Mistakes are a fact of life. It is the response to the error that counts.
—Nikki Giovanni
An Apology and Thoughts About Mistakes
First, I want to offer an apology for messing up Jacob Chastain’s name throughout last week’s Big Fresh. The host of the Teach Me, Teacher podcast is Jacob, not John. If you’ve not listened to the podcast, now is the time.
It’s hard to make a mistake, especially when the mistake goes out to more than 25K inboxes. When I make a mistake, I’m instantly embarrassed…even if it happens in my own home with the people I live with. I try to be a recovering perfectionist, but it is a daily battle.
This week’s collection of articles is about connecting with families, but there’s another underlying theme: taking action for good in our schools, even when it means making changes to how things have always been, or moving forward even if we’re afraid we’re going to mess up.
If you’ve always wanted to plan a family literacy night, Lisa Mazinas offers six tips to ensure a successful and organized event. Stella Villalba makes a compelling case for a slight and powerful change to the tone of parent-teacher conferences. I share a vulnerable article about my battle with impostor syndrome, and a charming antidote. Mandy Robek promotes math literacy at home. In a Coaching Minute video, Inga Omondi encourages us to ask for help when we don’t know what to do next.
This week take a few minutes to consider how to connect with families, plus gently nudge yourself to move forward, even if you might make a mistake.
Shine on,
Ruth Ayres
Editor in Chief
Jacob Chastain hosts Colby Sharp on the Teach Me, Teacher podcast. Listen in to part 2 of a powerful and inspiring conversation about classroom libraries. This podcast was first aired on April 17, 2023.
Video is a terrific tool for building connections between home and school. Heather Rader explains how Kelli Demonte uses video to guide children and communicate with families. This article was first published in 2012.
Bitsy Parks has her first-grade students record their writing as part of a regular workshop and assessment routine, and then uses QR codes to share the recordings with families and the larger community. This article was first published in 2015.
Writing Poetry with Elementary Writers offers ways to help elementary writers develop the mindset and tools to dip into poetry in their notebooks.
New members-only content is added each week to the Choice Literacy website. If you’re not yet a member, click here to explore membership options.
Stella Villalba offers five compelling tips to making parent-teacher conference conversations more joyful, useful, and hopeful.
Does planning a family literacy night seem overwhelming? Lisa Mazinas offers six tips to ensure a thoughtful and successful event.
In an encore article, Mandy Robek shares procedures for participation in Family Math. Family Math is a lens into the learning during the week and promotes math literacy at home.
In an encore video, Ruth Ayres meets with Zoey, a quiet writer who is drawn into the conversation through family stories and a mentor text with vivid illustrations.
New members-only content is added each week to the Choice Literacy website. If you’re not yet a member, click here to explore membership options.
Ruth Ayres addresses the issue of impostor syndrome in educators. She offers a charming way to battle the tension of feeling like we don’t do enough.
Curriculum director Inga Omondi advises leaders that the best thing for them to do is ask for help.
Kate Roberts and Maggie Beattie Roberts offer leaders wise insight into how to adjust professional learning so that it helps heal and uplift teachers during troubled times.
Quote It:
Our spring has come at last with the soft laughter of April suns and shadow of April showers.
—Byron Caldwell Smith
That’s all for this week!
