literacy.coach

Great PD for Coaches

While I will be frozen in the snow of New England in January, you may be lucky enough to head off to Seattle for what I'm sure will be an amazing opportunity to learn more about this job of ours and how to do it better.  Check out K-12 Literacy Coach for details on Katherine Casey's upcoming workshops.  I am a huge admirer.  And if you don't have her book already (see sidebar), treat yourself this holiday season.

It's About the Kids...

Building relationships with teachers and being welcomed into classrooms is essential if we are to be able to do our jobs at all, let alone do them well.  Depending upon how your school or district views and approaches the role of Literacy Coaches, this basic building block will come more readily, or be excruciatingly challenging for you.  Some of us are waiting to be invited in, and that's the way the Principal wants it to happen.  Others are thrust upon teachers by their administrators, and, well, we know how that probably goes...

So I went to a coaching workshop recently where I took away all sorts of great tips and smart thinking, but the big one for me was the notion of angling your approach with teachers around the kids.  Duh.  So I tried it.  I approached Teacher X about coming in to his classroom to observe the students performing below grade level in order to get a sense of how I can help to move them forward.  Not him--them.  I didn't just ask if I could come in and help him (Why? I don't need help!) like I've tried in the past.  And he said yes!  And I went in.  And we talked later about what the kids were doing and what he might adjust to support them more productively (!).  And he was excited and open and didn't give me the hand!  And he's going to let me come back... 

If this seems really obvious to you seasoned pros out there, I'm begging you to think back to a time when you might have had this same "Aha!" moment.  I'm likening my inability to see this obvious way in with teachers to the way a new teacher is so caught up in his/her bulletin board, or making sure all of the permission slips for the field trips are in, that the finer points around instruction are still somewhere on the horizon, still growing and forming. 

I'm also thinking that this feels right.  Instead of banging my head against the wall and getting nowhere because I'm having trouble "fixing" teachers, I feel like I can actually make a difference for kids in this way.  After all, isn't that why we all became teachers?

Time

We all need there to somehow be more of it, right?  I feel as though I've been sucked into some sort of school-centered vortex, where the rest of the parts of my life just sit and wait for the ride to be over.  This was exactly what I planned to avoid this year, yet I can't help but thinking it's a losing battle, and that surrendering to it might just give me peace.  The reality is, educators run at warp speed for 10 months, and have the other 2 to reflect, decompress, and prepare themselves for the marathon of the next year.  We do have time, it's just not given in measured bits, allowing us to refuel with regularity.  I think I just need to learn to accept it.

So what goes on in the life of a marathoning Literacy Coach during the first 2 months of school?  Between data analysis, assessments, starting up intervention programs, meeting with teams of teachers in PLCs and supporting teachers in classrooms with our ever-evolving curriculum, life is very busy.  Lately, I'm seeing a parallel between the beginning of the school year and being a first time mother.  Those first days are a whirlwind--murky and soupy and messy.  And then you fall into a routine one day, and you realize that you can finally look up and see the rest of the world again.  That's where I am right now. 

So what is helping me accept the organic nature of the way time works on the Planet School?  Believe it or not, my old-fashioned plan book seems to be doing the trick for me this year.  I've tried all manner of fancy planning tools, from the electronic to the sticker-covered to the color-coded, all of which left me feeling that time was spiraling out of control, out of my reach.  Somehow, this familiar, simple tool is allowing me to feel like I have control over my time.  When overwhelmed and asked to take on another task, I simply pull it out and it's all right there in #2 pencil--nope, can't do it.  See right there?  I have this other thing.  But then I can turn the page(s) and find a place--a place that works for me and feels manageable.  Somehow, when powering up my PDA, it all felt like vapo, and I couldn't get a hold on it.

The lesson?  Accepting and welcoming the reality of time in my profession might do wonders for my state of mind.  I'll let you know how it goes.

Sharing the Literacy Love

I am beyond proud to have been "hearted" by Karen and Bill over at Literate Lives.  I only wish I were worthy, given that it's taken me weeks to share the love!  That said, there are a number of blogs I adore, all of which I think have been previously "hearted" but....I'm going to list you anyway, because who doesn't need a little extra love right now?

Here are the rules:

1) Add the logo of the award to your blog.
2) Add a link to the person who awarded it to you.
3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4) Add links to those blogs on your blog.
5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs!

Here are some blogs I dig:

1.  A Year of Reading

2.  Carol's Corner

3.  Hello First Grade

4.  The Boy Reader

5.  The Miss Rumphius Effect

6.  Coaching Chronicles

7.  Two Writing Teachers

If you are all in the thick of it like I am right now, a little cyber-love can go a long way.  These are all educators I admire and read regularly--I hope you'll do the same.

Time in the Classroom

I looked back over my past few posts this morning, and must say that I feel pretty decent about where I am right now in relation to the goals and plans I had for this year.  I've had that meeting with my principal about setting her priorities for coaching, I've got a schedule set up that balances coaching and intervention needs, and, most importantly, I've made great strides in keeping family my number one priority.  

You would think that this would free me up for the in-class time with kids I've spoken about really missing in the past, right?  Sometimes.  And believe me, it's the work that makes me happiest.  But the truth is, there are district and school-level responsibilites that come with this job that pull me all over the place sometimes--meetings, professional development planning, conferences to attend, etc.  I'm just not sure that I can do it all.

For the moment, I'm dedicated to my extra commitment in the one classroom I spoke about last time, and I'm loving the relationship I'm building with that teacher's kids.  In fact, I have to say that little pangs of wondering what going back to the classroom would be like are beginning to pop up.  Does anyone else out there ever feel this way? 

Blurry

I mentioned recently that I felt that a good deal of my time last year was spent telling teachers what my job wasn't (read:  no, I won't take over your reading workshop so that you can correct papers), as opposed to what it actually is.  The reality that there is no perfect description of what a literacy coach does became very clear, very quickly.  But at the heart of it all, the relationships, rapport and trust that you build with teachers can be grown in many different ways.  Sometimes, I think that means doing a few things to make teachers lives a little easier, even if they don't feel like the things that you're supposed to be doing.

For me, right now this means lending a hand in a particular teacher's classroom.  This teacher has been somehow blessed with the majority of struggling readers on his grade level, and is currently pretty overwhelmed.  As I spend some time supporting this teacher with a lot of the beginning of the year stuff that needs to happen, including some assessment, a very wise colleague is suggesting that perhaps I'm setting a precedent that I may not want to set.  I've thought about this.  I really have.  And while in theory, I know she's probably right, my gut tells me it's the right thing to do.  In the end, I think I have it in me to set boundaries when they need to be set, and help someone when I see them struggling--I think I can do both.   

What a Difference a Year Makes

A year ago, you would have found me and my (also new) colleague, slipping out the back door of the school midday to catch a breath of fresh air.  Not because it was a particularly lovely day.  We had no idea what kind of day it was.  It could have been a snowstorm in September for all we would have noticed.  We actually needed air, because we literally couldn't breathe we were so overwhelmed. 

And then, if you happened upon us out there, behind the school on the playground trying to catch our breath, you also would have seen us crying,  Yup, that's what I said.  SOBBING.  How did I go from an experienced, competent teacher, to someone who was crying in secret on the playground because she felt so unsure and overwhelmed?  This was the question I asked myself all year. 

Cut to today, as the two of us met with some other coaches to talk through some planning and such, and you would have seen us sharing our thinking, questioning, asking for help, offering it where we could, etc.  If you were Marley and I were Scrooge, I wouldn't recognize the ghost of my former crying self, floundering around in this undefined sea that is Literacy Coaching.

I'm exhausted like I was, I'm buried in work already like I was, but a year in feels really good.  I wish I had it in me to share something of practical value this evening, but all I have is some hope for those of you who are new at this out there.  Know that it will get better.  You will feel competent again.  I promise.

Literacy Coach in Need of Help

Blogging is relatively new to me, and this blog is barely six months old.  So imagine my excitement when I found that I could go on to that nifty little Feedjit link over there on your right, and see, in real time, where readers are coming and going from, and what search terms they may have used to find us.  Way cool.  I had no idea that they had Literacy Coaches in Hong Kong and Brazil, but apparently they do!  It's also inspiring to see that people are using search terms like "first 20 days of reading workshop" and "literacy coach and word study" and finding our tiny spot in the blogosphere.  When my colleague and I started this blog, connecting with other coaches and sharing our ideas and experiences was our primary goal, and it's gratifying to know that somewhere out there our cyber-colleagues may be getting something out of our ramblings.

Then yesterday, I clicked over and found that someone had come our way via Google after searching "help for tired literacy coach".  My heart sank.  Because you know what?  That was me in June.  I was exhausted from trying to build enough trust with teachers to have an impact, trying to please administrators, and trying to balance it all with making my family and myself happy.  The summer was my ticket to recharging my battery and filling up my tank for the year that is about to begin.  A year where I can (hopefully) do it better than last. 

So when I read this, my heart sank for this person out there who is starting the year with his or her tank on empty.  If you are out there today reading this, I want to share with you a few things I intend to do differently this year to hopefully fend off that feeling of desperation:

1. Let my principal set the priorities:  Last year, I took it all on, whether it was a priority or reasonable or whatever.  I was jack of all trades, master of none.  This year, I am sitting down with my principal and letting her set the agenda for the year.  Which grade levels or teachers am I focusing on?  Which classrooms are most important to you in terms of where I spend my time?  Between these directives and other school and district responsibilities, my schedule will be full enough without me thinking that I can be all things to all people.

2. Leave work as early as reasonably possible:  I intend to be as efficient as possible in order to leave work at the end of the day in time to get to my son's soccer practices and music lessons, etc.  Feeling overwhelmed last year, I found myself there until all hours, doing work that I didn't necessarily need to do at that exact moment, and I missed a lot of important stuff with my kids.  Not this year.  This dovetails nicely with #1.

3. Make family and personal life my number one priority: Last year I was the eager volunteer.  Something extra?  Sure!  I'l do it!   This left me feeling drained and left little energy for what's most important in life:  my family.  This year, I will weigh the pros and cons of volunteering for committees and such before raising my hand.  If it's going to take too much of a toll, I'm out. (see # 2!)

4. Continue to build relationships with my teachers and the students:  I spent a lot of time last year telling teachers what my job wasn't, rather than rolling up my sleeves and getting my hands dirty with them.  Despite this, I feel like I sowed some hearty seeds to tend this year, and I'm looking forward to doing what I think is my number one job:  helping teachers so that student performance improves.  Getting my kid-fix will also help to quell those feelings of missing the classroom so much.

So, Tired Literacy Coach in Need of Help, I hope this helps you even just a little bit.  Please come back throughout the year and share how things are going.  I'll certainly be reporting on the progress of my own Project Keep the Gas Tank Full, and look forward to hearing from everyone else about how they keep from losing steam as well.

Transitions and Transformations

I don't know about you, but I'm not wild about transitions.  In June, I'm chomping at the bit for summer and my freedom, only to find myself floundering like a fish out of water without routine and structure.  Then, come this time of year, I'm desperate to hold on to these last days of late sunsets and nights out on the patio with my family, watching our boys proudly swinging back and forth on the monkey bars and fending off mosquitos with every citronella candle we can get our hands on.

This morning, as we've been making plans for our last summer weekend before my husband I return to school, I've begun to think about the children that will be in our ( and our teachers') care the day after Labor Day, as well as my own boys who have become used to sleeping in and taking their time getting going in the mornings.  What can I do to ease this transition for all of us, so that Back to School can become that time of excitement and anticipation I used to feel?  How will this year be different for me and for the teachers I work with? 

My grandmother used to take us to Bradley's on our way home from a summer at the Cape.  The pit in my stomach quickly disappeared when we got back in the car with our shiny new (Scooby Doo, Space 1999) lunchboxes and began the journey home towards fall and school.  When it comes to my boys, keeping them busy and active and easing back in to the school year bedtime rituals they've come to rely on is the route we take (new lunchboxes and backpacks don't hurt either).  And those lovely children who both eagerly and anxiously sit before us when we begin that first read aloud on that first day of school are in need of just the same thing.  Things may be new, some things are different, but we can make it predictable and comforting and exciting and special for them, too.  

Last year, my first as a Literacy Coach, I was still transitioning from the mindset of a classroom teacher.  I thought about how all of the teachers I work with would get things up and running, how we would get all of our screening assessments done, and what I would need to do to get myself started for the year.  I was sad that I wasn't getting a classroom ready and nervous about the unknown.  I wanted to go to the store and buy all of the notebooks and folders and special groovy stuff I usually got for my students to start the year, but I suddenly didn't need to do any of that anymore.  I didn't know what I needed, as a matter of fact.  I'll be honest--the teachers needs and feeling were on my mind, but the overwhelmingness of doing something new really put me at the top and them at the bottom. 

This year, I've got my bearings.  I still have a boatload to learn, but I realized this morning that what I really needed to do this year was to think of my teachers the way I used to think of my students.  What can I do to ease their transition?  How can I make them feel comfortable with new initiatives and expectations?  Who might need a little extra, and how can I arrange my schedule to make that happen?  How can I make this work joyful in the wake of state tests and mandates?  Tonight, we'll light what's left of our mosquito candles and hope to squeeze as many laps of monkey bars in as we can over the next week.  Then tomorrow I'll head off to Target for notebooks and treats to hopefully brighten the transition for the amazing educators I work with. 

If you are a new Literacy Coach reading this, wondering what in God's name you've gotten yourself into, and floating around the teacher store confused about what you will even need in your new role, you are not alone.  By definition, your transition will move you from one place to another, and, over time, you will (I promise) transform into a Literacy Coach, just as you became a teacher at some point in time.  In the meantime, buy yourself a new lunchbox (or outfit, book, binder--whatever floats your boat...) and enjoy the butterflies in your stomach that mark this time of year.  I may be biting my nails and waking up in the middle of the night going over my "to do" list throughout the entire transition, but I wouldn't want it any other way. 

Graphic Novel Jackpot!

I can't tell you how many of the primary grades teachers I work with were begging back in June for ideas for graphic novels that would be appropriate for their students.  Our Library Media Specialist and I combed through Titlewave to find what we could, but I can wait to get back to school and share the treasure I found over at A Year of Reading this morning.  Franki and Mary Lee rock.