Beyond Building Capacity: Sustaining New Literacy Coaches in Their Roles

March 22, 2010 – 4:17 am

As an independent literacy coach, the districts that I serve contract with me to provide coaching inside of their schools as they work to identify those who may want to assume these positions internally over time. Part of my work involves supporting potential coaches as they learn more about what this work entails and how they might approach it themselves. Over the last two years, I’ve put several different opportunities in place for those who have expressed an interest in assuming a coaching role within their districts. I’m curious to know what other literacy leaders do to ensure that new coaches are well supported as they assume and settle into their roles. Here’s what I’ve been up to…..

First, potential coaches have been invited to participate in a variety of workshop sessions aimed at helping them learn and plan strategically. Participants in these sessions have assessed their needs and shared them with me in ways that have helped to shape our conversations and study. We’ve explored a variety of different texts, shared promising instructional strategies and tools, and considered factors beyond the nuts and bolts of on-the-ground coaching itself, including a study of group dynamics, leadership, and (very) basic systems thinking.

This year, with the help of Theresa Gray at Erie 2 BOCES, we’ve also launched what is (to my knowledge) our area’s first literacy coaching forum: WNYLIT. Current and potential coaches from different school districts and with varied experience are beginning to meet and learn from one other here on a consistent basis….beginning today! We’re welcoming others in our area to join us as well. If you’re interested, drop me a line. I’m looking forward to meeting other local literacy coaches, and I’m very excited to be connecting those who are interested in beginning this work to a wider network before they make the leap.

Those that I coach are welcome to join the WNY Young Writers’ Studio as well. Our work is influenced by our fellowship with Communities for Learning: Leading Lasting Change. The CFL framework and the Dispositions of Practice guide our thinking and inform our actions in ways that workshops and training alone cannot. Two of the potential coaches that I serve are now fellows of this community as well.

Finally, potential coaches have been invited to plan, shadow and collaboratively coach with me on the job. I spent a portion of last week “co-coaching” with a fellow of the WNY Young Writers’ Studio who is interested in assuming an internal coaching position in her school district should it become available. This was beneficial in a variety of ways, and one I plan to write more about tomorrow. Do any of you engage in similar collaborative learning experiences? If so, I hope you will share your stories in the comments section below.

I’m hopeful that opportunities like these will allow those who are new to coaching a variety of diverse perspectives and multiple layers of support as they gain their footing and begin building momentum. As an independent coach, my goal is to leave the districts that I serve well poised to work independently as well. These steps are just the beginning……what else do you consider when contemplating ways to sustain new literacy coaches?

By Angela | Posted in Literacy Coaching | Tagged | Comments (0)

Facilitating Sustainable Learning Experiences

March 21, 2010 – 8:14 am

I spent the better portion of last week on Long Island, introducing Studio to junior and senior high school teachers and exploring writing instruction and practice with them in a variety of settings. Part of our work unfolded in workshop sessions, there were several conversations with diverse groups, and we spent extended time coaching in both buildings. I learned a great deal from this experience and will probably devote most of this week’s posts to what I took away and the questions that I’m left with.

One of the greatest challenges that all facilitators face is ensuring sustainable learning and work. I’m still uncertain whether this is even possible, but my fellowship with Communities for Learning has inspired me to plan for this far better than I was ever able to in the past. I embraced literacy coaching as a means to a more sustainable end several years ago, and in the process, I’m discovering that facilitating lasting learning experiences is just as challenging for coaches as it is for those lead event-based professional development. I’m realizing that sustainability has less to do with how often people are exposed to information and support and more to do with the ways in which information and support are accessed and provided.

Often, adult learners expect (even demand) “stuff.” When teachers invest a chunk of their time in professional learning, they often want to leave with some “thing” to show for it. Resources. Materials. Tools. Examples. When I consider sustainability, I struggle with this reality. I’m not certain how this helps to create lasting learning experiences. And yet……

Isn’t there a time and a place for sharing what we know in service to others who are just beginning their study or practice? Aren’t models a necessity? Doesn’t gradual release imply moments where facilitators “do” while participants “watch”?

Last week, the teachers that I worked with were exposed to the Studio writing community model directly. I shared the work of our community and what I’ve learned as a teacher, coach, and professional development provider over the years with the group as a whole. Then, they had the opportunity to assess their own needs and engage in a variety of center-based experiences aligned to them. Each center provided models, resources, and questions intended to prompt further conversation. Teachers were expected to share their own ideas, strategies, and tools. This gave me time to confer with people individually and to sit in on conversations as a listener and participant myself.

This was my effort to strike a balance between “providing teachers stuff”, engaging them in their own learning, and expecting them to share their expertise with one another. If you’d like access to the centers, you can download them here. If you have other things to add to that space, please join and share what you can. I plan to spend some time this week adding links and web resources as well. I’m going to bet that few people will do this within the wiki though–just as few people did it within the physical centers themselves.

I wonder what would have happened if each center was absent of models and “stuff”? What if teachers visited each center to engage in discourse and reflection and share what they do? How would this have changed the experience? What kind of value would have been added? What might have been lost?

By Angela | Posted in Instruction, Literacy Coaching, Professional Development, Writing Instruction | Tagged | Comments (0)

On Being Critical…..

March 15, 2010 – 7:09 am

So last week, I was planning my work with teachers in a district that is beginning to design curricula. At one point, I knew we’d be taking a peek at the draft of the new Core Standards, and I wanted to provide everyone the opportunity to highlight different aspects of the draft that they were interested in discussing together. My inclination was to show them Awesome Highlighter, a nifty little tool that allows for highlighting web pages. I have such inclinations often, as some of you well know. I’ve loved tools since preschool, when my teacher encouraged me to use finger paint to create a mural out of our classroom windows (they did this on Sesame Street too–anyone remember that one?)

ANYWAY….

I find that my love of tools has everything to do with creativity. I love making things, and I love watching what others do when they use creative tools in different and unexpected ways. I have a pretty wide circle of friends who provide me this kind of fix on a fairly regular basis—some make jewelry, others are photographers, some knit, some garden…some teach art….I know quite few writers. My husband comes from a tremendous line of fabulous cooks, (and I blame him for the fact that I am definitely NOT the Biggest Loser in the contest we tethered ourselves to this spring).

I also have friends whose creativity is fueled by the use of tech tools. It’s always been pretty clear to me that tools can actually inspire innovation and creativity. So, for as often as folks are criticized for collecting and promoting tech tools, I gotta say–I’m not yet convinced that this phenomenon is worthy of much concern.

I’m wondering if alignment is, though.

Tossing the use of Amazing Highlighter into a conversation about the new Core Standards would not have enhanced the dialogue in any way. In fact, it may have been a distraction, and it may have even overwhelmed those who are not as comfortable with the use of technology as I might be. It wasn’t aligned to our purposes. Fortunately, I ran this idea past a friend in the field whose perspective I respect, and she questioned me in ways that helped me think this through a bit more. There are quite a few people in the field who do this for me, and often, I’m asked to challenge the thinking and planning and work of others as well. This doesn’t happen in Twitter or in Ning or in the comments field of my blog, though….even though so many folks in the edublogosphere suggest that this is where conversations like this should be happening. I think this may have to do with safety.

I have to be honest….the best work that I do involves a lot of discomfort. It happens as a result of someone questioning me, challenging me, and forcing me to rethink a lot of what I thought I knew. I see some people participating in these sorts of conversations within the field online, but not many. What I do notice is quite a bit of campaigning and endorsement. Or silence. That’s not a bad thing—I’m happy to campaign for more than a few ideas and the work of quite a few thinkers and writers right here in this space. I also have a tremendous respect for silence.

Here’s what concerns me though—if these same people who are on a constant campaign are unwilling to question the very ideas, work, and perspectives they embrace (or be willing to hear it when someone else does), then the conversation only grows louder while no one is really saying or learning anything. We’re merely just adopting what others tell us is worthy without examining it in any way.

I don’t think it’s tools that do us in. I think it’s our need to be liked and our unwillingness to engage in respectful and thoughtful criticism. I think we should value tools….for what they are worth. I certainly value those who write about them online. But the conversation is much bigger than that, and so is the learning. I don’t know if the conditions are in place to truly inspire either of those things though.

This post has been rolling around in my head for a while, and it came together last night when Brian Smith was willing to engage me on a Twitter for a bit. He was reflecting on his recent trip the ASCD conference and suggested a greater need for critical consumption. This is true of so many conferences, and I wonder if we reinforce passive learning when we position presenters at the front of the room and expect them to enlighten us by telling us what they think. This is how many conferences unfold, although I know that some have taken steps to shift that model. And they unfold this way because those in attendance often demand it. It’s a lot easier (and often entertaining) to sit back, listen, and walk away with someone else’s ideas. When facilitators don’t create that sort of experience for their audience, particularly at big conferences, there is often quite a backlash. Is it possible to facilitate sessions where we aren’t merely sharing what we think we know, what we’ve done, or what we’d like to inspire others to do? I think so, but people have to want that first. And honestly? I’m not sure anyone really wants that.

Sometimes, it seems that the greatest inhibitors of this sort of change are those who call loudest for it to begin with. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched leaders push masses of people to drive change change change faster faster faster and then call ‘em all out for “doing it wrong” when they try to heed the call in ways that are deemed imperfect. Or worse…..dismiss them. I’ve been on both sides of that dynamic, incidentally. Learning is messy, right? I hope we’re all learners.

So how do we proceed? Anyone willing to share their thoughts? I think I’ve rambled long enough here……..but it’s been a while, so I hope you’ll forgive me ; )

By Angela | Posted in Networked Learning, Professional Development | Tagged , , | Comments (3)

Spaaze: A Virtual Corkboard

March 12, 2010 – 5:30 am

Fans of Wallwisher, Glogster, Virtual Whiteboard, and Stixy might want to take a peek at Spaaze. I’ve been playing around with it a bit this week….kinda fun, and I like the bookmarklet feature. Don’t know that it allows for collaboration though. Anyone know for certain?

By Angela | Posted in Web Tools | Tagged | Comments (2)

Compare and Contrast

March 10, 2010 – 9:05 pm

The newly released draft of the Common Core Standards and The National Ed-Tech Plan.

Now…synthesize?

By Angela | Posted in Curriculum Development | Tagged | Comments (0)

60 Second Recap

March 10, 2010 – 6:23 am

Resources like this stir up all sorts of questions and inspire all kinds of ideas too. I can imagine that some of the teachers that I get to work with might appreciate tools like this for what they might contribute to learning. I can also imagine that others will worry that students will use it like they often use CliffsNotes—to completely dodge texts that confuse or disinterest them.

I’m wondering how to engage students meaningfully with literature using tools like 60 Second Recap and Cliff’s Notes. Is it possible to have learners develop their own, around the texts they enjoyed and understood the most, so that others could learn from them? Would it be a good thing if users were invited to contribute their own works to these sites? Or is it enough to allow or even invite students to make use of them as-is, in order to enrich the meaning they are creating?

Apps that include Cram Plans have the English teacher in me recoiling–I’ll admit it. Perhaps it makes more sense for me to consider the potential and the possibility of the things that feel most threatening, though. The reality is that these tools exist, they aren’t going away, and kids are using them. Maybe we could make that work for all of us in better ways. I don’t know. At the very least, it challenges all of us to design learning experiences that transcend the meaning that can be distilled from resources like these. After all, they are out there and more accessible than ever. What are your thoughts?

By Angela | Posted in Instruction, Web Tools | Tagged | Comments (1)

Congratulations: Your Standardized Test Scores Improved!

March 9, 2010 – 2:42 pm

So……now what? Seriously. Scores have improved in many of our local schools over the last several years. What does that even mean anyway?

If all of the professional development initiatives teachers have been a part of, all of the learning community work they’ve participated in, and every formative assessment they’ve “given” students inside of classrooms was heavily motivated by a thirst for improved student performance on tests of any kind…..what will happen now that this vision has been realized?

Yeah.

I’m thinking it’s hard to sustain teacher and student learning when all learning becomes about performance.

Also, I’m wondering what happens when the test disappears? Where does our confidence come from then? How will everyone measure success?

A few weeks ago, I was listening to an interview relevant to the recession. The speaker was discussing the long term effects of the state we are in—the fact that incredibly competent people have lost jobs that they will not be able to return to in five or ten years. Not because jobs in their field won’t be there (although some certainly may not be)….but because they will no longer have the capacity to do the work that they were once so incredibly skilled at, because they’ve been away from it for far too long.

This is my fear for those teachers who are working hard to do what is right for their students. Those teachers who are driven by test scores, mandated to march carefully through textbooks and manuals, and judged by whether or not they completed the district required workshop on something they don’t have value for. We aren’t simply silencing and disrespecting them. We are crippling them, and we’re crippling ourselves and students in the process.

Honoring people where they are at, embracing slow change, and allowing teachers and students to lead the way isn’t merely about “garnering buy in” or making people “feel” valuable so we can get them to follow our agenda. It’s about having enough intellectual humility to realize that maybe we don’t have all of the answers and maybe the most meaningful answers aren’t simply about student performance. Maybe they’re also about capitalizing on our collective and very distinct expertise for the good of all. Maybe they’re also about nurturing and sustaining teacher capacity….and enthusiasm…..and morale. Doing business this way might mean that people aren’t going to agree with us. It might mean that they move slower than we would like them to down paths we didn’t carve for them. But when we’re gone? They’ll know how to drive and they’ll know where they are going. Not because someone told them, but because they were trusted and truly valued.

Ironically, I’m wondering if this might have a positive influence on performance in the long run…….

By Angela | Posted in Assessment, Learning Communities, Motivation, Professional Development | Tagged | Comments (0)

Aimee Mullins: The Opportunity of Adversity

March 8, 2010 – 7:29 pm

In recent weeks, I’ve been spending nearly as much time writing with kids as I have been working with teachers, and let me tell you–this is good for the soul. Particularly when I’m given the space and time to really get to know who these kids are and the gifts they bring. I’ve been teaching in some capacity for 18 years now. I can’t see myself ever giving this up, and some how, I’ve managed to find a way to work with students and teachers and administrators and often, support staff as well. I hear a lot of stories, and I find myself humbled on an almost hourly basis anymore. So, last week I had a bit of an epiphany, and I thought it might be worth sharing here. Particularly because it’s March and spirits tend to run a bit low while tensions run high.

I had the opportunity to work with a talented and fairly diverse group of middle school writers this month. I was facilitating part of a new WNY Young Writers’ Studio residency, and the purpose of this particular session was to support kids in establishing a vision and a purpose for their work as writers. One of those writers was a wicked smart young man with an affinity for math and science. His teacher invited him to hang out with us for the day even though he didn’t define himself as a writer (or maybe because he didn’t define himself as a writer). She did this despite the hefty dose of discouragement she received from others who were convinced he wouldn’t enjoy the day or find it valuable……because he is autistic.

At day’s end, this boy handed me a beautifully articulated vision of the writer he longs to be. He told me that his writing will make a significant contribution to the field of science. He told me that it will open people’s eyes and make them aware of things they did not realize before. He spoke plainly, as if it were already so. And I believe him. I know his teachers do too. Why? Because this kid is not only wicked smart…he has mad writing skills to boot.

It’s March. And in March, it’s easy to lose your faith a bit. The mountains we’re climbing suddenly seem higher, and the work to be done often feels harder. This experience was a good reminder of this simple truth: when we simply create room for what is possible rather than spending all of our energy running interference in the name of “serving kids well” we realize that many of them are already doing some pretty phenomenal thinking and learning and planning…..without our help. When we expect great things from people and withhold judgment, they often deliver. And when they do, we can learn a lot from them. And that’s more than enough to keep me going in March.

Want your own shot of inspiration? We took in this TED Talk at Communities for Learning last week. It raises some important questions about ability, disability, and the assumptions we make about those who face adversity. Timely….and worth your time.

By Angela | Posted in Inspiration, People, WNY Young Writers' Studio | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Aligning Writing Purposes With Powerful Tools: Digital Storytelling

March 3, 2010 – 6:00 am

Some of the middle and high school writers I’m working with this year have just begun researching what digital storytelling is and how they might begin crafting their own stories. There are so many different ways to approach this and an abundance of fantastic resources available online for those interested in doing so. Rather than presenting students with one definition of what digital storytelling is or leading them through a distinct set of steps in the creation of one, I’ve invited them to begin defining their purposes as writers and researching what is possible. This is slower. Their process is far less clean than it would be if I were directing them through a series of steps. I think we’re learning more in the process though, and I’ve come to value the importance of taking our time as learners. Quality over quantity. That sort of thing. This applies to the writing process as well as our use of technology tools. I’m not interested in having students produce digital stories at this time. I’m interested in supporting writers in their discovery of purpose. Those whose purposes are best supported by digital storytelling have begun researching the possibilities and making informed decisions. Creation will come later, and when it does, I’m hopeful that the work that emerges will have greater relevance not only for each writer but for the audiences they hope to influence. I’m also hopeful that the research and discovery phase we’re currently in will empower writers in ways that transcend the application of specific tools or elements of craft….I’m hopeful that they will gain critical thinking skills and experience growth in their dispositions as well. Silvia Rosenthal Tolisano shares her expertise with digital storytelling here. I appreciate the way she defines storytelling as a powerful teaching strategy and explores purpose with depth. How do you use story in your teaching and as a learner? How do your students use story in their teaching and learning?

Need support around the nuts and bolts of digital storytelling? She has also made this resource available for free:

By Angela | Posted in Instruction, Web Tools, Writing Instruction | Comments (4)

Making Curriculum Pop

March 2, 2010 – 6:00 am

I’ve been spending more time in nings  than anywhere else online over the last long stretch of time. Some of my favorites include the English Companion ning, Working Together 2 Make a Difference, and the WNY Young Writers’ Studio ning. This weekend, I stumbled upon another place that you might consider visiting as well. Making Curriculum Pop is a community for those interested in teaching with or about pop culture. Some interesting conversations unfolding over there, including one started by Eric Kursman, who wondered aloud how music remixes and mashups might complement a study of found poetry.

By Angela | Posted in Learning Communities, Networked Learning, Places | Tagged | Comments (0)