Unless... the support is there

As educators, we are constantly setting goals. Goals for our students, goals for ourselves as teachers, goals for our staff and goals for our school.

When I set my personal goals this year, I was a little confused with what I was actually going to focus on. Being new to the position and not really being clear what my role actually was made it extra difficult for me to narrow it down. But after lots of thought and notes, I finally narrowed it down to work on building relationships with staff and building a positive image for the coaches in our district. My previous post came from before my meeting with our assistant superintendent. I was going in with self-reflected data and a list of my strengths and weaknesses as a coach. Not was I was expecting to bring as "data".

You should know that when I first started in the classroom, my now assistant superintendent was my principal. I learned very quickly that she is just as amazing today as she was when I first started teaching. When we sat down for my evaluation, she allowed me to share all my data (if you would call it that) and asked a few questions here and there.

Then I shared the dreadful thought that has been haunting me since I have started. I shared how I really am not sure this is the position for me. At first she was surprised and didn't agree with me at all. She thought I was blossoming to become quite a powerful coach. However, she followed it up with her support of whatever I choose to do. If I wanted to go back to the classroom, she shared she would support my decision because she thought I would be great wherever I was.

I left my meeting feeling pretty amazing. However, it really didn't sink in until a few days later. I started having teachers seek my help. They are trusting my abilities and want my coaching advice. It feels as if this weight of doubt has been lifted all because of the support that surrounds me. I have other people who support me as well, but I guess I was either waiting for the right person, or enough people to add up.

This got me thinking about the support we offer those around us. Are we supporting each other? Or are we critical of one another? If we put our differences aside and worked together to help each other become the best educator possible, would that make an impact on our students? Is it possible that if we just cared about each other in a non-threatening way we could make a bigger impact than we are right now?

Just remember words by Dr. Seuss the next time you are critical of another teacher. Think about the what a difference you would make if you were there to support them instead of judge.

Because...

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better, it's not."

Care about someone and show it. Show your never ending support for the teachers around you. Imagine how you can change the world.

Merry Christmas!

Measuring a Hidden Difference

This is my first year coaching and my first year being out of the classroom. For those of you that just started following my blog, I actually started the year in third grade and transitioned out of the classroom in early October. Then I hit the ground running, trying to get into as many classrooms as I could. however, when I came into this position, I really wasn't sure what it looked like or what it really meant to be  a Student Performance Coach. Every day I learn a little more about what my "job" should look like.

However, I miss the kids. I miss having my own classroom. I guess you could say I felt safe there. I knew that my actions directly affected 25 little minds. I had control and knew how to measure the difference I was making. Nothing was hidden. Now... I am not sure. I am struggling to find a way to measure the difference I make.

My mom is a wise woman that I talk on the phone with every morning because we both are on our way to work. I had told her that I was for sure going back to the classroom next year because of all the amazing things my district is doing. She finally said, "Don't you see you are much bigger than that?" I didn't understand what she meant at first until she explained that when I was in the classroom, I only made a difference to 25 little minds. Now that I am working with teachers, I am reaching hundreds of students. But, I told her to prove it.

I work with 4 different buildings and a wide range of teachers both classroom and specialists. How can one possibly measure the impact they make when working with such a wide variety and in many different areas? Plus if the teachers I do work with share with other teachers, how do I measure that as well?

So maybe instead of thinking about the classroom and what it would mean to go back, I should think about ways to measure my effectiveness with teachers. How do I track the difference I make for teachers? How do I measure how their instruction has changed because of something I did? How do I know that I am making a difference?

Help!

Flying Pants Planning

"Fly by the seat of my pants" This is something I found myself saying often as a teacher. Did I have lesson plans? Yep! They didn't mean a whole lot at the time though. I never looked back once I typed them. I spent WAY too many hours playing around with the format and color coding boxes to make them look pretty. And I NEVER used them from year to year. I can't even remember a time that I even snuck a glance at what I did the previous year.

But now I sit and reflect on the lessons that had the biggest impact on my kids. They were well thought out. I had mentally walked through the entire lesson and made notes about what to expect, or teaching points that I could sneak in. Did I write it all out? No. I did make random notes on various pieces of paper or on my master copy so I wouldn't forget. The one thing that was the most different though, was my level of comfort. I had a sense of ease as I taught. I didn't get flustered or have to run back to my manual. My students were also much more successful because I knew where the end was and had already thought out my plan of how to get their with ease.

So my challenge to you is to consider how much effort and time  you are putting into planning. Are you really planning, or are you doing other things that do not affect student achievement (such as color coding and changing the font)? Try and dive into the lesson and walk through it instead of just putting the page number down and only opening your book as you begin the lesson.

You might be worried it will take away from your "flying pants" problem as you teach, however, you can still fly, but you would now have more of a purpose and a direction. Plus think about how successful your students will be, you will not have to reteach as much.

So the next time you sit down to plan, actually PLAN the lesson, walk through it as if you were teaching it. Think back to your college years where you had to type op 6 page lesson plans for one lesson. Only this time, it is in your head and on cute sticky notes. Then consider the impact it had on you AND your students and decide if it was worth your time... I bet it is.