Vygotsky always wanted us to be in the Zone of Proximal Development. As I was writing a new set of lessons for my RTI groups, I was thinking about how much stuff I was adding to these lessons, with the idea that I wanted to make the most of my time with them. But, really, I don't need to do more with the time I have. Rather, I need to make the most of the time I have. Being specific is always more powerful (and fruitful) than being prolific when it comes to good teaching. Less is more may be cliche, but it's also true. My goal is to identify the zone with the teachers I'm coaching and the students I'm teaching. In doing so, I hope to move them further in their understandings by taking one well-executed step each session I work with them.
