Five Brave Things
I take my hat off to Todd Williamson and Kelly Hines. They each have taken the time to list on their blogs the five things they would do if they were brave. I started to think about my job as an instructional coach. What would I do differently if I were truly brave?
1. Summer Book Study.
I love to read! I know there has to be other teachers and instructional coaches out there that would be interested in learning a new learning strategy during our summer vacation. If I were brave, I would set up a fabulous book study where we could meet either online or on my deck throughout the summer.
2. Individualized Meetings with Downtown
In our district, I report as an instructional coach to my principal first. I am fortunate, as I highly respect and enjoy working with him. I also kind of report to administrators in the Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Office. After two years as working as an instructional coach, I still get a little nervous when I speak to them. Because of this, I sometimes wonder if they really know me, my strengths, what I do as I coach… If I were brave, I would suggest that instructional coaches would get a chance to meet with the CI&A department every once in a while in a smaller settting–so everyone could get to know each other a little better.
3. Find an online community
If I were brave, I would fight to ensure the instructional coaches developed a social network, such as a Ning, to facilate communication and collaboration between us all.
4. Paperless
Many teachers have tried to go paperless this year, myself included. While I wasn’t completely successful, I will say that I reduced the amount of paper I used in my classroom by well over 90%. I had originally planned to challenge our new technology committee to reduce their paper use by 50 percent. If I were brave, I would ask the entire school, not just the committee of 8.
5. Accept My Mistakes
When I started coaching, I was so worried about being perfect. I had this vision that a great instructional coach had unparalleled wisdom on matters of content knowledge, pedagogy, learning theory, technology–you name it. That wasn’t me. If I were brave, and I think I am on this one, I will acknowledge that I will make mistakes, and to know it is ok. Thanks to Heather Radar for her great blog post on Learning from Coaching Mistakes.
How will you be brave?
May 3rd, 2009 at 10:51 pm
I love your ideas. If you set up an online book study for this summer, I’m in
I’m challenging myself to do at least 2 of the things on my list for next year. I’m hoping others will too!
May 4th, 2009 at 5:46 am
First of all, thanks for sharing your ideas on this one. Hearing the brave things others are considering serves to help ignite bravery AND gives some ideas for the future!
The idea of requesting individualized meetings is a good one. The district I am in is not especially large. I know a number of the central office staff from previous activities around the county. That means I know who to contact when there is an issue or a question about something that goes beyond building level control. However, most teachers don’t have those contacts. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if everyone had that opportunity to sit and share, plan, and simple learn from one another?
May 4th, 2009 at 8:18 am
Thanks for saying what, I believe, a lot of coaches feel. I agree that we need to action, especially on the book study and the informal, individual meetings with C&I. Let’s talk more about these things!
May 4th, 2009 at 8:42 am
@Kelly Hines: Yes, I believe the book study is something I can do! I’m going to wait until Lee Kolbert, aka @teachakidd compliles her list of summer reading. Hopefully, we can pick a great book!
@Todd Williamson: Thanks for getting this started! I had ideas on how I would be brave in the classroom–but they looked so much like yours and Kelly’s, I thought it would look like I was cheating. : o )
@Angie Klaasssen: Thank you! I feel blessed to work with such a fabulous group of instructional coaches. I didn’t realize how “brave” I would feel just by writing this post. I wasn’t sure if I would even mention I had written it, but how would that affect change??? We can discuss Tuesday.
May 4th, 2009 at 9:03 am
1. You just need to DO number one. You would be great at leading a book study.
2. You are brave. Blogging takes bravado, eh? I hear what you’re saying though. I would say that my first year of the three was the most “intimate.” And really- I distinctly remember the “veteran” teachers remaking often that year about how much even that year was different from the previous in that respect.
3. We WILL do number three. As soon as my graduation is up on the 17th, I’m on it. I just really haven’t been able to find the extra time needed to spaz out all perfectionist-ish on the design and precise mission. But yeas- I think that is coming… and I think it will be huge.
4. You are awesome. 90%? Really??? You should seriously drum this up more in your building. That is terribly significant. Definitely start with your tech committee… collect the data… and sell it! That is huge. Really- I hadn’t thought about that angle. However, I am sure you are right. The real integration of Ning within the curriculum as well as blogs, wikis, etc… SO much paperless. Finally.
Funny isn’t it? Computers in the classroom generated far MORE paper. A move to 1:1 ratio in classrooms with laptop carts generated the same, if not more. I think it is truly the emergence of easy-to-use, DIY-type collaborative web tools that has made this possible.
5. I think being less than “perfect” as a coach is quite essential. Few people want to be coached by a robot, right?
Very cool post…
You inspired me to be brave about… I don’t know… something. We’ll see what I can drum up.
Sean
May 4th, 2009 at 5:30 pm
Reading this post was a serendipitous experience for me… I am a high school Instructional Coach and I spent the weekend gathering my courage to present the idea of a summer book club to my staff. I am also going to try developing a school based Ning, where such a book club could happen if schedules don’t allow for a real time meeting. I also felt brave this weekend when I finally started a discussion on the English Companion Ning and then joined the conversation on Twitter. Thanks for the post and the link – it got me excited about possibilities!
May 5th, 2009 at 8:40 am
@Sean Nash: I’ll suggest a summer book study today at our coach’s meeting. It will be interesting to see who is interested in reading-and what. The more I think about becoming paperless, the more I realize I’m still just as bad as spitting out copy after copy during my role as a coach. There has to be ways for me to reduce my paper cravings! Ah, if I only had an iPhone…. I see such possibilities.
@Susan Payne Isn’t Twitter great! We’ll have to keep tabs as we each attempt book studies and school-based nings. I use a private one for the class I teach–and love it. It is amazing how a sense of community can develop. Please keep me posted. We can be brave!
May 5th, 2009 at 9:42 am
testing the waters
May 5th, 2009 at 9:50 am
I agree with Nash, you ARE brave by making your list public. I believe that you will find support for requesting one-on-one time with the CIA department, and I applaud your paperless agenda. Personally, I hope to participate in a summer book club with you and look forward to our forthcoming NIng. Now I’m working on my brave things to do list. Thanks for the nudge!
May 13th, 2009 at 10:49 pm
I am starting a new job in the fall – a new position in my division – Special education instructional coach – so i enjoyed your blog and look forward to advice from you as i start this new position!
May 16th, 2009 at 9:30 am
Wow, Kristyn! What a unique job–Special education instructional coach. I think a friend of mine on Twitter talked about someone else doing the same thing… Maybe it was you? I would love to keep in touch as you begin this new position. If you are on twitter, I’m @terri_science. There are some great coaching tweeps you can learn with there. Keep in touch.
June 19th, 2009 at 11:15 am
Wow! Your blog is very inspiring. I have my toes in the water and am ready to jump into Web 2.0. I just signed up with twitter hoping to find some awesome science educators to share some ideas and I have been working on a class wiki to use this year. I am looking forward to more of your thinkin’ thoughts.
June 12th, 2011 at 1:00 am
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August 29th, 2011 at 11:47 am
This is my first time i visit here. I found so many interesting stuff in your blog especially its discussion. Keep up the good work.
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