Coaching the CoachesCoaching the Coaches

5252ndnd Annual International Reading Annual International ReadingAssociation ConventionAssociation Convention

Toronto, Ontario; May 16, 2007Toronto, Ontario; May 16, 2007

Julie Palmer Gnotta, Literacy CoachLogan City School District

jpalmergnotta@bridger.logan.k12.ut.us

Key Points

• Increase time for coaches to collaborate with each other and work with teachers.

• Narrow the focus to one professional development topic each year for coaches and teachers. Depth, not breadth.

• Improve continuity, and build capacity of coaches by scaffolding their learning.

• Model structures, routines, and templates coaches can replicate in their buildings.

• Individualize site-based professional development for coaches as the need arises.

Increase Time

Focus for weekly coaches’ literacy team

meetings:• Professional reading and discussion• Assessment, data discussion/analysis

and instructional interventions• Supervising and training

paraprofessionals

Increase Time

Focus for monthly principals/coaches meetings:• Professional reading and discussion• Data analysis• Communication skills• Aspects of technical and cognitive coaching• Strategies for creating a “felt need” for

coaching

Increase Time

Focus for individual literacy coaches:

• Prioritizing and allocating time around the goals outlined in the school improvement plan.

• Impacting classroom instruction.• Professional reading, thinking,

planning.

Narrow the Focus

Year 1:• Defining the role of coach• Building relationships/establishing trust• Assessment/analysis of data

Year 2:• Comprehension• Facilitating literacy team meetings• Developing targeted interventions

Year 3:• Vocabulary• Technical coaching• Cognitive coaching

Improve Continuity

Professional Development Cycle (Lyons & Pinnell, 2001):• Assess the context• Provide the basics• Demonstrate the process• Establish rationales• Engage the learners• Try it out• Establish routines and behaviors• Coach for shifts in behavior (technical)• Coach for shifts in analysis and reflection (cognitive)• Extend learning

Model StructuresComponent

sProcess Goal

Assess the Context

Review vocabulary objectives.* the five concepts you are most interested in learning. Share out questions and comments about these objectives. Discuss other methods of assessing the context (KWHL, classroom observations, review HM instruction). Analyze data, preview professional development texts and refine coaches’ professional development plan.

Find out what coaches and teachers already know about effective vocabulary instruction.

Instructional Guides

Topics:• Classroom

Environment• Word Work• Fluency• Comprehension• Writing• Guided Reading

Model Routines

Literacy team meeting agenda:• Intended outcomes• Business items• Other agenda items (identify stage of

PD cycle)• Parking lot• Application task

Fourth Grade5-Day Plan of Instruction for Vocabulary

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Modeling/Explicit Instruction (whole class, on overhead): Introduce targeted vocabulary with simple explanations. Share examples/non-examples and synonyms/antonyms. Students record this information on a form in their vocabulary notebook.

Shared Practice (whole class, on overhead): Sentence completion with targeted vocabulary. Students record this information on a form in their vocabulary notebook.Guided Practice: Students choose 3-4 words to illustrate in their vocabulary notebook. They write a caption under each pencil drawing. Students think-pair-share to discuss their drawings and how they relate to the vocabulary words.

Guided Practice: Individual or partner work on word pair activity with targeted vocabulary. Students record this information on a form in their vocabulary notebook. Check together or with a partner.

Individual Application: Individual or partner work on cloze sentence activity with targeted vocabulary. Students record this information on a form in their vocabulary notebook. Check together or with a partner.

Assessment: Written assessment of targeted vocabulary turned in to teacher.Optional: Group collaborative, cumulative review of targeted vocabulary (Pictionary, Charades, Jeopardy, etc.)

Model Templates

Individualize Site-Based Support:

Scaffolding JoAnna’s coaching of teachers: Model one coaching session. Try one together. Try one on her own.

Pre-observation conference: Talk through lesson plan with the teacher.

• Look for evidence of clear instructional focus, explicit instructional language, and other critical features of effective instruction (Instructional Guides).

• Identify the focus for the observation. What data would the teacher like collected?

• Coaches debrief: What went well? What did we learn about this teacher and her instruction? What type of graphic organizer might be used to collect data for the teacher?

Individualize Site-Based Support, cont.

Observation:• Gather data as requested by the teacher.• Also note what the teacher does well,

questions you want to ask her, and a few suggestions (?) for things she might try next.

• Coaches debrief: Analyze the data collected. Review other observation notes. Plan a few open-ended questions around the data.

Individualize Site-Based Support, cont.

Post-observation conference: Discuss the instruction with the teacher.

• How did it go? What did you think?• Look for opportunities to validate the teacher’s thinking

(reflect and extend).• Share out the data the teacher asked you to collect.• What might be your next step?• How might I help?• Coaches debrief: What evidence did we see of the

teacher’s expertise and thinking around the technical aspects of the instruction? To what degree was the teacher analytical and reflective about her teaching? How will we follow up with this teacher?

Practicalities of Coaching Coaches

• Help them define their role as coaches.• Establish systems and routines for

managing time and resources.• Share strategies for building

relationships and establishing trust.• Offer specific suggestions on how to

get started.

Pitfalls of Coaching Coaches

• Balancing common, clear focus with meeting individual needs.

• Managing stress.• Sometimes confidence exceeds

expertise.• Finding the time to collaborate.• Building capacity for shared leadership.

Summary

• Increase time for coaches to collaborate with each other and work with teachers.

• Narrow the focus to one professional development topic each year coaches and teachers. Depth, not breadth.

• Improve continuity and build capacity of coaches by scaffolding their learning.

• Model structures, routines, and templates coaches can replicate in their buildings.

• Individualize site-based professional development for coaches as the need arises.

References

Coaching:Hasbrouck, J. and Denton, C. (2005). The reading coach: A how-to manual for success, Longmont, CO: Sopris West.Lyons, C. and Pinnell, G. (2001). Systems for change in literacy education: A guided to professional development,

Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.Walpole, S. and McKenna, M. (2004). The literacy coach’s handbook: A guided to research-based practice, New York, NY:

The Guilford Press.

Research Summaries:Hiebert, E. (2004). A focus on vocabulary, Research-Based Practices in Early Reading Series, Regional Laboratory at

Pacific Resources for Education and Learning.Lehr, F. and Osborn, J. (2005). A focus on comprehension, Research-Based Practices in Early Reading Series, Regional

Laboratory at Pacific Resources for Education and Learning.Lehr, F. and Osborn, J. (2005). A focus on professional development, Research-Based Practices in Early Reading Series,

Regional Laboratory at Pacific Resources for Education and Learning.Osborn, J. and Lehr, F. (2003). A focus on fluency, Research-Based Practices in Early Reading Series, Regional Laboratory

at Pacific Resources for Education and Learning.Rasinski, T. (2004). Assessing reading fluency, Research-Based Practices in Early Reading Series, Regional Laboratory at

Pacific Resources for Education and Learning.

Vocabulary:Beck, I., McKeown, M., and Kucan, L. (2002). Bringing words to life: Robust vocabulary instruction, New York, NY: The

Guilford Press.Blachowicz, C. and Fisher, P. (2006). Teaching vocabulary in all classrooms, (third edition), Upper Saddle River, NJ:

Pearson.Marzano, R. (2004). Building background knowledge for academic achievement: Research on what works in schools,

Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.