Our Inner Dorothy

     Have you ever felt like you couldn't do something, and then somehow, someway, you actually did it?  Was it almost like you magically clicked your heals, and it was within your power?

     Today, I told one of the teachers that I work with that she is raising readers.  Her response?  She said that it was only because I taught her how.  Time to be Glinda, and tell her the truth.

     People have the power to do great things.  They just don't always see it for themselves.

     All year, the teachers that I am blessed to work with came to me to collaborate and grow together.  Sometimes, we met in my office during their lunch.  Others used their plan times to plan lessons and units.  There were after school meetings, ELA plan periods, text messages, and ideas shared in the hall.  Phone calls, Twitter comments, and even Cold Day conversations.  The teachers in my building embraced a growth mindset, whether in their areas of strength or weakness, and we learned together.  

     The truth is, they always had the power.  They just needed someone to talk it through and collaborate with.  Education is a challenging profession, and it takes a village.

     I am a literacy coach, and I have the best job in the world.  I have come to see that coaching is (in my humble opinion) the single best PD available to us.  It is a powerful thing when a learner decides to learn something, on their own, and they take steps towards their goals.  I know this, because I have been coached along the way myself.  I have also witnessed the growth our students make when their learning is individualized for them.  Their growth can be astounding at times.  So, too, can be that of a teacher.

    Thanks, my Hiawatha and D100 family, for a great year of learning. Thanks for welcoming me into your classrooms and into your students' lives.

    Thanks, +Virginia Burdett, for reminding me to share my purpose for coaching.  I loved being a classroom teacher.  I became a coach so that teachers could find the power within themselves to make decisions in their own classroom.  That was my intent 2 years ago, and remains the same today.  I want to empower people, with learning and growth mindset and reflection, to find their way.  It's just a click of the heals away.   We just need to put those ruby slippers on and believe in the power we all have inside of us.

     That picture is of my daughter (who just happens to have ruby slippers...).  Rather than just text Ginny back with the quote from Glinda, I had to get the camera out, head out into the backyard despite the drizzle, and take a picture of my own Dorothy.  We all have the ability to help others realize their power.  The teachers we work with, the students in our class, our own children...  They all have the power for greatness.  Let's help them become aware of it.   

The Needs of the Kids

     I was at a workshop with past week about biliteracy and dual language classrooms, and the conversation of perspective (or mindset) came up.  The presenter, Karen Beeman, had us do two powerful things.  First, she had us think about what our definition of literacy is.  Then, she had us consider whether or not you actually need to be bilingual to support a multilingual perspective.  (Thanks, +Vianney Sanchez, for the post it image.)

     I really could write a blog post about both of these things, but that is for another day.

     What struck me about the answer to those two questions is how similar they really are to the reasons we have other initiatives or programs in place for D100.  It always seems like we have something new going on in D100.  Over my 16 years, we have had some major shifts...

Bilingual Program

Full Inclusion

Coteaching

1:1 technology

RTI Model

Workshop Model and Balanced Literacy

Common Core Implementation

Standards Based Learning

Dual Literacy (coming soon!)

     Beeman's question was, "How do we create a culture where the mindset is positive for a multilingual program?"  How can we get everyone involved to see the value of reading and writing in two languages?

     The answer, for all those programs listed above, is the same.  

     Look at the needs of the kids.

     I have been very lucky to have been a part of many of those programs from the start.  To be honest, the biggest challenge with some of them had been my own time to adjust.  We, as teachers, come with our own strengths and weaknesses, and our own teaching styles.  What we feel comfortable doing is not always what the kids need.  Sometimes, our programs need to change to fit the needs of the kids in front of us.  D100 seems to recognize that.

     I am proud of the teachers in our district, because they are willing to take on challenges and learn new things, just so the children that we teach will be successful beyond our classrooms.  We put things in place that might not show immediate gains in the year we have them, but we hope will help them in the years after they walk out our doors.  We are creating children whose dreams can come true.

     What makes me even prouder, though, is our staff's ability to look at all of those programs and decide what the students in their classroom need the most.  None of those things are one size fits all, and they do not stand alone.   Pieces of them can be woven into pieces of another, and it is our job to see what will make the most difference for the kids in our class.  

     +Karen Marino is leading a book talk about Standards Based Grading at Hiawatha.  Our teachers just asked themselves what they wanted for the students at Hiawatha and put their responses on an anonymous Padlet wall.  One of the teachers wrote this:

    

     No matter if they are speaking English or Spanish.  No matter the instructional method or group size.  No matter the use of paper or tech.  It's what the KIDS needs.  We make decisions that make the most impact that we can.  And the teachers in D100 are making that happen, every single day.  

     So think about these questions...

     What do you believe for your students?  

     How are you going to make that happen?

My Pom Poms are Illini Orange and White Sox Black

Day 5 of #BTBC14

For which teams do you get out your pom poms?

Easy.

The "Go Go" White Sox (as my daughter calls them), the Fighting Illini and runners.  

     Funny thing is, I don't really like sports.  But I am a big fan.  Kind of odd, in a way, that I know nothing about the sports that they play, but I wear their colors and defend them with pride in friendly sports banter as it comes up.  But, I don't actually tune in to watch them play, and I don't really know current players or stats or whatever.  ...But I am a big fan.  

     We recently took my goddaughter to an Illinois/ Ohio football game.  Boy, do I dislike Ohio.  Not sure why, but I am pretty sure I am supposed to.  Then, at halftime, I stayed and watched their band perform because they are amazing.  I then got up to go buy snacks, and while I was in line, I realized that my own team's band was performing.  I remember looking up at the big screen, and seeing them out there, and turned to my cousin and said, "Now, this might seem odd.  Me buying this hotdog and souvenir hot cocoa mug while my own band is performing...  But, it's really about tradition.  With the Big 10, you have pride and tradition.  It doesn't matter that we won't win this game to me."  I guess that is why I only went to one football game my whole college career, but I drove down 15 years later to go with my cousin.  And why I practically teared up at the ILL   INI chanting during the game.  Tradition.  

    I am an Illini fan, because I am an Illini.  I wanted to be a teacher, and I pushed myself to leave my family and go away to college, because that is what I needed to do to become a teacher.  And I did.  It is about going to college, and having dreams, and working hard.  It is about taking charge of your future.  It is what I hope all my students get to experience some day, at whatever college they choose to attend.  I became a big Illini fan about 5 years AFTER I graduated from there, and realized that if my students knew about college at a young age, they might start setting goals early on.  I always had pictures outside of my door of students "caught" wearing Illini, hoping to help them see the bigger picture.  The future starts today.

Paulie! Paulie! Paulie!

    I am a huge White Sox fan because of my husband.  I guess my family has always been on the White Sox side of things, but it wasn't until I met Brian that I saw what being a fan really looked like.  And, if it is important to him, then it is important for our kids.  I want them to have that bonding experience with their dad.  So, once a year we now go to the White Sox games, and I entertain the kids at the Fundamentals Deck and find the hotdogs, the Irish nachos, the curly fries and the funnel cakes (which is why I go to the game) while Brian watches the game.  We went yesterday, in fact, for the 4th.  We were in the kid area, looking for daddy, while I guess the best plays of the game were being played.  I had no idea.  I was snapping pictures of the kids and enjoying the atmosphere.  We got back just in time to see Paul Konerko (my favorite player) hit a home run.  YEAH PAULIE!!!  Not that I was paying attention, but the whole place stood up, fireworks booming, people chanting, it was great.  Great because my kids have Konerko jerseys because Evan was born on the 14th.  For that reason, Paul Konerko is my favorite player.  He also seems to be a pretty good role model, and that is important to me, too.

     After the game was over, I lifted Evan up and showed him how all the players high five each other after the win.  I told him that was the reason I love baseball, because they show sportsmanship.  The truth is, being the person who doesn't really know all that much about baseball, I was very disappointed to find out that they don't high five the other team.  I always thought they did. They support each other, but they aren't really showing good sportsmanship, IMO. I guess they only do that in Little League.  

     Why?  

     I suppose I am a fan, but not a sports fan, because I believe in pride and tradition, but I don't really believe in competition.  I believe in competing against yourself, but not against others.  Perhaps that is because I am the most un-athletic person on the planet.  But, I like to think that I am that way in all areas of life.  I like to see others succeed.  I like to cheer people on when they get recognized.  But, I also feel like sometime you have to be your own fan, too.  I believe in being a fan.  This fan does happen to choose to wear Illini orange and White Sox black, but I can be persuaded.  :)  

     Another sport that I cheer for is running.  My husband has run 14 Chicago Marathons and many other races, and now my kids are big into those Kids' Dashes that they attach to 5Ks.  I have made many an iron on T-shirt and poster to support Daddy during the "big race."  Waking up at 5am to drive to Chicago and walk the streets, mile marker to mile marker, cheering on runners I don't know, often from countries from around the world.  I know the rules of running.  Just keep running.  The determination runners have is something that I respect greatly, since I myself cannot run to the end of the block.  They are determined.  They have a goal in mind, and they move toward that goal.  And if you ask a runner how they did, they never complain about someone else's time being better than theirs.  They complain that they didn't reach their PR.  They compete against themselves, for 26.2 miles straight.  Then, they often do it again, in search of that PR.  Definitely worthy of pom poms.

     Go the distance this year.  Set goals.  Work towards them.  Be your own fan, but let your PLN support you too.  I'll get my pom pons out for you, too!  

Independence Day

#BTBC14 Day 4
Today's prompt is about what I like to teach.  I am going to make a list of 5 things.  I guess Five for Friday is a popular link up on Fridays, but as I am still adjusting to having an audience, I think I will just link over to BigTime Literacy this week.  Still getting my feet wet with this audience thing!

In honor of Independence Day, I am going to make a list of 5 lessons I have taught about America.

5 Things to Promote Independence in Our Classrooms

1. Model, Model, Model
"You can't not model."  We heard that at a training somewhere in the past.  So, if you can't not model, then we might as well use it to show our students exactly what we want them to do.  They will know how to do things by themselves, too.

2. Growth Mindset
Have a growth mindset in your class.  If you and your students truly believe that they are always making progress and ok with making mistakes, then they won't be afraid to fail.  That will create a willingness to be independent.

3. Clear Objectives
The clearer we are with what we want the kids to do, the more successful they will be at it.  If the objectives are clear and posted, then they can't forget them, either.  What are we teaching today?  Why?

4. Stamina Building
Nobody can do anything for long stretches without practice.  OK, maybe that isn't entirely true.  My husband can wake up and run a marathon without a lot of training.  But, on those runs he certainly doesn't get his PR.  We need to build stamina through practice, whether it is in reading, writing, math, running, whatever.  Practice leads to stamina, which then creates endurance.  More on that at another time...

5. Goal Setting
If students have their own goals, they work toward them.  Think about our Founding Fathers on this Independence Day.  They had a clear goal: They wanted sovereignty.  They wanted a country all their own, and here we are in the United States of America.  :)  Goals help drive independent thoughts and actions.

     There we are... 5 things to help promote independence in our classrooms.  This list is not exhaustive, and might not even be my top 5 things, but it is the 4th of July.  If you have something to add to the list, share it in the comments!

    Enjoy the 4th with your family. Here's a little splash of patriotic fun from the Kids' Dash last night.  Have a good one today!