Common Core for Literacy Coaches

I'm SO excited!  Tomorrow, I am going to the National Conference on College & Career Readiness and Common Core Standards along with my principal, or Curriculum Support Specialist, and 5 teachers.  The conference will be held in Orlando.  You can find more information here:  http://www.collegecareer.org/Agenda.aspx   The main goal of the conference is to, "...provide high quality, in-depth, professional development opportunities which focus on demands of preparing students to be college and career ready."  My personal goal is to learn as much as possible and then share it all with my teachers.

I've been studying everything I can online for the last 2 years, but I still feel like I have a lot to learn.  Last year was my first year actually implementing the standards in K-2nd grades.  And, after our state testing, we began teaching with the new standards in grades 3-5.  I have to admit.  I made a few mistakes along the way.  But, after reflecting on them, I have been able to correct and move on.

Here are some things every literacy coach must do in order to help their teachers adjust to the new standards and a whole new way of teaching:

• Be willing to change.  Yes, Common Core is totally different.  Yes, the analytic close read will be difficult to teach young children.  Yes, we have to teach foundational skills all at the same time to make sure our kids can read.  And, yes, there is a lot of new stuff to learn.  There.  I've said it.  So, now let's move on.  The Common Core Standards will not go away just because we are overwhelmed or because we were doing just fine without them.  If our minds are open, we will be able to fill them with new information.  
• Be self-motivated.  Don't wait for someone to come and teach you what the new standards are all about.  You are a leader in your school.  Your teachers count on you to provide them with information and resources.  Start at the source:  http://www.corestandards.org/.  Read and understand the standards.  Go to the library and start reading the exemplars.  Search online for item stem resources from the PARCC.  A good place to find some item and task prototypes is here:  http://www.parcconline.org/samples/item-task-prototypes.  
• Go through the motions.  After studying up on the standards and the types of tasks our students will be required to complete, and reading some exemplars, use one of the exemplars to actually plan an entire unit.  I suggest using a shorter piece of poetry or nonfiction for your first try.  Then you will be able to plan a close analytic read.  Find a lesson planner that will walk you through the process.  I modified one I was given.  You can find it on find it in my TPT store:  http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Reading-TLC-For-your-TLC-534067 

This planner will guide you through the entire process.  While planning, go back to the actual standard to make sure your lesson teaches what the standard is asking.  Don't just rely on what you think it said.  Check each part of the standard.  One of the first mistakes I made was to try to fit Common Core into the standards I was familiar with, like Main Idea or Author's Purpose.  The new standards are "packed."  They have more than one skill to address.  The only way I was able to figure this out was to plan several lessons on my own.  I also pretend like I am the teacher of one particular class while I'm planning.  This helps me focus on the needs of the students and not only on the material.  I build in scaffolds and/or enrichment activities.

• Walk the walk.  Teach your lesson.  Model how to teach the close analytic read process using the scaffolds and enrichment.  While you teach, have the teacher complete a note-taking sheet about what he observes.  You may use a lesson study protocol, a model lesson observation sheet, or just a simple T-chart (what I see, how it helps me).  This does several things.  First, it helps you see if what you planned actually works for all students.  Second, it will show you if need clarification with any part of the process.  Next, it will build confidence in your teachers that this can actually be done.  
• Debrief and discuss.  Meet with the teacher.  Discuss his notes, and don't take it personally.  If we are able to listen to their observations and suggestions it will only build your own teaching and their confidence in you as their leader.  
• Reflect. Go back to your lesson and reflect on the process.  Clarify any areas you know you need to work on.  Make adjustments.  Don't skip this step.  It is crucial to your own understanding and therefore, will help you guide your teachers through the same process.  If you think you need to, start all over again until you thoroughly understand the standards and how they should be taught.
• Professional Development.  Now is the time to provide professional development.  Be careful.  Make sure you teach a little bit at a time.  Don't throw an unwrapping the benchmarks, with resources, and lesson planning.  Separate each of the components of Common Core.  You don't have to teach each aspect in the "workshop" format.  You can embed it in common lesson planning time or conduct a lesson study.  

The key is to be prepared.  Your teachers count on you, and so do your students.