Stepping Stones: My Journey To Becoming a Literacy Consultant- Staying in My Lane (Step Nine)
From the desk of Hope….
This is step nine in the series Stepping Stones: My Journey to Becoming a Literacy Consultant. If you would like to read my prior blog posts for Stepping Stones 1-8, you can find them on the ERG website – www.myedresource.com
ERG Coaches support teachers in the context of their own classrooms. We demonstrate lessons, processes, and procedures “live” in classrooms. This modern and innovative way of doing staff development allows us to be right where the “rubber meets the road”- where teaching and learning takes place.
When I am working in schools providing job embedded staff development, many times I feel like I am on the outside looking in. I am seeing things happening in the school that does not apply to what I have been hired to do.
Being on the outside looking in can be precarious for me at times.
Let me explain.
I taught in schools for 15 years before I left to tackle other endeavors. When you work inside a school it is commonly known that everyone helps everyone when they are needed. “It takes a village” is a common saying among schools and teachers.
As a teacher, I did what seemed to be everything. The myriad of responsibilities included teaching, grading, assessing, working with parents, steering committees, working with colleagues in many different ways, paperwork, attending workshops……… and the list goes on and on.
I felt like the “jack of all trades”.
On the other hand…..
When I am hired by a school or school district as a literacy consultant I am hired to do a very specific job. For example, many times I am hired to help teachers refine their small group practices in reading.
This means the first meeting I have with teachers is often to discuss just one thing. For example, we might discuss the implementation of small reading groups. Next, I model lessons for these teachers. I model the protocol for bringing small groups of students together to learn. Finally, when I observe these teachers, I watch them teach a small group lesson.
The specific focus to my work is straightforward and simple. I am able to give teachers specific and ongoing feedback related to the project focus. I get to see teachers excel with implementation over time. I am able to respond to what I am seeing by providing resources to teachers and very importantly, I am able to measure my value as a coach.
The mindset of the kind of consulting work I do is very focused with clear and concise objectives. Staying in my lane (minding my own business) is something I have had to learn and practice.
We have all been guilty of lane swerving, or taking on something we should have avoided. I have come to understand that lane swerving can distract us, take us off course, or consequentially, dilute the power and influence we have set out to initially accomplish.