A Year of Practicum Work

As the year comes to a close, as does my work for my reading practicum.  I am in the process of finishing up my work to complete courses to achieve a Reading Specialist 317 license.  The work was very demanding, but well worth it.  In the state of Wisconsin, a reading specialist license is required for any person who directs early childhood through adolescence reading programs or works with reading teacher, classroom teacher, administrators and others as a resource teacher in reading or literacy coach.

Per s.118.015(3), Wis. Stats., a reading specialist shall: develop and implement a reading curriculum in grades kindergarten to 12, act as a resource person to classroom teachers to implement the reading curriculum, work with administrators to support and implement the reading curriculum, conduct an annual evaluation of the reading curriculum, and coordinate the reading curriculum with other reading programs and other support services within the school district.

It started by looking for a mentor and I was very fortunate to have my former Reading Coordinator from a different district accept our elementary principal position.  She graciously agreed to be my mentor, even though her first year as an elementary principal was likely to be demanding.  I also worked very closely with our District Reading Specialist, School Psychologist and Director of Pupil Services, as my work centered around Response to Intervention.

The year began by meeting as a team and confirming where we were at with Rti and where we were going.  It was decided to focus on Reading Tier II and Tier III first, as we had the reading staff to do this.  I networked with my PLN on Twitter and on Google + to find out what other districts were using.  From here the team decided we needed to use Educlimber to track our intervention progress monitoring and to develop intervention fidelity protocols and checklists.  We focused on the areas of basic reading skills, reading comprehension and reading fluency.  We were pleased to discover we had multiple interventions in place that would fit these areas.  After designing the protocols and checklists, I was tasked with creating a google site that would house the information.  This took some planning with our District Library Media Specialist, because I was far from fluent in using the site.  I then created a audio/visual presention that future interventionists could use when becoming familiar with the site.

In March, we hired a Math Coach/GT teacher, who is going to continue to work with our team to develop math intervention protocols and checklists.

I look forward to digging into Tier I interventions to improve our core instruction, and I also look forward to improving the google site.  It was a long process, but I believe the team is happy with how far we came in just one year.  I learned that it does take a team of people to accomplish something this in depth, and I appreciate all the people I was able to work with and gather information from.

The Coaching Conversation

I recently attended a day long "gathering" of literacy coaches from across Wisconsin, put on by our DPI.  This was the second of two meetings we had this year and it was again as equally valuable.

The first part of our day was spent in round table discussions where we used the "rule of two feet", to satisfy our learning.  If a conversation was not moving you forward, we were highly encouraged to move to a different group.  The point was for us to get the most out of this time as possible.

After lunch, we were treated to a coaching presentation by Cathy Toll (@cathytoll).  She modeled a true coaching session for us and we discussed our findings after.  She encouraged us to spend 50 % of our coaching time in conversations.  These conversations start with this all important question:

 

"When you think of the work you are doing and the difference you want to make for your students, what is getting in the way?"

 

 

Many times the teacher's answers may be shallow at first, which shows us that the teacher has healthy boundaries.  From here your questions continue.  These might include: "What else is getting in the way?"  or "What are some ways we could meet these goals?"  Many times our teachers want us to just tell them the answer.  Cathy's response to that was this...If the solution were that clear and obvious, you wouldn't have brought it to the coaching conversation. 

 

The coach's responsibility is to take the teacher from there they are to where they want to be.  We can do this by:

• using data appropriately
• asking open, honest questions
• paraphrasing to show you are listening

 

Cathy also cautioned us to avoid observing in the classroom first.  We should begin by having the conversation.  This allows for a platform to work it out aloud.   Sometimes when we run out of ideas is when we need to push ourselves, because the best may yet to come. Keep asking, "Anything else?"  until the teacher runs out of things to say.  Then ask them, "What would it be like if the problem is solved?" 

 

I look forward to using what I learned from Cathy Toll in my future coaching conversations.  

Wisconsin State Reading Convention

I recently attended the Wisconsin State Reading Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  It was my first time attending the convention and was not disappointed.  I attended with one my reading teacher colleagues and wish I had brought all of our district's teachers of reading (isn't that all teachers?).  Here is my rundown...

Keynote Speaker
Friday's keynote was Andy Hargreaves, who co-wrote the book Professional Capital: Transforming Teaching in Every School with Michael Fullan.   This book is a must read for any educator leader.  I was ecstatic to hear him speak.  His address was enlightening, uplifting, and energizing.  He did not disappoint. His focus was on the investment it takes to get a return.  If we want our schools to perform, we have to invest in them, both with various forms of engagement (behavioral, cognitive and emotional) and with human, social and professional capital.

Teachers need to be a professional to teach, and he related it to the doctor profession.  Being a doctor is about being a team-not knowing everything, but knowing who to talk to.  A successful doctor learns with and from other doctors.  He/she collaborates with professionals.  Teachers are no different.  There is a push for teachers to become certified quickly and not pass through an education program.  We sure wouldn't want our doctors certified this way, why would would want this for our teachers?
He touches on big business seeing education as the next huge market.  They want to yield a short-term return, and these include: testing companies, technology companies and charter schools.  Sad...our children are not for sale.

Other Speakers

• Chris Lehman

I attended many other amazing sessions.  I got to see one of my favorite presenters: Chris Lehman.  He works for the Teacher's College and never disappoints.

 

Chris loves his job and it resonates through his presentations.  Love is at the heart of close reading.  Close reading is something we all do naturally when we care about it.  We notice things that no one else sees.  When we share these things, we bring others in too.  And you only need to do it when it is right for your kids.

Chris also got me to think differently about the level of writing my kids are doing about reading.  Immediate feedback moves kids forward and it is not one directional.  The writing your kids do is feedback about your teaching.  Take a look at the books your kids are reading, think deeply about the characters, setting and structure in these texts.  Have your kids write little, more often.  Then start to look at your student's responses.  Are they at the level of the texts they are reading or a few below?  Say to them..."What I know about books like yours..."  

Also, if kids just want to read and not write, maybe we haven't asked them to do the writing that is intellectually challenging enough.

• Others

I attended quite a few coaching and RtI sessions.  I am pondering these questions:

• Is our literacy instruction as good as it could be in every place?
• Is the intervention providing for greater levels of proficiency in the core?
• Are you a leader or a manager?  Leaders prefer people work; managers prefer paperwork
• How do you move core expectations to the classroom?
• Are you, as a coach, immersing yourself in the classroom event?
• Are you reflecting?
• How can we learn from and honor families?
• If you are not a learner, how do you promote learning with your learners?

Educator Connections

Probably my next favorite thing (besides seeing Chris Lehman), was connecting, in person, with my PLN that I connect with on Twitter.  I got to see my good friend Jillian (@heisereads), and meet up with Aliza (@alizateach), Jenn (@jennseiler), Meenoo (@MeenooRami), Donalyn (@donalynbooks), Matt (@ReadByExample), Amber (readattheEDGE), Kristin (@KristinZiemke), and Tom (@twhitford).  I am so thankful for Twitter and for what it has brought to my professional and personal life.  I have grown so much by learning through these people and I look forward to even more learning in the future.

Jillian, Donalyn, Aliza & Jenn

The Food!!!

Ok...my last bit of reflection is on the food.  It was amazing.  No bag lunches here.  Fully served: salad, main course and dessert.  I will come back just for that :)

Thank you WSRA for putting on a fabulous event.  I look forward to next year!

Mid-Year Review

I am nearing the point in our school year where we begin to reflect and evaluate where we are in our Educator Effectiveness process.  One of my Student Learning Objectives revolves around coaching.  Instructional Coaching is a new idea for our district.  Being a reading teacher, my content expertise is in literacy, however Instructional Coaching focuses on all areas of instruction.

I have attended some great workshops around coaching this year, which have really shifted my idea about what coaching is.  Coaching centers around a capable model, in which growth can occur.  The client, NOT the coach, has the answers.  It is up to the coach to ask the questions that help guide the client to the answers that they already have inside of them.

One session I attended recently was held by our Department of Instruction, hosted by Barb Novak, and involved 120 literacy coaches from around the state.  Laura Gleisner is an *ICF certified executive coach; she demonstrated a coaching session for us and then shared some coaching wheels with us to use with our clients

After she demonstrated for us, we were tasked with working in triads to practice coaching using one of the coaching wheels.  One person coached, one person was coached and one person was the observer.  We then took turns in each role.  It was powerful to partake in each role and was affirmation of the kinds of interactions I have been having in my school.

As I look at my SLO, I see that I have met with my targeted goal amount of teachers.  However, I want to improve the depth of conversations with these teachers, not just add teachers to my "total".  I know that I have to promote my role and continue to have meaningful conversations with teachers.

Achieving Goals

The year as ended and what a whirlwind it was.  I now have a bit of time to reflect on the year, both of myself and of my students.  Setting goals and making a plan to reach those goals is extremely important.  This is a skill that can help people in so many aspects of their life.  Setting a manageable pace at which to meet those goals can set one up for great success.

I challenged my students to read 40 books this year.  It was based on Donalyn Miller's idea that she originally proposed in her book The Book Whisperer.  My students thought this goal was utterly ridiculous as they are all struggling readers who have a disability in one or more areas.  I looped with them up to 8th grade, so I knew them fairly well and had confidence they could read way more this year than last.  I sent them a google doc with which to keep track of their reading, I conferenced with them once a week about their books, and we had discussions on how to squeeze in more time to read.  I modeled how I read, when I read and how I keep track of my books, so that they could see I was a reader too!  One big suggestion I had, was for them to always have a book with them.  Donalyn Miller states there are reading emergencies; times when you have to wait for 10-15 minutes, like for your older sister to get done with practice, or at the doctor's office, or when your parents run into the grocery store.  These are moments when you can really boost your reading. 

After a year of working towards their goal, here is the result:

The top picture is their last year's total (from memory), the bottom is this year's totals as kept track on their google doc.  We ate pizza and celebrated their success and discussed ways to keep reading over the summer.

I, personally, had a goal and it was to run a half-marathon.  I began the Runner's World Holiday Run Streak on Thanksgiving and found I really could run outside in the winter.  This winter being one of the worst on record!  After I completed the streak, I set out to keep running and run half-marathon.  I picked a half in my hometown to be ran on June 14.  I copied off a plan from Runner's World magazine and followed it to a "T".  I connected my running journey to my students' reading journey throughout the training process in class when we had time to share.

Here is my result:

I finished the half-marathon, feeling strong and confident in my training.

I am thinking about my next goal, and it will probably revolve around finishing my 317 Reading Specialist degree.  I will fill you in on that next time!

An Emotional End

As the year winds down, I have to take the time to reflect on a small group of students that I have truly grown to love.  They will be moving on to the High School next year, and I am very excited, yet anxious for them to go.

I have taught these students every day and sometimes twice a day for the past two years.  I am their core reading teacher and intervention teacher.  I requested to loop with them up to 8th grade after we had such success as a 7th grade "team". They all are students with specific disabilities, varying from learning disabilities to behavior disabilities.  All came to me as struggling readers, with some engaged, but most of them, disengaged, from reading.

We have 5 1/2 days left together and I am appreciating every minute of it.  Here are just a few of the things we MUST get done before summer...

• Engage in our last round of book clubs.  I recently ordered and received books by Saddleback. They are written at a lower lexile level, but with engaging content for MS readers.  We will be using our Notice and Note strategies to closely read and engage in discussions.
• Work on vocabulary through some activities on TV411.
• Celebrate our 40 book challenge (Thanks, Donalyn Miller!)
• Eat Pizza

I don't want to shut my instruction down and start the summer slide a week early.  I owe it to my kids.  I have 5 1/2 days left and I want to make the most of it.

Lethal Combination: Research and Close Reading

I recently merged information I gathered from two wonderfully written resources together to lift the level of learning in my classroom.  I have to thank Christopher Lehman and Kate Roberts for their work with research reading and writing, as well as, with close reading.

                                   

By combining the lessons from Energize Research Reading and Writing and Falling in Love With Close Reading, my students have been able to authentically write using their own voice from research they have done.  They have also been able to closely read both fictional and informational texts to gather evidence to guide their thinking.

My students read fictional stories related to themes of human rights.  They closely read these texts and developed inquiry questions.  From these questions they researched the issues and closely read to determine what information was valid.  They then began closely reading persuasive and argumentative texts using multiple lenses to ensure they were finding patterns to support their ideas.  Once they were fully immersed in persuasive texts, they wrote using the research they gathered and the techniques they saw authors using to complete a persuasive piece.

I cannot that the author's enough for the research they did to help me and my students grow as readers and writers.