In this second session we walked and talk through the QLPT document in its entirety. I observed networking among each other already starting.
Our blog this time asks for you to consider the following:
- In which areas would you like to see continued focus for growth?
- Was there a category that you naturally gravitate to? If so, why?
- Which area do you need to strengthen your understanding
Thank you for openly sharing, questioning and discussing with one another.
Yours in blogging,
Mary
Ok - I missed the session but I have caught up on my homework! For my own growth, I would like to continue networking to gain insight about what is happening at other schools. I need to take the pieces that fit my context and see if they are usable at my school and for my students.
ReplyDeleteThe category I naturally gravitated to was the section on Administrative support. We often talk about resources as books, videos and F&P testing kits but as an administrator, I also see human resources. In fact, people are a more valuable resource because they are not static - they grow, and change. We are a have school but the reality is that you can have all the stuff money can buy but if you do not use it to inform practice then you might as well be a have-not school. Teacher are the key.
I need to strengthen how I can help each teacher in my school really believe that they are literacy teachers, especially if they are subject specialists.
Vanessa,
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your comment on the value of networking. You reminded me yesterday of the importance of "human" resources as we went through the QLPT document together. Thank you for that.
Subject specialists are experts in their area/subject because they are literate in that area/subject. It is in the teaching of others, what is considered to be "old hat" for them where they become literacy teachers.
I definitely see the value of "human resources" when I am teaching my intervention groups. I consider it a gift that I get to work with such small groups, that my principal sees the value of investing in me to run this program. But that time I spend often goes beyond our literacy results...I have a chance to have rich conversations with students about them as readers, I get to help students work through their anxiety issues when it comes to decoding words, I get to take some time and attempt to have them write their "b"s and "d"s correctly...and sometimes I have the opportunity to just check in with them and talk about the good and not so good things happening in their lives. While my LLI resources are phenomenal and give me the structure to help students with their literacy needs, small group interaction is definitely worth it's weight in gold...and with budgets so constrained and stretched so thin, this is being lost. So yes, resources are important, but giving students that one on one time with teachers to talk about reading, writing, etc., has value too...so perhaps we can help teachers feel like literacy leaders by giving them some time with students individually to have those rich conversations about literacy.
ReplyDeleteAfter colour coding my document :) I realized that there are a lot more things we do in our school then what needs to be done, and the things we need to work on are not that overwhelming to do.
ReplyDelete