On August 7, 1974 at 7:15 a.m., Philippe
Petit placed his foot on a high wire that ran between the Twin Towers in New
York City. With his left leg on the wire
and his right leg anchored to the tower, he knew, “The first step – it’s a
point of no return.” Petit says he was
unable to command his right leg to move. “I could not make that decision. It
was too enormous.” Suddenly, “without asking me, my right leg went onto the
cable,” he marvels. He began to walk. “The
minute I felt the cable was safe enough, then I started enjoying myself,” Petit
recalls.
Thrill-seekers are accused of playing
on the edge of what is safe. The risk is exhilarating, and the results can be breathtaking.
Although not a life-or-death situation,
teachers may push the boundaries of what feels safe to them as they try new
instructional approaches. During a coaching cycle, we may consider new
perspectives and ideas as we study and plan, Teachers consciously take risks as they try
new practices and open themselves to being observed while doing so. This
learning is risky business and can feel uncomfortable!
When we try something new, we experience
a loss of control, a feeling of uncertainty.
Allie, a fifth-grade teacher, felt
unsure about a small-group writing activity we had planned. During the activity, each group would get an
envelope with sentences. When organized, the sentences would form a cohesive
paragraph. Our plan was to provide no scaffolding
– to let the inquiry process unfold.
This felt risky to Allie. She
thought students might fail. She thought
chaos might ensue. She was unsure. But she put both feet on the wire.
At first it was crazy. Everyone seemed to be talking at once.
Students arranged, argued, and rearranged the sentences. In the end, each group had a paragraph they
were pleased with, and they could justify their choices. The results were exhilarating!
Some of us naturally avoid risk, never
wanting to step too close to the edge. Others enjoy the excitement of leaping
into the unknown. Whether teachers have a natural aversion to risk or an
affinity for adventure, coaches can provide assurance as “spotters” ready to
assist when teachers are unsteady. Where do you think the teachers you are
working with fall on this spectrum? Where
do they have control that leads to confidence?
What can they be certain about? How
can you help them feel safe to take the next step?
As we ask and then go about answering
questions together during the collaborative coaching process, we can revel in
the “tension that exists in that space that stands between how you wish things
would be and how they are.”*
* Garcia, A., & O'Donnell-Allen, C. (2015). Pose, wobble, flow: A culturally proactive approach to literacy instruction. Teachers College Press, p. 34.
* Garcia, A., & O'Donnell-Allen, C. (2015). Pose, wobble, flow: A culturally proactive approach to literacy instruction. Teachers College Press, p. 34.
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p.s. Speaking of stepping into the unknown….I’m at
the airport now waiting to board a plane to Tokyo, where I’ll spend a month
doing research about Lesson Study. I don’t
speak the language or know the culture. This
whole adventure feels risky! I hope I
have some exhilarating insights to report in the coming weeks. But if you don’t hear from me, you’ll know I
couldn’t figure out how to connect to the internet. ϋ
This
week, you might want to take a look at:
5 Factors involved in building trust
as a coach:
Suggestions
for hosting memorable reading and writing events:
Alternatives
to lab reports (and a structure that could work in any context):
The
importance of non-academic, social-emotional learning:
That’s
it for this week. Happy Coaching!
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