Summary by Ashlyne Noll
A criticism of professional development is the lack of support for implementing strategies. For this reason schools have begun to hire coaches to help with this problem. These literacy coaches help teachers and assist them with their implementation efforts. The coaching role can vary depending on the readiness of the teacher and the role of the coach.
Characteristics of Effective Coaches
1. Know your stuff: Those who have a deep understanding of their fields are able to “see” things that novices or those with less understanding do not see. Reading specialists must maintain their own professional libraries and join professional organizations so they can remain knowledgeable in their field.
2. Experience: Literacy coaches should have the experience that makes them creditable with classroom teachers and enables them to feel empathy for the teachers’ many responsibilities.
3. Ability to work with adults: Coaches must be able to get their messages across to teachers. They have to be good listeners, be able to empathize with teachers, and provide balanced feedback that reinforces excellent teaching behavior and provides ideas for improvement.
Principals of Effective Coaching:
1. Share your plans and ideas with teachers. Teachers should understand what such a process means and what it doe not mean, why they are involved, and how it will benefit their students.
2. Obtain teacher input. Take time to hear and respond to teacher input.
3. Provide necessary support. If a coach identifies a need then support is given for that need.
4. Take time to develop the trust needed to be an effective coach. Begin working with those who are receptive. This will be more relaxing and you can use these initial cycles as opportunities to practice the coaching cycle. Also, confidentiality will also build trust.
Demonstrating or Modeling
One of the most important means of coaching is demonstrating or modeling specific behaviors or strategies. When teachers see another individual using specific approaches or strategies they feel they have a much better understanding of how to implement that strategy.
Guidelines:
1. Plan with teachers.
2. Discuss the lesson with teacher as soon as possible after teaching it.
3. Arrange for a time to observe the teacher presenting the same type of lesson demonstrated.
Observations
One of he most effective coaching approaches to professional development is observing the work of teachers. It is there here that the coach can actually intercede, provide the reinforcement, alter various behaviors, or augment the teaching approaches of those observed.
Coaching Cycle
Planning:
Planning is an important first step. Talk with teacher, using the following questions: What are the goals for the lesson? What does the teacher hope to gain from the experience? In what ways should data be collected? This provides an opportunity for building trust and promoting reflection.
Observing:
Observe in the classroom, focusing on the aspects that have been jointly agreed upon in the planning meeting. Classroom environment: is there clear evidence of promoting literacy?
Classroom management: do students know the routines and teachers behavioral expectations?
Instruction: are the teacher strategies efficient and effective?
Responding to student error: does scaffolding take place quickly and effectively so hat the attention of the class is maintained? Maintaining active involvement of students: does teacher modify instruction when students become inattentive? Conducting observations: describe what is happening – do not interpret or make judgments about what is happening.
Analyze/reflecting:
Both coach and teacher think about the lesson that has been observed. The coach analyzes data from observation and identifies topics/issues for discussion. The teacher generates questions and ideas for discussion. What are the key points to raise? How do I want to start the conference? What changes would best improve the instruction going on in that classroom? What approach might be best in working with this teacher?
Conferring:
Coach and teacher meet to discuss the lesson, using data obtained in steps 2 and 3. The goal of this step is to obtain a commitment from the teacher as to what aspects will be applied in future lessons. One goal of the conferences is to promote teacher reflection. Another goal is to create a future plan.
Feedback
If the coach and teacher can work together to identify the areas or behaviors in which to modify then he feedback session is generally productive. However, there may be times when the coach must be more direct and some teachers may react defensive and may be unable to accept or benefit from feedback. Here are some suggestions:
1. Be specific.
2. Behave in ways that reduce defensive behavior.
3. Provide balanced feedback. Discuss the merits of what the teacher is doing. Identify the area of concern.
The most important areas of coaching are the following:
1. Confidentiality: What is seen by the coach and said by the teacher always stays between them.
2. Non-threatening demeanor. The coach is present as a colleague, not a evaluator.
3. Focus: It is always advantageous to have a mutually agreed-upon target to focus the observation.
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