Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Validated Nervousness

Two Writing Teachers
Today I have some mixed emotions.  Three teachers from our district are coming to observe my reading block this morning.  All three are peers in my grade level.

To say I am a little nervous would be an understatement.  I don't like being singled out for a variety of reasons.  One reason is because I don't like the attention, but the main reason is because I don't want to be labeled as one of "those" teachers who think their way is the right way.

I have only been teaching for seven years and I continue to grow each year.  But I have worked very hard to make my reading block what it is today.

My first year of teaching I taught four sections of 5th grade reading.  I followed the basal's weekly plans and did most of the accompanying workbook pages....I can hear many of you gasping right now!

I hated that year and so did my students.  I spent that summer creating my own professional development by reading and reading and reading.  That fall I changed grade levels, along with my reading instruction, integrating reading workshop.   The more I read about reading workshop, the more I knew that was the direction I wanted to take.   But about four weeks into the school year, I began feeling the pressure.  I caved in and went back to the basal...another gasp!

Each year since then, I have developed and refined my teaching instruction through my own summer professional development.  I have merged reading workshop, Daily Five, and our state-mandated reading block to what I use today.  It has been a long, lonely road because I have been trying to do this by myself.  I had no one to bounce ideas off of or to collaborate with.

My corporation is very basal dependent, but teaching with the basal just wasn't for me.  I wanted more, and I found that many teachers out there taught reading the way I wanted to teach it.  (I hope to write a post soon on how I became basal independent.)

This year our corporation is finally making changes in our reading instruction.  When I was approached about being observed, I was hesitant, but I also felt validated.  That maybe, just maybe, I am doing things right and all the road bumps I experienced along the way were worth it.  It has been seven years, and no, I still don't have it all figured out...but I have continued to move forward, and I know I am a better teacher because of it.

So, today I do feel validated nervousness, but I think it's a good thing.  I'll let you know for sure after today is over!










12 comments:

  1. Enjoy! You're a teacher leader, embrace it :)

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  2. It takes a brave soul to be the lone soldier in your building or grade level team to step away from the basals and worksheets. Just remember, there's a whole community of us out there you can reach out to anytime!

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  3. I think it's a huge validation that someone (many?) know good things are happening in your classroom, Leigh Anne. Good for you for not settling in any way, but working it all out! I wish I could see too!

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  4. Validation is a good thing! Celebrate that for yourself and your students. You are brave, and hopefully those around your will come and join in your work. Good Luck today.

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  5. Congratulations! People in your district know success when they see it!

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  6. Yes, Leigh Anne! You are doing what must be done for kids. Through this you may get that community of learners to bounce ideas off of. Someone has noticed you make a difference and that is powerful and validating! I hope it was a great day for you and the observers. Can't wait to hear how it went.

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  7. I have a feeling it went very well, Leigh Anne. True validation for all your efforts on behalf of your kids.

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  8. You know you are moving in the right direction and from your writing here I sense you will ask those teachers to come on the journey. Ever onward...

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  9. I am looking forward to reading more about their observations and your feelings. I am sure they learned a lot from you!

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  10. So brave and strong you are! I can't wait to hear the success story that will surely follow.

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  11. Good for you! Your journey sounds a bit like mine when I started teaching in 1986. I was teaching with a basal as the whole language movement came along. I did lots of reading that summer and approached my principal about moving away from the basal. He gave me permission, but I don't think he was convinced that I was doing the right thing. In fact, when one of the new teachers was hired, he told her to stay away from Julie Johnson. :) We ended up becoming great friends and leaned on each other as we taught reading in a different way. I hope your day went well and I'm glad your students have you as their reading teacher.

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  12. How great that all of your hard work is paying off and others are noticing what you are doing! Hope it went well! And I hope you have found colleagues, online if nowhere else, for those rich discussions. Those times are so, so, so important!

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