There is a saying among video producers - "Fast. Good. Cheap. Pick 2." In my experience, this principle is always true. A video that is good and cheap will take a long time to produce. Something fast and cheap is never very good. Fast, good, and cheap are impossible to attain in the same video project.

I've experienced a similar principle when working with teachers on literacy change initiatives in schools. "Quick. Smart. Collaborative. Pick 2." The challenge is that someone "higher up," whether it's in a district office or on a legislative committee somewhere, will always pick quick as essential. And wouldn't we all love to turn things around instantly when our school lands on the list of those in the state not making adequate yearly progress, or morale plunges among our staff for some other mysterious reason?
The problem is that it's almost impossible to find any enduring positive change in schools that happens quickly. Quick and smart looks good and can create a nice splash, but if the school community hasn't bought into the change, it won't last for long. Even reading and writing successes that appear to happen overnight often can be traced to the invisible slogging and sometimes thankless work of a literacy leader who took the time to build a community around thoughtful research and practice, coming back again and again to align the needs of individuals in the group with larger goals and standards. The more enduring the change, the more likely it took a few years, not a few months, to put in place.

In summer, the need for speed eases a bit - if for no other reason than the days are longer, and often a little slower. It's a good time to think through how we can hone our collaborative skills with colleagues. This week we have an article outlining the four essential elements of designing professional development for literacy leaders. Plus more on organizing space and materials, and a new series for novice literacy coaches. Enjoy!

Brenda Power

Editor, Choice Literacy

www.choiceliteracy.com

***Free for All***

It's a numbers week - Jill Reinhart considers the "4 Essentials" in designing professional development for literacy specialists - time, a safe ear, adult literacy experiences, and reflection:

http://www.choiceliteracy.com/public/136.cfm

The art of leading a collaborative discussion with colleagues often comes down to a subtle skill - paraphrasing the ideas of participants so that the conversation keeps moving along. "Skillful Paraphrasing" by Robert Garmston and Carolyn McKanders from the National Staff Development Council is a brief article with quick tips for understanding the power of this tool in facilitating discussions of any kind, from those with adults about literacy initiatives to student book groups. The article include advice on everything from phrasing to inflection (2-page PDF file):

http://www.nsdc.org/library/publications/jsd/garmston273.pdf

Jennifer Allen's "Becoming a Literacy Coach" summer workshops sold out weeks in advance. If you were one of the many shut out of these events, you may be happy to know we've added a new one-day workshop with Jennifer this fall, Literacy Coach Jumpstart. This one-day weekend event in Portland, Maine will take place on September 30th. For registration and hotel information, click on this link:

http://www.choiceliteracy.com/public/383.cfm

***For Members Only***

Jan Miller Burkins begins a new series that will continue through the fall and winter. "So You Want to Be a Literacy Coach?" will include tools, strategies, and resources designed for new coaches...but we know even veteran coaches will find them helpful. Jan and her colleagues in Georgia are designing these materials collaboratively, as they sort through the roles and needs of literacy coaches. The first tool, the Literacy Coaching Interview Rubric,can help anyone interviewing for a literacy coaching position determine if there is a philosophical fit between their beliefs and the goals of the school. The rubric is also helpful for any school in the process of defining responsibilities for literacy coaches:

http://www.choiceliteracy.com/members/376.cfm

Space has been reassigned for next year in most schools, and there are winners and losers in the square footage lottery. Literacy specialists and coaches are more likely to lose work space than their colleagues for many reasons. If you have been downsized from a room to a desk, you'll enjoy literacy coach Gail Boushey's four-minute video on how she organizes and uses her minimal desk and storage area:

http://www.choiceliteracy.com/members/381.cfm

And if you're a literacy leader who has been given more space for materials and support of teachers, you might want to take a look at Jennifer Allen's "Organizing a Literacy Resource Room for Teachers" photo essay from the Choice Literacy archives. This feature was one of our most popular articles last fall:

http://www.choiceliteracy.com/members/114.cfm

That's all for this week!