Meeting Students Where They Are: DIY Literacy Ch 5-6 #cyberPD

It's the final week of #cyberPD.  Our community is reading DIY Literacy by Maggie Roberts and Kate Roberts.  This week we're discussing the final chapters:  chapter 5 & 6.  These two chapters helped me to solidify my thinking around using these tools to "tailor teaching (p. 71)" and to effectively shape the tools we use with students.

In both my time in the classroom in large learning communities and then in supporting readers reading intervention, I continually worked to differentiate for learners.  No two learners are ever the same, and as Kate and Maggie remind us this can be challenging to balance in classrooms.  Using tools like charts, demonstration notebooks, micro-progressions, and bookmarks help to not only make learning more concrete for students but also allow for greater differentiation and personalization.  These tools help to develop "a sustainable practice that meets kids' needs (p. 72).  Working to meet the variety of needs in a classroom takes thoughtful practice.  The authors help us to see how tools can not only support students who need help, but they can also extend learning for students who need more push.  

These chapters reminded us to:

• Look for signs tools are working:  use, struggle, shifts, growth, engagement
• Look for signs tools can be removed:  automaticity, awareness
• Build effective tools:  co-create; use popular culture, metaphor, kid language, space, color, branding
• Be intentional about location

Thinking About Tools to Support Learning

I created this visual representation of key points from the reading.

In Closing

I can't thank the #cyberPD community enough for all they have shared during this event.  I'll be weeks browsing through the posts and will return throughout the year for the many ideas that have been shared.   

Thanks again to this amazing cast of #cyberpd! You are inspiring! Don't forget our final chat! Next Wednesday NIGHT! pic.twitter.com/aw0bSVMHlP

— Michelle Nero (@litlearningzone) July 21, 2016

My Past Posts

Becoming Strategic Chapters 3-4

DIY Literacy Tools Chapters 1-2

Becoming Strategic: DIY Literacy #cyberPD Ch 3-4

We've all been there.   That moment when we feel like our teaching just isn't working for our students.  Such was the moment when Evan looked at me as he was reading his new book, pointed to the word, and said, "What's that word?  I don't remember."  As a reading support teacher, it isn't uncommon to realize that I need to adjust my teaching.  I equate phrases like "I don't remember" to "I need to sound it out" (another phrase I never say, but somehow pops into student response).  Those are the lines that make me pause and take the deepest of breaths.  These are both important phrases because as Katie & Maggie remind us in DIY Literacy, it really means students don't know what to do and that I need to find a way to support their next steps.

Becoming Strategic and Developing Automaticity
In chapters 3-4 there is much talk about remembering and rigor.  I often find when students "don't remember" something it is more likely they don't have the strategies to work through what I'm asking them to do.  When students don't appear to be working at the edge of their learning, I often find I need to help show them what is next.  Both remembering and vigorous work come from understanding, strategic action, and authentic learning opportunities.

These two chapters show us how to use micro progressions (as well as charts, demonstration notebooks and bookmarks) to make teaching more explicit and help students discover the next steps in their learning.  Katie and Maggie remind us (p. 62), "We encounter trouble when we teach too much to hold onto, too much to remember."  They share the way tools can help students prioritize, choose essential skills, and be accountable for new learning.  As we read we are reminded that adjusting our language, working together, differentiating instruction, making goals explicit, and providing authentic learning opportunities can help students work toward independence.  Through these opportunities we can say to students, I "hope that you will fold some of [these] lessons into your reading forever, that some of these strategies will become a part of you (p. 58)."  It's the side by side time with our community, in daily conferring, in small groups, that help us to listen and adjust our teaching.

DIY Literacy
I've been trying to think through how this might look for our students in communities of inquiry.  I used Lucid Charts to try to show the way tools might fit into a cycle of learning.  (It's a work in progress, but I think it begins to show the way tools might fit into a unit of study and support student learning.)

This post is part of the #cyberPD book talk taking place this July.  Stop by the community to read more reflections of participants.  

DIY Literacy: #cyberPD Reflection Ch 1-2 +Bonus

It's time!  During the month of July the #cyberPD community is reading DIY Literacy:  Teaching Tools for Differentiation, Rigor and Independence by Kate Roberts and Maggie Roberts.  This week we're looking at chapters 1-2 and the bonus chapter.  I've been lurking this week as participants have posted their reflections.  As usual, I'm amazed by the variety, the different ways to think about what we've learned, and the tools that have been created as participants think through the process.  If you have read DIY Literacy, are reading DIY Literacy, or plan to read DIY Literacy you should stop by the community to check out the reflections.  It's honestly quite inspiring.

My Response 
My response includes a few key points from the chapter and an attempt to work through the tools in thinking about supporting students in the study of structures for writing.

Like many participants I wanted to try some new digital tools during this virtual chat.  For this response, I chose Flowvella and then put the presentation into Explain Everything.  On a side note, I attempt to work through the charts/notebook/progression/bookmarks.  I would likely have charts/notebooks/progressions as digital and thought the chart and notebook page would help a student select a strategy which would then be written on a post-it for the student to try.    

More About July's #cyberPD Event
Participants post weekly reflections in the Google Community.
Our Book Talk Schedule:

• Week of July 3rd: Ch 1&2 Bonus 
• Week of July 10th: Ch 3&4 Week of 
• July 17th: Ch 5&6

Our Twitter Chat Schedule

• Thursday, July 7th at 10 AM EST:  Ch 1&2 Bonus
• Thursday, July 14 at 10 AM EST:  Ch 3&4
• Thursday, July 21 at 10 AM EST:  Ch 5&6
• Final chat week of July 24th (time and date TBA)

Our #cyberPD Pinterest Board

The Basics of #cyberPD

Today's the day!!!  Woot!  Woot!

I've had my book, DIY Literacy by Kate and Maggie Roberts, on reserve waiting for July's #cyberPD event.  If you are joining us here are a few things you might want to know.

1.  Follow the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #cyberPD.

2.  Join the #cyberPD Google Community.

3.  Introduce yourself in the Google Community.

4.  Read the introductions.  You might find people you'd especially like to connect with in this event.

5.  Read each week's chapters.

Thanks to @rbharder & @PicStitchApp for sharing the #cyberPD #DIYLiteracy image! ❤️ the learning community we share! pic.twitter.com/5hcS9IWmwJ

— Michelle Nero (@litlearningzone) June 30, 2016

6.  Post your reflection before the end of the week in the Google Community (post directly on Google, add a link to your blog reflection, or link other digital reflections, anything goes).

7.  We suggest that you comment on at least three posts in each week's conversation.  It's the strong digital citizenship of this group that makes this a great experience year after year.

8.  Make the event what you need it to be for your learning.

You might want also want to know:

• You can join our collaborative Pinterest Board

• You can join our weekly Twitter chats each Thursday morning at 9 a.m. CST/10 a.m. EST.

• There will be a final Twitter chat.  (date & time to be announced later)

If you have any questions, Michelle Nero (@litlearningzone), Laura Komos (@LauraKomos), and I (@cathymere) are happy to help.

Welcome to the past participants who have helped to make this event one of the most amazing summer professional development experiences....and a big hello to all of the new people joining us this year.  We're so happy to have you.

Looking forward to the conversation.....

The 2016 #cyberPD Book Is....

Whew...

It took some time for Laura Komos, Michelle Nero and I to select the title for this year's #cyberPD virtual book talk.   We spent much time pouring over book stacks in the #cyberPD Google Community.   We went back and forth for days on Voxer.  There were times I wasn't sure we were going to be able to narrow to one title.  As many of you have discovered, there are many new great books for professional reading that have recently been released (my stack for this summer is here).  #goodproblems

It's never easy to choose a book for the event.  We always try to select a book which will reach a wide range of educators, sustain thoughtful conversation, and help us grow in the work we do with children.  So, you're wondering, what's the title?

Clues
#1:  The book was in a lot of stacks posted in the Google Community.

#2:  I lost a bet with Mandy Robek (I'll be buying her ice-cream...she'll be buying a book):

@litlearningzone This is a tease! #cyberpd Wondering if it's in my stack, I never published. @CathyMere often reads my mind @LauraKomos

— Mandy Robek (@mandyrobek) June 3, 2016

@CathyMere free ice cream but I'm not sure this is fair tough to focus my TBR #cyberpd

@litlearningzone @LauraKomos pic.twitter.com/QHSqP5cwk8

— Mandy Robek (@mandyrobek) June 4, 2016

Nope --- it's not in Mandy's stack.

#3:  The person who wrote the forward for the book was one of our authors last year and is the new NCTE Vice President (Yay!!!!).

#4:  The book has a popular video series.

Yep, you've probably guessed it by now.  This year's #cyberPD title will be DIY Literacy by Kate and Maggie Roberts.  We think this book will speak to educators across grade levels and subject expertise.  We think it will support our summer community learning conversations...and we hope it will help us to envision possibilities for improving the work we do with children in the upcoming school year.  

So....we're hoping you'll join us for July's 6th Annual #cyberPD Event.  The #cyberPD community is now nearly 200 strong.  The conversation will take place across July.  Each week participants will read the featured chapters, share a reflection in the Google Community (reflect directly in the community, link personal blogs, or share other creations that demonstrate understanding...we're flexible), and finally comment on other community members' reflections.  

Week of July 3rd:  Chapters 1-2 & Bonus
Week of July 10th:  Chapters 3-4
Week of July 17th:  Chapters 5-6
Week of July 24th:  Final Twitter Chat

**Last year we added a weekly Twitter chat for participants.  This was a popular addition for many of our participants so we will continue to host a weekly chat for participants who prefer a little real-time conversation.   Stay tuned.   

We're hoping you'll join us for our global professional book talk.  It's sure to be fun!

Links You Might Find Helpful

• #cyberPD Home 
• #cyberPD Community (join here)  
• Growing Professional Learning Conversations with #cyberPD