The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy November 7, 2009 Faith, Doubt, and Effort


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The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy
November 7, 2009
Faith, Doubt, and Effort

In Leading from Within, Orli Cotel from The Sierra Club writes:

I have a note stuck to my computer listing the three qualities that
a Zen master once taught are necessary for great progress: great
faith, great doubt, and great effort. I try to remember that when
I am feeling discouraged. Doubt is a natural part of my work,
sometimes even a helpful one, because it forces me to re-evaluate
my positions.

What are you doubting in your work? What can you learn from those
doubts? When I think of the one project where I haven't made much
progress this fall, I realize I have been going it alone. I
immediately think of two or three people who are experts and would
be happy to help - but I haven't asked them for help. I also
haven't made enough of an effort to get that project to the top of
my to-do list.

Most of us in literacy education are optimists (sometimes almost to
a freakish degree - we need lots of hope and a sense of humor to
get through what's thrown at us daily). When doubt creeps in about
progress on a particular project, it's time to rethink how I'm
spending my time, and who I'm spending it with. I often find just
another set of eyes and ears will give me that new perspective I
need to move forward. Who is that set of eyes and ears for you?

This week we've got an article from the archives to get you
thinking about flexible grouping. Plus we've posted more new
content as always - enjoy!

Brenda Power
Editor, Choice Literacy

Free for All

Max Brand thinks through how, when, and why flexible groups work in
his 5th grade classroom. This would be a fun article to read in a
grade-level team meeting or study group:

http://www.choiceliteracy.com/public/107.cfm

The Dare to Differentiate Wiki has an excellent collection of
resources for organizing flexible groups and helping students
become more independent within them:

http://daretodifferentiate.wikispaces.com/Flexible+Grouping

The November issue of the Responsive Classrooms newsletter has a
wonderful article on teacher language, with five specific and
practical guidelines for doing a quick check on how your language
with students may be helping or hindering their learning:

http://www.responsiveclassroom.org/newsletter/21_4nl_1.html

If you're an optimist and you're tired of being rushed through
every decision, or you're just feeling a little soul weary and in
need of inspiration, you are going to love the Change This website.
It's dedicated to posting "manifestos" from every field that
challenge, create, and spread ideas in more thoughtful ways:

http://changethis.com/

A hearty welcome to our newest site license members from Oklahoma
City, Oklahoma; Leominster, Massachusetts; St. Albert, Alberta
(Canada); White Plains and Mamaroneck, New York; Grand Prairie,
Texas; Pickering, Ohio; Grand Rapids, Michigan; and our renewing
site licensees from Fargo, North Dakota; Gainesville, Georgia; and
Moore, Oklahoma. You can learn more about our affordable site
license program and download a registration form at this link:

http://www.choiceliteracy.com/public/department63.cfm

For Members Only

In this week's video from the Choice Literacy Archives, Aimee
Buckner demonstrates how she uses "mini-groups" immediately after
whole-class writing lessons to reinforce skills and strategies for
those who need it. These mini-groups are completely flexible, and
take no more than 5-10 minutes each day:

http://www.choiceliteracy.com/members/158.cfm

Andrea Smith continues her science writing series, with a new
installment on the power of wonder questions:

http://www.choiceliteracy.com/members/1007.cfm

By November it's all too clear which students are struggling as
writers. Clare Landrigan and Tammy Mulligan offer three strategies
to use during writing conferences with these students. There may
be one here that is just the breakthrough you are looking for:

http://www.choiceliteracy.com/members/1018.cfm

The latest New Teachers Digest from Jennifer Allen is now
available. This month, Jen has compiled resources for improving
classroom observations of new teachers:

http://www.choiceliteracy.com/members/1019.cfm

Finally, Mary Lee Hahn reconsiders the "native" and "immigrant"
technology debate by watching how both she and her 82-year-old
mother learn new games on her hand-held device. She finds there
are some universal skills and strategies that easily transfer to
her technology instruction with students:

http://www.choiceliteracy.com/members/946.cfm

That's all for this week!