literacy.coach

Reading and Writing Workshop: Conferring Notes

Last week, I had the chance to sit down with a teacher who wanted help in getting a foolproof notetaking system for reading and writing workshop together before school starts.  This teacher is incredibly well-intentioned, and I was so excited to help her.  However, our meeting turned into somewhat of an intervention, as it was difficult for her to accept my point of view that there really is no one, foolproof notetaking system out there! 

Here's the truth:  the best system is the one that works for you--the one that allows you to look back over your conversations with kids and plan meaningful instruction going forward.  For some, it's post-its or labels that are later placed in a binder with a section for each kid.  Others use a simple spiral or composition notebook, maybe with tabs for each kid, maybe not.  Some teachers have elaborate binders that help them accomplish the work they need to do.  But in the end, none of it means much if it doesn't help you plan for your kids needs, and what works for you may be useless to me.

Over the years, I've tried lots of different ways of keeping notes for reading and writing conferences.  The truth is, I've revised it every year, sometimes a few times within a year.  As I've learned more, my systems have grown and changed.  For me, they've actually become simpler over time.  I think that as my understanding of how kids learn to read and write has grown, I've needed fewer bells and whistles in the notebook to keep me anchored to what I need to accomplish.

So what's the best advice I can give to a new teacher, or one who is working on becoming more consistent or efficient with keeping conferrring notes?  Here are the key things to keep in mind when coming up with your system:

• Something is better than nothing:  We all think that we can keep it in our heads, but the truth is that having some notes about your reading and writing conversations with kids can only help you have an even more effective conference or strategy lesson the next time around.  We also know that in this age of accountability, it's good to be able to come to the table with lots of information.  Conferring notes are solid bits of formative data about kids. 
• If you won't use it, don't bother:  Don't spend hours making a lovely notebook like the teacher down the hall who scrapbooks in her spare time if you won't use it.  Get yourself a notebook at Target or Staples and keep it simple.   Alternatively, if you won't use it unless it's pretty and you love it, then have at it! 
• Remember your purpose:  This conferring notebook is to inform your instruction.  Important stuff like dates, names, book titles, guided reading levels, what the student is doing well and what you taught him/her are the bones of it.  These important bits should help you keep on top of your kids' needs and plan going forward.
• You'll make one you like better next time:  Just get started, because you'll find out from there what you like and don't like and you'll improve upon it next time around
• Don't spend time making something for the entire year that you've never tried:  There's nothing worse than investing hours in something, only to find that it isn't useful.  I suggest making a notebook that will last through your first marking period.  If you love it, add to it.  If not, you can refine it for the next marking period.

In the end, this teacher and I came up with a fairly simple system for her to get started with this fall, with a few ideas on the back-burner that she may add if need be.  I myself am in the process of getting my new-and-improved coaching binder together this summer as well.  Since it's only my second year as a coach, I'm making lots of changes based upon what worked and didn't work last year, and I think it was comforting for this teacher to know that I'm in the same boat!

Reading and Writing Workshop: The First Month

The warp-speed nature of running a two week summer school program has got me thinking about how we as teachers and coaches begin the year and get our workshops up and running.  In a matter of one half day, it was so gratifying to see the teachers I'm working with this summer establish routines and expectations for our most at-risk students in a workshop enironment.  I think that it speaks to the success of our district in implementing the workshop model, in that these K-2 students clearly understand how workshop goes, and are able to fall right into the routines with a new teacher and group of peers.

So how do teachers do this successfully during the first month of school, particularly those who are maybe not as fortunate as we are to have students coming to us for whom the routines are old hat?  While each teacher certainly has their own style and bag of tricks, my own personal experience (from the perspective of both a classroom teacher and a coach) is that those who are most successful at getting things up and running well are those who recognize the value of practicing routines to support student independence in the workshop until the students get it completely.  Even if it takes the first 20 days of school.

This doesn't mean that the first month of school is about routines and routines alone, at the expense of solid reading and writing instruction.  What it means is that these teachers see that without routines to support student independence, all of the fabulous minilessons and instruction in the world won't have the same positive impact on student learning.  Bottom line:  If my conferring is constantly interrupted to remind other students what the expectations are, my conferring is not as meaningful.  In a nutshell, the process of solidifying routines and expectations for student independence is like money in the bank.  And if we ignore this important aspect of starting a workshop in our classrooms, we will spend a great deal of time feeling frustrated and unsuccessful with our instruction.

I think that there are a number of issues that can often get in the way of this happening in classrooms.  Frequently, external pressure from administration or curricular pacing calendars can make teachers feel like they're playing beat the clock.  Thus, spending time to really practice with students how to retrieve the necessary materials to get started quickly, or what their role in a conference is, or what to do when they think their done before workshop is over, and on and on, can feel like a waste when there are so many other teaching points more specific to reading/writing process to get to. 

Teachers also put this pressure on themselves (Hello!  Can you say Type A?!), wanting so much to quickly get to the heart of the reading and writing instruction they've planned, yet ultimately feeling frustrated about workshop management when students are not independent.  In addition, a lot of teachers have not had any PD around this aspect of reading and writing workshop, yet are expected to run workshops smoothly.  Finally, there are the new teachers who will just simply need support and guidance as they move through all of the milestones of that first year of teaching, and will often have to make those first-timer mistakes that we've all made.

Just before school ended this year, I had the opportunity to sit down with a group of teachers and map out a good chunk of those first few weeks.  We functioned with the notion of building student independence at the forefront of our planning, while at the same time making sure that everything we did that first month would be around hooking student interest and investment in the workshop with rich reading and writing experiences.  This was the first time that I had ever thought about making those plans before summer.  Typically, we're all so tired and feel like all of that can wait until August, and maybe for some that's true.  However, walking away from the year with several weeks worth of plans felt great, and I think that it has made room for us to spend time on other important things come August that often get moved to the back burner as the clock runs out on summer break.  I'll report back in the fall about how it goes.

What are some of the ways that you build student independence in your reading/writing workshops?  How does your first month in workshop play out?  I'd love to compile a toolbox of tips and routines for our readers, so feel free to comment and share your smart thinking!

Drowning in Developmental Spelling Inventories

For the next couple of weeks, I'm supervising our district's summer school program for struggling readers.  I'm thrilled to be working with a fantastic group of teachers, and so far things have gotten off to a smooth start.  The kids seem to have settled in to their new routine, and, as I walk through the halls and hear these amazing teachers working with their new classes, I feel inspired and lucky to work in my district.  That they are capable of working at such a high level in the absence of air conditioning only makes them bigger heroes in my book!

One of the things that we wanted to accomplish over these two weeks was to give these teacher-leaders an opportunity to get some hands on experience with the new word study assessment we will be using this coming year as part of our word study pilot.  I mentioned a while back that we will be trying out Kathy Ganske's Word Journeys, and this week we're already knee deep in trying out the assessment portion of the program.

The assessment has two parts:  a screening, and then a more specific assessment that looks more deeply at the heart of what a given student needs to work on with regard to word study.  I'm learning about it alongside the teachers, and so far we are not passing judgment on whether or not we like it.  The screening is very straightforward, and the second assessment has a few more steps and tricks to it that could maybe get confusing.  However, after going through scoring one, I think we've all got the hang of it.  Tomorrow we'll finish scoring, so that we can move on to appropriate instruction for the remainder of the summer school program. 

As murky as it feels right now,the teachers have been so open to it, and I can't wait to see them shine in the fall when they become the coaches to their teamates in how to do this work.  I also love, love, love being in the position of a learner alongside them.

Check back for more on the topic when we've had the chance to go beyond the assessment and sink our teeth into the instruction aspect of the program!

What Day is It?!

I finally noticed that I had truly given in to being on vacation a few days ago, when I realized that I had absolutely no idea what day it was.  This process of renewal is so essential to us as teachers and coaches.  When we give ourselves over to our jobs for ten months of the year so intensely, major rest and relaxation are required in order to build up those reserves for September.

We all have different ways of accomplishing this.  For my husband (also a teacher), he just literally forgets about school and throws himself into the new pace of keeping up with our kids, sleeping in, and expertly planning our many road trips.  I envy his ability to turn off the switch so quickly, as it takes me a couple of weeks to shed the year and give myself over to a slower pace.  Oddly, I sometimes find myself going through a funky period those first few days, where having my routine pulled out from under me leaves me feeling a bit off.  I've come to anticipate this after many years, and very conciously create a new sort of routine for myself to ease in to summer.  This is the first year that my planning for the transition has paid off.  The reward?  Having no clue what day it is.  Fantastic.

What does this all have to do with coaching, or teaching reading and writing?  Over the past couple of weeks I've been devouring books--no professional ones at this point in the summer, only novels I've been waiting to have the time to read.  I finished a book last night and burst into tears because it was so lovely, and I didn't want to say goodbye to the characters yet.  So, the analogy for me is this:  giving myself over to summer feels very similar to the feeling I get when I'm completely lost in a book.  I'm in the story, in the moment.  The contradiction for me is that I have to work at this in the moment stuff:  create my routine, make sure to go to the gym, eat well, nap if I can, play like crazy with my kids, hang out with my husband.  But I often lose this during the school year when the pace picks up.  So I hope to take this lesson with me not only through this summer, but into the school year.  Be in the story, in the moment.

And, well, ok--I admit it.  Like every other Type A teacher out there on their beach towel somewhere, I have plans to re-read many of these texts, reading notebook and post-its in hand for use in reading and writing workshop next year.  Even when fully engulfed in these lovely moments, I do see much with the eyes of a teacher.

But for now, that can wait...

Happy Summer!

Yesterday, the halls fell silent as the last of the kiddos left the building, hopefully off to spend a summer filled with lots of great books.  Today is the faculty's last day, and I find myself packing up my stuff and moving to a more permanent home in one of the schools I've been working in this year.

Being split between two buildings has been both a gift and a challenge.  As a first year literacy coach, the opportunity to get my feet wet in two very different places has given me a crash course in thinking on my feet and being adaptable, two things I'm very grateful for.  That said, building relationships and trust, the heart of what all we coaches do, has been challenging.  Just when I felt like I was making headway with a teacher or a team, I'd have to rush off to the other school, leaving teachers to wonder if I could be counted on to support them consistently.  I cringe when I think of the number of times I've had to cancel a meeting with a teacher because of a pressing need across town.  The move means I get to put down roots, and has me excited and motivated for next fall.

In the meantime, I've got a stack of books a mile high on my bedside table that I can't wait to dig into.  Despite our constant reminders to students about reading every day, I find that hard to do as an adult with work and children and coursework of my own.  It means that I read in fits and starts, devouring a book in a weekend and then not cracking one again for a month or so.  Summer on the beach with a bag of books is just heaven, and I plan to use that time forcing myself to do some of the work we ask of students, so that I can better support teachers in the fall with the deep comprehension strategies and skills they need to teach.  I may even try a Reader's Notebook as well (although my kids' pressing need for sunscreen and someone to jump the waves with them will always come first!).

I hope you'll check back as the summer unfolds for more on summer reading and, later, planning for the fall.  Happy Summer!

Stay Tuned...

We began this blog as a project for a post-grad class, never in a million years expecting it to go beyond the borders of our seminar, or last beyond the last day of the semester.  Three months later, not only have we learned the ins and outs of Blogging 101, but we've pushed ourselves to do just what we want the students in our schools to do--write to learn.  We can't believe we're actually going to keep it going... 

That said, our Saturday Literacy Roundup has fallen a bit by the wayside as the weather turns brighter (and we choose planting begonias instead...), but we remain inspired and energized by the process that brought us to a place on the Internet where we could share our ideas and thinking with other coaches out there who are plugging away at this difficult but rewarding job.  So, in the next few weeks, stay tuned for posts on student summer reading, struggling readers, closing up for the year, professional reading for the summer, and ways to take stock of this year in order to plan for September. 

In the meantime, we can't think of a better workshop-inspired teacher-blog out there for you to peruse than Two Writing Teachers.  Ruth is a thoughtful and inspired coach.  Stacy is the kind of dedicated teacher a coach dreams of working with, and, more importantly, a parent can only hope her child will have the good fortune of having someday.  They inspire us always with their reflective process and dedication to the craft of growing literate people, one workshop at a time.  

Please check them out, and check back on us regularly as the summer unfolds.  Happy end of year to all! 

More Word Study

As mentioned in our last post, word study is a hot topic for us at the moment.  Balanced literacy and reading and writing workshop are the heart of our curriculum, so being thoughtful about how a word study program meshes philisophically with this model is our number one priority.  At the end of the day, we have to balance all of this with supporting our teachers with implementing a new program that is manageable for them, at the same time that it meets the needs of all of our students.  This is a tall order, when teachers are already working so hard to differentiate with a wide range of learners. 

Interestingly, despite all of the changes to the landscape of being a classroom teacher over the past few years, our teachers are beyond excited at the prospect of addressing this gap in our curriculum.  I see this as an excellent coaching opportunity--they actually want me in their classrooms to help them pilot this new piece of the puzzle next year?!  You've got it.

I'm approaching this challenge with an open mind and a great deal of interest.  Graduate school in the 90's for me was all about "whole language", and phonics was a dirty, dirty word.  I learned very little in my coursework about supporting struggling readers with word-solving strategies.  What I know about this aspect of teaching reading is based purely on experience, lots and lots and lots of professional reading, and strong relationships with the special education teachers I've worked side-by-side with over the years.  So I'm gathering my summer reading resources to get my head around this in terms of content and practice, and I'm planning from a coaching angle in terms of systems and supports that I can put in place to help my teachers feel successful with this process.

Currently on my bedside table are the old standby:  Marie Clay's An Observation Survey, as well as Sound Systems by Anna Lyon and Paula Moore.  In addition, I'm devouring the resources we will be using next year:  Kathy Ganske's Word Journey's and some resources from Words Their Way.  I'm looking forward to sitting in my yard, watching my own little guys run through the sprinkler, and planning for a productive year of learning and teaching together with my colleagues.

Word Study

We were busy enjoying the spring weather this weekend, so no Saturday Literacy Roundup this week.  End of year madness is in full swing for us in the coaching department at the moment.  As we've mentioned in previous posts, attention has shifted dramatically to thoughts about next year. 

In particular, our district is in the midst of exploring curricular changes around Word Study.  Lots of research and materials have been combed through, and lots of conversations have been buzzing.  We'll share more at a later date, but for now we'd love to hear about the word study programs others are fond of out there.  On the table for us are Words Their Way and Word Journeys, with a more systematic program (potentially) for our real strugglers.

This is an interesting path to wander down when you're a district that embraces the workshop model.  So much of what's out there feels philisophically at odds, yet we see a gap in our curriculum that needs filling.  What's worked for your kids?  What's been successful for your teachers in terms of implementation?

End of Year Planning

With 20-something days of school left, we're in high gear with wrapping things up and planning for the fall--ordering supplies, figuring out what we'll tweak to make it more effective, etc.  One of the things that we want very much to accomplish in the next couple of weeks is to put together a study group "menu" for next year so that teachers have the opportunity to sign up now, and we have a sense of what to plan for in advance.  This smart idea is straight out of Jennifer Allen's Becoming a Literacy Leader.

The big themes in our district this year are primarily the role of small group instruction in reading and writing workshop, Professional Learning Communities, and a focus on formative assessment.  We have a few books in mind for study groups, but we'd love to hear what other coaches and teachers are using in the way of resources for these or other topics.  Feel free to comment on your thinking and ideas!

Coaching Poll

One of the biggest questions in the job of a Literacy Coach is how to build relationships that allow you to get in to classrooms and work with teachers on their practice.  Some simply go where they're wanted, others are assigned by administration to work with teachers.  This typically works well if assigned to new teachers, but can be a challenge with veteran teachers who may not want your support, thank you very much!  For coaches and teachers out there, how does it work in your school?  Please comment and share--we'd love to have a sense of the policy in your school, as well as how well you think this system works.