1. Leading and Supporting Elementary Coaches Presented by: Maqueda Randall-Weeks IRA 53 rd Annual Convention Atlanta, GA May 8, 2008

2. The Role of a Literacy Coach Literacy Coaches strive to improve student achievement by supporting teaching and learning Literacy Coaches strive to improve student achievement by supporting teaching and learning Literacy Coaches learn and teach effective decision making Literacy Coaches learn and teach effective decision making Literacy Coaches learn and teach literacy content knowledge Literacy Coaches learn and teach literacy content knowledge Literacy Coaches learn how to be effective teachers of adults Literacy Coaches learn how to be effective teachers of adults

3. The Role of a Literacy Coach Literacy Coaches strive to build teaching and leadership capacity Literacy Coaches strive to build teaching and leadership capacity Literacy Coaches embrace resistance Literacy Coaches embrace resistance Literacy Coaches are effective communicators Literacy Coaches are effective communicators Literacy Coaches communicate their beliefs and provide a rationale Literacy Coaches communicate their beliefs and provide a rationale

4. The Role of a Literacy Coach Literacy Coaches are evaluators of literacy needs Literacy Coaches are evaluators of literacy needs Literacy Coaches inspire and lead Literacy Coaches inspire and lead (Literacy Coaching: The Essentials by Katherine Casey, Chapter Two: What a Coach Needs to Know and Be Able to Do, pg. 22-35 )

5. What do I need to remember in order to support coach (adult) development? There is developmental diversity There is developmental diversity In the same setting, adults will make meaning of their experiences in developmentally different ways In the same setting, adults will make meaning of their experiences in developmentally different ways Must provide varied professional development opportunities that challenge and support the coachs development Must provide varied professional development opportunities that challenge and support the coachs development (Helping Teachers Learn: Principal Leadership for Adult Growth and Development by Eleanor Drago-Severson, 2004).

6. Initial Support: Coach Training Provides common language and purpose Provides common language and purpose Establishes collegiality Establishes collegiality May include: May include: Literacy Content Literacy Content Coaching Basics Coaching Basics Fundamentals of Adult Development Fundamentals of Adult Development Reflection Reflection

7. Initial Support: Define the Coaching Role Whole staff introduction Whole staff introduction Define role of coach Define role of coach Voice support for coach and coaching process Voice support for coach and coaching process Define role of teachers: Define role of teachers: Accountable Accountable Responsible Responsible Engaged Engaged Reflective Reflective

8. On-going Support: Coaches Meetings Monthly Monthly Provides opportunities to: Provides opportunities to: Reflect Reflect Exchange strategies, successes, frustrations Exchange strategies, successes, frustrations Review coaching issues and concerns Review coaching issues and concerns Analyze data to determine teacher and student needs Analyze data to determine teacher and student needs Engage in collegial inquiry Engage in collegial inquiry

9. On-going Support: Professional Development Monthly or bi-monthly Monthly or bi-monthly Provides opportunities to address specific instructional or coaching needs Provides opportunities to address specific instructional or coaching needs Building or District: Building or District: Literacy Supervisor Literacy Supervisor Principal Principal Coach Coach Outside: Outside: Conferences Conferences PD Sessions PD Sessions

10. On-going Support: On-Site Consistently Consistently Provides opportunities to: Provides opportunities to: Discuss logistics (schedules, cycles) Discuss logistics (schedules, cycles) Model Model Observe Observe Problem Solve Problem Solve Differentiate for specific needs Differentiate for specific needs Scaffold support Scaffold support