Eugene Research Institute/ Reading First Grant Writing Workshop: Knowledge & Skills of Mentor Coaches Scott K. Baker Eugene Research Institute/ University of Oregon Portland, Oregon January 7, 2003 Material based on a presentation by Christ Doherty and Sandi Jacobs of the U.S. Department of Education, December 6, 2002.

School-Level Coaching Valuable strategy for assisting teachers in the classroom implementation of scientifically-based reading programs, instructional strategies, and reading assessments Key Implementation Issue — Ensuring coaches have sufficient knowledge and skills to provide necessary support for classroom teachers

School-Level Coaching “Who” Considerations Identifying individuals to serve as coaches Expertise in reading is not necessarily expertise in scientifically-based reading instruction Expertise in SBRR does not ensure skill in training/coaching others Few, if any, states/districts/schools have a ready-made cadre of such experts

School-Level Coaching “Who” Considerations Individuals will be trained to serve as coaches Coaches must be highly knowledgeable—not one step ahead of those they are supporting Implementation should not be delayed while coaches are trained All coaches (whether trained to be coaches or selected for existing expertise) will need ongoing training and support as implementation issues increase in complexity

School-Level Coaching “Who” Considerations Coaches should not have other responsibilities that take time from their instructional leadership roles This will require particular monitoring. Individuals without “classroom” responsibilities are frequently asked to fill other roles

School-Level Coaching “What” Considerations Clear PD Curriculum Coaches should have a clear scope and sequence for the training they are to provide No one should be wondering what comes next Clear Activities How coaching will be provided should be clearly defined: joint planning with teachers, modeling strategies and skills, study groups, classroom observation, grade-level meetings, etc. Activities will be defined through IBRs, Regional Coordinators, and school-based Reading First teams

School-Level Coaching “What” Considerations Program-Specific Support School-level coaches will be the primary providers of support on the implementation of particular instructional programs Training of coaches must include program-specific elements

School-Level Coaching “What” Considerations One More Thought About “What” — Change is hard! It will be easy for teachers to be pulled off track (or never really get on track) if they don’t feel supported Coaches must have answers to teachers’ questions and help them find solutions to their problems

School-Level Coaching “When” Considerations Time — Issues around time for school-level professional development activities must be settled before implementation begins Coach should not need to be creative in order to have time with teachers Participation cannot be optional Sequence — Coaching must ensure that teachers have the skills they need when they need them

School-Level Coaching Follow-Up Considerations New Teachers — Coaches will need to have plans to provide support to teachers who start in the middle of a school year or after the first year of implementation Teachers Who Need Additional Support — Coaches must have a clear plan to identify and assist these teachers