Who Am I? But more importantly, who are you

LaVerne Snowden MiBLSi Technical Assistant Partner (TAP) Servicing, DPS and Wayne County & Patricia Edwards Reading Instructional Specialist for DPS, & MiBLSi State Trainer Presented by:

Once there was a peddler who sold caps, But he was not like an ordinary peddler, carrying his wares on his back. He carried them on top of his head. First he had on his own checked cap, Then a bunch of gray caps, then a bunch of blue caps, and, on the very top, A bunch of red caps. Slobodkina (1940)

Many Hats of Coaching Leader Data Collector Teacher Team Player Diplomat Planner Reporter

Teacher Mentor Partner Facilitator Support Resource Problem Solver Sounding Board Consultant Leader Focused on Literacy Instruction

What Is A Literacy Coach? A literacy coach is one who helps teachers recognize what they know and can do. Assists teachers as they strengthen their ability to make more effective use of what they know and do, and supports teachers as they learn more and do more.

 In my school, leadership makes known the policies, practices, and beliefs about providing literacy support in content area classrooms?  In my school, content areas teachers’ believe they should or could provide literacy instruction?

Teacher Leader Learner COACH

Big Steps to Coaching Build On Strengths Focus on the influence of instruction and student achievement Link Resources Take stock of your environment Professional Development Support learning and change

Research shows a coaching component increases the level of classroom use of new instructional practices. Coaching provides support and feedback to teachers. Coaching can include many varieties of support and professional development.

Successful Coaches Must: Make a commitment to their own learning. Be responsible for understanding what is known and the process of reading and the teaching of readers, what is learned as their knowledge base expands.

Tightrope Balancing teachers, administrators, district Expectations, pressure and politics To facilitate change And create miracles overnight

Coaches can put a structure in place that organizes and supports comprehensive literacy instruction.

Literacy Coaching is an opportunity to support your school:

Coaching: A Spiraling Instrument of Change “Change” Versus “Evolving Practice”

 Activity:  Purpose: To give coaches the opportunity to talk about change. To provide time to reflect on the implications of change for their coaching practice. Materials: Handout “ The Change Process as It Applies to Coaching” Procedure: Read essay and respond to the questions at the end (table discussion) Participants will “Pair and Share”

Work collaboratively with administrators and teachers. Advocates and liaisons for both administrators and teachers. Spend time within classrooms without owning a classroom. Envision multiple classroom opportunities Facilitate the need for change while supporting to enable the change to occur.

Collaboration Communication Consistency Clarity of Vision

Falling into a pattern of drive by coaching. Coaching work that doesn’t stick. Resistant and skeptical colleagues.

READY TO GO Eager Enjoys working with colleagues 10-20% of staff Confident Challenges to Coaching  Captivating  Can be time consuming  Intimidating Tips for working with this group  Give same amount of attention  Use them to try new practices  Use them as examples ( not too often)  Encourage them to share their knowledge STAFF GROUPS

WAIT AND SEE Wants to improve - cautious Looking for quick signs of success 60-80% of staff Seeks clarifications of roles and expectations Challenges to Coaching  Thinking about past initiatives  Hesitant to stand out from group  So overwhelmed that refrains from volunteering for new initiatives Tips for working with this group  Lead with the need  Listen to and learn about past efforts  Encourage teachers to work in pairs STAFF GROUPS

Put on the Brakes Wants nothing to do with coach Likes work as is or dissatisfied 10-20% of staff History of resisting initiatives Challenges to Coaching  Exerts influence to discourage  May be quite vocal  May be intimidating to coach Tips for working with this group  Do not avoid these teachers  Do not give undue time and energy  Be authentic and honest  Learn about past experiences, current beliefs, and practices  Take your time, but do not give up STAFF GROUPS

You can’t build a reputation on what you’re going to do. Henry Ford

I suppose that leadership at one time meant muscle; but today it means getting along with people.

Learning FormatDescription Collaborative Resource Management The literacy coach works with teachers to become familiar with and tap into available resources. This is an opportunity for rich conversation about instruction, grouping, and differentiated instruction Literacy Content Presentations The literacy coach provides content knowledge and fosters collaboration. This format ensures that all teachers are on the same page in terms of information, procedures, best practice, and other matters. Focused Classroom Visits The literacy coach provides teachers the opportunity to observe a particular teaching method, learn how other teachers organize for instruction, and develop an understanding of what is expected at other grade levels. Co-planning Teachers work together to review current data and plan instruction. This might include discussion on grouping options, assessment results, and specific lesson planning. Study Groups A group of educators meets on a regular basis to discuss issues relevant to their teaching. The range of study group options includes job-alike, book study, and action research. Demonstration Lessons The literacy coach demonstrates particular teaching methods to teachers who are less familiar with these methods or less confident about using them. Peer Coaching This is the traditional coaching model whereby the literacy coach observes the classroom teacher and provides feedback during a debriefing session. Co-teaching The classroom teacher and the literacy coach plan a lesson together and share responsibility for the lesson’s implementation and follow-up. A Closer Look at the Literacy Coaching Continuum Source: Developed by M.C. Moran and Elizabeth Powers. Published in Differentiating Literacy Coaching; Scaffolding for Student and Teacher Success (Moran, 2007).

Mary Catherine Moran (M.C.) Regional Field Facilitator Sullivan of Cooperative Education Ph: guest of mmoran for access to list of of coaching resources (blog on the Literacy Coaching Continuum)

Knowledge Resources Literacy Coach Clearinghouse IRA NCTE arliteracymodel.org (discussion board) Extensive Library Networking

True leaders are not those who strive to be first but those who are the first to strive.