My 15-year-old daughter started driver's education last month, which means driving with her over the past few weeks has been a special kind of hell for me. Dee hasn't had enough training to get her learner's permit, but she has acquired enough skills and knowledge to critique my driving...oh, pretty much every time I make a turn or pull up to a stoplight. Which would be every two to three minutes. Without fail.

The experience has made me think a lot about the role of any coach, and especially literacy coaches in classrooms. What I've realized all over again is:

* No one likes to be coached by someone who doesn't have skills or experience with the activity being coached. Everything always looks easier from the outside.

* We can all benefit from the outside perspective of someone watching our moves closely. I am a much better driver this month than I was last month, just because some of my sloppiest habits have been pointed out to me. Repeatedly.

* We work hardest at the things we care most about. When Dee finally got her permit a few days ago, I was amazed how how careful and smart she is in her driving. She eagerly seeks feedback after every drive, asks questions throughout the process, and is open to the honest analysis of her skills.

Most of all, I was reminded that those of us who coach others really need the experience periodically of learning something new, preferably something that is a true challenge. What are you planning to learn this summer? Who will be your coach? I will be in film school for a week. I go almost every year, and it's always exhausting and exciting. I'm not particularly skilled with equipment or technology, and the lingo of film-making is foreign to me. Yet I always come away with a new perspective on art, learning, and a few practical tools for our video work here at Choice Literacy.

This week we focus on self-reflection and book choice, two topics that fit so naturally with the beginning of summer break for many. Enjoy!

Brenda Power

Editor, Choice Literacy

www.choiceliteracy.com

Free for All

If part of your plans this summer include coming up with more ways to collaborate with colleagues, you might enjoy our checklist of questions in "Collaborative Teaching - Finding Common Ground First." This feature is designed for use in mentor meetings, new teacher groups, or faculty gatherings where partner teaching will be considered. The questions are also a great tool for getting to know others on staff:

http://www.choiceliteracy.com/public/208.cfm

Our Quote Collection on Commitment to Teaching includes some provocative quotes for generating discussions about teaching fatigue and renewal. You may find a good quote for a summer orientation meeting, or even as a prompt in your own journal this summer as you think about what you value in your work:

http://www.choiceliteracy.com/public/279.cfm

This two-page self-reflection tool for teachers from Early Childhood Today provides a great starting point for professional development workshops or informal chats with colleagues over the summer about changes that might be made in the fall. While it's designed with educators of the youngest students in mind, the questions can easily be adapted for teachers at any grade level. Warning - this is a two-page PDF, for those of you on dial-up connections:

http://tinyurl.com/6lmmaj

Many people find blogging is a terrific vehicle for self-reflection. I'm always on the lookout for a great new blog, and this one from two anonymous literacy coaches in the Northeast is a keeper:

http://literacycoaching.typepad.com/

For Members Only

How can literacy leaders make the most of one-on-one conferences with teachers? In this week's video, Principal Karen Szymusiak confers with a 5th grade teacher about writers' notebooks. Karen's strategies include reviewing the notebooks on her own before conferring, and asking probing questions:

http://www.choiceliteracy.com/members/624.cfm

This week, we continue our focus on book choice, since summer is such a good time for many teachers to think through how to match students to books.

In "Time for Literacy Chit-Chat to Support Book Choice," Franki Sibberson shares ways to initiate conversations about books naturally in classrooms. The feature includes a question set for launching discussions about books with individual students:

http://www.choiceliteracy.com/members/623.cfm

Finally, from the Choice Literacy Archives, Franki presents her favorite children's and young adult literature blogs. Blogs are a good place to find recommendations of new titles to read over the summer:

http://www.choiceliteracy.com/members/194.cfm

That's all for this week!