Written by Julie Wright & Barry Hoonan

HOW WE GOT INTO PROFESSIONAL CAHOOTS WITH ONE ANOTHER

We’ve had the pleasure of knowing and working with one another for the past seven years. We met at a school in Harlem, Julie as an Instructional Coach and Barry as a Model Classroom Teacher and Instructional Coach. Our work continued well past that experience. With Barry out west and Julie on the east coast, we’ve spent the majority of our years working across 3000 miles. Highlights include Sunday morning co-planning sessions and co-authoring What Are You Grouping For?, Grades 3-8: How to Guide Small Groups Based on Readers -- Not the Book. We’ve always enjoyed being THINKING PARTNERS and we believe educators need someone to think beside now, more than ever.

A DISCLAIMER OF SORTS

As we navigate and co-plan learning during the weeks ahead, here are a few shared agreements:

We are not going to edit these videos which means it might be clunky at times. You might get a barking dog, tech glitches, or family interruptions. We know you’ll be able to relate and hope you’ll be understanding.
The ideas we share are NOT “the way” or “the right way” -- they are just one way to approach things. And, we are figuring it out as we go along too. We hope you’ll take the big ideas we are discussing and — adopt, adapt or improve upon them — making them fit your settings, interests and needs.
We suggest focusing on process -- our work will continue to unfold between video segments. That’s why if you pop back into our shared document links, you’ll notice changes because we’ll be adding ideas. That’s because responsive plans evolve across the days and weeks.

HERE’S WHAT WE ARE UP TO

Kids have been learning from home for several weeks now. Barry and Julie have a co-planning routine and they “meet” about 1-2 times each week.
Barry’s students have settled into a learning from home routine, sort of. Each week brings about new celebrations and new challenges.
We just wrapped up a mini-writing unit focused on Greek mythology. Kiddos spent 2 weeks reading Greek myths and then they worked on narrative writing with a twist of Greek mythology.
Up next—a reading and writing unit focused on Expert Studies.

THINGS WE ARE THINKING ABOUT NOW

How does workshop play out in terms of synchronous and asynchronous learning?
How can mentor texts that we choose and that students choose be used to support learning?
When, where, why, and how will students meet in small breakout groups over the next week?
How can student work be used for a minilesson using a digital platform?
How can doing our own assignment [as teachers] become models/minilessons to use for instruction?

VIDEO

If you are interested in watching a coach and teacher co-plan — working as THINKING PARTNERS in response to the unique times we are currently experiencing — check out this video.

In this video, we briefly reflect on this week's plans. Then, we think through a process for responding to students using as asset-based approach. Finally, we begin noodling plans for an upcoming Expert Studies mini-unit.

RESPONSE TO STUDENTS

Whether we are face-to-face or facilitating digital/remote learning opportunities, our response to students matters. Thinking together about ways to support students is an important coach-teacher conversation. Here’s one way to think together to noodle plans for supporting students that starts with students’ assets. Note: It’s important to think about ALL students, not just students who may appear to need extra support due to deficits or weaknesses.

Ask: Who is on your worry / wonder list?

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BARRY’S REFLECTIONS

I am still thinking about the different ways to plan for the Expert Studies mini-unit. I’m thinking about our work during shared experiences and independent work time.
I need to make a list of end demonstration ideas for this new mini-unit and if I will co-construct ideas with students.
I am going to begin with the WHY when I share this new mini-unit with students.

JULIE’S REFLECTIONS

For the kiddos on Barry’s worry/wonder list, did his response plan yield the desired results?
What topics did Barry’s kiddos choose for their Expert Studies? What are the end demonstration choices?
With only 2 “days” to teach reading and 2 “days” to teach writing, what are the short and long-term impacts for students’ knowledge, skills and understandings? As a multi-age teacher, how will Barry [and his colleagues] respond in the fall? How will this response be similar or different for single grade classrooms?

WANT TO SUBMIT A QUESTION or CONNECT WITH US?

If something we’ve shared inspires new ideas or ignites some questions, reach out to us using THIS FORM and we’ll do our best to get back to you!

Reading & Writing Lesson Links [Updated]

Connect with me through this CONTACT LINK for more information on these lessons!

I am currently co-planning with some teachers across grades 2-8.

Some of our plans have worked really well. Others have been a flop.

We are, like you, working really hard to figure all of this out. Steps forward often means steps back. Reflecting along the way helps us push forward again. It isn’t even close to perfect. It’s messy. But, we are living in the messy together.

USING MENTOR LESSONS TO JUMPSTART PLANNING

There isn’t one right way to plan. Some teachers use scripted lessons. Some teachers use scripted lessons with flexibility — adjusting them to meet the needs, interests and wants of the learning community they serve. Some teachers create authentic lessons from the ground up. While the latter is my preference, there are times where mentor lessons or units help jumpstart ideas for planning. Mentor lessons can help teachers get a running start. It’s a safe and trustworthy way to plan because teachers know they are still in the driver’s seat — adjusting lessons to meet the individual and unique needs of the learning community they serve.

PLANNING FOR REMOTE/DIGITAL LEARNING

Most schools are working to support students from a distance. Learning opportunities are being offered by teachers through digital and print materials — and some are using both. Schools are working hard to navigate these times using the tools and resources available to them, coupled with individual and collective know-how to best meet:

curricular demands
intervention and support demands
students’ social, emotional, academic and physical needs

ADOPT, ADAPT & IMPROVE

Included in the links below are resources to use if you are interested in launching and sustaining SMALL GROUP READING and WRITING learning opportunities through remote or distance learning. You can:

ADOPT — Use these materials as they are written.

ADAPT — Make adjustments to these lessons in order to meet your students’ needs, interests, and wants.

IMPROVE — Try some of the ideas out, change them and make them better.

That said, as you make decisions about how you will use these ideas, first consider some of these questions:

Are students learning via soft copy or hard copy? Is our district going paper/pencil or digital during these times? Or, a combination of both? How do these modes of learning impact these plans?
What technology systems and structures are available to teachers and students? Does the learning community know how to access and use them? If not, can we learn them in efficient and effective ways?
Do teachers have the ability to connect with students — via video, phone or shared folders/documents?
Do students have the ability to connect with teachers — via video, phone or shared folders/documents?
Do students have the ability to connect with one another — via video, phone or shared folders/documents?

LINKS TO READING & WRITING LESSONS [UPDATED TO INCLUDE 15 LESSONS]

If you are looking for READING LESSONS, connect with me through this CONTACT LINK for more information!

If you are looking for WRITING LESSONS, connect with me through this CONTACT LINK for more information!

SHARE YOUR IDEAS

If you ADOPT, ADAPT or IMPROVE any of these plans, please consider reaching out and sharing your perspectives so that we can learn with and from one another. Email me at julietwright4444@gmail.com or reach out via my CONTACT PAGE and share ideas!

Co-Planning: Reading & Writing Mini-Unit Focused on Expert Studies [PART 3]