This past Thursday, I had the pleasure of presenting to a diverse group of educational leaders. I couldn’t help but think about the talent and influence in the room. As leaders–superintendents, administrators, literacy leads, curriculum consultants–we have an incredible opportunity to ensure students receive quality literacy instruction.

Adam Grant reminds us: “An education system isn’t truly successful until all children–regardless of background and resources–have the opportunity to reach their potential.” The nature of that potential will vary from student to student. We cannot know what will become of the students in our schools: the paths they will choose, their place in the world, or the impact they will have on others.

Last night, for example, we saw the play The Mountaintop at the Citadel Theatre. It was a powerful, fictionalized take on what might have occurred the night before Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. This piece of art was both thought-provoking and compelling. I was riveted as two actors commanded the stage–their potential realized in these roles. My mind wandered to the writer and the other creative minds that brought this play to life through lighting, sound, costumes, and set design–the potential of these artists also realized in the work they do. Inevitably, I thought about Martin Luther King Jr. himself. His leadership in the civil rights movement: his passion and devotion, his unforgettable words, his lasting legacy.

Educators teach students the skills needed to function in society and interact with the world. The eventual application of skills will be nuanced but the foundations remain the same.

The possibilities and potential of the students in our classrooms is truly staggering. How do we ensure that “all children–regardless of background and resources–have the opportunity to reach their potential”? As educational leaders, we can leverage our knowledge of literacy learning, lead in ways that inspire others, build capacity with staff, become a catalyst for change, instill hope, and help uncover the potential of all.

“We have more possibilities available in each moment than we realize.” Thich Nhat Hanh

During a recent writing residency, I had an interesting interaction with a grade one writer. It began when he asked, “How do you spell gonna?”

When I explained that gonna wasn’t actually a word, the look of incredulity on his face divulged the truth: he didn’t believe me. Not one bit.

There is so much to be gained when we take a conversation like this and engage in an exploration of words. And yet, word study should not be an aside in our classrooms–only discussed in timely moments–it should be embedded into our instruction in all areas of study. And since the strands of language are interconnected, word study ultimately supports students with decoding, vocabulary, comprehension, and spelling.

Word study is certainly gonna make a difference in our students’ overall abilities. Words matter!

Last week a consultant I know referenced her desire to recruit people for a Literacy Army with one goal in mind: empowering students with literacy skills! Now that’s an army I’m ready to join.

Job description?

• Discuss the functions of language in our daily lives.
• Embed frequent talk time into lessons as a means of thinking and learning.
• Encourage writing as a form of expression, thinking, and coping. Assess less.
• Read aloud to students of all ages!
• Provide quality, diverse text: everything from picture books to poetry, novels to nonfiction, cookbooks to car manuals.
• “Wear your reading love proudly in front of your students every day.” Donalyn Miller

Will you join our brigade?

I recently borrowed Adam Grant’s Hidden Potential from the library. Fewer than thirty pages in, I decided this was a book I needed to purchase–a book to read with a pencil in hand, to underline and annotate.

What’s more, as I was reading, I was thinking about myself as a learner and myself as a teacher, about possibilities and passion, about perceived limits, about leadership… about the hidden potential that lies within each of us. There are many memorable and shareable excerpts. A sampling:

“When we’re encouraged to make mistakes, we end up making fewer of them. Early mistakes help us remember the correct answer–and motivate us to keep learning.” (Page 39)

“Making progress isn’t always about moving forward. Sometimes it’s about bouncing back. Progress is not only reflected in the peaks you reach–it’s also visible in the valleys you cross. Resilience is a form of growth.” (Page 147)

“Weak leaders silence voice and shoot the messenger. Strong leaders welcome voice and thank the messenger. Great leaders build systems to amplify voice and elevate the messenger.” (Page 196)

“Success is more than reaching our goals–it’s living our values.” (page 233)

If you’re looking to unleash your hidden potential–or that of others–this is your next read!

I recently ordered a new phone case. A few days later, I received an email apologizing for the delay: “We’ve been experiencing some minor catastrophes in our facility.” I couldn’t help but smile. A catastrophe by its very definition is not minor. I hadn’t heard this particular oxymoron before. And yet, on the day I received the email, I was having a few minor catastrophes of my own. Somehow it was an apt description of my day too.

Oxymorons can be fun to discuss and explore with students: deafening silence, virtual reality, jumbo shrimp, seriously funny, pretty ugly, bittersweet… invite students to create their own awfully good oxymorons. If they do, please share!

Last week, I heard these words by Phil Callaway: “We live in the middle of the story.”

For whatever reason, these words struck a cord with me. We are where we are right now. The past has influenced us, yes. Yet we don’t know what lies ahead. We can plan and we can prepare, but life has a tendency to throw unexpected curve balls.

As the sun shines through the window, the sky a bright winter blue, I am reminded of my dad who appreciated each moment and truly lived in the present. Somehow, when I was a kid, he made our weekly shopping trips enjoyable and something to look forward to. Somehow, when he was losing his physical abilities, he found ways to appreciate what he was still able to do. Somehow, as a quadriplegic, he found joy and pleasure in what we, his family, were doing.

So today, I choose to live in the middle of the story. I choose to enjoy each moment as best I can… to enjoy the work I do and the people I meet… to enjoy the company of loved ones. I choose to enjoy the day. Tomorrow will come but today is already here.

“We live in the middle of the story.”

This seemingly simple eight-word sentence led me to this writing and these thoughts. What words might you share to prompt your students’ writing?

The other night I was speaking to a gym full of parents about the differences between Read Alouds and Home Reading (and the importance of both). I explained that Read Alouds enable parents and teachers to expose children to books that they may not yet be able to read on their own. What’s more, they provide an opportunity for children to find joy in the experience of reading. Beverly Cleary once said, “Children should learn that reading is a pleasure, not just something that teachers make you do in school.”

Reading aloud–at home and at school–can certainly help children find joy in reading. Daniel Pennac says, “A teacher who reads out loud lifts you to the level of books. He gives you the gift of reading!”

Pennac describes two potential student fears connected to reading: the fear of not understanding and the fear of length. These fears often lead to reluctance and avoidance. Thankfully, by reading out loud, we can nurture a love of reading, taming and tackling student fears.

Have you ever had a chill run through your body and felt goosebumps form during a musical performance, perhaps when the singer or musician hits that note?

Recently, on my way home from the theatre, I wondered, Is there a word for that? There sure is!

frisson

I was thrilled to discover a word for this phenomenon!

In the classroom, I encourage students to collect favourite words. They might like a word because of how it sounds (smithereens), because of its meaning (serenity), or because of associations or memories with a word (malarkey – When playing cards, my dad used to say “Who dealt this malarkey?”).

Reading The Word Collector by Peter H. Reynolds is a wonderful way to begin this practice in your classroom. From there, be creative! Where will students collect their words? A literacy notebook? A shared bulletin board space? As part of an art project?

Word collecting can help students pay more attention to words when reading and writing, increase vocabulary, and lead to discussions about structure, meaning, origin, and context.

Remember, “A word after a word after a word is power.” Margaret Atwood

Last Friday afternoon I read aloud to seven classes: not part of a lesson, simply an opportunity to share a love of books and reading. A short fifteen minutes in each class. Of course my book choice was deliberate. And the conversations surrounding the read alouds? Pure joy.

I read A Lion in Paris to the grade four classes. We arrived in Paris at Gare de Lyon. And then as we journeyed with Lion, we enjoyed the Mona Lisa at the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, we even imagined the taste of a Parisian baguette. We climbed Montmartre to see Sacre-Coeur and saw our reflection in the River Seine.

In one class, after I finished reading the book, I said, “I just love how we can travel across the world through books.” A little girl piped up, almost interrupting me with her excitement. “I know! It’s like we can just go there. My mom and I get library books every week and we can go anywhere in our books! Like anywhere.”

Ah, yes. In a short fifteen minutes we talked about Paris, about dreams, about emotion, about life. As Daniel Pennac describes a moment like this: “He [or she] discovered the paradoxical virtue of reading: it takes us out of the world so we may find meaning in it.”

I have a problem… I feel the need to finish reading every book I start. Anyone else?

Today I am proud to announce that earlier this week I abandoned a book! I was over 70 pages into the 400-page book but I just wasn’t into it. I had actually been excited to read it because it was by an author whose other work I enjoy. And yet this book, nothing. Wasn’t doing it for me. Felt more like a chore than a pleasure.

Here’s the funny thing. I often talk to students about book abandonment. I reassure them that it’s okay to stop reading something if they’re not enjoying it. After all, if we want them to read, why would we want them to struggle through and feel like it’s a chore as I did. I would much rather they choose something else and find pleasure in what they are reading.

So why do I have different standards for myself? Good question! But, I’m learning. And I’m happy to report that I’m now deep into two other books and enjoying both immensely. If I had continued the other, I doubt I would have read much this week…