#cyberPD: DIY Literacy - Week One

This summer I am participating in #cyberPD, an online book talk, with an amazing community of educators.  We read, respond and share our learning with each other. The summer's book is DIY Literacy Teaching Tools for Differentiation, Rigor, and Independence by Kate Roberts and Maggie Beattie Roberts.  To learn the basics about #cyberPD visit Cathy's blog, Reflect and Refine.  It's not too late to join us!

Chapter One:  Extending Our Reach

In this chapter Kate and Maggie identify three obstacles we face when teaching our students.  These obstacles are memory, rigor, and differentiation. Our students struggle with remembering all of what we are teaching them. Learning is hard, and sometimes this hard work gets in the way of learning. Our classrooms are full of different learning styles and abilities, and sometimes those students' needs are not being met.

But the beauty of this chapter lies in the answer - "Teaching tools can be...the seemingly simple things that cause great positive change" (3).

I use many of these tools already, but Kate and Maggie have shown me how I can tweak them to help my students "become more powerful, independent readers and writers of a variety of texts".  Don't we all want these "powerful assistants" in our classrooms?

They give three reasons to use teaching tools with our students:
1. Make teacher clear
2. Bring big ideas and goals to life
3. Help learning stick

Simple tools...positive change. 

Chapter Two:  An Introduction to Teaching Tools

Teaching Charts - I love the label of "teaching charts" instead of anchor charts which is what I have always called them.  Looking back at my charts, I use them more as repertoire charts, or a list of strategies, rather than process charts which take a larger skill and break it down into the steps the students need to master that skill.

Demonstration Notebooks - Once again, this is one of those simple things that I think will make a huge difference in my teaching.  To have interactive lessons at my fingertips will be powerful as a teacher.  I have started a list of lessons I want to include, but would love to hear or even see what others are including in their demonstration notebooks.  

Micro-progressions of Skills - Personally, I think this tool will be the most difficult for me.  I know I will struggle to clearly define the three levels of work.  This tool is one I will certainly be looking for examples from all of you and the hashtag #DIYLiteracy.  In the bonus chapter, Kate and Maggie suggest "never teach alone," and that is one piece of advice I intend to heed. 

Bookmarks - I use several bookmarks in my classroom, but all are pre-made and copied for students.  Lightbulb moment -- Letting them make the bookmarks themselves will "create space for them to be self-directed and reflective on the teaching happening in the classroom."  Again, a simple tool for powerful learning.

Bonus Chapter:  How Do I Find (and Write) Strategies for Teaching Tools?

For me, this chapter was the Jackpot!  When I read this book the first time, I remember thinking to myself, "This is all great, but where do I find all of the strategy steps to include in the making of these tools?"  Then, as if they heard my question, Kate and Maggie wrote the bonus chapter!  I find that in my own teaching, I tell the strategy more than I teach the strategy in a clear way for students to use independently and to transfer to other work.

I know I need to do this strategy work for myself.  I need to determine "the what + the how + the why" with many strategies in order for this work to be successful in my classroom.

My personal call to action from week one:

1. Think about how I can better use these tools in my classroom, especially the micro-progressions and the demonstration notebooks.
2. Determine strategies I want my students to clearly understand and be able to do.
3. Find or create examples of learning progressions.

The information in this book is powerful, but just reading the book is pointless if I am not doing the work myself.  I love how Julieanne shares her learning with us by creating her own strategy work with the book Pax.  She has truly set the bar for my summer learning, and I encourage you to read her post.

Now, it is time to get to work!

#CyberPD and Me

Thank you Two Writing Teachers for creating this space for me to share my corner of the world.

I have wanted to write this post for some time, so when Michelle Nero, Cathy Mere, and Laura Komos announced the title chosen for this summer's #CyberPD, I knew it was time.  I was not only excited about the book they chose because I already owned it, but also because I am in the book.

Here is my story...

It was the first week in August.  I was looking through my Twitter feed when I came across a tweet by Kate Roberts asking if anyone was in school yet who would be interested in piloting a lesson for a new book she was writing.

We were to start school the next day, so I tweeted her back saying I might be interested.  She asked for my email so she could explain what she was wanting.  After giving me a couple of days to settle in with my kids, she outlined what she needed me to do ~ teach a lesson, make an anchor chart, and have kids write.  Luckily for me, that's pretty much what I do.

After several emails back and forth, I taught the lesson, made the chart, took pictures of everything, and sent it off.  In every email I sent her, I always said, "If this isn't what you want, please let me know.  I will not be offended if it isn't."  I am sure Kate was tired of reading that, but I wanted to give her an opportunity to opt out if I totally bombed this!  But she was extremely helpful and gracious!

In the acknowledgments, Kate and Maggie say, "Deep gratitude goes to Leigh Anne Eck, our first brave Twitter contributor."  I laugh because it is easy being brave when you can hide behind the veil of social media. I consider myself to be a lucky Twitter contributor.  I asked Kate why they chose Twitter to find contributors.  She said some of it was timing, but also that they wanted to widen their community and wasn't sure how to do that.  Then realized they had a whole tribe to reach out to online.  I just happened to be the lucky tribe member that day!  

Check out page 40 and 41!

I also asked her why me?  Why someone who teaches in the middle of cornfields in southern Indiana when she knew so many other teachers in other prominent cities?  She said that they already had work from urban and suburban schools and liked the idea that I represented another kind of school.  They wanted to know that the work they were doing would work in most schools, and I helped them to see that.  

Who would have thought that one little tweet would have landed me in this book?  I know it is just a small part, but it certainly created some excitement in our school in this small little town.  And I am extremely grateful that they took a chance on us.

Almost a year ago, at the All Write conference in Warsaw, Indiana, I saw both Kate and Maggie present.  They are phenonimal educators, mentors, and presenters.  At that time, I did not know that two months later I was going to be asked to help them.  I regret not being brave enough to come from behind the veil of social media and meet them face to face.  

Kate and Maggie, hopefully I will get another chance to meet you some day soon.  I will no longer be hiding!

My student's writing!