Tracy Horodyski
Michigan TOY discusses how her teaching journey was transformed through the subtle art of listening.
My guest today is Tracy Horodyski. Tracy is part reading interventionist and part instructional coach at Zinser Elementary. She is also the 2016-2017 Michigan state teacher of the year and a prime example of why I wanted to create this platform in first place. Here is an amazing teacher with 17 years experience, she won her states highest honor and there was nothing out there to help us learn from all her experience. Now, what struck me most about Tracy was that even though she comes from a background of educators, she still found the first years so difficult she almost gave up. Just from that, I was desperate to know more. How she got through it, what changed in her approach and what skills helped transitioned her out of that difficult start into a state teacher of the year. In this interview we talk about the insights and advice that transformed her teaching journey. Tracy walks us through the twists and turns of her pursuits in professional development that landed her into an instructional coach position at her school. It’s a true testament where learning for the sake of learning can put you in a position you never thought possible. Also, we talk about one of the key skills she attributes much of her success to, the subtle and difficult art of listening. Tracy has great energy and a contagiously positive attitude. So I hope you learn a lot and enjoy this conversation with Tracy Horodyski.
Links:
Habits of Mind – Summary of the 16 Habits of Mind
Books:
Opening Minds: Using Language to Change Lives by: Peter H. Johnston – In Opening Minds: Using Language to Change Lives, Peter shows how the words teachers choose affect the worlds students inhabit in the classroom, and ultimately their futures. He explains how to engage children with more productive talk and to create classrooms that support not only students’ intellectual development, but their development as human beings.
Comprehension Through Conversation: The Power of Purposeful Talk in the Reading Workshop by: Maria Nichols – With superb examples and flawless logic Nichols demonstrates how to orchestrate conversations that build literate habits of mind.