The K-16 CFG met on Saturday, August 20, 9am-12noon, at my house for a breakfast meeting. Present were Tim, Sharon, Marcela, Mary, Janet, Josephine, Donna, and Carolyn. We reconnected over pancakes, fruit, sausage casserole, juice, and coffee, and then spent a full hour "re-introducing" ourselves using the activity "Will the Real Mr./Mrs. Jones Stand Up?" from The Big Book of Team Building Games by John Newstrom and Edward Scannell.

We each drew a picture to represent ourselves on an index card, put the cards in a basket, and then took turns drawing a card from the basket and "introducing" the artist by interpreting the sketch. Then the "real Mr./Ms. Jones" would clarify, correct, and explain the sketch. I think that this icebreaker worked well for our group since we've worked together for quite a while. This particular group has been meeting as the K-16 CFG since 2003, our CFG roots go back to 1998 when many of us were trained, and some of us have known each other even longer than that. Can you guess who drew each picture?

During introductions, we also shared news about job changes and what kind of CFG each of us is coaching this year. There is wonderful diversity of how we use the work within the group. For example, Janet is coaching the 1st and 2nd year teachers at JMS, Sharon would like to coach a group of trained coaches in Alief, Mary will continue to lead her Teacher As Researcher group, Marcela is exploring ways to involve parents and the arts community in CFG work, and Josephine will be leading the professional development of principals in Houston ISD as well as co-coaching a middle school CFG.

We then revisited the FOCUS of our CFG. Using the Focus/Collaboration/Reflection model in Building Shared Responsibility for Student Learning by Anne Conzemius and Jan O'Neill, I shared that I thought we were very strong reflectors, that we are a friendly group and collaborate well on activities, but that we have not yet developed a strong focus to guide us.

I wondered out loud, "Why aren't more of the trained coaches in Houston actually coaching a CFG?" Our talk led to a discussion of what we called "Big CFG" and "little cfg." Little cfg is using bits and pieces of CFG practices. Examples would be setting norms for a group, looking at student work during a department meeting or using a protocol for a text-based discussion. These bits and pieces of CFG work that have trickled through our districts are good in that they can be a vehicle for moving people to Big CFG work and meetings are better facilitated. However, a focus on "little cfg" protocols and processes has diluted the work. It makes us cringe to see protocols misused by people who have not bothered to be trained.

So what is Big CFG? Here are some of the words and phrases that I jotted down during our conversation: student learning at center, enlightenment, social growth, empowering, equity, inquiry, makes big ideas real, makes me a better person and that makes me better for the kids, makes me more thoughtful in my work, wholer person, reflection in practice, working smarter.

To sum it up, Big CFG is not just about going through a program and using certain protocols. Big CFG is about forming relationships and changing ourselves to be the best that we can be as teachers, administrators, and coaches.

Now what? The goal that emerged from that conversation is to "expand the opportunities for trained CFG coaches to engage in meaningful work." I also wrote down "encouraging trained coaches in Houston to start groups and nurture them."

Our reflections are in the extended entry.