Literacy Coaching: An Essential “Piece” of the Puzzle

Our Goals for Today Participants will: make connections as to how coaching aligns with other Wake County initiatives. deepen their understanding of the rationale and role of a coach. explore ways to enhance the coach’s role within their own school community. Participants will: make connections as to how coaching aligns with other Wake County initiatives. deepen their understanding of the rationale and role of a coach. explore ways to enhance the coach’s role within their own school community.

Agenda Review Coaching History Our Coaching Journey: Reflections on the Ride The Coaching Connection Teacher Learning Teams Next Steps Reflections Coaching History Our Coaching Journey: Reflections on the Ride The Coaching Connection Teacher Learning Teams Next Steps Reflections

Today’s Norm: Balance the Dimensions of Success Process Results Relationship Accomplish goals. Maintain a learning mindset. Have all voices heard and valued.

Coaching History Launched in 2005/2006 with K-2 Literacy Coaches Changed in 2007/2008 to include 3-5 Literacy Coaches Expanded in 2008/2009 to a total of 82 coaches 17 schools with 2 to 6 coaches 3 coaching cohorts Launched in 2005/2006 with K-2 Literacy Coaches Changed in 2007/2008 to include 3-5 Literacy Coaches Expanded in 2008/2009 to a total of 82 coaches 17 schools with 2 to 6 coaches 3 coaching cohorts

Coaching Training Focuses on best practices in literacy instruction Develops coaching competencies that facilitate work with adult learners Provides ongoing opportunities for coaches to support and learn from one another Focuses on best practices in literacy instruction Develops coaching competencies that facilitate work with adult learners Provides ongoing opportunities for coaches to support and learn from one another

Professional Collaboration Teachers read and discuss professional literature and research. Rating: 1=Never, 2=Sometimes, 3=Often, 4=Always or Almost Always, 5= Don’t Know

Professional Collaboration Grade level members plan collaboratively for classroom instruction. Rating: 1=Never, 2=Sometimes, 3=Often, 4=Always or Almost Always, 5= Don’t Know

Classroom Instruction Teachers use current research to modify classroom instruction. Rating: 1=Never, 2=Sometimes, 3=Often, 4=Always or Almost Always, 5= Don’t Know

Classroom Instruction Teachers participate in discussions about individual student’s work and assessments. Rating: 1=Never, 2=Sometimes, 3=Often, 4=Always or Almost Always, 5= Don’t Know

Classroom Instruction Teachers share instructional strategies to meet the needs of all students. Rating: 1=Never, 2=Sometimes, 3=Often, 4=Always or Almost Always, 5= Don’t Know

The Rollercoaster of Change Getting Aboard Vision or Idea Constraints/ Barriers Despair Dialogue Hope Planning Action Results

Microlab 1. Facilitator will pose two questions. 2. Participants will have one minute to reflect on the questions. 3. Each person in the group will have one minute to respond to the questions while others listen. 4. When the minute is up, the next person speaks. 5. After the last person speaks, take 3 minutes to discuss comments or ask questions as a group.

Microlab Questions When you think about your school’s coaching program… Where are you on the rollercoaster ride? What do you hope to gain from today’s session that will support your school in moving forward?

Reflections from the Ride: The Coach’s Perspective Getting Aboard Vision or Idea Constraints/ Barriers Despair Dialogue Hope Planning Action Results

Without a high level of information sharing among individuals, schools, and throughout the district, change will not be sustained. Michael Fullan Without a high level of information sharing among individuals, schools, and throughout the district, change will not be sustained. Michael Fullan

Reflections from the Ride: The Principal’s Perspective Getting Aboard Vision or Idea Constraints/ Barriers Despair Dialogue Hope Planning Action Results

Sharing Insights

Literacy Coaching: An Essential “Piece” of the Puzzle

Wake County Initiatives: Where’s the Connection? Data Teams Professional Learning Communities Intervention Alignment Data Teams Professional Learning Communities Intervention Alignment

Data Teams Purpose: To assign a few people the responsibility of organizing, preparing, and analyzing data so that the full faculty can focus on discussing the implications of that analysis. Purpose: To assign a few people the responsibility of organizing, preparing, and analyzing data so that the full faculty can focus on discussing the implications of that analysis.

Data Teams Connections: The data team’s work guides PLCs in selecting a focus. Coaching cycles can be a vehicle and support for teachers to improve their practice in that area. Connections: The data team’s work guides PLCs in selecting a focus. Coaching cycles can be a vehicle and support for teachers to improve their practice in that area.

Professional Learning Communities Purpose: To provide a structure for teachers to work collaboratively in order to improve student achievement. Purpose: To provide a structure for teachers to work collaboratively in order to improve student achievement.

Professional Learning Communities How is this achieved? Sharing and analyzing data from common assessments Learning from each other to improve instructional practice How is this achieved? Sharing and analyzing data from common assessments Learning from each other to improve instructional practice

Where Does Coaching Fit? Professional Learning Communities The data tells us an area of need for students. The data tells us which teacher does well with that area. But what if this is an area where most or all of the teachers within a grade level have limited knowledge? Professional Learning Communities The data tells us an area of need for students. The data tells us which teacher does well with that area. But what if this is an area where most or all of the teachers within a grade level have limited knowledge?

Based on the Data… PLCs may decide they need to learn more about a specific topic. In a coaching cycle… Teachers have some common learning about that topic. Teachers watch each other applying that new learning in a demonstration lesson. Teacher behaviors are more likely to change with this level of support. PLCs may decide they need to learn more about a specific topic. In a coaching cycle… Teachers have some common learning about that topic. Teachers watch each other applying that new learning in a demonstration lesson. Teacher behaviors are more likely to change with this level of support.

Guiding Questions for PLCs What do we want all students to learn? How will we know if they have learned it? What experiences will we provide them so they can learn? What will we do if they do learn it? What will we do if they don’t learn it? How will we improve our instruction based on the learning results? What do we want all students to learn? How will we know if they have learned it? What experiences will we provide them so they can learn? What will we do if they do learn it? What will we do if they don’t learn it? How will we improve our instruction based on the learning results?

Intervention Alignment Use data to determine if 80%-90% of students are meeting benchmarks. Identify the students who are not meeting benchmarks. Dig deeper to identify the “holes” in those students’ previous learning. Plan strategic interventions to address those specific needs. Monitor student progress to see if the interventions are working. Use data to determine if 80%-90% of students are meeting benchmarks. Identify the students who are not meeting benchmarks. Dig deeper to identify the “holes” in those students’ previous learning. Plan strategic interventions to address those specific needs. Monitor student progress to see if the interventions are working.

Intervention Alignment What if 80%-90% of students are not meeting benchmark? A coaching cycle might focus on identified areas of need and adjusting core instruction (common learning and application of new learning). What if 80%-90% of students are not meeting benchmark? A coaching cycle might focus on identified areas of need and adjusting core instruction (common learning and application of new learning).

Intervention Alignment What if the teachers are unsure of how to analyze digging deeper assessments? A coaching cycle might focus on one of the areas of reading that are assessed through a digging deeper assessment. What if the teachers are unsure of how to analyze digging deeper assessments? A coaching cycle might focus on one of the areas of reading that are assessed through a digging deeper assessment.

Intervention Alignment What if the teachers are unsure of what the interventions might look like? A coaching cycle might focus on planning for specific strategic interventions. What if the teachers are unsure of what the interventions might look like? A coaching cycle might focus on planning for specific strategic interventions.

The Biggest Challenge: Time One suggested schedule for a weekly PLC Week 1 – Analysis of data from common formative assessment Week 2 – Analysis of digging deeper data (Kid Talk) Week 3 – Common learning Week 4 – Common learning and review data to determine if interventions are working Demonstration Lesson – during the week One suggested schedule for a weekly PLC Week 1 – Analysis of data from common formative assessment Week 2 – Analysis of digging deeper data (Kid Talk) Week 3 – Common learning Week 4 – Common learning and review data to determine if interventions are working Demonstration Lesson – during the week

The Biggest Challenge: Time Week 5 – Analysis of data from common formative assessment Week 6– Analysis of digging deeper data (Kid Talk) Demonstration Lesson – during the week Week 7 – Common learning Demonstration Lesson – during the week Week 8 – Common learning and progress monitoring Week 9 – Reflection and celebration of student achievement and teacher learning Week 5 – Analysis of data from common formative assessment Week 6– Analysis of digging deeper data (Kid Talk) Demonstration Lesson – during the week Week 7 – Common learning Demonstration Lesson – during the week Week 8 – Common learning and progress monitoring Week 9 – Reflection and celebration of student achievement and teacher learning

Other PLC Structures Discuss the PLC schedule for your school with others at your table. How does this structure support… Focus on student achievement? Focus on teacher learning? Discuss the PLC schedule for your school with others at your table. How does this structure support… Focus on student achievement? Focus on teacher learning?

How Does Coaching Support the 4 Strategic Directives? Learning and teaching Recruitment and retention of teachers Systems and structures Fiscal accountability Learning and teaching Recruitment and retention of teachers Systems and structures Fiscal accountability

Wake County Initiatives: Where’s the Connection? Data Teams Professional Learning Communities Intervention Alignment Data Teams Professional Learning Communities Intervention Alignment

Team “Check In” Teamwork

Supporting Teacher Learning Teams by Chappuis, Chappuis & Stiggins Read the article with the following framing questions in mind: l What is the message that resonated with you? l What is at the heart of this article? l How will you most effectively utilize your team of coaches to facilitate team learning and, ultimately, foster student achievement? Read the article with the following framing questions in mind: l What is the message that resonated with you? l What is at the heart of this article? l How will you most effectively utilize your team of coaches to facilitate team learning and, ultimately, foster student achievement?

1. Listen actively. 2. Build on what others say. 3. Don’t step on others’ talk. Silences and pauses are OK. 4. Let the conversation flow as much as possible. 5. Refer to the text; challenge others to go to the text. 6. Watch your own air time – both in terms of how often you speak, and in terms of how much you say when you speak. 1. Listen actively. 2. Build on what others say. 3. Don’t step on others’ talk. Silences and pauses are OK. 4. Let the conversation flow as much as possible. 5. Refer to the text; challenge others to go to the text. 6. Watch your own air time – both in terms of how often you speak, and in terms of how much you say when you speak. Text-Based Seminar Purpose: Enlargement of understanding of a text, not the achievement of some particular understanding.

Text-Based Seminar l Select a table facilitator and a scribe. l The facilitator will open the discussion by posing the framing question. l The scribe will record and share “big” ideas/insights with the whole group. l Select a table facilitator and a scribe. l The facilitator will open the discussion by posing the framing question. l The scribe will record and share “big” ideas/insights with the whole group.

Sharing Insights

Avoiding the Pitfalls Avoid the Pitfalls

Keys to Success Block out enough time for coaching. Provide teachers with a consistent collaborative planning time. Honor the role of the coach. Make coaching training a priority. Make communication a priority. Block out enough time for coaching. Provide teachers with a consistent collaborative planning time. Honor the role of the coach. Make coaching training a priority. Make communication a priority.

Planning for Next Steps

Closing Clip

Reflections An idea I had... A feeling I experienced… An action I plan to take … An idea I had... A feeling I experienced… An action I plan to take …