I LOVE this time of year!!

It is July. I can almost "smell" the start of school in a few weeks. I have been to several workshops and am once again re-charged for a new year.

Florida celebrated with a Literacy Coaches conference this week that was outstanding. They sponsored 3600 Literacy Coaches and Principals from throughout the state for this three day event. I expect them to post handouts and presentation notes any day here.

As I watched all the Coaches and their Principals this week, I realized a couple of things:

First, this relationship differs from school to school. For some, the conversations are limited and relatively non-existant. For others, the relationship is an integral part of the culture and climate of the school.

Second, many of the coaches are at differing levels of expertise. Some, truly are literacy experts. They know current reading research and best-practice. Others, though, seem mis-placed. Almost like fish out of water. They have that glazed look that says, "I don't know what I'm doing, how to do it, or why I should."

Events like the Just Read Florida conference can help close the gaps that DO exist from person to person and school to school. It helps to give a shared experience and then highlight the potential of the Literacy Coaching position at a school site.

Florida is doing something else that I believe will help close the gap that exists. They have created the Florida Literacy Coaches Association.

This is an organization that supports coaches and anyone else who wants to support coaches and their role in helping increase student literacy skills.

I love this time of year! I am re-generated, rejuvinated and ready to go. Happy July!!