Although most people associate a residency with learning in the medical field, I shared the value of a literacy residency in last week’s post. Here is my day-by-day plan of a four-day residency.

Day 1: The literacy leader teaches and the participants observe

Pre-residency meet-up

• The literacy leader should explain her role and the purpose of the residency, using some of the information from Part 1. She should also share the plan for the week and each participant’s role in this experience.
• Participants choose an intention for the residency as a study focus, such as integration, feedback, transfer, or independence, and share with the group.

During the residency

• The literacy leader teaches the entire residency block, keeping in mind the participants’ learning goals and adding comments to explain what she is teaching, why, and how.

Debriefing the residency

• Participants should gather and discuss the residency based on the focuses that they chose.
• The literacy leader should prepare for the second day of the residency during which participants will take over part of the teaching.

Day 2: The literacy leader teaches whole-group structures and the participants teach in small-group structures

Pre-residency meet-up

• The literacy leader shares the planned whole-group instruction and asks participants to revisit their intention of study for the residency.
• Participants, in pairs, decide who will take on which part of the small-group teaching. For instance, one participant may take on the “research” and “teach” part of the conference while another will take on the “coaching” and “link” of the conference.

During the residency

• The literacy leader demonstrates whole-group teaching, which might include the minilesson, read-aloud, shared reading, or writing experience.
• Pairs of participants work with students, holding conferences and small-group sessions and offering feedback to one another.

Debriefing the residency

• Participants should gather and discuss the residency in terms of the focus that they chose.
• The literacy leader should prepare for the third day of the residency where participants will take over other parts of the teaching, including whole-group instruction.

Day 3: The paired participants teach “their class” and the literacy leader gives feedback

Pre-residency meet-up

• Participant pairs decide on the parts each is responsible for teaching and tie up any loose ends before moving into the residency.

During the residency

• Participants, in pairs, will teach a part of the class. To clarify, if there are four teachers that are part of the residency, split the class in half. Each pair of teachers will have their own “class” that they teach from beginning to end (minilesson, conference, shared reading, etc.).
• The literacy leader jots down feedback to share with the pairs during the debriefing.

Debriefing the residency

• The literacy leader shares the feedback with participants by passing along what she noted.
• Participants should prepare for the final day of the residency during which each will teach individually. The literacy leader makes a schedule like the example shown.

Day 4: Each participant teaches a portion of the residency

Pre-residency meet-up

• The literacy leader should set the tone for celebration Here’s some wording I use: What a week it has been! So much learning time together feels decadent and sort of like “teaching camp.” As we plan our last day together, our bigger purpose is to share our teaching gifts with one another by each taking on a part of the instruction. Think of this as a time to try out some new learning and an opportunity for the rest of us to soak up your greatness. When we do, a little piece of your teaching talent will be carried within each of us every day.

• The literacy leader should share the feedback method. Each participant will write a note to the others about what she or he admires about another participant’s teaching. Here’s an example of one participant’s feedback.

During the residency

• Participants teach while others observe and jot down feedback.

Debriefing the residency

• Participants share the notes with one another and take one final moment to share what they have learned throughout the week.
• Participants write a note to the students to share their gratitude for the chance to learn in their classrooms.

Teachers have described residencies as transformative. A residency holds incredible power for teacher-learners who are looking for the next step in professional learning, are eager to integrate all they know about literacy instruction, and are looking to grow a community of teachers who learn from one another.

Patty McGee is a literacy consultant whose passion and vision is to create learning environments where teachers and students discover their true potential and power. She is the author of Feedback That Moves Writers Forward: How to Escape Correcting Mode to Transform Student Writing (Corwin 2017). Patty’s favorite moments are when groups of teachers are working collaboratively with students in the classroom.