Building Capacity: "Learning in the Loo"

I’m so fortunate to hang out with wicked smart administrators, coaches, and teachers across states and learning environments. I am so much smarter and better positioned to support others because of their knowledge and experiences.

In this guest blog post, I’d like you to meet Kristy — a teacher, coach, colleague and friend extraordinaire! Every time I’m at her school, I learn so much from her. Check out this simple and sweet capacity building move she harnesses called “Learning in the Loo”.

What is “Learning in the Loo?”

Authored by Dr. Kristy Rykard

“Learning in the Loo” is not my own original concept.  It’s been around for a while, and a quick Google search will show you plenty of examples.  It has a variety of creative names, such as “Potty PD” and “Tissue Issues.” Basically, it’s a 1-2 page newsletter with some quick tips and ideas to share with your “captive audience” by posting it in a conspicuous place in the restroom.  Everyone visits the potty daily, so “Learning in the Loo” is a poofect way to do some light coaching asynchronously.  I use Canva to create my Loos, and I leave sheet protectors on the walls of the restrooms so I can easily swap in the new issues (or tissues, if you please).  I publish a new Loo on the first school day of each month, and I also include a link in my email signature so that faculty and staff can pull it up on their computer if they want to explore more about a specific tip.  

Here are some examples of my past Loos.

Why I Publish “Learning in the Loo”

The year before I became the Digital Learning Coach (DLC) at my school, my predecessor had started “Learning in the Loo” in all the faculty and staff restrooms around the school.  As a teacher, I always loved it so much.  First of all, who doesn’t love some handy, interesting reading material in the potty?  The “Toots and Giggles” section was the first thing I always checked out when a new one was published.  Soon, however, I realized that I was really getting something out of the Loo each month.  I remember drying my hands and seeing tips or new tools and immediately thinking, “Oh, that’s so neat.  I could totally try that when I get back to my room” or “Omigosh!  That might work for the lesson I’m doing next week!”  My colleagues and I collaborated on trying out ideas we had seen in the Loo with our students.  We had no idea we were being “ninja coached,” but it was working.  So when I moved into the DLC role, I knew I had to continue that work.

What to Include in the Loo?

I’m smart and just FULL of ideas, but it’s a pretty big lift for a busy coach to get a four-section newsletter published every month without some help.  I subscribe to a plethora of digital learning newsletters, blogs, Twitter accounts, etc.  I’m surrounded by tons of amazing ideas, tips, and tools, and the Loo is a natural outlet to share them with my teachers.  Each month, I curate the tips, ideas, and digital tools I think will most benefit my teachers and their students, add them to the Loo, and credit the original sources.  Everyone takes their phones to the potty with them these days, so I always include QR codes for more information, videos, and/or the original source.

A Few of My Favorite Resources for Digital Tips, Ideas, and Tools

• Shake Up Learning by Kasey Bell

• G Suite Tips by the team at Overdrive

• Richard Byrne @rmbyrne on Twitter 

• Shelly Sanchez @ShellTerrell on Twitter

I also use the Loo as a place to share effective learning activities facilitated by teachers in our school, so I often include pictures and anecdotes from my classroom visits. With teacher permission, I link to their lesson plan or materials.  It’s a great way to lift the assets of the brilliant educators in our own building and encourage collaboration among our faculty. 

The Results

My teachers absolutely love “Learning in the Loo.” They come looking for me if I am even one day late putting the monthly Loo out, and when they see me coming down the hall with my stack of Loos to deliver, their eyes light up with excitement to see what’s in the new edition. I know it sounds crazy that anyone would look forward to something so simple, but it’s true. I’ve had teachers book coaching time with me, email me to ask for more information, or share how they incorporated an idea from the Loo in their classes. Some people take the tip and run with it, and others want to expand and collaborate on it. It’s been a fantastic way for me to open doors as a coach and get conversations started. And it’s the best feeling when I’m in a classroom, and I see something from the Loo coming to life with students. That’s why we’re all here in the first place, right?

Dr. Kristy Rykard has been in education for over 22 years. She began as a high school English teacher, and she now serves as a Digital Learning Coach in Lexington School District One in Lexington, SC. In her personal life, Kristy is an avid world traveler, reader, wife, cat mom, Netflix binger, and online shopper.

@DrRykardDLC
krykard@lexington1.net

Co-planning a Mini-Unit to Wrap Up the Year with JOY!

I’ve had the pleasure of knowing and working with Shannon for the last few years. We share a common love of books and we are both self-proclaimed pen snobs — meaning we are both “pen-picky” and enjoy trying to convince one another that our favorite pen type is the best. Shannon is a continual learner — with an ongoing stream of inquiry. She’s a joy to co-plan with because she exudes happiness as she noodles ideas, thinks through wonderings, and creates ways to support her students — and her learning community — in collaborative, heart-felt ways.

A DISCLAIMER OF SORTS

A few shared agreements:

• As I co-plan with teachers, I’m not going to spend much time, if any, editing the videos.  This means it might be clunky at times.  You might get a barking dog, tech glitches, or family interruptions.  I hope you’ll be able to relate. Thank you, in advance, for assuming best intentions and for your understanding. In addition, not everything we do together is recorded.

• The ideas shared in these videos are NOT “the way” or “the right way” -- they are just one way to approach the work.  I hope you’ll spend some time actively studying the co-planning conversation. As you listen, take stock of the ASSETS that emerge from the conversation.  Think about:

  • What’s the WHY behind our work?  

  • What moves are we trying to make in service of students?

  • Name the implications for your work going forward.  What might you adopt or adapt to fit your setting, interests, and/or needs?

• Focus on process versus end product.  The work will continue to unfold even if it’s not captured on video segments.  If you check back into our shared documents, you’ll notice changes because our work is dynamic, not static, and will evolve across time.

HERE’S WHAT WE ARE UP TO

• Shannon’s students have settled into a learning from home routine and are launching into their 8th week. Each week brings about new celebrations and new challenges.  

• Shannon wants her students to end the year with a mini-poetry unit, celebrating reading and writing!

THINGS WE ARE THINKING ABOUT NOW

• How do the enduring practices we use in the classroom translate -- or not -- to remote/digital learning from home?

• What’s the WHY behind this mini-poetry unit?

• What’s going to get kiddos jazzed up about reading and writing poetry?

• What end demonstrations or learning celebrations can we co-create with students to honor their work?

VIDEO

If you are interested in watching a coach and teacher co-plan — working as THINKING PARTNERS in response to the unique times we are currently experiencing — check out this video.

SOME REFLECTIONS

• What poem types will be new/unfamiliar to students?  What poem types will feel like “old friends”?

• Will students write poetry on paper or on the computer?  They have options so I’m wondering what they will choose?  

• Will students illustrate some of the poems they write?

• Is there a way to help students collect all of the poems they are reading and writing [a binder or folder] to keep them organized at home?  If so, maybe they could be used to inspire reading/re-reading poetry over the summer.

OTHER LINKS & RESOURCES

Our DRAFTY, dynamic, in-motion, evolving plans: Julie & Shannon: Co-planning Mini-Poetry Unit

Small Group Plans:  Small Group Reading & Writing Lesson Plans to Adopt, Adapt or Improve [During Remote/Distance Learning]

Short Texts at Your Fingertips:  Poetry

If you want to learn more about Shannon’s classroom, check out her blog!

IDEAS TO CHEW ON

As most educators would agree, working from a distance is not the same as in-person experiences. In my work as a consultant, it’s not unusual for me to work across the miles with teachers. In fact, most of my consulting contracts include some form of this type of professional learning, particularly as we prepare for our work together in the classroom. Planning and working across the miles is how we often get a jump-start to our work together. The difference, of course, is the work we are typically planning is NOT from a distance. So, that is where we are trying to make a shift.

I’m in good company when I say we are all kind of tired of this by now. However, with so many unknowns about what school will — or should — look like in the fall, we are using this spring as a dress rehearsal of sorts. We are asking:

• What’s working? What’s clunky?

• Who are we reaching and supporting in ways that are making a difference?

• Who are we concerned about? What don’t we know that we should know?

• How will we stay connected and minimize the “distance” that separates us?

• How will we create compelling, sophisticated learning experiences that take into account our foundational beliefs and practices in ways that nature and inspire students?

Two pieces I’ve recently written that might be of interest are:

• Instructional Coaches as Servant Leaders: 3 Actions to Consider Now More Than

• CCIRA Blog Post: Ask First, Teach Later

Until next time — keep at it! You’ve got a whole crew of educators cheering you on because we know the spirit and camaraderie surrounds us all! Reach out if you’d like to chat about ways I might be of service and support your efforts!

From Ed Consultant to Teacher Mom: Reflection #4

Three weeks ago I would have said that I know my kids deeply.

I think I was wrong.

Of course, like all parents, I know my kids. I know their patterns, their likes and dislikes, what makes them laugh and what scares them. I know what they like to read and their favorite spots to write and complete homework. I know the at-home and on-the-weekend and in-the summertime kids. .

I think I assumed I knew my kids as students. However, I’m realizing that I don’t know them, really know them, as students, like I am getting to know them now. How could I? They’ve spent the majority of their learning-selves at school. And, now, their learning-selves are at home. The difference at this point, is their learning-selves at home excludes one of the most important aspects of learning which is the social capital they receive from learning with and from peers.

Creating Learning-at-Home Rituals

For the past 2 weeks, I’ve been working to co-create rituals and routines with my kids so that they have things they can count on each day. We created shared agreements about when we would:

• Get up and get moving [9:30 a.m.]

• Join together at the breakfast table & get organized for the day [9:45 a.m.]

• Work through assignments posted online for each of their school classes [10:00-2:00 with lunch thrown in there somewhere]

• Unstructured refuel yourself time filled with choice activities such as art, backyard play time, trail walks, puzzles, gaming, etc. [2:00-3:00]

• “Mom School”, as my boys call it, where we spend time reading, writing and thinking together [3:00-4:30]

Kidwatching My Own Kids at Home

This pandemic has given me opportunities to study my own kids in new ways. I’m learning more about them each day as readers, writers, mathematicians, citizens, scientists, artists, siblings, chefs, gamers, backyard explorers, family members, comedians, and as dog-lovers. Through kidwatching, I’ve learned that one or more of my kiddos:

• has interest, stamina, and finds pleasure in paint-by-numbers

• uses cooking / dessert making at the 5:30 p.m. hour as celebration for completing all online assignments from school

• actually talks more during the dinner hour since the pace of our lives has slowed down a bit

• has learned to do a backflip on the trampoline and has taught the dog to jump on the trampoline too

• finds joy in beating his mom at a friendly game of trampoline COVID-19 basketball [formerly called HORSE]

• felt “cheated” out of book club time when we had a day where our schedule was a little clunky

• thinks our digital COVID-19 writing buddies experience might be kind of fun

When we first started learning at home together, I thought it was short term. I went into the what should we do to get through the next week or two mindset. Now that we have a clearer view that we’ll be going from short to longer-term, I decided to get my boys’ perspectives about who they think they are as learners — at school and at home. I gave my boys this Who Are You as a Learner note catcher.

To be honest, they weren’t sure what to do with it at first. I think it felt very school-like to them. I told them I wanted them to self-reflect about their interests, passions, curiosities, successes, habits, etc. so that I could think about them as learners in both environments. I’m not going to share their responses because they are for our work at home together, but one important point to mention is that we added ideas across several days. Like most kiddos, my boys started out reluctant about adding ideas. Maybe they felt vulnerable? Maybe they didn’t quite understand the purpose at first? Regardless, they needed more than one go at it before they started adding ideas that uncovered the deeper side of who they are as learners at school versus who they are as learners at home. Hint: Giving kiddos two post-it notes —one for ideas related to school and one for home — works great too!

Whether you are a parent at home who is educating your own kids OR an educator at home educating your students in their homes, I highly recommend giving kiddos an opportunity to reflect about who they are as learners — both at school and at home. Their responses just might shape your next moves as you provide the love and support they need as people and as learners during this time.

From Ed Consultant to Teacher Mom: Reflection #2

Well, we’ve settled in. Kind of.

We’ve found a routine. Sort of.

It’s funny how just a few days can be filled with numerous learning lessons, even some lessons that you thought you already knew. Or, better yet, thought you knew them so well that they were regular ways of being. Surprise! New landscape, new challenges, new learning for everyone — especially me!

Teacher Mom in Action

I love lists — in that spirit, here’s my Top 5 List from the past few days:

1. My boys are brothers. They used to be best friends. Time and age have pulled them apart a bit over the past 18 months. That’s been a natural part of their growth and development as individuals, I think. Now, as of this week, they are learning how to be friends again. This could become one of the hidden treasures tucked inside this awful pandemic.

2. Learning is social. I believe this to my core. I have read the research and created action research for myself and those I serve that puts this foundational belief into practice. I’m now seeing firsthand how hard it can be for kiddos when they don’t have the social capital [the amazing stuff their peers bring to the table each day] they need and want in their living, breathing, learning space. Learning IS social. Kiddos not only want it, they need it!

3. Books and stories bring out the best in us —especially when they touch our heads and our hearts. In an attempt to create a learning community for my two sons and me, we started reading Saving Winslow by Sharon Creech. In just a few days, we’ve each taken an important role in contributing to our collective learning by:

   • Sharing the role of guest reader for read aloud

   • Curating and sharing other short texts [website, video, article, infographic] that can help us learn new information about donkeys

   • Writing about our reading — our thoughts, wonderings, questions, feelings

4. I thought that I’d only have time to teach and work with my own kids. Don’t get me wrong, it’s been time consuming and emotion consuming. But, what I’m learning is that what I do for myself is also very important. When I fuel myself, I can then add to the fuel for others. As a result, I’ve spent time digging back into my writing projects and plan to create a schedule for myself beginning next week. And, I’ve rediscovered my excitement about cooking again. I cook all of the time — it’s impossible to not cook for a family of 5 — but I’m inspired by getting organized around meal-planning and recipes, digging up some old favorites and trying new ones. And, kale chips, right out of the oven, makes everything better!

5. Thinking partners matter. That’s true for kids and it’s true for adults. I am thankful for the colleagues and friends I’ve connected with this week. There are no rules around the content between thinking partners — thank goodness! Some highlights include text messages, emails, sharing Google docs, and video chats to co-plan online learning opportunities for kiddos, noodling drafty ideas about what really matters in schools, mom crews sharing ideas to support learning at home, and swapping soup recipes. Thankful for each of these experiences — a true lifeline during tricky times!

In other updates — my college freshman is unpacking. One bag per day because…why not? She decided she has 4-5 months to get it done so what’s the hurry!

Our North Star: Building Relationships & Collaboration Through Asset-Based Protocols

Barry and I have been colleagues for the last 6 years. We first met while supporting a school in Harlem and then continued our work across the miles — coast to coast — through Sunday morning co-planning calls and writing. We are a great pair because we’ve nudged one another to think deeply about the things that matter to our practices and we hold inquiry and assets at our center. One of the best parts about our work together is the bridge we’ve created between our professional and personal lives. It’s pretty typical for Barry and I to launch or end our planning calls with, “what’s happening with the family?” type of dialogue. We work hard at keeping it real — real people, real lives, real work. We wouldn’t have it any other way. It doesn’t hurt, either, that we really dig each other’s spouses and kids—what blessings they are to each of us!

So, why all this chatter about our connection? For us, relationships, collaboration, and working with an asset-based mindset matters. We’ve worked to put our beliefs about learning, both with adults and students alike, into practice. Specifically, we believe learning is maximized when:

• we build lasting RELATIONSHIPS with our colleagues

• we work toward COLLECTIVE GOALS with SHARED AGREEMENTS about how to get where we are going

• we catch the good — going after ASSET-BASED PROTOCOLS — always

• we approach all problems of practice through MULTIPLE ENTRY POINTS

• we create learning environments where everyone has something to GIVE and everyone has something they can GET

• we use REFLECTION to look back in order to create steps forward

About once or twice a year, Barry and I try to live out our beliefs by working and learning alongside one another in the same space. Whether that’s Barry making his way east to take a class in NYC or my heading west to learn in his classroom, thinking and planning together has been a cornerstone of our work.

A few weeks ago, we had the pleasure of co-hosting a Learning Lab in Barry’s classroom. The classroom organization and culture, his students, and students’ work became our text for learning. Because collaboration is central to our work, we invited some colleagues to join us. It’s hard to really capture all of the beauty that came about — individually and collectively —from participants. What follows is a snapshot from our Bainbridge Island Learning Lab experience.

Reflection: Our educational North Stars are the things that help us hold steady while other things [priorities, initiatives] continue to move and change. Defining and living within your professional North Star helps you stay grounded in your work, regardless of what comes your way.

Reflection: Using asset-based protocols — catching the good — when observing a classroom builds relationships, fosters trust and safely for everyone involved.

A big thank you to my friend and mentor, Sam Bennett, for sharing this protocol with me 10 years ago. It worked then and it still works today!

Teachers kidwatching — using a note catcher to collect asset-based evidence.

Reflection: Being clear with how time will be used across a workshop — both for yourself as the facilitator of learning and for the kiddos — is directly linked to student independence.

Posted in Barry’s classroom and revisited at the beginning of workshop.

Reflection: Creating efficient, effective and sustainable systems and structures for noting student observations —as you study and interact with students in whole group, small group, and 1:1 — is a key ingredient for future, instructional decision-making.

Graph paper + student headshots + clipboard + pen!

Reflection: If we believe in EYES ON PRINT, EYES ON PRINT, EYES ON PRINT, then choice in text type + seating makes a BIG difference for kiddos buying in and settling in for independent reading time.

Who wouldn’t want to dive into a text when you can sit around the “family room” to read!

Reflection: Biographies come in lots of shapes, sizes, and lengths. Sometimes reading lots of short texts builds reading volume in ways that one long chapter book biography can’t. Giving kiddos the choice is important.

Reflection: When students hold their thinking, it gives them opportunities to make meaning of the texts they are reading.

Reflection: Conferring with students provides insights and is one of the most meaningful, on-the-spot forms of formative assessment.

Reflection: One of the most powerful parts of a Learning Lab is the reflection that follows — cracking open the thinking behind the planning & instructional moves. It’s that metacognition that helps others imagine the implications for their work going forward.

Reflection: Sometimes we write to make sense and/or solidify our thinking or reflections. If you’d like to read some of Barry’s reflections after this Learning Lab, check this out!