Snow Days

If you are in one of the thirty states affected by the recent storm, you may be digging out and playing catch up. My plan for the week was to coach teachers in literacy in a district north of Chicago--needless to say, I didn't make it. With three unexpected days at my desk, I was able to do a little planning around my own learning for the rest of the school year. If you are like me, you may neglect yourself as you stretch to meet the needs of so many others. But when we do take a little time for ourselves, it often reminds us of how important good professional development truly is.

You may already know about our institute titled, Getting Results from Student-Centered Coaching coming to Denver on May 19-20, 2011. It will be an intimate learning experience that will include opportunities to dialogue across districts, observe in Denver-area schools, and plan a strategy for using data to drive coaching. Slots in the secondary observation is filling up, so register now if you are interested. Get more info at: www.sparkinnovate.com.

Another great source of support for coaches, teachers, and school leaders is Choice Literacy at www.choiceliteracy.com. They provide workshops in both literacy and coaching and their website is loaded with wonderful videos from classrooms across the U.S.

And lastly, another terrific resource for coaches and school leaders is the Literacy Coaching Clearinghouse, sponsored by IRA and NCTE. Check out their online resources at www.literacycoachingonline.org. I love their short briefs and use them with teams of coaches on a regular basis.

After you dig yourself out of the snow and ice, make yourself a cup of hot cocoa and a plan for your own learning. It's worth it.