Top 5 Mistakes Literacy Coaches Make

 1. Be a know-it-all - There is a fine line between being an authority on a subject and being a know-it-all. Coaches are there to support teachers. We are there to guide them and teach our teachers. Yes, I have very boldly addressed teachers who are not performing well. Yes, I have strongly suggested teachers use a certain strategy (gradual release, differentiated instruction) or use a certain protocol when one does not exist. Sometimes I have rubbed teachers the wrong way. I'm not saying not to do this. I think it is necessary. What I am saying is that there is not one right way of doing anything. If a teacher is really trying, their students are learning, and they have a certain way of doing something that is not necessarily YOUR way, then allow them to have their own style.


 2. Lack of Vision - Without vision, the people perish. So many coaches I know have never assessed where there teachers are in the teaching of reading. They follow every new idea or strategy they find and present them to the faculty. This leaves teachers feeling as if they are constantly asked to try something in a new way. Coaches are not administrators; however, we do play a unique leadership role in our schools. We need to know where we are, and where we need to go. Once you understand this, you can develop a vision for your school's reading program and then create the steps necessary to lead your teachers there.


 3. Not Knowing Enough -A good literacy coach must be creative, intelligent, and resourceful, at the drop of a hat. We should constantly study research-based practices and improve our craft. Take an honest look at yourself. Do those statements describe you? If not, then you should at the very least, be extremely organized. Have an orderly educational library where you can pull effective strategies to present to your teachers. Develop a filing system of multiple resources your teachers can check out to use in their classrooms. Make a reading coach folder on your desk top where you have tons of folders inside where you save teaching tips, ideas, and strategies. Name the folder by what the resource is good for (guided reading, main idea, fluency...). Your teachers will begin to value your input if you actually help them.


 4. Running to Your Principal All The Time- I love my principal. She is a strong leader, who makes sure our kids are learning, no matter what. She is a very present force in our school. She does walk-throughs everyday. But, she can't see it all. Don't get me wrong, I DO go to my principal when there is a crisis. But, not every issue is a crisis. A great coach has to know what is important to the bottom line-student learning. We can't run to the principal about every little issue in the building. If you do this, teachers won't respect you, nor will they trust you to tell you when they need help.


 5. Never Model- I've come across all kinds of coaches. The one type that seems to aggravate teachers the most is the one who stays in her office all day and mandates how teachers are "supposed" to be doing things. Come out of the office already. Roll up your sleeves and model effective strategies. Teachers will respect you a whole lot more if you are in the trenches with them. They will know that we are all in this together. Plus, teachers will clearly see that the strategies you claim to be so effective actually work with their students. How many times have you heard, "that sounds great, but it won't work with my kids?" Trust me. This will stop all of that.


 Do you have an even bigger mistake I didn't mention here? What is it?