOALS
Learning is synoomous with growth. Intellectual growth does not just happen to us, it requires our care and attention. Each day we can challenge ourselves to learn more than yesterday. We can decide to engage the learning process with an open optimistic hearts. In the end there is no finish line for learning. Our teaching degrees grant us admistion but our training goes on throughout our lives:
Learning Opportunity 3: Create Community
We are smarter together than we are by ourselves. The more connections we make with each other the greater the learning reward. When we learn collectively we get the benefit of each other’s perspective. So read, talk, write, and create community:
Learning Opportunity 4: More is MORE:
Choice is an essential part to learning. We can find ways to open up pathways for teachers to get what they need. Personal responsiblity, open communication, and becoming personally vested in the learning lives of ourselves and our colleagues is how our profession will continue to evolve:
Thank you Rich, we appreciate the innovative conversation that your work inspired. I think the best way to close out this post is with your remarkable words of wisdom:
On August 24, 2017, our #G2Great community welcomed back Pernille Ripp with open arms. We celebrated her book, Passionate Readers: The Art of Reaching and Engaging Every Childwith a thoughtful and heartfelt conversation about what it takes to be a teacher of reading. Pernille is a teacher, she is one of us. She is open and honest about her own personal struggles and shares her celebrations and successes. She lets us into her classroom, and in doing so, we see our own teaching lives revealed.
As I read through my Twitter feed, I imagined that I was part of an extended faculty. A member of a dynamic group of educators who cares deeply about our profession. Teachers who understand that together we are changing lives. We are united by a shared purpose and our conversations with Pernille are a prelude to all the good work that lies ahead of a new school year.
As you read this post, imagine we are in the faculty room, and we are having a good conversation, thinking about the complexities of the work that goes into helping students discover their passion for reading. What is the most important thing to focus on? What should I do to set up a successful year? What do I do if students don’t even like to read?
Establish Reading Rituals…
Nurture Reading Identities…
Create a Reading Culture…
Set Attainable Goals…
Design Learning Environments…
Prioritize Time to Read…
Honor Authentic Choices…
Share Your Hopes & Dreams…
Thank you Pernille, you inspired so many of us to dig deep and share what we know. This chat was a glimpse into your marvelous book, which is a beautiful read that is both poignant and practical. Together we can wrestle with the big important questions, and find solutions through our collective wisdom. Fortunately, there are so many talented teachers to learn with as we begin this exciting new year of learning for students as well as ourselves.
On August 3, 2017, authors Katie Stover-Kelly and Lindsay Yearta joined #G2Great to extend a conversation that began with their book, From Pencils to Podcasts Digital Tools for Transforming K-6 Literacy Practices. Providing an education in the 21st Century means that whatever our role: teachers, administrators, professional developers, or college professors we need to be open to seeking out ways to intentionally integrate technology with learning.
This post is dedicated to the vibrant #G2Great Professional Learning Network, (PLN) because we are a community of educators who are unafraid to try new things, to learn, to mix it up and push ourselves forward in the name of our students. In that spirit, this post is beginning where our chat ended with our future technology goals. To boldly step out of our comfort zones and meet learning at the cutting edge of the 21st Century.
Our last question initiated BIG GOALS for future learning…
Global Read Aloud is an opportunity to connect and learn around story with a digital backdrop. According to Katie and Lindsay, “In this age of digital tools and multiliteracies, there are increasing demands of students to collaborate in order to consume and produce multimodal texts in online spaces.
If you are interested in learning more about Global Read Aloud: “The premise is simple; we pick a book to read aloud to our students during a set 6-week period and during that time we try to make as many global connections as possible. Each teacher decides how much time they would like to dedicate and how involved they would like to be. Some people choose to connect with just one class, while others go for as many as possible. The scope and depth of the project is up to you. While there are official tools you can use such as Skype, Twitter, Write About or Edmodo, you choose the tools that will make the most sense for you. Teachers get a community of other educators to do a global project with, hopefully inspiring them to continue these connections through the year. “ – Pernille Ripp
Twitter provides a unique social learning environment, It gives a space for intellectual engagement through live interactions with others. Katie and Lindsay underscore the importance of Twitter in their book, “Twitter provides students with a digital space to connect with other readers and authors to share and discuss books.” However, due to its organization and fast pace, Twitter can be daunting. There is a solution. Tweetdeck is a web-based tool that helps users to organize their Tweets into more manageable columns. It offers many useful features such as enabling users to “pre-tweet” or schedule tweets ahead of time. This is especially useful when planning and facilitating Twitter chats.To learn more, watch this video.
Understanding why a goal is important is essential, answering what you will do to accomplish the goal ties it to an action. This article offers 15 dynamic ways to make reflection a habit of mind in the classroom. In their book, Katie and Lindsay remind us that, “In the 21st Century, information is updated and readily available in real time.” Collaboration, and reflection begin with us. Teachers who lead by example, are the ones who will give students experiences that will help them grow to meet their potential.
If you visit Kate Messenger’s blog, you will see that she has created a platform to connect readers and authors through FREE Skype visits. Technology offers virtually limitless opportunities to provide access that would otherwise had been impossible. All we have to do is step out and take a risk and try. In Katie and Lindsay’s words “It is through the struggle that we learn. Additionally, the struggle provides you with thoughts and ideas to share with your students…”
Flipgrid allows teachers to create video discussion platforms. There are so many creative ways to incorporate this technology tool that are too numerous for this blog post! The important thing about Flipgrid is that it is a tool that amplifies student voice from pre-K to college aged students and beyond. It’s ok to start small with this technology, but the important thing is just to start. We need to start because we are educators, “As teachers we have the responsibility to equip our students with the tools that they need to fully participate in our interconnected, global society.” – Stover & Yearta
Thank you for writing this book Katie and Lindsay. It is an incredible resource that teachers need to have in their hands so they can put your ideas to work in their classrooms. I especially love that at the close of your book you extend an invitation to keep the conversation going through Twitter. That’s just what you did, and now we have even more resources and ideas to explore. That is is what learning is all about, and we are educators who fully embrace a learning lifestyle. We are flexible thinkers who are fueled by a collaborative spirit ready to take the next step forward together.
LInks to share…
From Pencils to Podcasts by Katie Stover Kelly and Lindsay Yearta
On Thursday, July 13, 2017 #G2Great welcomed three dynamic leaders Jessica Johnson, Shira Leibowitz, and Kathy Perret co-authors of The Coach Approach for School Leadership. Their book examines how to find the balance between the roles of learner and leader while fulfilling all that comes with the charge of being an administrator. They believe that if administrators can integrate instructional coaching techniques into their roles, they will lead their faculties to embrace learning with a sense of team spirit. Our #G2Great PLN welcomed their “coach approach” with great enthusiasm, understanding that when we view ourselves as learners first we are also leaders on a mission to improve education.
If we are willing, we can live the life of a learner in whatever our roles as educators and that is a powerful proposition. Any one of us who is willing to step into a leadership role understands that education is very complex and none of us knows all the answers. We also understand how important it is to “walk the walk” our actions, or inactions, impact the culture of our schools. If we adopt a coaching stance, we also understand that no great work can happen unless there is trust. For all these reasons Johnson, Leibowitz, and Perret coined The Coach Approach Mindset using the acronym HAT:
It’s never about the administrator, coach, or teacher the real work is always contextualized by the learners themselves no matter who they may be. A leader’s first priority should be to help learners achieve their best possible selves. However, before we can proceed we need to know what do our learners need? This is how we begin to adopt a coaching mindset.
Q2 Coaching is part of so many roles in education. What are key characteristics of your coaching mindset?
In writing this post, there is a need for many voices to define the key characteristics of a coaching mindset. Effective leadership requires a plurality and diverse perspectives. In order to define what makes a great leader or coach, we need to understand that a coach’s’ role is not defined by the coach or leader. It is defined by those we are honored to serve. While reading this post, repeat this as if it were a mantra, “Any one of us can be a leader.” If we are leaders who view our role through a coaching lens, we understand that any actions taken must reflect the needs of those around us. As we continue to make trust our priority and safeguard it, we all can continue to be our best for the students under our charge.
If the #G2Great PLN were a dream faculty, this would be our collective Top Tenfor how we would define the characteristics of a coaching mindset:
1. Growth is essential for everyone. It is contextual to the team you are part of:
2. Listening is essential for learning. It is an active presence in all that we do:
3. Positivity is essential because we find what we seek. It colors the context of our work:
4. Collaboration is essential because we all have something to offer. It requires ongoing practice:
5. Relationships are essential because they open doors to learning. Focus on care and trust:
6. Teamwork is essential because it expands empathy. Shared understandings help everyone to thrive:
7. Belief in potential is essential. Let your actions prove that you believe in other’s success:
8. Vision is essential because it is the underpinning for intentional work it requires flexibility:
9. Creating culture is essential. What do you want most? Look at it from every perspective:
10. Reflection is essential as we continue to learn we shape ourselves around other’s needs:
Coaching work begins to happen once you realize that the very nature of coaching is to lead others to self-discovery.It is the purview of each coach to believe in the power and potential that every teacher in the classroom possesses. As leaders, we do not distribute knowledge, but rather we thrive on the quest to learn more with and from teachers.
Our last words of wisdom come from the authors themselves, as they continue to strive to lead and learn by example:
Don’t be afraid to try new things
Set meaningful goals to work towards
Always question your purpose and recalibrate your path if necessary
Thank you, Jessica Johnson, Shira Leibowitz, and Kathy Perret for working to help us be our best possible selves as we continue our work as learners and leaders!
Kathy Perret offers Virtual Coaching for Instructional Coaches and School Leaders with testimonials on the home page. My first call with potential clients is always free. website http://kathyperret.net
The first time Todd and Adam’s book appeared on my Twitter screen, my eyes fixated on three words that reached out and grabbed me by the heartstrings – Kids Deserve It. I recall wondering if the authors could possibly do these words justice and truly push and challenge the boundaries of conventional thinking. Any doubt in my mind dissipated in minutes as their introduction held me captive word by exquisite word:
“Educators can’t get complacent. We can’t allow ourselves to be stopped by the roadblocks that will pop up in our way. We must persevere. We must keep pushing the envelope and fighting the fight to give our students the best possible education. Because each and every one of our kids deserve it.” (xii)
To my delight, my status as captive audience lingered from cover to cover as I found myself joyfully anticipating the repeated phrase that ended each chapter – becausekids deserve it! On that first exuberant reading, I scribbled happy notations lovingly across now dog-eared pages and still frequently revisit those words for renewed inspiration.
Our #G2Great chat with Todd and Adam elevated my Kids Deserve It lovefest and made me appreciate those three magical words even more. And so in honor of our guests, I’ll borrow their inspired phrase to share six powerful ideas that permeated our #G2Great hour with Todd and Adam as we heed their challenge to avoid complacency… Because Kids Deserve It!
Because Kids Deserve Teachers Who are CONNECTED
I am so grateful to live in an age where we have been afforded incredible opportunities to step beyond our own spaces so we can expand our circle of dedicated others. Becoming connected allows us to join forces in ways that were never available to me when I began teaching in 1972. With the gift of social media literally at our fingertips, being connected is not just an opportunity but also a responsibility. During the chat, we each exchanged our personal fears that once thwarted this brave shift as connected educators and the realization that those fears were unfounded in reality. We each acknowledged the impact of social media in our lives and the generous support of other connected educators who have elevated our day-to-day professional efforts through thoughtful collaborations.
Because Kids Deserve Teachers Who are KNOWLEDGEABLE
I often reflect on how much I’ve grown as an educator over the past 4 ½ decades. While I certainly celebrate my growth process, it is actually how much further I have to go that inspires me most. We have a myriad of options to support our growth journey (social media, reading, dialogue, webinars) and choosing from these options demonstrates firm commitment to increasing our own knowledge base. That base includes our knowledge of research and the practices that enrich our teaching but we also recognize that this knowledge will only come to life where it matters most when we know students. This combined knowledge allows us to determine the best possible practices for each student at any given time. Professional knowledge is crucial, but keeping knowledge of students in our sights allows us to apply these understandings in responsive ways.
Because Kids Deserve Teachers Who are PRESENT
Being present in the learning moments that surround us became a familiar theme across the entire chat discussion. Todd and Adam helped us honor the relationships that form the foundation of our work but they each turned our attention to these relationships from multiple perspectives. Todd reminded us to listen more than we talk as we seek to understand the viewpoints of others. Adam highlighted the power of meaningful dialogue driven by our curiosity about children and unbridled determination to move students from where they are to where they could be as we honor the same for ourselves. Listening and thoughtful talk helps us to be present in those moments so that we can do our best work for our students because we know that everything we do is an opportunity to consistently and purposefully make student success our priority.
Because Kids Deserve Teachers Who are APPRECIATIVE
One need only spend a few minutes on Twitter chats like #G2Great to recognize the potential for celebrating inspired learning from our own lens and from that of our colleagues. Whether we are working to build relationships with our students or with our peers, the focus and outcome are the same. We begin by noticing the many amazing opportunities around us and then intentionally celebrate those noticings as we honor them for ourselves and others. Over time, our celebrations become a habit of mind that can only survive in a schoolwide culture grounded in mutual respect. It is this genuine respect for our children and for each other that has the potential to take us to a whole new level and we embrace these opportunities wholeheartedly.
Because Kids Deserve Teachers who are FULFILLED
Everyone who participated in our #G2Great chat recognizes the value of connecting but as the chat continued, disconnecting began to loom large as a counter point. Teaching is fulfilling but it can also leave us riddled with doubt so we refill our life buckets as we turn those celebrations inward by giving equal attention to our personal lives outside of school. This may require us to turn off technology but more importantly it means that we take the time to turn off our minds and embrace quiet moments with family, friends, nature or whatever may personally renew us. We are the sum total of our professional and personal lives so we cannot allow one to blind us to the other.
Because Kids Deserve Teachers who are UNWAVERING
Perhaps one of the most important points in my mind that came from this amazing book by Todd and Adam and also from our chat discussion is that we can never give up – not on children and not on each other. While there will certainly be children, educators and events that challenge us and fill us with self doubt, we choose to move beyond those challenges by finding supportive others who will inspire and support us on our mission to avoid roadblocks as we “persevere, push the envelope and fight the fight.” Eachof us may do this in our own unique ways, but we have a common commitment to hold tight to our vision no matter what roadblocks may stand in our way so that it will not impede our efforts to give our students the best possible education.
Since this week #G2great celebrated the message of Kids Deserve It, it seems fitting to end with two messages Todd and Adam released to the world within the last 24 hours of writing this post. Their words tie this post together and re-energize our commitment to do this remarkable work because kids deserve it.
Thank you for keeping those words at the forefront of our minds Todd and Adam!
“No more no – educators need to be in the yes business. Tell kids yes and see what happens. Give them a longer leash. Give them a chance. Believe in their ideas, even though it wasn’t yours. Our kids and teachers deserve it!”
On September 29, 2016, #G2Great was fortunate to welcome guest host Russ Walsh, author of the incredible new book, A Parents Guide to Public Education in the 21st Century. Russ’ knowledge and passion for teaching and learning preceded him, so we weren’t surprised when he quickly enrolled as an honorary member of the #G2Great educational joy club.
I was a Russ Walsh devotee minutes after happening on his amazing blog, Russ on Reading. Russ lives the words on his front page: Discussing sound literacy instruction, supporting teachers and defending public education. He courageously tackles tough topics sure to elicit ripples of discomfort like 9/19/16; 7/26/16; 3/25/16; 3/9/15; 2/3/14; 9/18/13 to mention a few. My head nods in enthusiastic agreement with every post followed by audible cheers and a healthy dose of Russ gratitude.
In his remarkable book, Russ refers to immutable principles for public education in A Bill of Rights for students. After an inspirational walk down twitter memory lane, I realized that our ability to achieve Russ’ Bill of Rights is dependent upon dedicated teachers who bring his words to life in the trenches by transforming beliefs into actions.
And so I propose immutable principles highlighted in A Bill of Professional Responsibility for teachers that will make those rights a reality. #G2Great tweets from Russ and friends inspired seven principles that ask us to look inward to our own practices as we put those beliefs into action. With this introspective spirit in mind, I begin each principle with the words, “I WILL…”
I WILL create an environment that beckons each child to the learning experience
Our first order of business is to create a warm, nurturing learning environment that is palpable each day our students walk into our rooms. This precursor to learning sets the stage for keeping students at the center of our work. Caring learning spaces demonstrate that we view school as an extension of students’ lives and that we are dedicated to creating a heart home where parents entrust their child into our care each day. As we build this bridge from home to school, we are cognizant that school may well be the only safe haven for some students.
I WILL celebrate the uniqueness each child brings to the learning table
This nurturing environment supports our instructional efforts on a day-to-day basis. We welcome the children who walk through our doors and are determined to design experiences that will enrich the learning lives of those children. We know that each child is unique so we create flexible opportunities with specific learners in mind. We view the learning process as a journey and recognize that it is often a messy process of risk taking. We demonstrate in our words and actions that the bumpy road is as important as the final destination and celebrate each step along the way.
I WILL bring my best self to every learning day and ensure high success for all
We know that we can only give children the classrooms they deserve when we see our own professional learning as high priority. We embrace our role as both teacher and learner and seek to understand through the research that will guide us on an exploratory quest leading to success for every child. We reject one-size-fits-all scripts, opting instead for instructional experiences that take the child into account. We trust our growing knowledge of best practices more than publishers because we know that professional decision-making is central to the success of those practices.
I WILL use day-to-day assessments and on the spot interactions to know each child
We know that the high quality flexible instruction we are committed to will only be possible if we truly know students at that specific instructional moment in time. We use our knowledge of students to continuously craft and adjust our learning goals over time. We refuse to define children as a score or number, rather using daily formative assessment to open a window on children as learners. We are resolute in our commitment to communicate in positive ways with parents and use our understandings to support each child’s ongoing pathway to learning.
I WILL offer a wide range of opportunities designed to promote meaning-making
We ensure that there is a variety of instructional settings and experiences in place to create a learning day designed to grow our learners. We know that students need differentiated targeted support so we make room in each day for experiences that will intensify learning. We ground these experiences in authentic purposes, making sure that word work will not overshadow our higher purpose of reading as a meaningful pursuit. We honor each of our readers as we offer inviting books and engaging instructional experiences with comprehension always in our sights.
I WILL coordinate my efforts with others in a collaborative spirit of excellence
We believe that coordination of efforts is a critical factor in achieving success. We build in regular opportunities for thoughtful dialogue to engage in deeper discussions that explore a thoughtfully responsive way to meet students’ needs. Our collaborations energize us because they are driven by our curiosity about children and our determination to collectively support their success. We know that our strength resides in merging our efforts so we are willing to work side-by-side to that end. We continuously work to achieve instructional excellence together because we know that it can quickly spread across an entire school building.
I WILL create a classroom where joyful reading is a gift we give every day
Words like joy, love of reading and motivation came up time and time again during our #G2Great chat. Making time for independent reading and read-aloud in every day with a focus on intrinsic motivation was a common theme. There were countless tweets about reading for the sake of reading with books as the heart and soul of those events. The passion for these joyful experiences was high – and the energy could be felt across the #G2Great Twittersphere.
#G2Great is grateful for the honor of spending an hour soaking in Russ’ wisdom and dedication to public education and I am particularly grateful to him for inspiring this blog post. His wonderful new book opens a door from school to home and we happily walked through those doors with our own curiosity about teaching and learning leading the way. We know that our work is never done and that the best way to do it is surrounded by curious others.
There is no question in my mind that teachers are and always have been our greatest hope for the future. What we choose to do on a moment-to-moment, day-to-day, and year-to-year basis will always be the difference in our success and ultimately students’. We can say what we believe children deserve but the truth is that until we dig our heels in and do the hard work, those words will remain but an empty promise. In the end, it is only when our actions mirror our beliefs that we can truly demonstrate our deep commitment to children. Thank you for reminding us that dedicated and knowledgeable teachers play the most powerful role of all, Russ!
Learn More About Russ Walsh Here
Russ’s Book: A Parent’s Guide to Public Education in the 21st Century
Growing up, Thursday nights meant Cheers, Seinfeld and Friends. NBC ruled the ratings, but after those shows went off the air, the truth is Thursday nights really have been blah. That was until….#G2Great. While only in its second season, the ratings are through the roof. Not many Twitter chats trend almost every week and word has spread across the Twittersphere that #G2Great is the place to be. This past week’s episode, Dream BIG: Envisioning Possibilities, did more to inspire than Sam, Jerry and Rachel combined. We might be biased, but this episode was right up our alley because the scenes are near and dear to the work that both of us feel so passionately about.
One moment as we go to a commercial break….
We co-produce a small, independent blog 2 Teachers Let Me Shine. At the heart of this production, is our curiosity in identifying the critical factors that need to be in place in order to let students shine.
Now we return from our 30 second commercial break (Hey, 30 seconds is nothing these days)
Four highlighted scenes of this, sure to be Emmy Award winning episode saw the starring cast of #G2Great educators talking about the very things that inspired us to spin off our own dedicated journey. Those four critical factors that let students shine also just happen to let students and teachers Dream Big…
SPOILER ALERT!
Critical Factor #1: Building Relationships
If Neilson ratings were the only validation of the success of a show, we would be left with very few shows. (Horror!) The truth is, shows captivate different audiences because they build a connection and foster relationships with their viewers. In our ever obsessed data driven world, it’s very easy to lose sight of the lives in front of us. In order for people to dream big, we must grow relationships which requires us to dig deeper than the number on a chart. #relationships
Critical Factor #2: Forming Community
Many successful shows have been built on the camaraderie of the cast. There is little doubt the behind the scenes deep friendship of the entire Friends cast was key in making their on screen acting even stronger. Similarly, the stars of #G2Great have created a powerful learning network (PLN) which pushes everyone to “build bridges” to Dream Big. Isn’t it our responsibility to create these bridges for our students? #community
Critical Factor #3: Seeing Strengths
Casting agents are faced with the difficult task of matching roles with actors which requires not only knowing the actor, but identifying their strengths. Could you imagine anyone else but Ted Danson flourishing in the role of Sam Malone? Likewise, we must find those secret places in the hearts of each of our students, their own individual strengths, and bring them to the surface. #strengths
Critical Factor #4: Risk Taking
The amount of piloted shows that are tried and rejected is jaw-dropping. What makes directors and producers keep trying? It is a culture of risk taking; failure is expected and embraced as part of the process. What we see on TV is a result of the many dreamers, but behind the scenes are countless tries. Without perseverance, we would never find the gems. Similarly, the cast of #G2Great made it clear that we need to embrace this risk taking and growth mindset in our classrooms and schools in order for our students to Dream Big. #takerisks #growthmindset
FINAL SCENE
#G2Great is no longer a pilot! It is here to stay. You too, can be in future episodes. It is a place where the cast of characters always Dreams Big and lets each other Shine. #2tlmshine Join us!
Our friend and fellow #G2Great cast member Trevor Bryan encapsulates it so perfectly….
Teachers are getting ready to close our classrooms for summer, and begin to open our minds for deep reflection, and planning for future goals. On June 2, 2016 #G2Great asked teachers everywhere to ponder their practices more closely: Looking Back on 2015 2016:Reflecting on the Past to Enhance Our Future. As I consider my personal impact during the school year, some nagging questions begin to cycle through my thoughts: Did I do enough? What could I have done differently?If only I had a little more time, maybe I could get to that next thing – whatever that thing may be. Can you relate? If you can, I feel as though a good story might help put our hearts and minds at ease.
Dottie Hayhurst is a petite efficient woman who has a knack for making things grow. Each year she works with diligence to plant her tulip bulbs in the fall. With deft determination she nimbly digs deep holes and places each bulb with great care. She considers many things: Will the colors compliment each other? How far apart should the bulbs be? Where will they get the best light? How should they be arranged so that they enhance the flagpole, the driveway, the walkway? Then she tucks them soundly into the ground, she tends to the soil, and finally she lets time do its job. By the spring her garden is just lovely. Joyful growth colors the world to celebrate spring. Dottie’s garden offers up tulips to the world as a beautiful tribute to her dedication over time. She makes the world better one tulip at a time.
A garden needs time and constant care. This is also true for teaching. Honing our craft is a slow and steady process of reflection and goal setting. There are days when students’ learning seems invisible to us. Having a vision paired with professional experience helps us understand that growth is happening below the surface. No matter how committed we are to student growth, for many children that growth happens on its own clock.
Our impact can have an opposite effect too. We can set children back, not even realizing what we’ve done if we’re not reflective. We must reconcile the challenges of our own practice and the time and development of children. Our response to that truth is to be fully present and mindful, to find ways to measure growth.
Let’s celebrate the idea that students are always becoming. Especially when they do not have the self-awareness to know this for themselves yet. Make a promise to show them all the great work they have done and will do based on all the great work they’re doing now. When we have an unwavering belief in students we are giving them what they really the most.
So as each of you look back on the 2015 -2016 school year, reflect on these questions:
How did I make my students feel about themselves?
What evidence do I have that shows I made a positive impact on their lives?
What do I know about this child as a learner?
Every child should know they are unique and are worthy of all our attention and high expectations. It’s as simple as saying, I believe in you. They need to hear this whether they are in elementary school, middle school, or high school. We are not here to “fix” children but to learn alongside them. We cannot be the teacher we hope to be in the coming school year if we are not open to learning. Learning about students is the only way to them grow. In the 2016-2017 school year, let’s make the world better…
May 19, 2016 was an especially exciting week for me at #G2Great. Maggie Beattie Roberts and Kate Roberts were the guest hosts on the #G2Great Twitter chat. Yes, they have a new book, DIY Literacy and yes they are amazing. I was especially excited because I can remember the days that Maggie would come to my office as we prepared for a day of staff development at my former school where I was the literacy coach and she was the TCRWP Staff Developer. The brilliance in Maggie’s methods comes through in this amazing book and I am honored and in awe that I was fortunate to learn from Maggie for many years as I developed as a literacy coach.
Often I watched as Maggie took each Sharpie, and carefully chose the color and drafted what to me looked like perfection as she taught us how to create what later developed into DIY Literacy Tools. Teachers followed her lead as she always shared the why behind the work. Teachers felt safe in the struggle and messiness of learning as she led us from meeting to labsites and debriefs. Teachers left with tools they created, practiced in a labsite and then went back to their own classrooms to use these tools with their own students.
As I read through the storify for the chat in preparing to write this blog, some ideas around tools emerged. Many of these ideas came together from the collective thinking that happens weekly at #G2Great while ideas coming from all that I’ve learned over the years from Maggie and the TCRWP community. It was then that the culmination of Maggie and Kate’s new book, DIY Literacy fit so well. They answer the call when we bring forth common problems in our classrooms and provide us with solutions. In our chat Maggie and Kate asked us to join with them to identify the struggles we faced but also charged us with sharing solutions. The solutions are found in the form of the DIY Literacy tools. Throughout the chat these three ideas emerged:
1) Tools help learners to understand the WHY behind what they are learning
2) Tools support students and help them to feel safe in the messy struggle of learning
3) There is true power in a Sharpie
Knowing the Why
Learners in any situation fair much better when they understand the why behind what they are learning. DIY tools such as a bookmark can give students a personal path to strategies that they can reach for easily to do the thinking and reading work that is in their Zone of Proximal Development. Other tools you’ll find in this amazing book are examples of demonstration notebooks. Demonstration notebooks are a powerhouse teaching tool, teachers can use these in small group or conferences. Micro progressions are a DIY tool that creates a learning opportunity where students can find where they are in the learning process and reach for the next available step in learning all while being able to see what is next and why each increment in learning is significant. There is real beauty in the ability to see the progression of learning through these tools as it helps the learner to understand the why behind each increment of learning.
Feeling Safe in the Messy Struggle of Learning
Just as the Google Maps app on my phone provides me with a feeling of safety and security when I am on an unknown road and heading to never before seen sights, DIY Literacy tools can help students stay on the correct route while making them feel safe. The stretch that takes place when we learn can be uncomfortable and feel like a struggle, but the tools we help to co-author with students can reduce that struggle, support the stretch and advance the learning. These tools helps to organize the messiness in learning. We should embrace the mess in learning, however if there are tools that can help to organize our learning it makes sense to welcome the mess, bid it goodbye and embrace the tools.
The Power of a Sharpie
During the chat Kate tweeted, “It really is all about the Sharpies.” There is something about those brightly colored markers, once in my hand scribbling on a blank white sheet of paper that helps me to think things through. The thinking that comes from this simple act fosters creativity for me. The process of planning out how a strategy is best demonstrated and learned becomes clear in the context of that learning in action. Working through the process allows for revisions before the teaching and learning happens, making those later opportunities successful. Planning for charts or demonstration notebook pages are perfect opportunities to take out those brightly colored markers. This makes me realize that for teachers and students alike engaging in this process helps students become metacognitive and own the process they are using when thinking. Students co-creating tools like these not only leave them with a tool to refer back to, but take them through the process and the thinking. This metacognition around process helps to make learning stick. This is how learners are able to hold onto the process in order to hold onto the learning.
Through DIY Literacy, Maggie and Kate support our efforts to identify common problems and explore solutions. The solutions are found in the pages of DIY Literacy… and teachers everywhere are answering their call.
How can we use read-aloud as a springboard to reading, writing and thinking? This was the question that sparked the first of a #G2Great four part series: Teaching With Intention Maximizing Our Instructional Power Potential. Our chat on April 21, 2016 has come and gone but I am left feeling refreshed and renewed as I begin this post. Even though educators came to this conversation from different points in their careers, everyone learns from each other. What does this plurality of thinking offer us? Clarity. It is that clarity and our ability to respond to our own questions about read-aloud that help us to maximize our professional potential.
Q1 How can we more intentionally frame read-aloud to increase student engagement in ways that maximize our instructional POWER POTENTIAL?
Takeaways: Real engagement is not show and tell, it is experience and learn:
Read-aloud energizes engagement through student interests
We elevate our students’ status and create relevant experiences
We move away from compliance towards ownership
We create readers who love to read
Q2 What do you look for when using read-aloud as a flexible instructional springboard?
Takeaways: Stories and ideas flood students thinking through read aloud:
This creates an intellectual and social context for learners
Reading aloud opens pathways for communication, to promote deeper understanding
Making room for students to talk, draw, or write is a scaffold to express abstract thinking in tangible ways
Q3 Read-aloud is a powerful framework to build language & vocabulary. What can we do to intentionally enhance those goals?
Takeaways: It is our own questions that help us to grow:
Begin by starting with texts that you love, then find out what your students love. How do we use this fertile ground to grow relationships?
Instructional planning is organized around meaning making. How do my students learn best so they can access this text?
Whenever we stop the flow of the story be mindful of the enjoyment factor. How do I use the structure of different genres to select my stopping points and demystify the author’s craft?
Build vocabulary lessons from context to allow students to practice and transfer. How can I use the classroom environment to promote transfer for all students?
Q4 Peer collaboration and sharing is a crucial aspect of read-aloud. What is your favorite approach to bring readers and books together?
Takeaways: Read-aloud is an experience that we can use to structure meaningful collaboration:
See students for who they are and let their interests drive them
Plan in options for collaborative learning
Use kidwatching to gather formative data
Q5 How can we integrate writing so the writing will elevate the academic AND emotional experience of the read-aloud?
Takeaways: When I put these tweets together it’s pure instructional magic:
Reading multiple versions of a story reveals the author’s craft so students can attempt to transfer learning to their own writing
Considering what a student decides to write about reveals their perspective to us while promoting engagement
Q6 Varied flexible reflection options after read-aloud allow us to create a more personalized experience. What options do you offer?
Takeaways: Read-aloud and reflection work hand-in-hand:
Give students options to make a choice for how to reflect: written, partners, groups
Don’t let this dynamic learning end in elementary school. Middle schoolers need instructional techniques like turn and talk to engage their reflections too
Q7 Based on #G2Great chat tonight, what is one instructional shift you will make so that your read-aloud is more intentional?
Takeaways: Teachers are willing to modify their practices based on their own learning. Professional collaboration allows us to fine tune our practices:
As I reflect on our #G2Great chat on read-aloud I am reminded how important it is to collect students’ thinking through: anecdotal note taking, reader’s notebooks, post-its, and exit slips. I use each of these things to look for patterns in their thinking. This is live data that can help me to differentiate and drive comprehension instruction with even greater intention. My collaboration with Jill DeRosa a third grade teacher in my building, elevates my thinking around keeping the child at the center of all we do, by asking the question: “Where is the child in all of this?” We responded to this questions in two recent posts, Unlocking Each Other’s Potential and You Can’t Do This Work By Yourself
Each Thursday night #G2Great teachers from all over the world come together to do the work that we need to do to become more skilled at our craft. To think about ways that will help our students thrive and grow. Thank you for helping me to think deeper and longer so that I can continue to grow my practice. As each of us grow together, it is our students who reap the benefits of our collective learning.
