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The novice teacher and literacy coach need to form a team to share their expertise and continually evolve, to have opportunity for guided reflection and self-assessment of practice. This book shares these professional experiences which delineates and describes the (dis)comfort of teaching and learning at the edge of the teachers´ comfort zone.

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A tension exists when novice teachers begin to put their conceptual and theoretical understandings and pedagogical perspectives into practice. Trying to balance the complexities of teaching literacy while adapting to the challenges of the multidimensional demands of teaching and learning, novice teachers find themselves at the edge of their comfort zones. This book is about teachers learning to teach literacy, about the processes of teacher development from novice teachers to expert teachers of literacy, about mentoring teaching in reading and writing instruction, and about ways to maximize the learning potential of both teachers in their induction years and their students.

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Introduction Where is Your Comfort Zone? PART I: FINDING YOUR TEACHING ZONE Choosing Words Acting into a New Way of Thinking Watching the lesson Just Relax! PART II: FINDING YOUR STUDENTS´ LEARNING ZONE Describing, Not Labeling, Students Teaching Effectively Means Learning from Our Students Learning from Parents and Families Teaching for Best Practice and Accountability Conclusion: Pulling it All Together

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"This is a powerful book of stories from teachers and literacy educators who have come together as learning communities to share and reflect on classroom teaching. Research-based practices are provided to help teachers of literacy address their own tensions and adopt new ways of thinking about how to work effectively with students and their families. It is a must-read for literacy educators interested in creating their own milestones of growth." - Shelley B. Wepner, Dean and Professor, School of Education, Manhattanville College "The authors provide an inspired text that is a treasure chest for new and veteran teachers alike. Literacy teachers will note their own experiences of comfort and discomfort zones reflected in vivid anecdotes describing actual teaching/learning experiences. Best of all, this text truly supports professional growth through a wealth of information, enabling literacy educators to continually engage in reflective practice leading to ongoing professional growth." - Ellen Kaiden, Professor of Reading and Education, Ramapo College of New Jersey "This book offers a much needed perspective on teachers and learners as they engage in the art of teaching and learning. Anecdotes provide the foreground for discussions on the challenges and opportunities in educative communities. This excellent book envelopes readers in a community of learners who explore issues and ponder important aspects of literacy education. Readers will find themselves transformed both as teachers and learners." - Carole S. Rhodes, Professor and Literacy Education Program Director, Queens College, City University of New York

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