read like a reader

7/27/2019 Read like a reader

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E A C H I N G H A M A K E S S E N S E

Read Like a Reader,Read Like a Writer

Te Ultimate Strategyfor Reading Comprehension and Response

bySteve Peha
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Like aRead

by Steve Peha

Reader,Like aRead

Writer

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3

1995-2003 by Steve Peha. For more information, or additional teaching materials, please contact: Teaching That Makes Sense, Inc. E-mail [email protected] Web www.ttms.org

Read Like a ReaderRead Like a Writer

What do readers do when they read? Sounds like a strange question,doesnt it? After all, readers just read, dont they? Sort of. Actually, the whole ques-tion turns on what you think reading is.

Your mind is very active while you process text. You may think youre justsaying words to yourself and hearing them somewhere inside your head, butchances are theres more going on a lot more. Becoming aware of what yourmind is doing when you read helps you become a better reader.

Nobody knows for sure what goes on in the mind of a reader. Frankly, theresno way to tell and no two readers read exactly the same way. So, we have to makeup a theory about it. I like to think that there are two different ways to read:

Reading like a reader.We might think of this as the normalway of reading where we try to figure out what a piece of writing

means by understanding the words a writer is using. But even thisnormal way is more complicated than it seems.

Reading like a writer.When we read from the perspective of awriter, we focus less onwhatthe writer is trying to say and more onhow the writer is saying it. Specifically, we look at the techniques thewriter is using to get his or her message across and how those tech-niques affect us as we experience the text.

These certainly arent the only ways to read. But I think they representinteresting and valuable ways of thinking about a text. The point of all this is tohelp us enjoy reading more by making it a more active and interactive process.When we read actively, we dont just wait for the meaning to come to us, we goafter it aggressively. We look deeply into the text hunting in certain specificways searching for clues as to what the writer is trying to say. When we readinteractively, we ask questions about the text and our reactions to it, and we usethe answers we to develop a sense of how the text works. Its as if we start aconversation between the writer, the writing, and our self.


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Read Like a ReaderWhats going on here? Personally, I find teaching reading to be rather intimidating because Ican never really know for sure how students are doing it. I can look out across a classroom and see

a group of kids with their faces buried in between the pages of their books, but I have no way ofknowing whats really going on. For all I can tell, they could be sitting quietly, thinking aboutnothing, and turning pages just to make me feel good.

Theres no way to know for sure what goes on in a readers head. And every reader probably readsa little differently. But heres a list of six things I think all readers do, things that make them moresuccessful, and make reading more fun. I call this reading like a reader:

Question. Readers ask good questions about the things they read. What kinds of questions dothey ask? Just about anything that comes to mind: why something is happening or not happen-

ing, why a character feels or acts a certain way, things we wonder about or are confused by, wordswe may not know the meanings of, and so on. Questions help readers clarify their understanding.

Predict. Readers make guesses about what is coming up next. No reader, it seems, can resistthinking about what a writer is going to say next. Its just part of human nature to anticipatethings. Predicting helps readers sort out important information from unimportant information, ithelps them organize their thinking as they encounter new material.

Infer. Readers figure out things about what they read that arent actually written in the text.Theres almost always more to a story than just the words on the page. Often, writers leave cluesthat good readers can use to discover important information.

Connect. Readers think about what their reading reminds them of. We cant help but be re-minded of our own lives as we read. Were also reminded of similar things weve read in othertexts and other parts of the same text were reading at the time.

Feel. Readers have feelings while they read, they express emotions. Sometimes, it seems like wehave a direct connection to what were reading: sad parts make us feel sad, happy parts make usfeel happy, scary parts scare us, and so on. But often, the feelings we have are more subtle, we

may feel them only slightly, for example, when we read with more expression. Much of the mean-ing we get from a piece of writing comes from the emotions we feel when read it.

Evaluate. Readers make judgments while they read. Is this good? If so, whats good about it? DoI like it? Why? Should I keep reading or should I put this down and get something else? Readersare finicky, impatient, judgmental. The evaluations they make help them decide whether or notwhat they are reading is valuable and, if so, how they might use it.


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Reading Like a ReaderEddie had always been able to fly, but it wasnt until his fifth birthday party that he realized

that it would turn out to be a bit of a social problem. Until that embarrassing day on the

Johnsons lawn, Eddies parents had treated his airborne peculiarity as something of a childishwhim. Boys gotta stretch out, learn what he can do, said his father. I just worry that hell hurthimself, you know, bump into the ceiling or get his eye poked out by a bird, I dont know... saidhis mother. For the young Eddie, flying was just another discovery about his developing body, likelearning that he could reach out his arm and ring the bell on his cradle railing, or finding thathe loved the taste of peas. The first time his parents came into the nursery and found Eddie hover-ing a foot or two off the floor it came as a bit of a shock. But, after all, parents are forever discover-ing special little things about their children. Eddies mother thought that perhaps they shouldtake their son to see a specialist, but his father vetoed the idea. Its not like anythings wrong withhim, and I dont want him getting a complex about it.

Opening paragraph from Eddie Takes Offby Ben Hippen

Question: Is this a fantasy story where people have special powers? Or is the author using theidea of flying to stand for something else? If he can really fly, why arent his parents a little morefreaked out about it?

Predict: I think Eddies flying is going to get him in trouble. In the very first sentence, the au-thor refers to Eddies flying as a bit of a social problem and to me that hints that things canonly get worse.

Infer: Eddies parents seem strange. They dont sound like real people, more like characters froma bad TV show. I think the author is trying to tell us that they may not be very smart or very sensi-tive.

Connect: This reminds me of Harry Potter where a boy has special powers. But it also makes methink of other kids I have seen who may be different. Sometimes, kids with unusual abilitiesarent accepted by other people.

Feel: I feel sorry for Eddie. I get the feeling that hes going to be lonely because people arent go-ing to understand him.

Evaluate: I think the beginning is good. Im curious about Eddie and his flying. I want to findout if he really can fly and if hes the only kid in the story who can do something like this. I alsowant to see what trouble he gets into. The author has an entertaining and funny style. I especiallylike the way he describes Eddies parents though I dont like them at all, especially Eddies father.This is exactly the kind of story I like: realistic but with a little bit of a twist.


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Read Like a WriterTheres another way to read? Normally, when we read, we focus onwhatthe writer is try-ing to say. When we read like a writer, however, we focus onhow the writer is saying it. Because we

are writers ourselves, we pay close attention to the techniques a writer is using and how those tech-niques contribute to the meaning of the piece and improve its quality. We may even borrow thetechniques we learn for our own writing. I call this reading like a writer. When we read like this,there are six things we pay attention to:

Ideas. Ideas are the heart of the piece what the writer is writing about and the informationher or she chooses to reveal about it. When we read like a writer, we try to answer questions likethese: How does the writer reveal the main idea? What types of details does the writer use? Howdoes the writer achieve his or her purpose? How does the writers choice of ideas affect the reader?

Organization. Organization refers to the order of ideas and the way the writer moves from oneidea to the next. When we read like a writer, we try to answer questions like these: What kinds ofleads does the writer use and how do they pull us in and make us want to read more? What kindsof endings does the writer use and how do they work to make the writing feel finished and to giveus something important to think about? How does the writer handle transitions? What techniquesdoes the writer use for sequencing? How does the writer control pacing?

Voice. Voice is how the writing feels to someone when they read it, its the expression of the writ-ers individual personality through words. When we read like a writer, we try to answer questionslike these: How does the writer demonstrate passion for the topic? How does the writer reveal emo-tions? How does the writer put personality into the piece?

Word Choice. Word Choice refers to writers selection of particular words and phrases to expressideas. When we read like a writer, we try to answer questions like these: What techniques (simile,metaphor, strong verbs, etc.) does the writer use to make the word choice more specific, morememorable, and more effective?

Sentence Fluency. Sentence Fluency is the rhythm and flow of the language as we read it, itshow the writing sounds when read aloud. When we read like a writer, we try to answer questions

like these: What kinds of sentence constructions does the writer use? How does the writer vary thelength and construction of his or her sentences? How does the writer use sound effects like allit-eration, rhyme, and rhythm?

Conventions. Conventions are the ways we agree to use punctuation, spelling, grammar, andother things that make writing consistent and easy to read. When we read like a writer, we try toanswer questions like these: How does the writer use conventions to make the writing easy to readand more meaningful? Does the author use conventions in unusual ways that are successful?


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Reading Like a WriterEddie had always been able to fly, but it wasnt until his fifth birthday party that he realized

that it would turn out to be a bit of a social problem. Until that embarrassing day on the

Johnsons lawn, Eddies parents had treated his airborne peculiarity as something of a childishwhim. Boys gotta stretch out, learn what he can do, said his father. I just worry that hell hurthimself, you know, bump into the ceiling or get his eye poked out by a bird, I dont know... saidhis mother. For the young Eddie, flying was just another discovery about his developing body, likelearning that he could reach out his arm and ring the bell on his cradle railing, or finding thathe loved the taste of peas. The first time his parents came into the nursery and found Eddie hover-ing a foot or two off the floor it came as a bit of a shock. But, after all, parents are forever discover-ing special little things about their children. Eddies mother thought that perhaps they shouldtake their son to see a specialist, but his father vetoed the idea. Its not like anythings wrong withhim, and I dont want him getting a complex about it.

Opening paragraph from Eddie Takes Offby Ben Hippen

Ideas: A flying baby boy, in the context of what appears to be a realistic setting, is a curious andcompelling idea.

Organization: The opening line is great. It certainly gets our attention and makes us want tofind out more. The author has us wondering about three things: Eddies flying ability, his parentsstrange reaction, and the embarrassing incident on his fifth birthday.

Voice: The authors voice is light-hearted and playful, just as one might imagine a flying babyboy to be.

Word Choice: The phrase airborne peculiarity in the second sentence is both unusual andmemorable. It also seems like the perfect way to describe Eddies unique talent as viewed by hisparents, as though it were something just slightly odd or mildly eccentric. In the last sentence, thestrong verb vetoed tells a lot about how Eddies mom and dad interact: Eddies dad is sort of likethe president of the family; any time he wants he can cancel his wifes ideas.

Sentence Fluency: The parallelism of the two quotes works nicely. And the last sentence, laidout in four pieces, with just a little bit of alliteration near the end, sounds smooth and satisfying.

Conventions: Normally, when quoting characters in a story, we have to start a new paragraphfor each new speaker. But here the author quotes the two parents inside a paragraph. The use ofthe ellipsis at the end of the mothers comment makes her seem even more vague than her cli-chd words imply.


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1995-2003byStevePeha.Form

oreinformation,oradditionalteachingmaterials,pleas

econtact:TeachingThatMakesSense,Inc.E-mai

[email protected]

Read Like a Reader, Read Like a Wr

Just what are you trying to prove? sputtered Mrs. Johnson. I dont know

what kind of stupid trick this is, but you just scared the bejeezus out of all thechildren. Someone could have gotten hurt. Out, now! I want you out of myyard, anddont ever come back!

Eddies mother grabbed him by the hand and began dragging him away.Eddies desperate attempts at explanation displaced his tears. Mommy, he washitting me.... Hes bigger than I am.... But his pleading was swallowed by hismothers mortified silence. As they reached the sidewalk they could hear theagitated mutterings of the group on the lawn behind them: children beginningto cry, parents trying to reassure them that it was just a trick, that it wasntreal. Alexs voice reached them just as they turned on to the sidewalk to go

back to their own house: Weirdo!

READ LIKE A READER

Question:

Predict:

Infer:

Connect:

Feel:

Evaluate:

1995-2002 by Steve Peha. For more information, or for additional teaching materials, please contact: Teaching That Makes Sense, Inc. E-mail stevepeha@ao


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1995-2003byStevePeha.Formoreinformation,oradditionalteachingmaterials,pleas

econtact:TeachingThatMakesSense,[email protected]

Read Like a Reader, Read Like a WrREAD LIKE A READER

Question:

Predict:

Infer:

Connect:

Feel:

Evaluate:

That evening Eddie lay in bed, miserable. He tried snuggling into hissheets; he tried levitating a few inches above the mattress, which until todayhad always comforted him when he was trying to get to sleep. He felt embar-

rassed, ashamed that he had hurt his mother. He felt exposed in a way that wasnew to him. And so Eddie made a promise to himself with the intensity of achilds confused pain: he would never again allow anyone to see him fly.

For the first week or so after the party Eddie stuck to his promise. He con-tinued to amuse himself with an occasional loop just under the dining roomceiling, but never when his parents or anyone else was present. After a coupleof weeks his promise faded from a daily mantra to a vaguer intention, but thehabit stuck of never letting anyone see him fly. His parents noticed, of course.I hope nothings wrong, said his mother. I just want him to be normal andhappy like other children. It was just a phase, said his father. I figured

hed grow out of it. And Eddie did seem happy, which took some of the stingout of the fact that Eddies mother never was invited back to Mrs. Johnsonshouse.

* * * * *

1995-2002 by Steve Peha. For more information, or for additional teaching materials, please contact: Teaching That Makes Sense, Inc. E-mail stevepeha@


19/37




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Eddie slowly shuffled out of the school building carrying his book bag.Only three days into ninth grade and already it was a drag boring classes,

no new friends, too much homework. He walked down the sidewalk, lost in de-pressing thoughts about school, until he became aware, seconds too late, ofthe footsteps of three boys running up behind him. He felt the first blow on hisback, causing him to stumble and drop his bag, which was promptly kickedinto the bushes by another of the three. Books and papers flew everywhere. Ashe turned to face his attackers a fist slammed into his stomach, knocking the

wind out of him and causing him to collapse on the ground. He heard laugh-ter and a familiar voice shout Weirdo!above him. The three boys ran off,one of them saying, Good one, Johnson!

READ LIKE A READER

Question:

Predict:

Infer:

Connect:

Feel:

Evaluate:



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Eddie sat there for a minute trying to regain his breath. Then he crawledover to the bushes on his hands and knees and half-heartedly began collecting

the spilled contents of his book bag. As he reached for the math worksheet duetomorrow a small, delicate hand wearing nail gloss and a pinkie ring grabbedit. He looked up at the owner of the hand. She was blond, with more frecklesthan hed ever seen in his life.

Hi, Im Jane. Im in your Science class. Here, lemme help you. Shepicked up the remaining books and put them into Eddies bag while he held itopen. Whats your name?

Um, Eddie.Nice to meet you, Eddie. She smelled great. That Alex Johnson is the big-

gest jerk. I dont know why hes so mean. Well, thats all your stuff. I gotta run.See you tomorrow in class. As Eddie watched her walk away he didnt notice hisaching stomach. And he didnt notice that he was grinning like an idiot.

READ LIKE A READER

Question:

Predict:

Infer:

Connect:

Feel:

Evaluate:



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Eddie suddenly developed an intense interest in Science class. He took ad-vantage of every opportunity to say a few words to Jane: Here, you droppedyour pen. Think itll rain during gym class this afternoon? Once Eddie andJane were lab partners. They finished the assignment successfully, althoughEddie burned his thumb on a Bunsen burner. He barely even noticed, he wasso nervous. Jane was always polite, but she never really got involved in conver-sation with him. In fact, she didnt treat Eddie any differently from any of theother boys in the class. Jane, on the other hand, was all that Eddie could thinkabout. Eddie would lie awake in his bed at night thinking about her. He wouldslowly levitate off the mattress, raising his brown comforter from underneath,looking like a loaf of bread rising in the oven.

READ LIKE A READER

Question:

Predict:

Infer:

Connect:

Feel:

Evaluate:



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Question:

Predict:

Infer:

Connect:

Feel:

Evaluate:

Eddie didnt know what to do. One evening he approached his mother,who was sitting in front of the TV knitting something large and blue with great

determination.Mom, he started, theres this girl in my Science class....Whats her name? His mother kept knitting.Her names Jane, and shes... well, I mean, I kind of What is it, dear? Knit, knit, knit.Never mind, Mom.



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The next evening Eddie made up his mind to call Jane and ask her out ona date. He waited until after dinner, then left his parents in front of the TV to

use the upstairs phone. He paced for about twenty minutes, his palms gettingsweaty. He picked up the phone, held it for a while, then put it back down and

paced some more. Finally, barely realizing what he was doing, he picked upthe phone again and dialed Janes number. She answered on the second ring.Hello? Eddie couldnt make a sound come out of his mouth. Hello? Is thereanybody there? Jane hung up, leaving Eddie listening to the dial tone for aminute. Then he set down the phone and went to bed.

READ LIKE A READER

Question:

Predict:

Infer:

Connect:

Feel:

Evaluate:



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Question:

Predict:

Infer:

Connect:

Feel:

Evaluate:

For the rest of the school year Eddie was inconsolable. He no longer even

had the courage to try to make small talk with Jane. When she would makesome casual comment to him in class he would stammer and flee as quicklyas he could. It felt like the only social contact he had for all those months wasthe continual baiting and occasional beating from Alex Johnson. Eventually it

was spring, and then the last day of school. This was it, Eddie knew; if he didntask Jane out today he would never make it through the summer. After the lastclass he waited in the hall near Janes locker. When he saw her walking to herlocker he stepped toward her, forcing himself not to think about anything ex-cept for what he needed to say.



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Hi, Eddie, its good to see you. Howre you doing? Jane smiled. It seemedlike she was genuinely glad to see him. Maybe, just maybe, she would agree to

a date. Eddie felt a surge of optimism. In fact he felt almost giddy, so giddy thathe was on the verge of lifting into the air without even realizing it. His heels

were off the floor, leaving him standing on tiptoe. If only Jane knew how spe-cial he was! He could show her, she would understand! He felt so happy that hehadnt realized that someone was standing behind him.Bam! He went flyinginto the lockers face first, then crumpled to the floor.

Weirdo!Alex! Pick on somebody your own size! Jane was watching Alex Johnson

and his friends run away down the hall. She turned back to Eddie, who waswiping at the blood that was starting to run from his nose. Are you okay?

Yeah, Im fine. Have a good summer, Jane. Eddie walked down the halland out of the school building as fast as he could.

It was a long, miserable summer for Eddie.

* * * * *

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The senior prom wasnt turning out at all like Eddie had expected. He hadnever really gotten over Jane. He had managed a couple of dates with othergirls during high school, but they never really amounted to anything com-

pared to Jane, any other girl fell short. The biggest impact she had wound uphaving on his life was that since that humiliating last day of ninth grade hehad never flown again, not even in private. He wasnt sure if he was even stillable to fly, and he wasnt sure if he cared. Over the years he had thought manytimes about taking Jane to the senior prom, but wasnt really surprised to findhimself here tonight, not with the girl of his dreams, but with a couple of hisbuddies, Max and Jerry. Stag night! theyd said to each other, and laughed.Loser night, theyd thought to themselves, and sighed. Still, the night hadntbeen that bad, and Eddie had arranged for them to wind up at an after-dance

party that he knew Jane would be coming to. At least he would get a chance tosee Jane tonight, even though he knew that he wouldnt be able to talk to her

without going to pieces.



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Jerry came back from the kitchen carrying three cans of pop to the cornerwhere Eddie and Max were standing. None of them really knew what to do at a

party, so they stood there sipping and trying to look nonchalant, when thefront door opened and Max said Here come some happy couples. Eddie sawJane walk into the room. She was wearing a long blue dress which bared herfreckle-covered arms. She had her hair swept up on top of her head. For a mo-ment the image of the gangly ninth grader that Eddie had first fallen for

flashed in front of his eyes, only to be replaced by the sight of the beautifulyoung woman she had become. Eddie twitched with a spasm of heartache.



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Then he noticed who Jane had walked in with and spilled his pop on hisrented tuxedo. Janes prom date wasAlex Johnson. Eddie felt faint. The blood

drained out of his face. Max noticed and asked if Eddie was okay. It soundedlike Maxs voice was coming from the bottom of a swimming pool.AlexJohnson! Every injustice, every disappointment, everything that had ever gonewrong in Eddies entire life seemed like nothing compared to this. Fortunatelymore and more people were showing up at the party, so he could hide in thecorner and silently listen to Max and Jerry make stupid jokes about arrivingcouples and what they were wearing. He had no idea how much time had

passed when he realized that Max and Jerrys infantile commentary had takena new turn. Max had overheard that ...some of them are going out to the lake

past the Valley Acres development to build a bonfire and stay up all night.

Eddie heard himself say Whos going?A bunch of them. Greg and Allison, Jeremy and Lisa, Alex and Jane

Jerry chimed in: Yeah, theyre gonna have a real party out there tonight!



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Eddie chugged the rest of his pop in one huge gulp. He looked for Jane in

the crowd, hoping for one last glimpse of her before his life was ruined forever.There they were, Jane and Alex, standing a bit apart from the rest of theirfriends. It looked like they were having a disagreement. Jane kept shaking herhead, and Alex was raising his voice. As Eddie watched, Alex grabbed Janes

wrist, not very gently, and began dragging her in the direction of the frontdoor. As Alex jerked her into motion, Janes hair came undone and fell over hershoulders. Without thinking, Eddie threw down his empty pop can and rushedtowards them. He stretched out his arms in front of him and unconsciously

propelled his body by flying, rushing over the carpet so low that nobody real-ized that he wasnt just running. He slammed into Alex, who let Janes wrist goand slammed into the wall so hard that his head made a small indentation inthe plaster.



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Everyone in the room stared, frozen and speechless. Alex stood and turned

to face Eddie, his hands balling into fists. But he stayed where he was. Some-thing in him whispered that Eddie had hit him with more force than shouldhave been possible to build up by simply running across the room. And some-thing about the surrounding crowd, staring and silent, triggered a memory ofa five-year-old boy who had just dropped a blue garbage truck and was con-

fronted by the impossible spectacle of another five-year-old boy floating inmid-air above him. For a moment a battle raged in Alexs mind: the cockyteenager, livid with rage, struggled with the little boy whose bullying had pro-

voked an impossible, terrifying situation. The little boy won. Alex ran for thefront door and bolted outside. Moments later everyone in the house heard the

roar of his Camaro as he sped away. Eddie became aware of Janes hand on hisshoulder. Oh, God, she said. Lets get out of this place. The two of themwalked out the front door together. Nobody in the room had said a word.



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Outside it was cool. The moon was full and cast their shadows in front ofthem as they walked. Jane stopped and turned to face Eddie. Thanks. I feel so

stupid. I dont even know what I was doing there with him. I should haveknown it would turn out bad. She put her arms around Eddie and huggedhim. He put his arms around her and hugged back. He started to say some-thing, then stopped. He started to move his face closer to hers, then stopped.She looked up at the moon and said, Its such a beautiful night. I wish that

we could just get out of here.Eddie tightened his grip around her waist. Maybe we can. His feet lifted

from the sidewalk. He felt the surprise in Janes arms as they tightened aroundhim. And then, without word, the two of them began rising into the calm nightair.



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1995-2002 by Steve Peha. For more information, or for additional teaching materials, please contact: Teaching That Makes Sense, Inc. E-mail [email protected] Web www.ttms.org

24

Please contact me any time!Even the best workshops and teaching materials cant meet the needs of every teacher all the time.

Thats why we need to stay in touch. Send me an e-mail any time you have a question.

Ill do my best to get back to you quickly with answers, additional teaching materials,or other resources.

Lets work together tomake your teachingthe best it can be.

Please send suggestions, questions, and corrections to:[email protected]




Learning PatternsImagine a structure 13 years tall, 180 days wide, and ve subjects deep. Tis is a K-12

education. Each cell in this structure represents a single class period in a single subject

or a total o 11,700 educational opportunities.

By using eachingTat Makes Sense Learning Patternswe can reduce this academic

load or students, simpliy planning and instruction or teachers, and help more kids

learn more things in less time and with less teacher eort.

Learning Patterns are cross-curricular tools optimized or successul teaching in anysubject or grade. Tey are designed to be used, re-used, and shared across classrooms

without requiring extensive training or preparation.

By analyzing standards documents and the methods o eective teachers, eaching

Tat Makes Sense has identied underlying commonalities in learning targets across

the curriculum. Tese commonalities represent dozens o potential assignments that

can be taught and learned through a small set o oundational skills.

Consider exposition. Students consume and create expository inormation in many

ways: they read expository texts, write expository essays, create reports, answer test

questions, etc. As varied as expository expression is, it has a simple underlying struc-

ture that can be explained by a single Learning Pattern.

Some Learning Patterns cover skills like narration, exposition, and persuasion. Others

help teachers and students with things like assessment, reading comprehension, and

memorization. Te same patterns can be used across grade levels and subject areas as

well, so kids take their learning with them as they grow.

For more information about Learning Patterns click here.

each Smarter Not Harder
https://ttms.box.net/shared/static/qs5idj27u1.pdfhttps://ttms.box.net/shared/static/qs5idj27u1.pdf




Agile TransormationBuilding Collective Capacity for School-Wide ChangWe are discovering better ways o improving schools by doing it and by helping

others do it. Trough this work, we have come to value:

People.Individuals and interactions over policy and politics;

Achievement.Maximum potentialover minimum competence;

Courage.Fierce collaboration over comortable compromise;

Agility.Responding to change over ollowing a plan.

Te items on the right are important, but we value the items on the lef more.

Agile ransformation is grounded in two principles: (1) People are more successul

when they enjoy their work; and (2) Schools are more successul when they support

people in developing the autonomy, competence, and relatedness that makes their

work more enjoyable. Features oAgile ransformation include:

Paired Practice. Nobody works alone. Everyone has a team and a teammate.

Rapid Iteration. Sprint through big problems one small problem at a time.

Making Sense. What do we do? Why do we do it? How do we know it works?

Stand Up Sessions. What did you do yesterday? What are you doing today?

What do you need to be successul? Agile leaders remove impediments.

Successul Failure. Fail ast, ail smart. No blame games. Apply what you learn

as you move closer to your goal with each iteration.

Souls and Roles. Aligning what we do with who we are.

Just in Time Solutions. Handle problems as they arise. Respond as needed.




Essential Elements

o Agile Schoolshe Qualities of Effective Educational Communitie1. Agile schools work because people choose to make them work. We believe in

reedom o choice, and that making the choice to participate ully in teaching,

learning, and leading is the most important choice we can make.

2. Agile schools love to learn. We believe that learning is inherently enjoyable and

that giving learners a responsible degree o autonomy in their individual pursuito knowledge and skill makes it even more so. Agile educators are learners, too.

3. Agile schools take a constructive approach to ailure. We believe ailure is a nor-

mal part o success. Kids struggle to learn. eachers struggle to teach. Administra-

tors struggle to lead. We all experience ailure on the way to solving new problems.

Te aster we ail, the more solutions we try. Te smarter we ail, the more knowl-

edge we bring to the next iteration. Instead o looking back at problems, Agile

schools look orward to solving them.

4. Agile schools are always getting better. We believe theres almost always a betterway o doing something, and that its almost always worthwhile trying to gure

out what that better way is. Agile schools value progress, and the appropriate mea-

surement thereo, because progress is the true indicator o learning.

5. Agile schools empower people to empower others. We believe that individu-

alsnot systems or policiesare the true sources o power in our schools. Our

responsibility is to use our power in service o the greater good, and to teach stu-

dents how to use their power that way, too.

6. Agile schools achieve extraordinary results. We believe in transormative learn-

ing that goes ar beyond incremental improvements in test scores. Adults in Agile

schools also strive or extraordinary achievement in their proession as well.




7. Agile schools are based on deeply-held belies, clearly-articulated values, and a rmly-root-ed sense o commitment. We believe that the most successul schools are those run by people

who know what matters most to them and who possess an unshakable determination to get it.

8. Agile schools are communities where people make a dierence and connect with some-

thing greater than themselves. We believe that the drive to contribute is part o human na-

ture. Our role is to guide people in directing their contribution toward its highest and best use.

9. Agile schools value ownership, positive attitudes, high expectations, and unwavering op-

timism. We believe that making a good lie is about making good choices, that the pursuit ohappiness is an inalienable right, and that sel-mastery is the key to its rightul exercise.

10. Agile schools embrace the risk inherent in the achievement o great things. We educate or

maximum potential not minimum competence. We believe that all learners have within them

extraordinary strengths and untapped resources, and that learning is only limited by our will-

ingness to attempt what has never beore been attempted. We welcome change, we innovate,

and we seek out challenges that organize and measure the best o our energies and skills.

11. Agile schools afrm sel-knowledge as the most valuable knowledge and sel-determina-

tion as the most basic right. We believe that introspection, sel-disclosure, and intellectualhonesty are essential to personal transormation. We seek to support young people in becoming

the adults they want to be.

12. Agile schools are communities where no one is above the rules, everyone has a voice, ree-

dom is sacred, equity and excellence are not mutually exclusive, and the highest goal o

education is contributing to the present and uture well-being o individuals who can thrive

independently in a modern democracy. Agile schools value college preparation, career ulll-

ment, and engaged citizenship, but we value something else even more. Collegiate, career, and

civic achievement are important, but they are means to ends, not ends in themselves. Humanhappiness, meaningul contribution, and sustained well-being o sel and community are the

ultimate ends to which Agile schools aspire on behal o the children and amilies we serve.

Essential Elementscontinued...


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