Put Me In, Coach!

The beginning of the school year is still a little strange since I left the classroom to be an instructional coach. I do have an office I get to decorate, but there is still a small twinge of sadness when I see teachers getting their classrooms ready for a new group of kiddos. Ultimately, I think that's a good thing- it means that I still care deeply about children, relationships, and learning. As I begin my third school year as an IC, I have a better understanding of how these feelings affect me and I thought it may be helpful to offer a quick-start guide for new coaches.

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Since acrostics are the only unflinching truth in education, I offer one for those of us that will be supporting teachers, encouraging growth in children and adults, and maybe even feeling a little overwhelmed at the task that lies ahead.

C: Cultivate contacts and connections
I wasn't prepared for how lonely I would be my first year as an instructional coach. I was a classroom teacher for 17 years and was always surrounded by my grade-level team. I did life with these people. They knew my students, my own personal children, struggles that I was having, and essentially became my group therapy for nine months out of the year. Often, ICs are the only one on a campus with their particular job description, and it can feel weird at first. Who do I sit with at faculty meetings? When do I eat lunch? It may seem petty, but don't underestimate the need educators have to connect with others and build solid, professional relationships. Connect with other coaches in your district or online to ensure you have a solid support system. You will need it!

O: Own your position
Ha! If only this was an easy one...As coaching becomes more prevalent in our public school systems, so do the ideas, models, and assumptions about what coaching truly is. The thing is, only you know what your position really looks like. Districts, systems, and campuses may provide fantastic training and ongoing support, but even then, there are many misconceptions about what exactly coaches do.  Work with your administration to articulate a focus for your work and make sure that you continue to communicate your goal of supporting teachers throughout the year. I had to continually remind myself that my entire job description was to improve student outcomes by empowering teachers to do what THEY want in the classroom. Reflect every few weeks and see if you need to adjust your sails. You will.

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A: Accept ambiguity
Most coaches used to be teachers and are accustomed to the sense of security that surrounds effective systems and procedures. Coaching can feel like a roller coaster that has jumped the tracks because every day is completely different.  Keep your calendar in a convenient place, because things change all the time! Google Calendar is great because you can set up your appointments and even sync it with other scheduling apps like Book Me or Google Keep. The digital version is also helpful when you are reflecting on how you spend your time. When I applied to be an instructional coach, there were 23 bullets on the job description, and the ever-popular Performs other duties as assigned...YIKES!? You will be asked to do things that may interfere with what you think you are supposed to do, but as long as you are spending the majority of time in classrooms supporting teachers, you are impacting learning.

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C: Champion Teachers

This may be the dirty little secret of instructional coaching, but you will be viewed differently. If you are coaching in the building where you previously taught, it can be even stranger because teachers you once vented with at Happy Hour are now coming to you to be heard. I thought I was a pretty positive person in the classroom but found it difficult to not feel discouraged when I was supporting educators who were frustrated, overwhelmed, or even angry. Teaching is such a personal profession, and anytime something doesn't go right, educators need to process. As a new coach, I tried to create a welcoming space for teachers to pop in, grab a piece of candy, make a cup of coffee, and talk shop. Often, however, I ended up feeling discouraged as I grappled with the reality that I couldn't fix things for these professionals I cared about so much. Find ways to listen, understand, and support, but try to communicate that you believe in people, in education, and solutions instead of going negative. Leave specific notes for teachers any chance you get. All I wanted when I was in the classroom was for SOMEONE over the age of 7 to recognize how hard I was working. Stand up for teachers any chance you can. It's one of the job's greatest privileges.

H: Harness the talent 

My favorite part of coaching is getting to spend my days learning from so many teachers. I have grown exponentially as an educator since I have been able to be in so many classrooms. Often, the teachers I serve don't need to see ME model something, they need me to be in their classroom so they can observe a colleague or mentor a peer. I am constantly on the lookout for connections I can help create between teachers that will spark learning networks. Sometimes this match-up is with teachers in our building, across the district, and I've even matched up teachers with members of my online PLN. If there is one thing I have learned from 19 years in education, it's that our relationships are paramount to our activities. If I can encourage teachers to build stronger relationships with each other and our students, then I believe the learning takes care of itself.

I am excited to have connected with other instructional coaches as I continue this learning journey. Happy new school year!

Fear

This summer, I am working with the Central Texas Writing Project, a program at Texas State University that is focused on the premise that teachers are better teachers of writing when they are writers themselves.

We focus on strategies and reflection, on pedagogy and educational theory. We work with teachers to strengthen their craft by connecting them with research, writing, and a network of other teacher writers. We work with teachers that are working desperately to reconcile what they know is true about children with what is true about teaching public school. How writing with passion can coexist with writing to a prompt. How informed writing for authentic audiences can accompany writing for a state accountability system.

Something I find over and over as I work with teachers is the unspoken, ever-present idea of FEAR. The fear of not doing enough for our students. The fear of doing so much for our students that we neglect our own families. The fear that high-stakes testing beats the joy out of school, for us and for the students we love. We fear litigation and not being able to provide for our families. We fear what happens to our students when they are not in our care. We fear what might happen to our jobs if we speak up for our kids, for our profession, for each other. We are scared. 

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Well said, Lee S. Shulman. Teaching is so technical that it is way more than a profession. It is as much art as it is dance as it is theory and surely adding countless young humans (and their parents) into that equation is terrifying. But, dear friends, identifying the fear is not enough. We are frightened, but as every brilliant teacher knows, it is not enough to sit paralyzed by that monster under the bed. We have to be BRAVE.

B: Be informed. Brave teachers are learners. They know what the issues are, and they know where to find answers. They have studies and articles and professors and other teachers to pull from, count on, and lean-in to. This community is in person and online, it is found in PLNs and podcasts, in classrooms and Voxer groups. This community gives teachers a collective voice to call upon when they need back-up from an educational posse of committed professionals who all want what is best for kids.

R: Reflect: Brave teachers are highly reflective. They are constantly asking themselves what could be improved. They are quick to identify when something does not work and they are committed to finding a better way. They know when a lesson goes haywire. They do not continually search out people to blame: kids, parents, administrators, a flawed system, but instead think about causes and practical solutions. Brave teachers open themselves up for reflection by talking to others: colleagues, coaches, and administrators. They are humbled by the enormity of their power as a teacher, and are continually looking for ways to empower others.

A: Accept reality: Brave teachers understand that there are certain things that cannot be changed. Initiatives, mandates, state curriculum guidelines, your class list- lots of things are just reality and time is wasted when we fret over them. Jim Knight, a research associate in the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning and director of the Kansas Coaching Project, talks about the, "current classroom reality." When teachers are open and honest about what the realities are, they are better equipped to take targeted action towards strengthening instructional practices and ultimately, improving learning environments for our students.

V: Voraciously read: Brave teachers are readers. They read blog posts, journals, and Twitter feeds. They read e-mails from parents, administrators, and colleagues. They read children's books and YA books and Bluebonnet books and graphic novels to share with reluctant readers. They continually sift through a never-ending feed of words and phrases and information and research and opinions and must be cognizant of what is worth paying attention to, and what needs to be dismissed. Education is a rollercoaster of a profession, with jargon, acronyms, and buzzwords that are gone as quickly as a teacher's lunch break. Brave teachers consider this reading work necessary to their effectiveness as educators, and it has always been one of my favorite parts of the job!

E: Engage: Brave teachers are engaged. They engage with their students, their colleagues, and the families they affect. They are engaged in the process of teaching and learning. They are engaged in local policy, in weekend soccer games, and in the communities where they teach. They do not get to disengage at the grocery store on the weekend. They do not get to disengage when they do not feel well. They engage in relationships and hard work, in problem solving and celebrations. They stay engaged because they love what they do.

I'm so humbled to work alongside such brave teachers each day. Teachers who believe Haim Ginott's quote and live out the implications of such beautiful and powerful words:

“I’ve come to a frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It’s my personal approach that creates the climate. It’s my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or dehumanized.” 

― Haim G. Ginott

Be brave, teacher friends. We are all standing behind you.

Brave teacher books...

                        

Whatever you are...

My niece attends the elementary campus where I am an Instructional Coach. When I picked up my kids at my mom's house the other day, she was there and was drawing a picture for her teacher. I nonchalantly mentioned that I knew her teacher would love it. I also said that since I'm not a classroom teacher anymore, I don't get very many, "love notes," from students.

Two days later, I was in the crosswalk directing before-school traffic (Coaches often perform other duties as assigned) when my niece came to the curb. "Aunt Mandy, I made you this." It turned out the be the very best part of my day, as well as the inspiration for this post.

"Since you became a whatever you are..."

I am in my second year as a campus Instructional Coach. It is safe to say that I had zero idea what I was doing last year. I read books by Elena Aguilar, Jim Knight, and Jennifer Allen. I tried to be all things to all people, I felt sad when I wasn't well-received, and I doubted my decision to leave the classroom as I struggled with an identity crisis that was expected, but still very difficult. I believed there was an ideal coach, some model that I was searching for, but even though I was committed and read all the right books, I was still very much lost.

Don't get me wrong. I wouldn't count the year a complete loss. I tried really, really hard. I read and researched, advocated for kids, and tried to work with individual teachers and teams to accomplish the goals they had set for themselves and for their students. I modeled lots of lessons and tried to meet the needs of the teachers, the campus, and the district system. But still I wondered...was I trying to be what I thought everyone wanted me to be instead of trusting myself to be what my school really needed?"

The ambiguity of instructional coaching can cause confusion for more than just our students. Countless kiddos at my school think I'm the counselor because she visits their classrooms, too. I had a parent stop me in the hall the other day and ask, "What exactly do  you do here? My son said you were in his room and were a super-nice sub, but his teacher wasn't absent."

One of my favorite Instructional Coaching shirts

The other day, I found this post on an Instructional Coaching blog I follow. When I read it, I immediately agreed with the author, Cory Roffey when he said, 

"Clearly defining your role as an instructional coach takes a strong understanding of the varied and dynamic roles of a coach, but an even stronger understanding of your school site and both are essential in becoming the instructional coach that your school needs."

This year, my school needs support as teachers work to adapt to new administration, a new state accountability system, and new district initiatives. Our teachers and administrators have identified focus areas and I am busier than ever trying to provide support, build relationships, and facilitate a new fact fluency assessment system. 

While my precious, thoughtful niece may still have no idea I what I do, and as I struggle through the ultimate identity crisis, I take comfort in the idea that I can learn from my mistakes, set goals and work to attain them, and that every day, something happens that makes me so happy to be exactly who and where I am. 

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Keeping it simple when it's not...

Late October is a really hard time for teachers. The newness of back-to-school has worn off, the crayons aren't quite as pointy, and the reality of the task that lies ahead can seem downright overwhelming. Add on new district and campus initiatives, involvement in your own kids' activities, and all the allergies (I'm in Texas) and it can get just plain brutal.

I was in a team leader meeting this past week and our principal had us take out a notecard and list anything on the card that was a change from last year. "What are you currently dealing with that is new?" Here are just a few things that I scrawled out:

• New administration
• New lesson plan expectations
• New state teacher appraisal system
• New student login information (they had FINALLY learned them!)

Here are a few things my colleagues wrote down:

• New baby
• New teammate
• New levels of accountability
• New system for PLCs
• New math fact fluency guidelines
• New behavior unit on campus

The average number of items on the card was around 15. Fifteen?! No wonder things are feeling a little bit stressful. The task was NOT to list everything you actually do. She only asked us to write down what we do that is NEW. Just as surely as Benjamin Franklin's famous quote about death and taxes, in schools across this country, the only thing I know for sure is that things will change. The curriculum will change, the administrators will change, the current, "best practice," of the day will change. There will be new programs, new initiatives, new technology, and new kids. There will be new leaders, new state standards, new areas of focus, and new high stakes tests. 

As an Instructional Coach, I try desperately to limit the noise for teachers so they can focus on what is truly important. There are times, however, that my coaching colleagues and I feel like when teachers see us, what they really see is more work. A new coaching goal for myself is to keep my mouth shut, listen to what teachers are REALLY saying, and to draw on my knowledge, my experience, and my resources to match educators with whom or what they really need.

I was talking to a teacher yesterday whom I wholeheartedly respect. She was talking about how she has had to make a conscious effort to stop reading teacher books now that school has started because she knows it will make her want to change her already successful systems to try the latest new thing. Great teachers are always looking for better ways to reach students, but when we constantly change our approach, sometimes we cannot truly know the effects. I thought it was so brilliant of her to recognize the need to slow down, work on deep implementation as opposed to surface willingness, and to truly focus on the needs of her students and herself.

I recently attended Crucial Conversations training which is designed to help people have productive, valuable conversations when the stakes are high. In teaching, the stakes are always high because children are involved. There are three things that must be present for the conversation to be considered crucial:

1. Differing opinions (Never happens in education, right?!)
2. High stakes 
3. Strong emotions

One of my biggest take-aways from this training is that we often tell ourselves (inaccurate) stories about people and situations that directly influence how we respond when we feel threatened. As I reflected on this training and the recent conversations I have had with teachers, I think the story we are telling ourselves is that we are inadequate. If I am supposed to teach this way now, what does that mean for the kids I taught last year, or the last 20 years? Was I doing it wrong? Are you saying that if I do it this way, I'm now better than I was yesterday? Was that teaching not valuable? Did kids not learn? Do you think I'm not good at what I do?

During another recent conversation with two fourth grade teachers, they were asking about how we can possibly teach the state standards to the depth that is necessary in a workshop model. They were saying they KNOW that it is best for kids, but were struggling with the logistics of different genres, varying reading levels, a fixed timeline, time in text, and RTI expectations. As I listened to their conversation, I was struck with how well they teach. All they could focus on was how they were not doing it right, and all I could focus on was that they were. Even just having the conversation showed that they were honest and reflective, were meeting the needs of a broad range of learners, that they cared about their kids as readers and not just as test scores, and that they wanted to do their job so well. 

I work with some of the most amazing, caring, committed teachers out there. In schools all across this country, teachers are working themselves to the limits of burnout to balance what is being asked of them with what they know is right. In an ocean of ever-changing ideas, research, and initiatives, I want to help teachers identify what their state standards are asking them to do, what timeline their district has given them to do it, and what is best for kids. My daughter happens to be in the class of one of the teachers having the reader's workshop conversation above. I e-mailed her later and hope it resonates with other teachers who are fighting the good fight.

From a parent perspective, you are doing more than, "good things." My daughter is a tough nut to crack and she would take a bullet for you. She's independently motivated to work on reading and math, and is talking about social studies concepts like never before. She talks about experiments, the fun she is having, dance parties, and loves school.

You did that. 

Highly effective teachers always spend more mental energy on what isn't going well, but from my vantage point, and in her eyes, you are the best around.

My kids have been taught by the most caring and committed teachers. I am so fortunate to work with a building full of thinkers, reflectors, and teachers that put kids first. The stakes are high and our emotions are strong. When our viewpoints differ, let us focus on a mutual outcome. 

What is best for kids? 

Beginning of the Year Read-Alouds

Like most educators, I am slightly obsessed with bookstores. I love the way they smell, I enjoy watching people browse for just the right book, I love hearing the conversations between parents and their young children as they discuss authors and characters, and I get excited every time I find perfect books for lessons I want to teach or share with the teachers with whom I work.

The other day, I was in Half Price Books and found two gems that I am excited to take with me to school this year! Elementary teachers spend considerable time at the beginning of the year building community with their classes and setting the stage for future reading success. It is important to share special books together so that students can anchor their learning to mentor texts, establish norms and procedures for working closely in a shared space, and simply adjust to their new learning environment with the presence of quality children's literature. 

Wise teachers are very intentional about the books they choose at the beginning of the school year. They read books that are funny, books with characters that help children make connections, and books that model expectations in easy, relatable ways. Teachers understand what feelings and anxieties students may bring into their new classroom and can leverage read-alouds for a positive start to the year.

There are classic read-alouds that I have always read to my kids at the beginning of the year, but I get giddy when I find new titles that I can add to my coaching room for teachers to share with their new groups of kiddos. Here are two finds that I highly encourage you to check-out!

The Book That I Love to Read by Joe Fitzpatrick. This is the cutest read-aloud ever! The main character is a boy who has found the PERFECT book. It kind of reminds me of The Monster at the End of This Book because each new page has fun surprises that primary kids will LOVE. Selfishly, I want to keep this book for myself when I do read-alouds in classrooms the first few weeks of school year to introduce myself to the kids. But, if a teacher REALLY wants it, then (of course) I will concede!

How to Read a Story by Kate Messner. This is quite possibly the most perfect book to read to kids before a lesson on choosing a Just-Right book. It is versatile enough to read at home with your own kids or to your class as you establish norms for independent and partner reading.  It is kind of a clearinghouse of all beginning of the year reading mini-lessons, as it addresses everything from choosing a place to read, to changing your voice to match the characters, to boldly exclaiming, "The End." Just precious. Amazon recommends this book for K-2nd grade, but I would read it to third graders in a heartbeat. If I had to choose a similar book, it kind of reminds me of Wolf! by Becky Bloom.

As the new school year quickly approaches, I will continue to find books to support the teachers and students I get to work alongside all year. What are your favorite back-to-school read-alouds?

Reflections from the Stands

I got the opportunity to guest blog over at Your Instructional Coach. It is a blogged aimed at Instructional Coaches, but applicable to any in the field of education. I was recently struck by how teaching is a lot like playing baseball...

I would be honored if you would head over to Eric's page and check it out! I am rooting for you, teachers!

Great baseball reads...

                      

Mindsets for Parents!

I'm so excited! I have blogged before about the power of Growth Mindsets for kiddos, but I am thrilled about this new book by Mary Cay Ricci written just for parents! I hope to start up a Growth Mindset parent study at school soon. What are some things you would address in a group like this? I think parents and teachers working on this together could have a real impact...I would love to know your thoughts.

Mindset books I have enjoyed...

                               

Podcasts are the New PD

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of working with Gretchen Shultek from Always a Lesson on a project we've talked about for awhile. I connected with Gretchen through Twitter and she quickly became a mentor to me...even though we are not geographically close!

Gretchen and I quickly took our Twitter connection to the next level. Voxer is one of my favorite apps for taking control of my own professional development. It allows for quick, convenient connection with my PLN. I can throw out a quick question, ask for recommendations, participate in book studies, or just say hi. It is a great tool for #personalizedPD, which is my very favorite kind of PD (if you haven't heard me mention it already...).

Gretchen asked if I would be interested in being interviewed for her podcast, and at first I was confused. "Um, what would people want to hear me talk about?" And she said, "Just tell me what you're thinking." It fascinated me how talking to her in that format allowed me to reflect on ideas that have been swimming around in my mind for awhile. It was such a cool experience. If you'd like to hear the episode, you can listen here, or you can download her podcast in the iTunes store. If you like her style, please subscribe to her podcast and leave her some love in the review section.

Listening to a podcast is an easy way to grab some personalized professional development when it fits into your schedule. No matter what you are searching for, you are sure to find one that will give you insight, encouragement, and practical ideas for your teaching life. Here are a few of my favorites:

Always a Lesson

Cult of Pedagogy

Angela Watson

Jennifer Seravallo

The Space Between: Dave Matthews and Public Education

I am a word girl. I appreciate stories and poems and lyrics and speeches. I love reading clever books, I enjoy snarky stand-up, and I love having fast-paced conversations with people who are smart and sharp and funny. I treasure the familiar refrains of stories I have read to children for years and years; the two that I have raised, and the countless others that I have loved, fought for, even grieved over, one academic year at a time. I even asked a new teacher this week if I could share a Valentine read-aloud with her class because the thought of not reading Roses are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink by Diane deGroat to a class for the first time in 18 years almost made me weepy.

Every once in awhile, however, familiar pedagogy collides with satellite radio, and a song I have heard over and over finds me in a new way. Perhaps a result of nostalgia or frustration or grief, maybe a byproduct of love or hopefulness or joy, a song will sometimes reach out and pull at the parts of me that I often hide- from my acquaintances, my friends, and maybe even myself. Not to sound dramatic (ha), but songs get to me. I will laugh out loud at a lyric and I will silently sob to a song that hits me in a weird way, whether it be from my past, my present, or what I think may be my future.

Today, I heard, "The Space Between," by Dave Matthews. A song originally released just two years into my teaching career hit me in a new way as it played in my car leaving the school parking lot. As an instructional coach, I have so many opportunities to experience the things that are hard about education. Too many expectations, too little time, too many meetings, not enough funding for resources or training or support. Teachers are often exhausted and struggle with EVER PRESENT guilt: they feel guilty that they are not doing more for their students, or they feel guilty that doing it means they are not devoting fair amounts of time to their own lives: their own families and friends and interests.

Teachers have to battle with the expectations of a Pinterest world: perfect lessons and papers with darling fonts, activities that are inquiry-based and hands-on and differentiated and scaffolded. Classrooms must be stocked with materials that are pleasing to the eye and functional, but not cluttered. Oh, and buy all the materials yourself, because the bookshelf that comes with the classroom is nice, but the alphabet that hangs on the wall must be purchased by the teacher. The school day must include enough movement opportunities to meet the needs of your kinesthetic learners, but three others prefer calm, quiet environments, so kindly do your part to meet the needs of each child's unique learning style. Please also make kids care about non-renewable resources, dividing decimals, and that M really does come before N in the alphabet. And do it with a smile, with an even, composed spirit, and answer all of the e-mails you get about transportation changes and reading level changes and home-life changes in a timely manner. And do not mix anything up.

What does this have to do with Dave Matthews? Nothing really, except that the teachers I know keep showing up for more. Some move locations and some move on, but very few of the people I do education with can stay away from school. WHY? Why do so many teachers stay, when it's such an overwhelming career?

"The Space Between."

It really makes such good, good sense. 

"You cannot quit me so quickly...The space between the tears we cry, is the laughter that keeps us coming back for more."

I love school. I love talking to kids and the adults that care for them each day. Today I got to hear about stock shows and fractions and how to find the main idea and what sound the sh-digraph makes. I got to give no less than 76 hugs to kids that think I am a custodian because I help with lunch duty. I got to help a gravel-dusted boy get an ice pack, hold a baby brother, and calm a mom who was having a hard time with her kindergartner having a hard time.

And I laughed. I laughed with teachers and parents and to myself as I overheard kid conversations at lunch and while fifth graders filmed a PSA about renewable energy sources. I was photobombed by a former student. A first grader snuck up behind me to scare me. Awhile back, I wrote a post that explored the identity crisis I was facing as I prepared to leave the classroom. It has been hard and weird. It has also been rewarding and exciting and so fascinating. I have learned SO STINKING MUCH. What has surprised me the most is that there is a much broader picture now that my world is over 600 children instead of just 22. I have learned that it takes parents and teachers and administrators and support staff to provide an environment that is good for kids. I was recently reminded by an education mentor that, "You're not a fixer. You're a leader. Lead people to love this profession again."

Beautiful, right? It's the space between. 

"The space between the bullets in our firefight is where I'll be hiding, waiting for you." 

I have chosen to believe that means that with all that is wrong in education, there is so very much that is right. The right people. The right passion. Finding the joy in a job that matters. Because our kids matter. They deserve grown-ups that will fight. Maybe not with fire, but with a burning desire to try. To the teachers and the others that I serve in this position that I am still struggling to figure out, what I can promise is the last line of the first stanza of a song that hit me today...

"But I got all the time for you, Love,"

The Bend or Snap Method...

If successful elementary teachers had to be summed up in one word, it would probably be, "flexible." Any given day, there are one billion things that have to be monitored, adjusted, planned for, adapted, modified, and differentiated. There are unexpected meetings, a kid may puke on your carpet, a mom drops off lunch and wants to visit during your math lesson, and the list goes on and on. There are over 50 adults and hundreds of children in one building and do not get me started on the copiers...and so the odds are, something will not go as planned. You can blame it on miscommunication, multiple personalities, or just plain life, but the most important thing is not that you sometimes get derailed, but how you react respond to it.

I was up at school working the other day and got derailed. The reason I jumped the tracks this given time is irrelevant, but suffice it to say I lost my ever-loving mind. I closed my door, broke down into tears, and stood frozen in the middle of my room not knowing what to do next. I am prone to strong feelings, so this is kind of normal operating procedure for me, but it can make those around me uncomfortable...

So, what did I do?

I put on my sunglasses, walked straight out the front of the building, and went to get a pedicure. 

I'm sure I looked like a trainwreck sitting in that chair with the swollen eyes and red nose as the lady tried to convince me that I SURELY needed my eyebrows taken care of also, but when I left, I was calmer, had delightful coral-hued toes, and was ready to face my children. Later, I was texting a friend and I replayed the scene. When I told her I just left and went to a nail salon, she replied, "Well, that certainly is the Legally Blonde way of handling problems."

I suppose it was. I love that movie. I love how Elle Woods does not apologize for who she is, but uses her unique talents (and a little bit of flair) to help people around her. She remains positive, upbeat, and roots for the underdog. She is self-deprecating and kind, and strives to bring out the best in other people. She befriends Paulette, works to cheer her up, and teaches her the Bend and Snap.

Allow me to borrow that for the point of this entire ridiculous blog post. 

To be a successful teacher human, one must remain flexible. If you do not allow yourself to bend, you will surely snap. Not everything will go your way. Not every decision that is made is the one YOU would have made. Not every lesson will go how you planned it, not every anchor chart will look like Cara Carroll's, and not every day will be Instagrammable. You must bend. You must sway. You must roll with it, go with the flow, maybe even shimmy a little. The alternative is you snap. You break. You give up, you throw a fit, or you doubt why you do it at all. And trust me sweet friends, you must never doubt why you do it, because those babies will be in your rooms in two weeks and you will be reminded. 

Take the time to take care of yourself. Fix your hair a different way, add a little pink to your wardrobe, surround yourself with friends that get you and allow you to be yourself, and enjoy your family. Listen to good music, drink good coffee and good wine (ask if you need recommendations). 

"Oh, and whoever said that orange is the new pink is seriously disturbed."

Grown-ups Need Teachers, Too…

I am a teacher. Most of my days are filled with asking and answering questions, facilitating discussion, filling out nurse passes, collecting and disseminating money, and trying my best to deliver a curriculum that is way, way, WAY different than what I was accountable for when I was in elementary school. Oh, and I try to do that in ways that are innovative, creative, pedagogically sound, and fun. It sounds easy. It is SO, SO not.

Here’s the thing. I am also a learner. I LOVE learning. I know that sounds cliché and Eddie Haskell-ish, but I do not think I am alone. I believe most teachers are learners by nature, I’m just not sure that there are adequate opportunities for teachers to expand their knowledge, hone their craft, extend their ideas, and to really, truly grow as educators.

Enter…the Self-Directed Professional Learning Model. Designed by me. It’s actually not a model. Or even an actual real thing. I made it up because teachers should be learning. Adults need to learn. You want your doctors to understand the newest techniques, you want your plumber to stay apprised of the best ways to…um…plumb? You want your dentist to learn new ways to keep your dental experiences efficient and pain free…Do we not want the people that spend the very most time with our little humans to be at the top of their educational game? Wouldn’t it be fantastic if educators could just sign up for a training that they need and attend? It sounds easy. It is SO, SO not.

Teacher friends, I feel your pain. The SDPLM (that’s my model, that’s actually not a model) involves you taking charge of your own professional learning. It is reading research and educational blogs and talking to your teacher friends about what matters in the classroom. It is inviting other educators into your classroom and watching them teach and learning from them. It is talking to that teacher at your campus that you know is really good at (insert thing that teacher is really good at). It is trusting that tiny little voice inside yourself that says, “I know what’s best for kids and it may not be teaching three properties of multiplication all in 47 minutes…” It is having tough discussions and standing up for kids whenever the need arises. Even if you cry in a dad-gum meeting. Again.

And for me, it is seeking out mentors.

Teachers need mentors. Actually, all adults need mentors. We need people that are wiser than us, people with more life experiences, people who can show us perspectives, ideas, and angles that we may not have thought about before. We need it in all areas of our lives, I suppose. Last week, I learned so much about myself at a lunch date with an education professor, that I was close to tears (SHOCKER) because I left with a new goal, a new reading list, and a new outlook on this profession that I love, but lately has gotten me all tangled up.

Truth is, I am so fortunate to be surrounded by mentors of all ages…

*I learn EVERY single time I shut my mouth and really listen to my mom. She is beautiful and wise and funny and so accepting.

*I gained true insight the other evening when I met my aunt for dinner and we talked and laughed about life and teaching and parenting and sangria.

*The baby teachers that I get to work with mentor me on Snapchat, boot socks, technology integration, and how to use a curling wand without getting third degree burns. Again.

*The intensely passionate and HIGHLY driven sister I have been blessed with teaches me about parenting, going after what you want, networking, and public speaking.

*My dear friends, who challenge me, celebrate when I am up, console when I am down, smile knowingly when I go, “off,” and bring me Summermoon.

*My Kacee, who texts me at 4:57 in the morning to talk about professional development, our kiddos, life plans, and outfits.

No matter how you spend your days…at school surrounded by kiddos, at home taking care of your own little ones, at a high-powered office or a low-powered coffeehouse…find a mentor. Commit to your own Self-Directed Professional Learning Model. Find a person who challenges, inspires, teaches, and offers a new lens. Surround yourself with solid, happy, interesting people that push you to grow. You may just discover that you are the mentor. You are the one to inspire. Maybe you are the one that will help someone else to grow.

The student has become the master.

What Beachin’ Taught Me About Teachin’

Our family just got back from a seven-day beach vacation to Florida. We went with four other families, for a total of 21 people…ten adults and eleven kiddos. We stayed in a darling beach house super-close to the water. We ate delicious food, played games, rode boogie boards, shopped, ate delicious food, had races in the pool, jumped in the waves, sat and talked, watched movies, and ate delicious food.

I would be lying if I said I didn’t have a few (tiny) reservations about traveling half-way across the country with a group this large. What if it’s too many people, what if my kids act like jerks, what if we run out of delicious food…(Clearly, food is a priority of mine on vacation. Also, on Tuesdays. Whatever. Food is delicious.)

As I walked the beach alone early one morning, I started thinking about the impending work that was waiting for me. Setting up my classroom, organizing furniture and files, working at school late at night…and I got kind of sad. Not sad to go back to work, but sad that I can’t hold class here.

The more I started thinking about it, however, the more it became clear that this vacation was just what I needed to start my school year off right. Our family doesn’t travel often. My world is very small. This was actually the first time my children had even been out of Texas. This was an experience that we will always remember and it even taught me a few things about what I want for myself and my new class…

#1 Life is Better With Music-I created a playlist for everybody filled with songs about the beach, vacation, friends, summer, and fun. My kids helped me choose songs that (hopefully) everybody would enjoy. Some songs were serious, some were silly, and some were just plain ridiculous… “Mandy” by Barry Manilow just HAD to be on the list, right?! I was reminded just how important music is and how much I enjoy playing it in my classroom. I’ve even started playlists on Spotify for different activities this year.

#2 Shared Experiences Create Community-Any time a group of people experience something together, a sense of community is born. Hence, the 576 group texts that the moms used to keep tabs on meals, supplies, kids, routes, and pictures. Our children watched Matilda 786 times in a row. On VHS. They called it an, “old fashioned movie,” I suppose meaning it wasn’t a DVD or downloaded onto a device. It became a running joke that our kids had crossed over state lines to watch a movie on a nine inch VCR. Whatever. They loved it and are still talking about the fun they had with their friends. In much the same way, shared experiences make a classroom a true community. Sharing in read alouds, participating in math discussions, playing games, even pulling on a rope at field day all provide our students with a bond that they will always remember- if priority is placed on building the community in the first place.

#3 It Takes a Village- Let’s be honest…I’m over this saying, but I’ve never seen it in practice more clearly than on a seven day trip with twenty one people in the same house. We fed each other’s kids and washed each other’s laundry. We shared chores, towels, medicine, clothes, and snacks. If somebody was in the pool, somebody else was wiping down the countertops. The dads took the kids to a baseball game and the moms went to the beach. The dads played golf and the moms took the kids to the boardwalk. It was a seamless dance where everybody could do what they wanted to do and each person contributed to make it a great trip for everyone else. It reminded me so much of school. I even said, “Twenty one people in one house is nothing! This is how many people are in my classroom every day, only we don’t get to spread out into six bedrooms!” When everybody in a school pulls his/her own weight, pitches in to help when it’s needed, and works to make it pleasant for everybody, let’s face it…Stuff gets done. I’m so thankful I work at a school where this happens.

#4 Life is Better With a Book- I love that my friends are readers like I am. I always take their recommendations and am thankful that the important people in my life model the practice of reading to my children, even though it’s not a conscious decision. On our trip, books were everywhere…with authors ranging from Chelsea Handler to Lee Child to Bernhard Schlink. Luckily, the owners of the beach house left some romance novels, too…just in case we finished what we brought! I believe books are the common thread that bring together a classroom of diverse learners. Sharing books builds confidence, community, and character. I am already planning the ever-so-important first read alouds for my new class this fall…

#5 The Road Goes on Forever and the Party Never Ends- I thought of this one somewhere along the 11 hour road trip home. It seemed we would never be back to our own house, sleeping in our own beds and using our own bathrooms (ugh- gas stations). However, the memories our family made on this trip, the fun we had with precious friends, the hours we played in the ocean, and the delicious food we had…everything was worth it. The hard work that teachers put into their classrooms, the hours they labor over lessons and children, the trips up and down a step-ladder to get that word wall exactly even…it’s all worth it.

I was back in my classroom today, arranging furniture and organizing books. I stood in the middle of the room, overwhelmed with the enormity of it all, but then I remembered that just like the past sixteen years, it always gets done. And then I’m back where I’m supposed to be and there are twenty one new housemates to make it all worthwhile.

Even though I may still be dreaming about the beach.

Teacher Talk Tuesday

Today Blog Hoppin' is encouraging us to share our advice for new teachers. I always laugh when I think back to my first year teaching because I spent time on all the wrong things. My best friend and I call them First Year Stupids (things we did that first year that we would never do now).

*Tell parents cute/funny things that their kids did or said. As a mom, I know how cool my kids are, but when one of their teachers tells me something funny, I know their unique personalities are being appreciated in their classrooms. This goes hand in hand with parent communication. Building a relationship with parents makes it easier when you do have to talk to them about something difficult.

*Read some books just for fun! I'm all about using children's literature to teach all kinds of concepts, but sometimes it is fun to just enjoy books with your class. It shows you value reading, it lets the kids in on who you are as a reader, and it creates such a sense of family in your classroom. We call this, "Start the day with a story." I love when my class develops inside jokes around books we've read. For example, after reading Pete the Cat, you may encourage a kid who is upset to, "keep walking along and singing your song..."

*Always do the Scholastic book order! Or whatever the equivalent is in your area. The books are really cheap and you can usually earn bonus points that you can trade in for more books! I think I've only missed one month of doing the book order in my 13 years of teaching!

*Take lots of pictures and share them with parents! I guess this goes back to the first one, but it makes the parents so excited when they get pictures of their children. I also think it shows that you value each family unit. Many parents just cannot volunteer at school or be present all the time and taking pictures for them is such a huge blessing! Since I'm a teacher, I often cannot be at my son's events- back to school night, first day, etc. My husband goes, but it's just different, so I love when his teachers take the time to take pictures for me!

*Realize that each child is in your room for a very special reason. At least, I believe this. I found a great quote on Pinterest: "Love me when I least deserve it, for that is when I really need it." That's usually true!

What advice would you give a new teacher?