INCREASING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF LITERACY COACHES The South Carolina Program of Professional Development for K- 12 Literacy Coaches: A State and IHE Work Together

South Carolina Program  Where we started  The design of the professional development and coaching  Lessons we have learned  Where we are now  Where we started  The design of the professional development and coaching  Lessons we have learned  Where we are now

Where we started

Evolution of Change in Teaching Change in Teaching Theoretical Constructs & Personal Knowledge Practical Knowledge & Experience Demonstration Conversation Reflection Problem-solving Reasoning Observation Coaching Cycles of use New Ideas & Procedures

Participation in the professional community  Change evolves as professionals connect, construct meaning together, and engage in conversations that deepen their knowledge and their relationship.  All too often in our schools today, students, parents, teachers, and administrators feel a deep absence of authentic relationships in which they are trusted, given responsibility, spoken to honestly and warmly, and treated with dignity and respect. (Poplin & Weers, 1993, p. 19)  Change evolves as professionals connect, construct meaning together, and engage in conversations that deepen their knowledge and their relationship.  All too often in our schools today, students, parents, teachers, and administrators feel a deep absence of authentic relationships in which they are trusted, given responsibility, spoken to honestly and warmly, and treated with dignity and respect. (Poplin & Weers, 1993, p. 19)

Research on Teacher Change  Joyce, B.R. & Showers, B. (1983). Power in staff development through research on training. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. 5% of learners will adapt new skills into their practice as a result of theory 10% will adapt new skills into their practice with theory and demonstration 20% will adapt new skills into their practice with theory and demonstration, and practice within the training 25% will adapt new skills into their practice with theory and demonstration, practice within the training, and feedback 90% will adapt new skills into their practice with theory and demonstration, practice within the training, feedback, and coaching

The design of the professional development and coaching An investment: Building teachers’ knowledge and decision-making power

Professional Development Plan SCRI Phase I SCRI had classroom teachers impacting approximately 36,000

Professional Development Literacy Coaches (four schools) Three years of university coursework (27 grad. hours) Monthly 2 days;1 regional day Summer 1 week EOY; 3 days BOY Yearly conference Teachers & Principal--school based volunteer study groups Three years of university coursework, two times per month for two hours each meeting (9 grad. hours) Yearly conference

Professional Development Foundations of Reading (3 hours) Developmental Reading (3 hours) Assessment and Instructional Decision-making (6 hours;1- on-1, small group) Language Arts in the Elementary School (3 hours) Methods of Teaching Writing (3 hours) Inquiry in Elementary Curriculum (3 hours) Field Study Seminar & Advanced Field Study Seminar (6 hours)

What We Learned  Teaching team needs to live by “ less is more ” (when it comes to initial content)  SCRI model needs to be changed so that coaches live what they are learning before teaching it to others  Teaching team needs to help coaches more with coaching  Coaches need to help teachers envision new practices  Administrators need to provide considerable support to coach  Administrators need to “ seize the moment ” and use SCRI as a catalyst for re-inventing school as a learning community  Teaching team needs to live by “ less is more ” (when it comes to initial content)  SCRI model needs to be changed so that coaches live what they are learning before teaching it to others  Teaching team needs to help coaches more with coaching  Coaches need to help teachers envision new practices  Administrators need to provide considerable support to coach  Administrators need to “ seize the moment ” and use SCRI as a catalyst for re-inventing school as a learning community

Professional Development Literacy Coaches (1 school) Four years of university coursework (30 grad. hours) One year paired with partner teacher (no study group) Monthly State Study;1 regional day Summer 1 week EOY; 3 days BOY Yearly conference Coaching Course at end of first year of state study Teachers--school based study groups Three years of university coursework (9 grad. hours) Yearly conference

Professional Development Coaching Course--45 hours across 9 days Topics we study Building Community Teacher’s as Learners Building Trust Belief’s and Practices and Continuing to Grow Coaching Strategies Creating and Sustaining Lift Internal Change Forces Organizing for and Managing Change Standards and Study Groups

Professional Development Structures we use in the course Video Coaching Rounds Book Clubs Panels (Coaching lessons learned; Organization, Planning and Management; Working with Administrators) Mini-conferences Demonstration Lessons Lesson Observations using One Way Glass Read Alouds Exit Slips, Coaching Notebook, Coaching Reflection

Where we are now  We have 181 school based Literacy Coaches and 25 Regional Literacy Coaches in 9 different cohorts  We started off with 6 cohorts of 20 each (3 year model)--Phase I  We added 2 cohorts with SC Reads(4 year model)--Phase II  We added 2 subsequent cohorts K-5--Phases III & IV  We added 2 cohorts SC Reading First; two cohorts of interventionists (85 total) with 4 Regional Literacy Coaches  We added 2 middle school cohorts--Phases I & II  We have 1 high school cohort--Phase I  There are 20 continuing contact coaches from Phase I  To date, approximately 4000 teachers have participated in SCRI study groups, thus SCRI has served an estimated 60,000 students in the state  We have 181 school based Literacy Coaches and 25 Regional Literacy Coaches in 9 different cohorts  We started off with 6 cohorts of 20 each (3 year model)--Phase I  We added 2 cohorts with SC Reads(4 year model)--Phase II  We added 2 subsequent cohorts K-5--Phases III & IV  We added 2 cohorts SC Reading First; two cohorts of interventionists (85 total) with 4 Regional Literacy Coaches  We added 2 middle school cohorts--Phases I & II  We have 1 high school cohort--Phase I  There are 20 continuing contact coaches from Phase I  To date, approximately 4000 teachers have participated in SCRI study groups, thus SCRI has served an estimated 60,000 students in the state