One sign that I am violating my own nature in the name of nobility is a condition called burnout.  Though usually regarded as the result of trying to give too much, burnout in my experience results from trying to give what I do not possess--the ultimate in giving too little!  Burnout is a state of emptiness, to be sure, but it does not result from giving all I have:  it merely reveals the nothingness from which I was trying to give in the first place.
 
                                      Parker Palmer, in Let Your Life Speak
 
If you are a literacy leader in your school, you're probably one of those energetic, confident, capable people who is called on all the time - to do all kinds of things, for all kinds of people, often far outside the realm of reading and writing instruction or your job description.  You do these things for the kids, your colleagues, and because many of them are essential for the school community to thrive.
 
Yet burnout is a real problem for most of us at some point in our careers.  As we enter the stretch where everyone is gearing up for the launch of the school year, you might want to look through your planbook or calendar from last year.  What responsibilities took up not only time, but the negative energy that comes from having to do a task outside your interests or expertise?
 
There's a reason some of those tasks aren't part of your job description, and shouldn't be.  If you have little to give in terms of skills or knowledge for a particular task, it's a sure path to the burnout Parker Palmer writes about - trying to deliver something you just don't have to give.  Before students arrive and the rush of the fall begins, think about talking with a colleague or your supervisor about how you might let go of at least one responsibility that is draining you.  Maybe the solution is an exchange, with you taking on a chore you can enjoy and a colleague taking on one of your responsibilities?   Tackling the issue now when you're feeling renewed and schools are still a little quieter may seem more doable than waiting till you're feeling burned out.

This week we've highlighted some terrific resources from the archives for thinking through assessment during the first weeks of school.  Plus more as always - enjoy!
 

Brenda Power
Editor, Choice Literacy
 

 
Free for All

 
These two features from the Choice Literacy Archives on assessment can help you think through how to integrate more observation and data analysis naturally into your reading and writing workshop routines -
 
Easing into Assessments During the First Six Weeks of School by Franki Sibberson and Karen Szymusiak is an excerpt from their book Day-to-Day Assessment in the Reading Workshop. Franki and Karen give tips on what to look for as you observe new students browsing books and writing their first entries in reading logs:
 
http://www.choiceliteracy.com/public/665.cfm
 
If you are in the process of tweaking your assessment and notetaking forms for the new school year, you might enjoy a look at Cathy Mere's Reading Grid, a form that combines formal and informal assessments in a way that allows teachers to readily access them throughout the day:
 
http://www.choiceliteracy.com/public/1015.cfm
 
Teachers who have a goal of improving their use of technology in the coming months will enjoy Edutopia's Technology Tools to Get Teachers Started.  This brief essay includes advice from three master teachers on the best sites and tools on the web.  Even if you are experienced with technology, you are sure to find a couple helpful links in their extensive resource base:
 
 http://bit.ly/cXyKT
 
We hope you'll consider joining us this fall for a Choice Literacy Workshop.    The Choice Literacy Maine Workshops on October 16-17 at the beautiful Samoset Resort on the ocean will feature Jennifer Allen, Gail Boushey & Joan Moser ("The Sisters"), Clare Landrigan & Tammy Mulligan, and Franki Sibberson.  You can download more information and a registration flyer at this link (it's a two-page PDF file):
 
http://www.choiceliteracy.com/maine2010.pdf
 
 

For Members Only


Heather Rader notices readers as they get older are less inclined to make predictions, partially because it may seem a little more risky to speak out.  In Prediction Stories, she shares mentor texts and short lessons for helping older elementary students develop the skills, as well as the courage, to share their predictions:
 
http://www.choiceliteracy.com/members/1232.cfm
 
Need a jolt of inspiration for your home/school program?  In Make It Personal, Trish Prentice lists her strategies for building relationships with families:
 
http://www.choiceliteracy.com/members/1231.cfm
 
Stella Villalba understands firsthand the experiences of English language learners as they start the new school year.  In Getting to Know English Language Learners, she explains the importance of names in different cultures, as well as the simple scale for language proficiency every teacher of ELLs should know:
 
http://www.choiceliteracy.com/members/1230.cfm
 
In this week's three-minute video, Melissa Kolb presents her preschool writing center, explaining how she changes materials in it regularly to help students make connections between their experiences and writing:
 
http://www.choiceliteracy.com/members/1234.cfm
 
Video Updates:  We continue to repost many videos in new formats and players (with higher resolution and full-screen options).  As we make these improvements, we'll announce them in the newsletter. Here is an updated video you may want to revisit as you set up your classrooms for the start of the school year -
 
Joan Moser and Gail Boushey ("The Sisters") help a colleague make student writing "pop" on the wall with inexpensive and elegant borders:
 
http://www.choiceliteracy.com/members/1233.cfm
 
 
That's all for this week!

 

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