Slice of Life 2018: 5 of 31

For the month of March, I am participating in the Eleventh Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge. That means that I am writing every day for the month of March in the good company of the Two Writing Teachers community. 

My slice today is a letter of appreciation to my coaching partners. I will be sharing it with them, as well as any of you who are reading my blog today. 

Dear B and A,

For the last few weeks, we have been working together. Within our district's coaching network, we ended up as a team because we are the three people without obvious thinking partners. While there are several math coaches and a literacy specialist in each school, our district has only one writing specialist, one technology specialist, and one assistive technology specialist. That was how our partnership formed. 

We have gone into a few classrooms, targeting students and taking aim at achievement. You have helped me develop my knowledge of some of the technology tools. I have watched speech to text open doors for students, I have learned how to put charts up in Google Classroom just like that and have students pull them up so that they are side by side with their writing projects, and I have learned about research-oriented websites which have expanded possibilities for kids. You have created assistive technology systems which I have wondered about at first, but have the potential to change the game for some of our students who struggle with executive functioning. I can't wait to see what R. and A. think of a Google Form to create a couple of initial essays before we set them off to try the work on their own. 

You've inspired me to do my work better--to track the data more systematically, to communicate my thinking with teachers more intentionally, to set up ways for students to self-assess and set goals more authentically. You have also validated my work, and I can't tell you how much I've appreciated that.

I know I've told you how much I like working with you. I'm telling you again. 

Thank you,