Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.
― Margaret Mead
Thrive Together
Here are some sobering statistics:
- K-12 workers have the highest burnout rate in the U.S. (Gallup Panel Workforce Study)
- Within the K-12 employee population of the same study, teachers are the most burned out.
- As of October 2022, 44% of U.S. public schools have at least one vacancy. (NPR)
- Nearly 50% of new teachers leave the profession within the first five years. (National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future)
It does not come as a surprise to anyone reading this that it’s easy for educators to feel overwhelmed. In fact, for many it feels inevitable…that being overwhelmed is simply part of the gig—like entering grades or taking attendance; educators feel overwhelmed.
Living in post-pandemic times means there are many new initiatives and demands on educators. Navigating change is always difficult, and when we feel overwhelmed, it can seem even harder.
This is why Choice Literacy is more important than ever to teachers and literacy leaders. It is a place where we can hear from educators who still carry full-time contracts with school districts. There is a distinct difference in learning from someone who is part of the daily grind, who understands the beautiful mess of showing up in the same school with the same people every day. And who finds joy and purpose in helping students grow in wholehearted ways—academically, emotionally, and relationally.
Choice Literacy has made a commitment to uplift the voices of current practitioners. They barely have time to collect a few coherent thoughts to share the incredible ways students are metamorphosing in their classrooms. They don’t have time to make everything sleek and shiny, to keep up with weekly content creation, or for self-promotion…and frankly, they don’t care about these things.
They are motivated by the growth they see in students and a deep respect for the field. They want to help others who are slogging through the daily grind and offer hope. Choice Literacy is a sanctuary in the middle of slick sales platforms and pretty “solutions” for complicated problems.
It is by being in community with one another that teachers will stay in the field. It is by celebrating together and sharing real-time ideas about the issues we are all facing. This week we look at ways to beat overwhelm and thrive at school—plus more, as always.
Shine on,
Ruth Ayres
Editor in Chief
Gwen Blumberg joins the Boston Roller Derby for a series of skills classes and immediately makes connections to the way students must feel when learning the complexity of reading. She shares how the importance of learning something new (especially something we aren’t good at) helps us remember the importance of joy to learning.
When we want wisdom, we turn to people older than us. But there is a lot to be learned from younger generations too. Simon Sinek interviews Elizabeth English, who is the head of one of the most innovative schools in the country, The Archer School for Girls. Listen to their conversation on A Bit of Optimism podcast.
Join the FREE Coach-to-Coach Zoom Network for a monthly conversation. You’ll build professional friendships that will help you build skills and confidence as a grassroots leader.
Upcoming conversations:
– November 21: A 30-Day Coaching Challenge
– December 14: Mid-Year Reflection
– January 30, 2024: Transcripts as a Coaching Tool
Are you looking to engage with a community of instructional influencers? Join me on LinkedIn to continue conversations from the Big Fresh and connect with other educators who are just as smart and funny as you are.
In this Live Event, join Gwen Blumberg, Tammy Mulligan, and Dana Murphy as we dive into the nitty-gritty of analyzing data for small group instruction, making instructional plans, and ensuring that all readers are growing.
You’ll get all this:
- Three keynote videos
- Guided practice throughout and after each session
- Three live Zoom sessions with the contributors and other participants to widen perspectives and strengthen understandings
- Reflective practice experiences to guide you in tailoring the next steps for your school
- Additional resources paired with each session
- Unlimited email support for six months
Gwen, Tammy, and Dana are in-the-field educators who attend to the needs of all readers by using the five pillars of reading instruction.
Click here for more information about Making Sure Kids Grow in Small Group Reading Instruction.
This workshop is great for teachers on their journey in building flexible groups to ensure students are getting exactly what they need on the walk to becoming proficient! It’s a 10!
—Jonathan Winslow, Director of Curriculum and Instruction
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.
Julie Cox offers three actionable ideas to fight frustration and take small steps to beat overwhelm.
Becca Burk tackles the phrase many educators utter—fake it ’til you make it. Becca addresses the reasons why we feel this way, and gives an alternative mindset that is helpful in adopting anchor habits to thrive in today’s classroom.
In this Choice Numeracy article, Mallory Messenger guides us in taking what our district-adopted math curriculum resources provide and planning small changes by using problem stems and student problem posing to increase the rigor and make mathematical experiences accessible for all students.
In this course, Christy Rush-Levine takes you into her middle school classroom and shares the strategies and techniques she uses with her students to deepen their reflection and understanding of books while conferring.
In this video, Gretchen Schroeder offers advice on how to arrange a high school classroom for collaboration and connection.
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.
Mary Brower provides a second professional learning session to help ease the tension between teachers who have opposing views about literacy instruction. Mary provides a protocol for creating a school-wide document of foundational literacy beliefs.
John George and Rachael George offer 10 strategies and practices that can help all students overcome barriers.
Quote It:
It’s the steady, quiet, and plodding ones who win in the lifelong race.
—Robert W. Service
That’s all for this week!
