Damien at the Speed of Life

Some of you who tune in to Riley Central regularly know that I am in the process of being certified as a teaching coach for a method called “Explicit, Direct Instruction” or, EDI, as we call it in the teaching profession.  It’s an amazing method but quite precise and there is a ot to remember and learn over time.

I’ve been getting observed teaching EDI lessons 3 times a week now for about 3 weeks by my principal and the literacy coach at my school.  That started out nerve-wracking, but through the time i have gotten used to them being there and it has even become comfortable because I know they are there to help me polish my delivery and get me ready to become certified.

Today’s the day a new variable is introduced, the EDI certifiers are coming in!!!  At 9:15am I will have the creator EDI herself in my classroom watching me do an EDI lesson (gulp).  I am excited and I feel totally ready, but of course the buttuerflies are still there.  As they all sit there with their clipboards, ones mind can play tricks!  But, I have learned in my career of close to 10 years teaching that if you do your best and keep your priorities straight.  I really like what the literacy coach told me yesterday she said:  “I know these things: it’s our job to . . .”

1. TEACH kids,
2. TEACH ALL kids, and
3. To MOVE kids (upward on the academic scale.)

I’m going to remember to focus on those goals today and always!

All that morale and a cool Power Point and I’m good to go!  Time to do what my community college speech professor told us to do back in 1992: “Get those butterflies ‘flying in formation.’ Make them work for you”