Week 10- Program Improvement: Instruction

Happy Tuesday ladies!

This week’s reading was so informative! A lot of the stuff connected to things my school already does or is trying to do, and made me see the research behind it. Chapter 11 in B&D was all about differentiation, which is something I know that all of you already utilize in your classrooms. B&D described their “four pillars” of differentiated instruction: knowledge of literacy development, use of literacy assessments, creation of small groups, and use of classroom models. Knowledge of literacy development stresses the importance of teachers being knowledgeable about the different stages of development, so that they are better able to help their students. Using data to inform instruction allows teachers to see where the gaps are, and what growth is (or isn’t) being made. This is one area in particular that I have always struggled with. I feel that I am capable of administering the assessments, but don’t have strong knowledge base in how to utilize those results to inform my instruction. This chapter does a great job are describing how it is done in other schools. B&D stressed the importance of flexible groups, and using assessments and data as one way to change them. Classroom organization is one key to success in differentiation. B&D provide multiple examples of models to use in the classroom. B&D provide a four-step differentiation cycle. The cycle starts with assessment, moves to analyzing data, continues on to forming groups, and then moves to teaching using a differentiation model. The cycle is continuous because in-depth assessment should occur at least three times a year.

Reflection:

What do you think of the steps for differentiation discussed in this chapter?

Chapter 2 in Bean talks about the role of reading specialist in working with students. Bean talks about the important factors that a reading specialist needs to consider when they are working in an instructional role: collaboration (and communication) and clear procedures. Collaboration is something that we’ve read about almost every week. It is an important part of working with another teacher, especially when you, as the reading specialist, are only coming in for a short amount of time. Administration has to support the idea of reading specialists working directly with students in the classroom. Bean writes about research findings that specifically support the notion that a lack of support from administration can have a negative effect on the collaboration between teachers and the reading specialist. The chapter also discusses the idea of clear procedures. This is so that you (the reading specialist) and the classroom teacher are on the same page for what your role is. Bean provides different examples throughout the chapter of how different teachers and reading specialists have worked together. In the section following, Bean provides five different examples of ways to collaborate: station or center teaching, targeted teaching, parallel instruction, teach and monitor, and team teaching. Each different model of collaboration has those clear procedures established. Each provides a different way for both the reading specialist and classroom teacher to be involved in the lesson. This chapter also discusses the concept of Response to Intervention. Many schools in Norman follow RTI. I know that my school does. RTI is an approach to reducing the number of students being identified as needed special education services. It aims at providing intervention early enough to meet the needs of the student before testing them becomes necessary. It is based on a tier model and allows students to move through the tiers throughout the year. The final discussion piece in the chapter is pullout programs versus push-in programs. Bean discusses the potential gains and problems associated with both.

Reflection:

1. What do you think about push in programs versus pullout programs for struggling readers?

2. What do you think are the skills and abilities that reading specialists need if they are to work effectively in the classroom? In pullout settings? Both?

Chapter 3 further discussed what was talked about in Chapter 2. Chapter 3 focuses on a reading specialist creating a program with teachers, implementing it into the classroom, and deciding the effectiveness of the program. Bean states that “in order to develop and implement an effective program, reading specialists need to understand the culture of the school, the importance of congruence between their instruction and that of the classroom teacher, and approaches to scheduling that permit effective use of their time” (p. 55). Bean discusses each component stated above at length. The culture of the school is something important for a reading specialist who is new to the school to understand. Teachers who are transitioning from a classroom teacher position to a reading specialist position may understand the culture of their school, but some elements can be specific to the classroom teachers you are working with. The most important piece that Bean discussed, in my opinion, was making sure that your teaching beliefs align with the classroom teacher you are working with. If the teacher you are working with has much different views than you do, it can make the transition to working together much more difficult. Scheduling is always the hardest part when working with teachers, but as the reading specialist, there are many factors to consider. Bean mentions not wanting to pull students out during their specials time, and not being able to pull them during lunch and recess. The reading specialist and classroom teachers need to collaborate to find times that work to pull the students out of the classroom.

Reflection

1. Read activity 2 and see what you would do as the reading specialist working with “Frank”.

Have a great rest of the week girls!

Week 9 Coaching Improvement Coaching 2

Hello Lit Ladies,

This week’s readings focus on the “how-tos” of coaching. I plan to have the Bean book in my hand when I begin coaching! Both chapters offer explicit steps coaches should take beginning with the first weeks of school to establish relationships among the staff. They give us specific questions and questioning stems to use in various scenarios. The chapters offer how to differentiate coaching with individual and small groups of teachers with coaching such as on-the-fly and combination coaching. I noticed that coaches specifically make sure they are visible within the school and are available. They begin the school year by creating trusting relationships in order to become comfortable with teachers so that the coaching process will be more effective. Coaches collaborate with teachers by visiting classrooms and meet with teachers one-on-one or in small group settings. In Bean, on pages169 to 182, the four stages of a coaching cycle are explained with examples. There are also forms that can be used or adjusted for the coaching activity. WSQ has an example of a coaching cycle on page 48. This section will be very helpful with guiding us in the steps we are to take in the coaching activity required for class. Both chapters understand that no two schools are the same, therefore scheduling to meet and conference with teachers can be difficult but not impossible. The chapters give ideas on ways for coaches to be flexible with their scheduling and differentiate scheduling in order to meet teachers where they are. Also coaches need to learn the various learning styles, experiences, and strengths of teachers. All teachers do not need the same support. Learning this will help to determine what type of stance coaches need to effectively communicate with teachers.

Coaches can give feedback after an observation as a collaborative effort to identify changes that need to be made. I was very appreciative that Bean discussed in the section, Giving Feedback beginning on page 182, how to have difficult conversations with teachers when coaches need to raise issues of concerns. In Bean, page 185, it states, “Learning to do this [having difficult conversations about areas of concern] in a respectful and clear manner takes time. An important point: Put the focus on what needs to be done to improve student learning, and the steps that can be taken to do so.” It also discusses that this can best be done in a school that has created a climate of respect: where teachers feel comfortable with feedback.

Bean states on page 184. “Such reflective behavior can be facilitated when the coach is a good listener and able to scaffold and build on the thoughts of the teacher.” Before the post conference, the teacher and I would have spent separate time thinking about the lesson. During reflection in the post conference, I would first listen to the teacher self-reflect on the lesson. I would ask her what she felt were strengths of the lesson. I would ask her if she felt that the goals stated in the post conference were met. If not, ask her what support she needed to help implement changes to reach the goals? I would support her with expressing the strengths that I saw in the lesson and offer support as needed.

As you read both chapters, discuss in your blogs: (1) Specifics of what a coach does with a teacher, (2) How does a coach give feedback after an observation, (3) Think of how to lead a reflection: the types of questions you are posing and formats for scaffolding a teacher after a lesson observation or as a teacher prepares to make change in her classroom. 

We are also asked for this week’s blog post to practice giving feedback as described in Activity #2 at the end of the Bean chapter.  There are two scenarios to practice giving each other feedback or suggestions on what to say. I would like to respond to Scenario #2. I would begin by saying to Greta that flexible grouping is a proven, research-based method of reaching all students in your classroom. I am glad that you have chosen to use this with your students. What did you notice were the strengths of students who were working independently? What are your frustrations concerning those students who were not working independently? How did you feel when you had to keep interrupting your guided reading time to correct students who were off-task? What do you think could be some strategies to try and what adjustments could be made in order to keep all students on task? After allowing her to reflect on how flexible grouping went when I observed the classroom and allowing her to make some suggestions for improvement, then I would offer my support. I would ask her if she would like for me to come in and model for a discussion I would have with the students about one of the workstations. (As I developed a relationship with Greta at the beginning of school, she mentioned that she would appreciate seeing me model a lesson.)  She would agree to me coming to model what students do at the reading station. What feedback would you give me as to how I responded to Greta? How would you offer Greta feedback or what suggestions would you say?

Last, but not least. We must choose a night to have our small group online meeting to share the beginnings of our PD program with each other. We need to discuss this via our group chat on tomorrow, Monday, March 11^th then I will email Dr. Beach informing her of the day we have decided that we will meet online. After our online meeting, I will send her a summary of our discussion.

Happy Reading and blogging!

Week 8: Coaching

This week’s readings really answered some lingering questions I’ve had for years, what is a literacy coach really and what is their role in our school and district? 

As I read through Bean and Dagan, the role of a literacy coach is defined for us on pg. 44 as one who “enhances teacher instruction in order to support students’ reading and writing development.”  As opposed to the role of a reading specialist within a school, the literacy coach really has very little, if any, direct student interaction or instruction.  It sounded, from our readings in D&B, that the amount of time literacy coaches spent supporting and guiding teachers depended on the reason administration brought them in to begin with.  For instance, if their job was to implement a school wide specific program for improvement, they might spend more time amongst the teaching community. Or, they might be there to support a very new staff in a school. Then later, I read that the coach might be a specialist both teaching students and acting as a literacy coach for teachers. They might be part time or full time. The variations in this job title seemed endless.

One characteristic that remained constant throughout the readings was that literacy coaches must establish themselves as a peer in order to be effective.  They are not an evaluator.  I was very surprised to learn this.  In every encounter I have had with a literacy coach, I was always under the impression we were being evaluated.  The readings expressed time and time again that the idea of a coach was to build, collaborate, set goals alongside teachers in a safe, confidential environment. 

Not surprisingly, the role of literacy coach is quite different in an elementary school environment than that of a secondary or high school.  First, teachers at the secondary schools have a very limited block of time (50 min) in order to connect student to curriculum.  The shortage of time seemed to be a limiting factor when trying to accommodate planning, collaboration, and implementation of new ideas into these middle and high school classrooms.  Another struggle is that secondary schools are departmentalized.  This means that there may be neither time nor interest for cross curricular participation.  Most importantly, and I think this is the truest limiting factor, teachers at the secondary school are resistant to guidance from a coach.  Most of the time, these teachers have specialized in their area of teaching and do not appreciate extra strategy suggestions.

I believe the coaching model that fits my personality best is the Peer Coaching and Coach as Resource.  I just feel as though these two models are based on a lot of collaboration and trust.   I want to be able to hear teacher’s concerns for their students. Maybe they feel like their has to be a more effective way to teach a particular element of reading or writing and what they are doing doesn’t seem to be working. Let’s come up with solutions together.  I feel like these two models are less about throwing up ideas for solving the problem and more hands on, boots on the ground, let’s figure this out together models. I also really like any model that is based on the request of a teacher.  In reading this week, I felt a twinge of guilt.  I have always been respectful of past literacy coaches, but never jumped for joy to see them in the building.  Oh, the whispers of smack talk amongst the teachers were almost audible in the halls just at the mention of her presence.  Darn, this week I read over and over about how this can be a lonely, isolated line of work.  My goodness.  I do not want that for myself.  If I am asked to coach within a school, I’m going to need teachers to want to come to me for support.

I truly took so much information away from these readings.  One key take-away was found in B&D (pg.49), “Trust is the key foundation to any productive relationship, including the literacy coach-teacher relationships…..Furthermore, by focusing their discussions with teachers on how to collaboratively address the needs of the students--rather than the change teachers’ instruction-literacy coaches can continue to develop trusting relationships with teachers.” It goes on to state that confidentiality is key.  Coaches are not there to judge or report teacher shortcomings.  Man, I sure wish I had read this years ago…

So, what do you ladies think?  What was your take from these chapters?  What is the role of a literacy leader and what do they do? Think about differences between the role a coach takes on in elementary schools vs secondary schools. Which coaching model fits best with your setting and your personality/skills?  What did you find as key ideas in the chapters you read so far that will help you do the coaching part of your job?