For me, the timing of this self-study has been fortuitous because it coincides with the redesign of learning support in the middle school, partnering with a new colleague, and additions to my role as a middle school learning specialist.

The origins of this redesign really come from discussions I had throughout the last year or two with Ana and Robin about learning support in the middle school. Over time, we considered what was working and what was not, and brainstormed different ways to address what was not working and improve what was. With Robin’s impending departure, launching a search for a new learning specialist to replace her forced us to look closely at these issues as well as the overall structure and all aspects of the role itself. 

We came to an agreement that the role of learning specialist really consists of three distinct, but also overlapping, facets:

• direct academic support of students,
• teacher/curricular support and coaching, and
• “case management” of students with evaluations or with outside supports.

Once we had fleshed out this description of the role and began to plan for ways to redesign or expand and strengthen each facet of the role, I quite organically began to reflect upon my own practice and consider questions such as: What am I doing well? What am I struggling with? Where am I more effective and less effective? How can I personally address these strengths and challenges within the context of a redesign of my role?

The start of the 2019-2020 school year was exciting as we rolled out two new aspects of learning support in the middle school: opening up the Learning Lab after school as a drop-in center for academic support, and launching two-week coaching cycles with individual teachers across all disciplines. I have been looking at each of these as in the experimental phase, and as I document my work with both students and teachers through reflective note-taking, I am constantly asking myself what is working and what isn’t working both in my own practice, and in the structures we have put into place. We’ve had some bright moments, such as positive feedback and gratitude from a parent, or a seventh grader exclaiming, “I feel so good! I just got so much done here!” as well as some unanswered questions: Why are no eighth graders coming to the learning lab? How do we make the learning lab a more distraction-free zone for students who struggle to focus, while still keeping the atmosphere positive, supportive and fun for middle school kids?

As I’ve embarked upon my first few coaching cycles with individual teachers, there have similarly been some moments that feel successful, while other moments have brought more questions to ponder. I have started to think deeply about ways in which I can more effectively bring my 20+ years of experience to my work with teachers, in particular my experience and training in early literacy instruction and interventions for struggling readers, something that most middle school teachers do not have. I also want to use the coaching cycles as an opportunity to bring to middle school teachers some of the most helpful concepts and information I have taken away from conferences.

For example, the NYSAIS Brain conference I attended in March 2019 completely changed my understanding of working memory and of the links between dyslexia, ADHD and dyscalculia. How can I bring this kind of understanding to my work with teachers in a way that feels supportive and collaborative, and ultimately benefits all of our middle school students? How do I establish a collaborative relationship with a teacher within the confines of the two-week coaching cycle, the subject area (which I might be unfamiliar with), and the inevitable challenges of the middle school schedule? I want each teacher to come away from their coaching cycle feeling that they gained something helpful to their practice and to their students, but I realize that there may be some trial and error along the way. 

I would like to use the opportunity the self-study provides to challenge myself to document the ups and downs of the learning support redesign and to engage in daily personal reflection on my work with teachers, students and families, asking myself the questions that I’ve mentioned above.