Developing Identity, Agency and Generative Language The Effective Literacy Coach Jill Eurich May, 22, 2013

During this Webinar… Through Chapters 3, 4, and 5 in Choice Words we are going to explore the concepts of identity, agency and generalizing and how they relate to our role as coaches. Then we will think more specifically about generalizing to understand how we can make our language generative, and when and how that can be powerful.

Groups for Discussion This webinar is divided into three parts. I hope all of you will choose to read all three chapters in Choice Words as all are of great value but I am going to assign each group a chapter for the first two parts so that you as a group will take the lead on that chapter. Then if others have something to say, I hope you will chime in. If your coaching spans these grades, choose a group to join. Group 1, Chapter 4, Agency High School Middle School Group 2, Chapter 5, Flexibility and Transfer Grades 3-5 Group 3, Chapter 3, Identity Grades K-2

Choice Words by Peter Johnston We will discuss the three introductions to chapters 3 – 5 so that we can orient ourselves to the big ideas in these chapters. Each of the three groups will take a lead on their assigned chapter so be prepared to do this for your assigned section.Discuss what you think is important in each chapter in the following ways: Relate the text to how you can help teachers work more effectively with students Also consider how these chapters help you think about how you as a coach can work more effectively with your colleagues. As you share your thoughts, take us to important ideas in the book.

Choice Words In these three chapters Peter Johnston gives us questions and statements we might use to empower students and expand thinking. Choose two or three you think might be particularly helpful from your assigned chapter in guiding teachers’ work with their students in your coaching work with colleagues We will share these.

Generative Coaching How Can We Make Our Coaching Generative? Two things to think about: As coaches we want to help a teacher understand ways she can help students take what they are learning in a particular context and broaden the understanding so that they, as students, can apply that learning in the future. As coaches, we also want to help a teacher think about how she can take the points made about a particular lesson, child, or group of children and apply it to her future work as a teacher.

Specific to Generative: Teacher to Student Why did you decide to choose this entry in your notebook to develop into a writing piece?   Generative What kinds of things are useful to think about to make a good decision about taking a piece out of the writer’s notebook to develop into a bigger piece of writing?

Specific to Generative: Coach with Teacher How did you plan this introduction?   Generative Tell me what you consider in planning your introductions?

Language to Make Ideas Generative I am going to divide you into three groups to practice making your language generative. Hopefully you have had a chance to practice with the statements in this power piont. Share with each other your ideas for making generative statements for the teacher working with students. Then share your ideas of making specific statements generative for coaches working with teachers. Finally share an idea of the kind of specific work you might do with a teacher and how you could also make that work generative. We will plan to reconvene to share in 30 minutes.

Please break into three groups by room assigned below Please break into three groups by room assigned below. To move to a different room, drag your name into the room. Main Room – Group 1 High School Middle School Room 1 – Group 2 Grades 3-5 Room 2 – Group 3 Grades K-2

Teacher with Student: Choose 2 – 5 to Make into Generative Questions or Statements Why did you decide on this title for your piece?    I want more information in this part of your story?  I’ve fixed up the quotation marks so they are correct in your story.  Today I want all of you to pay attention to the punctuation as you read this story.     For this week I want you to be sure to copy the words down correctly. Can you provide evidence for your thinking about this text?  What is the central theme in this book? What are you noticing about the way this feature article is structured? How did you learn about the characters in this book?

Coach with Teacher: Choose 2–5 to Make into Generative Questions or Statements Why did you move the students to this next level in guided reading?  Why did you skip word work in this guided reading lesson? Tom and Samantha seem restless in circle today? What did Max learned about adding detail to his story?  It seems the class wanted to discuss what they thought of this book.  I noticed you centered the discussion of this poem around naming the figurative language. How are you going to help students identify the themes of this play?

Have a Go! Think of one or two specific things you and a teacher might talk about together. Write them down. Then think of one or two ways you could talk about them generatively. We will share them in the large group.

Reflection Based on our work around chapters 3, 4, and 5 in Choice Words and generative language, what are one or two ideas you will take to your work?