ZPD FOR TEACHERS

I'm not the blogger I hoped I'd be. Despite encouragements from friends and family, I find I only make my way to this spot to post new pieces when I'm immersed in reflection on my teaching practice. This posting is no exception.

The year commenced with immense focus on our school's need to meet our state's Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) goal. The goal is met - or not - by way of a test given in reading and math every spring. (5th graders and up must also take a Science test.) Directly related to the AYP challenge was my early discovery that close to half of my class of new third graders were reading at levels that ranged from kindergarten to mid-first or second grade. A personal philosophy that spurns teaching to any test let alone the high-stakes ones that currently dominate public education meant that I was immediately cast in a recurring dramatic tension. While not mutually exclusive, meeting my students' instructional need to become good readers and teaching them what might lead to success on the state test more often than not clashes with the realities of 21st century classroom life.

As usual I turn to those in the field I've come to admire and respect for support in attuning my practice to meet these challenges. Marzano, Thomlinson, Burns, Fountas, Pinell, etc., etc. These educator/researchers are my "go to" team for affirmation, confirmation, and inspiration in my instructional practice. As I write this, a stack of books by these thinkers balances precariously on the counter next to the lap top and across my bed.

Clearly, the class profile of my students presented above makes differentiation of instruction a "no brainer". Differentiation - preparing and instructing lessons that reflect learners' current skills and abilities in terms of content, amount, interest -- is the linchpin upon which my instructional goals hinge. But, as differentiation diva Carol Ann Thomlinson points out, there's a vast difference from believing in, understanding, and preparing for differentiated instruction and actually executing it effectively. Not only do I need to differentiate but it must occur in two content/skill areas, How do I do that? Were do I begin? What should a class schedule and planning look like? How can I efficiently but effectively map a course of instructional action that won't take the remainder of my limited "free" time? How do I grow two more pairs of hands and an additional brain?

One of the greatest challenges for me has been keeping my mental acuity sharp enough to keep all the pieces of differentiation flowing. This is a particular challenge given the wide divergence of my learners' skills and the lack of human resources available to support the vision I've developed. As I type this I'm awash -- again -- in questions about where I should begin. This quandary, in turn, set off my reflections on how much attention is given to the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) of educators. If we take seriously the notion that educators are really life long learners then Vygotsky's concept of learners needing to be instructed from the point where what they already know is sharpened by just enough challenging new information to build new knowledge should be no less applicable to teachers.

What is my educator ZPD? I'm really intrigued by the reflective and meta-cognitive resonance of the question. At once I'm called on to considered what I value, what I think I already know, and to consider what I think I need to learn to be a better educator. I'm also drawn to the praxis implications -- how to turn theory into practice.

Contemplation of just what my own instructional practice ZPD is has sent me scurrying to fine- tune my understanding of both Guided Reading and Differentiated Instruction and the role of assessment in each. (Thus the stacks of books everywhere!) At a very practical level, I'm back to the drawing board to sort out how I can provide much more word work, independent reading time and small group/1-to1 coaching, and tech-based supports more often during an already cramped school week. I know it can't all be done but how to I choose?

Further, this week I learned my students' clear enthusiasm for working in teams to prepare performances of readers' theater pieces suggests that more team work activities would greatly benefit them not only academically but as a social learning community as well. Add to that the need to identify and prepare meaningful, differentiated homework assignments, grade assignments, post grades, and prepare classroom assessments while we administer yet another battery of system-mandated assessments and I feel more ready to explode than vent.

Luckily, I work with a group of wonderful, talented, committed educators with whom I laugh more than vent and whose love of the children with whom we work is fairly palpable. I give thanks for their supports and friendship throughout the year and wish for continued blessings for them. The same for the marvelous little people to keep me loving, feeling and thinking and thus, keep me truly alive and present to the goodness that is in the world.

WHERE ARE WE GOING?

In just a few short weeks I return to the classroom. My head is filled with ideas and my living and dining room with boxes, crates, and stacks of things that I'll have to return to my classroom far faster than I'll want to.

This year we are departmentalized and I will be responsible for two rotations of Reading/Language Arts and Science. I've loaded up my new iPad with several books on reading workshop. My instructional goal this year is to run workshops and reader conferences consistently and to incorporate the arts every chance I can think of.

The reading mix will include a sequence of activities known as the Daily Five along with a blend of Robert Marzano's six-step approach to vocabulary study.

These last few days of vacation must be given over to cataloging my still-growing classroom library. I'm looking forward to having my new students read, read, and read and to talking to them about their reading.

REFRESHING AND GLADENNING

It's been rough, to say the least. In the name of data-driven instruction we continued to test our students this past week and puzzled over how to meet the unending stream of directives and deadlines including one to create plans that will help learners meet state assessment targets. All too, too disheartening.

Early in the week, however, I arrived home and just plopped myself on the sofa and stared at a stack of books I hoped to integrate into my classroom library. They fairly shouted at me to pick them up and, yes, actually read them! Off came the comfortable shoes, left in its travel case was the laptop, and thoughts of actually cooking something for supper were squelched.

Pages turned as I read aloud and and settled into the wonderfully illustrated pages of books like "The Stranger", "Just A Dream", "Seven Silly Eaters", and "And to Think We Thought We'd Never A Be Friends". I was refreshed and my spirit gladdened by having spent some time in those pages.

I immediately thought of my students and how much fun they would have listening to, discussing, and then reading and writing about the stories themselves. I reflected on how I could carve out safe-haven for them during these high-pressure periods but still engage them in the serious business of being well-prepared.

One thing seemed clear...I would have to do for them what I had managed to do for myself - put all other things on hold and make sure they had time to stop to read a book or two. Keeping our morning Read As You Please time sacrosanct would be imperative. Allowing my students to use more modalities as part of their homework completion was another way I could give them respite from the increasing number of state-test-like questions we teachers were expected to put in front of them.

This week as I cycle my small groups through workshop session with me that target their weaker areas, individual students will be able to work on "I Can Stations" and skill building games that are also intended to give them respite while simultaneously developing their competencies.

Talking to a dear friend recently I shared the clear disconnects and disincentives between what we know from research are best practices in instruction and the unchanging policies and structures of school systems and their schools. During our conversation I realized that my learners only have me to advocate for and keep faith with bringing those best practices to them each day. They cannot wait for decision makers to "see the light" but they are depending on me to give them each day what they need -- all of it.

The More Things Change

Over the past couple of weeks I've been struck by the vast amount of knowledge that exists about how kids learn best. As more and more research contributes to educators' understanding of what needs to change about how we teach, the more things in schools seems to stay the same.

Since my last posting I've been attempting to negotiate the onslaught of at least three standardized tests my students will need to take in the coming weeks and months. Teachers at my school observe, only half jokingly, that we're spending more time testing students than we do teaching them.

Questions abound:

• If research-based instructional best practices are the way to go why don't our school processes and procedures reflect that?
• If research tells us that we need to use a variety of modes to reach our students, why do we keep testing them using paper and pencil?
• Why are school administrators still expected to be instructional leaders and business managers given they have little time or resources to do either job well?

The teachers' lounge and after-school conversations are filled with these questions and echo with the refrain of teachers' quandary, "What are we supposed to do?" For some the answer is to leave teaching all together. Incredibly talented and caring individuals are being driven away from classrooms by arbitrary requirements and unrealistic expectations. Others will opt to look for a spot in systems where the status quo is being challenged. Still others decide to stay put and continue to work on ways to mitigate, if not entirely circumvent, this confusing set of circumstances.

Admirably, as my colleagues chart their varied courses of action, the vast majority stay committed and focused on providing their students with engaging and effective classroom experiences. Alongside their efforts to fathom the thinking behind any number of decisions that impact the classroom, are an energetic sharing of lesson plans, resources, or tools that could help learners progress. Positive words and helping hands help to ease the stress. What's more, teachers continue to give of their time to ensure there are extra-curricular activities that develop the talents and feed the spirits of our students.

Through all the frustrations and disheartening decisions I love my job! There is nothing like teaching nor are there beings like teachers who have a calling to the classroom. I wonder when the rest of the world will come to realize this.