Improving reading in the content areas

So today was our first official in-service of the new school year, and as part of our "training" for the day, the English department, myself included, was asked to lead hour-long workshops for our colleagues in other departments.  Our task: to help improve reading in the content areas by sharing our strategies for teaching critical reading.  It sounds like a great idea, right?

The first time my English department friends and I heard about this little assignment, let's just say we were anxious.  We had been asked to do this sort of thing before and been burned.  Some of the workshops I led in the past were met with downright hostility from members of other departments.  Once bitten, twice shy, right?

Well, I'm happy to report that today went swimmingly.  I was working with another English teacher and presenting to members of the history department.  I'm dual certified in English and Social Studies, so I student taught in that department with the current department chair.  We gave our little spiel, handed out a bunch of materials (critical reading skills, lists of tone words, graphic organizers, and a list of activities for discreetly teaching each of the critical reading strategies we had identified), answered questions and gave suggestions and feedback.  It was fabulous.  No hostility, no avoidance, no grading papers instead of listening, no surreptitious checking of football scores because people just weren't interested in paying attention - none of that stuff that had happened before.  Instead, everyone was attentive and eager.  People asked great questions, made some terrific connections, and offered some insightful suggestions about how the things we had brought from English could actually help and work in social studies classrooms.  Looking back, I don't know why I was ever worried or why I ever doubted the other professionals in my building  - I guess history doesn't have to repeat itself.

After how well the day went, I felt some sense of regret that I had had any concerns about today at all.  Our Superintendent is fond of saying that she works with the best people in education (no offense), and today I felt sure she was right.  I only wish we had more opportunities to be truly inter-disciplinary and work with other departments.  History is just upstairs from the English wing, but we're very compartmentalized.  Hopefully today's work will spur even more successful initiatives between and among departments.  My fingers are crossed.