Summer of Learning - Part Three

 

Forms and Formats of 
Self-Directed Learning

It has been a busy summer so far, and I am feeling so inspired by the last few months of professional development and collaboration with colleagues. I marvel at the variety of formats in which I learned. Years ago, our professional development was a sit-and-get format but when we take an active role in our own learning we find that learning adventures come in many forms.




Scholastic Reading Summit (Covington, Kentucky)
http://www.scholastic.com/bookfairs/reading-summit/reading-summit-locations 


This is a one day conference sponsored by Scholastic and held in several locations around the United States. I was fortunate to attend the one in Covington, Kentucky which is just a two hour drive from my home.

Here are some of my takeaways from some amazing speakers:

Donalyn Miller:
Ultimately, education is about empowerment.
Our best chance for the world is to send more readers out into the world.
We have the power to change the lives of children through literacy.

Ernest Morrell:  
Becoming a super reader takes courage. You have to take risks. Courage has to be taught and affirmed. 
Kindness promotes resiliency and joy.
Hope is a basic need. Hope is a foundation for perseverance. Seeing a future for yourself.
What we do matters. Don't let anyone take away the pleasure of teaching other's children.
Teaching makes you eternal.

Colby Sharp and Susan Haney:
You should be able to see what we are all about when you enter the building.
Environment is important.
Hire teachers who understand what the school stands for. No one can do it alone.
Build relationships.

Mr. Schu:
Every faculty meeting should start with a book talk.
(He shared so many new books to read with children.)

Kate Messner:
You will have made a reader, and the world will never be the same for that child.
If you don't teach in a diverse community, you need books that do more than reflect your students lives back at them.
Books are sometimes windows and sometimes mirrors. You are not alone.

Watch for information from Scholastic about next summer's Reading Summits. Don't hesitate to register. Get there. You won't be sorry.

Summer of Learning - Part Two

 
The Forms and Formats of
Self-Directed Learning


It has been a busy summer so far, and I am feeling so inspired by the last few months of professional development and collaboration with colleagues. I marvel at the variety of formats in which I learned. Years ago, our professional development was a sit-and-get format but when we take an active role in our own learning we find that learning adventures come in many forms.




NerdCamp Michigan (#nErDcampMI)

This was my first NerdCamp. I had been hearing about it from friends and colleagues for a few years. I would follow the tweets that were shared during the conference each July and marvel at how the learning seemed so rich. The attendees were so very excited about coming together to talk about learning, teaching, and books.

I had to see for myself. I was NOT disappointed!

The nerdiness of hanging out with like-minded people who love children and teaching is priceless! The first day was a typical format for a conference with featured speakers and breakout sessions. I was able to hear from Donalyn Miller, Pernille Ripp, Teri Lesesne, Mr. Schu, Kate DiCamillo and so many fabulous authors and educators. The second day was an edcamp format as particpants built the schedule of sessions for the day.


And a bit of serendipity gave me the opportunity to have my picture taken with the delightful Kate DiCamillo. A chance spotting of her walking down the street led to stopping our car to say hello. In an instant, the kind and sweet Kate DiCamillo jumped in our car for a selfie.

Colby Sharp and his team put together a great two days of collaboration and learning. Next year's nErDcampMI will be held July 10, 2017 to July 11,  2017.(http://nerdcampmi.weebly.com/)

Summer of Learning - Part One

The Forms and Formats 
of Self-Directed Learning


It has been a busy summer so far, and I am feeling so inspired by the last few months of professional development and collaboration with colleagues. I marvel at the variety of formats in which I learned. Years ago, our professional development was a sit-and-get format and we suffered through it whether we needed it or not. Fortunately, professional development has morphed into something more relevant and self-directed. When we take an active role in our own learning, we find that learning experiences come in many forms.



Google Communities

#cyberPD

This summer, I joined a Google community that brought educators together to read and discuss DIY Literacy: Teaching Tools for Differentiation, Rigor and Independence by Kate Roberts and Maggie Beattie Roberts. The book has inspired so many of us with teaching tools to demystify learning for students and draw them into conversations about what they need to become more independent. The authors showed us how micro porgressions, a demonstration notebook and individual bookmarks can give students the support they need.  Kate and Maggie honor the voices of children as they support thoughtful literacy learning in the classroom. Beyond the amazing advice and ideas that Kate and Maggie share in the book, there was a sense of belonging to a group of colleagues who were willing to learn together and share with each other. I was introduced to so many new digital tools as members of the group shared their weekly reflections. We had a weekly twitter chat and for the last chat Kate and Maggie joined us for the conversation.

This google community comes together every summer to read and discuss a professional book. Stay tuned as they announce in May the professional book for next summer's #cyberPD.

Week Three - #cyberPD - DIY Literacy

It's the third week of #cyberPD and we are discussing Chapters 5 and 6 of DIY Literacy:Teaching Tools for Differentiation, Rigor and Independence by Kate Roberts and Maggie Beattie Roberts. (Heinemann). I recommend watching the video series Kate and Maggie produced. You can start watching the video series with  Episode #1 here: https://kateandmaggie.com/2016/03/30/diy-literacy-video-series-episode-1/

Chapter Five - Just For You - Tailoring Teaching to Meet Students' Needs

This chapter emphasizes how the teaching tools can differentiate our teaching and the supports we offer students as they move toward independence. I think it is so important to know your students well so you can differentiate to provide them with exactly what they need. I loved the yoga analogy in the way that the yoga instructor provided each participant in the class with what they needed to be successful.  That often seems like an insurmountable task in the classroom, but Kate and Maggie show us how these tools can provide students with tools they can use independently. As the teacher, we anticipate what they will need and set them up for success with the tools that will scaffold their learning.

This quote represents what the book's essential message is. "Not only can tools give students something tangible to hold onto as they navigate their way through the curriculum, but they also give kids personalized learning footholds to find their next step along the way." I love the notion of "personalized learning footholds" as we consider students moving toward independence.

Kate and Maggie stress the importance of sending students off with personal goals that focus their independent work. They also remind us how important it is to anticipate what students will need as learning moves forward. Knowing the curriculum and the skills they will need to develop helps us determine what will be coming next. Knowing our students well helps us think about who needs what in their literacy journey.

This chapter also stresses the importance of assessing in real time. Kate and Maggie provide great suggestions for determining if our teaching tools are providing the support students need.

I really like the bookmarks as a way to help students focus on goals. And the micro progressions put students right where they need to be - in the zone of proximal development.

Kate and Maggie tell us "It helps to have an extension of ourselves that can support students when we can't be in all places at one time." I can recall so many times when I felt like I couldn't support every student in the class. Teaching tools help us establish an alternative by providing students with guidance even when we can't be there with them.

Chapter Six - Nuts and Bolts - Tips for Making Teaching Tools Effective and Engaging

Kate and Maggie offer great suggestions for engaging students with the teaching tools:
pop culture, metaphors, and kid friendly language. They offer advice on how to maintain the energy of space in the classroom and to keep the tools fresh.

I appreciate the suggestions on how to create an organizational system for the tools and helping kids access them. As a principal, I often felt like the charts became invisible or even promoted sensory overload in the classroom. It's important to know when a chart is no longer helpful and should be retired. My hope is that teachers in this community will continue to share their own ideas for organizing teaching tools.

I love the inside covers of this book. They give us colorful evidence of the teaching tools. I am thankful that Kate and Maggie produced their videos because watching them gave voice to the words in the book.

Week Two - #cyberPD - DIY Literacy

It's the second week of #cyberPD and we are discussing Chapters 3 and 4 of DIY Literacy:Teaching Tools for Differentiation, Rigor and Independence by Kate Roberts and Maggie Beattie Roberts. (Heinemann). I recommend watching the video series Kate and Maggie produced. You can start watching the video series with  Episode #1 here: https://kateandmaggie.com/2016/03/30/diy-literacy-video-series-episode-1/

Chapters 3 - Remember This - Helping Students Recall Teaching

Kate and Maggie clearly remind us how students get so much information on any day of learning that it's no wonder they forget some of our teaching. Many of our students are unable to prioritize all that information and I understand how the tools that Kate and Maggie share can help students remember the most critical lessons.

Some notes I took in this chapter:

It's important to revisit and encourage students to continue to use the charts that have been created.
Suggestions for keeping charts alive are on p. 42

Reflect on student work
Find and celebrate student work
Share successes with colleagues
Share evidence of growth in the classroom
("After all, everyone, no matter what age, loves to seethe footprints of his or her progress." p. 42

Demonstration notebooks allow for additional rounds of learning.
After the sharing a strategy/skill in the demonstration Notebook kids can jot down on a post it what strategy they will try to practice more independently. (suggestion on p. 48)

Kate and Maggie remind us that scaffolds are meant to go away. At some point, students become independent and no longer need the teaching tool we developed. I liked the list of ways to recognize that students no longer need the scaffold. p. 49

Chapter Four - You Can Do It - Motivating Students to Work Hard

Using micro-progressions with students is like moving the magic curtain to reveal what students need to approach learning with more rigor. Helping to create the micro-progressions help students know what more complex work looks like and encourages them to reach toward new goals in their learning.

It's important for students to be part of creating the micro-progressions. Only then will they be poised to set their own goals. It's important to build in time for reflection each week to review the micro-progressions and set new goals.

Have students share before and after examples of their work. This makes student learning visible.

Cultivate instrinsic motivation - Challenge, Curiosity, Control, Cooperation and Competition and Recognition.p. 62  "Nurturing these five ways when using teaching tools not only helps students develop the internal motivation to work more rigorously, but also increases the chances they'll be able to release the scaffold of the tool."

Week One - #cyberPD - DIY Literacy

It's the first week of #cyberPD and I am looking forward to so many conversations with others in this community. If you want more information or wish to participate in #cyberPD here's the link:
http://reflectandrefine.blogspot.com/2016/07/the-basics-of-cyberpd.html

The book that was selected for #cyberPD 2016 is
DIY Literacy:Teaching Tools for Differentiation, Rigor and Independence by Kate Roberts and Maggie Beattie Roberts. (Heinemann). I have watched the video series before I even began to read the book. Kate and Maggie are so willing to share their expertise. Since I already watched the videos, their voices ring out in this book. You can start watching the video series with  Episode #1 here: https://kateandmaggie.com/2016/03/30/diy-literacy-video-series-episode-1/

There is a message beneath every word and every page of this book.
Kate and Maggie ~
   respect children and what they bring to learning
   value the ideas teachers have and believe in the potential to teach wisely
   and support collaboration and thoughtful planning and teaching.

Chapter 1
Kate and Maggie talk about facing three problems in our teaching: Memory, Rigor and Differentiation. Reading this chapter reminded me of how important it is to know students so well that we understand exactly what they need at any given time. This comes from close observation and reflection. Then we can begin to think about what tools we need to support students in their unique learning journeys. I think about how important this is to developing reader identity. These tools we create are what will help students know themselves as readers.

"We believe that one of our jobs as teacher is to demystify the very abstract world of what it means to be a reader or a writer." p. 5

The scaffolds we offer students should demystify what successful learners do. Often we just need to "name it" or "tag it" to help children remember what works for them in their reading and writing. The Process Charts, Demonstration Notebook and Micro-Progressions do just that. The bookmarks put active learning within reach of our students where they can think about what they need to practice and monitor their own growth.

Chapter 2
My favorite sentence in this chapter:
"Teaching tools help teach students the way, so that someday they will know the way on their own, like the road home." p. 11

We do what we do in the classroom so students can take control of their own learning, monitor their progress and become independent readers and writers. Throughout the book, Kate and Maggie consistently remind us that we are giving students tools so they can use them in ways that help them be more successful on their own. The tools we give students help them be less passive and more active in their own learning.

I think the Demonstration Notebook can be a powerful tool for teachers as they confer with individuals or work with small groups. They represent the best in active learning as students self-asses, visualize a skill and set goals for their learning.

I love the idea of Bookmarks because they put students in charge. Students identify what they need to be working on and hold themselves accountable. Once again, the students have a strong voice in their learning. I love that!  I am a list maker so for me the bookmarks make all the sense in the world. I create lists so I know what I need to do, check on my progress, and celebrate when things get done.

Kate and Maggie remind us
"When students take inventory of things they've learned and write down goals and to-do's, they send themselves down a path of their own learning and are more likely to be successful." p. 20

Bonus Chapter
In this chapter, Kate and Maggie provide sound advice for resources and support. As a teacher, I am fortunate to say that I always had a network of colleagues to rely on for support. When teaching was the hardest, I could call up a close friend and colleague and share my successes and challenges. As a principal, I hoped that I could create opportunities for teachers to develop communities of practice because "only by working together can we get better." p. 25

I loved the questions on p. 27 to think about as we navigate online for research and instructional ideas. As always, there are good things and bad things out there. These questions help us sift through the mass of information online.  I think I would add one more. While we read professional books, attend conferences, search online or talk with colleagues one important question to ask ourselves is:

     Does what I find/hear align with what I believe about learning and teaching?

It's important for us to know our beliefs about learning and teaching and use those beliefs as yardsticks to measure what counts and what is right for our students.

I am looking forward to reading the rest of this smart book written by Kate Roberts and Maggie Beattie Roberts. And I am eagerly reading what others are posting in #cyberPD.

Happy reading! Happy learning!