Several years ago when the literacy coordinator position opened up in my district, I decided to apply. I had been an interventionist/coach for seven years, and although I loved the challenge of working with children and adult learners, I longed to have more of a voice at the district level to develop systems and structures to support deeper literacy learning. I applied and went through a rigorous interview process that included multiple interviews, demo lessons, and panels where I was informally questioned by colleagues about my literacy beliefs and hopes for the district’s literacy future. When I received the position, I was excited; I was terrified; I was ready to dig in.
During my first three years, I crafted and led an extensive literacy review, and used the results to champion a reading and writing workshop curriculum—the first K–5 literacy curriculum in the history of the district. I lobbied for and secured extensive and extended professional development to support our shift to workshop teaching, and secured funding for a major classroom library initiative and monies to enhance our book rooms to better represent all the children in our diverse district.
Looking back, much has been accomplished, and I feel proud of this work. I also feel a tangle of other emotions, because none of it has been easy. I knew the job would be challenging, that although my new role was not supervisory or that of an administrator, my colleagues might see me differently from when I was in my prior school-based role. However, what I didn’t expect was how lonely and often isolating this role could be and how critical it would be to have others to connect to around this work.
To combat leadership loneliness, I have learned some valuable lessons.
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Embrace Social Media: Social media can be an incredible way to connect with other educators who value what you do . . . or feel differently, which can help refine your thinking.
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Facebook: What are the books and or curriculums you are passionate about? Who are the authors? Many of them have member pages where colleagues from all over the world ask and answer questions and freely share the things they are creating in their classrooms. Don’t have a Facebook account? Consider setting one up solely for professional purposes to follow pages of interest.
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Instagram: Want to know what others are reading and learn about new #kidlitpicks? Instagram can turn into a #bookstagram. Want to get a peek into other classrooms? Instagram can provide a window into many classrooms and many new ideas.
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X (formerly Twitter): Literacy might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of X. However, you control your feed by who you follow, and if you follow literacy pages, your feed will be filled with other educators asking and answering questions.
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Offer book clubs! Options might include some of these:
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A professional book club: Have you recently read a professional text you were excited about? Invite others to join you in conversation. I am always pleasantly surprised by the number of teachers who also want to engage in dialogue when I extend the invitation. Not ready for a whole book? Select an article . . . and work your way up to inviting others to share articles they want to discuss.
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A just-for-fun book club: If a professional book club seems out of reach right now—start a just-for-fun book club. Try different meeting times—before school, during lunch, or after school—to find one that works. If we want kids to talk about books, we need to hone this skill as adults, and coming together as colleagues around a shared text for fun is a great place to begin.
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A book club for kids. Surrounding yourself with kids who are loving books is a surefire way to remind you of why you are doing the work you do. If you aren’t sure what kind of book will grab kids’ attention, choose a graphic novel and get as many copies as you can. The first time I did this, it was a “drop-in before school” club around a hot new title. My room was packed, and my heart was full.
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If a book club in your own district isn’t an option at this time, look to your local public library for options.
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Reach beyond your own district.
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Look for local organizations focused on literacy. Is there a state reading association? Do they have a local chapter?
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How about local educator collaboratives? Are there job-alike groups you could join that would allow you to collaborate with other literacy leaders and allow you to network and broaden your perspective?
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Are there publishers in your area? Many offer educator events, often with free swag and snacks and the opportunity to connect with other educators.
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Consider writing.
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Start small—share a post on one of the platforms you have recently joined. If people like it, write more about it.
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Find ways to share your work. Collaborative blogs such as Nerdy Book Club can be a great place to start.
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Attend a conference . . . and sit in the first row.
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I have made many professional connections just by sitting in the first row. The presenters we admire are humans, and they will often talk to attendees in the front row while waiting to start their presentation. Look to your right and left. Spark a conversation with other front-row attendees. They might be looking for the same kind of professional connection you seek.
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The work of a literacy leader can be lonely . . . but it doesn’t have to be. We can choose to reach out in a variety of ways within our own professional communities and beyond them to create connections that will nurture and sustain us in different ways as we continue our critical leadership work.
