The Literacy Coach's Survival Guide: Essential Questions and Practical Answers Book

Although this book is obviously targeted at helping literacy coaches, it has a lot of practical advice for anyone who works with people (so most everyone who is employed...or interacts with the world!) This book will be a useful reference for many careers I may find myself in. Topics covered include change (dealing with it, helping others through it), laying the groundwork for successful employment at a new position, communicating effectively with colleagues individually and in groups, working with people whose opinions differ from yours, as well as many other topics.

A few things that stick out:
1. "Take a few minutes every week to note the things you have accomplished" (133). What great advice for everyone who feels swamped at work and/or works in a challenging situation.

2. The idea that you can't be an expert in everything and that you shouldn't strive for that. Rather, you should know how to find answers and focus on continuing to move forward. (54)

3. When a colleague (or in your personal life, friend, family member) asks for advice, don't rush to answer. Rather, first respond with silence to allow the person some time to truly express their thoughts. (65)

4. As a literacy coach, regular conferences with teachers are essential. Records should be kept from these conferences. Now, what I also took from this is that people working together should have regular one-on-one conferences with each other. Although a literacy coach should not be a supervisor of a teacher, I am thinking that this message of regular conferences could be carried over to a boss with her employees. This makes the employee feel this his concerns are important and that he is supported.