Along with many other reading specialists my job title changed to literacy coach a few years ago. My focus changed from working directly with students to working mainly with classroom teachers to strengthen instruction. That’s a big change with significant implications for everyone involved.
Literacy coaching has been a growing practice in many areas for the past several years. The role and the qualifications of the coach vary among school districts. It can also look different from school to school within a district depending on the culture and climate, and the needs within each building. There is also a wide range of opinions about the sustainability of the model: from those who view it as a trend that will fade and make way for the next one, to those who think that it truly allows for ongoing professional development as a natural part of the school day. So, which is it, and what makes the difference? There have been several books and numerous articles written about literacy coaching, and the International Reading Association has a position statement on it. What most practitioners and researchers seem to agree on is that coaching is built on relationships. I would like to share some thoughts about the conditions that create a successful coaching relationship and what that looks like.
A Shared Vision of the Role of the Coach
Before the coach ever walks into the classroom, everyone involved, including classroom teachers, coaches, and administrators, has to understand the goals of the coaching model and the responsibilities of each participant in the process. For example, if a school has made a new or renewed commitment to a reading/writing workshop model, the coach’s role might be to meet with the classroom teacher to work out, collaboratively, where the teacher is in that process and how the coach can help to make implementation more successful. This might be followed by the coach demonstrating practices, such as rituals and routines,that need to be in place for a workshop model to succeed. This stage would most likely be followed by co-teaching including the practices that the coach has already demonstrated. When the teacher is prepared to implement an agreed upon strategy or practice independently, the coach might provide specific feedback about evidence of student learning and possible next steps. This is very different from a coach just appearing in a classroom with a real, or metaphorical, clipboard and taking mysterious notes. In my opinion, there is no place for mystery in coaching. The classroom teacher and the coach should be in agreement on their goals, because they have developed them together. Ideally, the principal has an understanding of the work that the coach is doing with specific teachers or grade levels, and how this work fits in with the overall mission and vision of the school.
Mutual Trust and Respect
The coaching relationship develops gradually, but steadily, if it is experienced as a partnership. As the classroom teacher and coach have multiple opportunities to share, plan, co-teach, and observe each other’s work, trust grows with each conversation. For example, after conferencing with students during a writers’ workshop, the coach and teacher might share what they learned about individual students as writers, as well as what they each learned about the art of conferencing. The classroom teacher will feel safer sharing concerns and frustrations if the coach is open enough to do the same at times, with the emphasis on problem-solving. The experience of questioning and reflecting on successes and challenges together, focused on student learning, fosters respect and trust. Of course, confidentiality plays a critical role here. The principal or other colleagues may want to know what areas the teacher and coach are working on, but the day to day journey is private.
Flexibility and Maintenance
No matter how successful the journey, we may need rest stops along the way. The load that classroom teachers carry is always great, but there are times when one more strategy, graphic organizer, or “helpful” resource is anything but. As coaches, we need to have the sensitivity to recognize those times and the flexibility to continue to offer support for what the teacher is already doing without bringing anything new to the table. In the long run, that flexibility will do more to maintain the relationship than a constant barrage of new information.
We still have so much to learn about literacy coaching. What seems clear is that high quality professional relationships are essential relationships that are based on a shared vision, respect, trust, and flexibility. With these conditions in place, I think that we can provide a strong foundation for teacher and student growth.
©2007 Effective Teaching Article Reprint for Teaching eVentures Archives
Janice Ewing
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