Literacy Coach Top 10 Beliefs Leigh Emerson CURR 511 Betsy Brown
Rationale Literacy coaching is a relatively new role found in schools. Due to this, literacy coach job descriptions can vary greatly from school to school. It’s important, not only for the literacy coach to understand their role, but for administrators and teachers as well. On the following pages I have laid out my top ten beliefs for a literacy coach. These beliefs can aid in resolving confusion felt by all in this newly chartered territory.
#1 Detailed job description. Administratively developed or developed by coach personally, but dually agreed upon. The job description is a very important aspect because you need to understand what you should be doing and focus on those specifics. Different schools have different definitions of a literacy coach, depending on what school you work for you may have a more administrative position, a more teacher oriented position, or one that involves both aspects.
#2 Support all teachers. Goal is to improve literacy instruction for all students, therefore provide assistance to all teachers. Some teachers are more willing than others to ask for help and your opinion. In a new position start with the teachers who ask for help and continue to always strive to support all teachers. This support may be as simple as answering questions teachers have or more involved where they ask you to come in and teach a lesson so the teacher may observe how a literacy coach would teach it.
#3. Build trust with classroom teachers you’ll be collaborating with. Collaborative, positive relationship Listen to and value teachers thoughts, opinions, and teaching perspectives. All teachers have their own teaching styles and it’s important to respect their instructional methods.
#4 Provide study groups and professional development. Teachers can learn new teaching strategies and vocabulary. It can be a time of “bouncing” ideas off each other.
#5 Provide teachers research based information. Teachers may wonder why they are using certain strategies, by providing research based information they can begin to understand and answer these questions.
#6 Provide feedback to teachers. Acknowledge and celebrate teacher strengths. The goal of observing teachers is to strengthen their teaching strategies, therefore coaches use constructive criticism. It may be hard to critique another teacher, but remember the goal in the long run is to improve teaching methods to help our students grow. Share with the teachers that you are on their side and are a tool to be used to help them improve.
#7 Be available to model for teachers. Just as students need modeling to understand what is expected of them and how to implement it, so do teachers. Sometimes teachers get stuck in their teaching styles and need guidance on how to change their methods. By watching literacy coaches teach they can gain great insight on the necessary changes they need to make for their students success.
#8 Develop literacy vision around data based information. Through assessment measures and observations teachers can break down student strengths and weaknesses. With this information they can decide what strategies will work best for their students. Research based information is what teachers want to hear about. Using measures that have been tested give teachers confidence in utilizing new techniques in the classroom.
#9 Document your work. Coaches keep track of what they are doing with each teacher. Summarize the day’s progress. Can provide info to administrators and school board if questions arise. Can be used as a reflective tool for coaches.
#10 Give the program time and be flexible. Due to the fact that literacy coaching is fairly new, both administrators and teachers will need time to adjust. Remember even though the coach may be an outsider, the coach is there to be a team player. The vision schools have for literacy coach’s is positive, however like anything else that is new in the school system it is sometimes met with resistance. Be patient and malleable to allow time for everyone to adapt.