Purposeful Observations for Literacy Coaches

Part 2 of Vision Post:  The first thing you must do is become extremely targeted in your observations.  Walk through every class at least 3 times per year using a detailed checklist.  Make sure it is based on best practices.  I created one that I’ve been using for years (I discussed it in detail in my post, Starting Point for Literacy Coaches).  Here is a brief excerpt from my own list:

You can purchase the entire system in my TPT store.  http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Coaching-Starting-Point-for-Literacy-Coaches

Be sure to speak with your teachers about coming into their room beforehand.  You goal is to affect change.  It won’t happen if you don’t have your teachers support.  I focus on 4 different areas on these walk-throughs:  classroom environments, reading instruction, literacy stations, and engagement of students.  I write detailed notes in my notebook, for my own reference that I will use later as a guiding tool.  I do NOT write the names of teachers in my notebook. In our state, coaches do not conduct formal observations.  Be specific, honest, and polite.  Think of these walk-throughs as formative assessments for teachers. 

I always try to “catch” a teacher doing well, especially with my more resistant teachers.  Your resistant teachers truly believe that you are there to tell them what they are doing wrong.  Everyone has something they do well.  Leave comments like, “You data binder is SO organized!”  “I would love for other teachers to see you library.” “Your rotation chart is so easy to follow. Great!” “I love how you track AR progress.”  Make note of any area that shines, so that you can have an indoor field trip with other teachers or grade groups.  This encourages collaboration.

Sometimes, the most difficult comments are the negative ones. Remember, you are to lead your teachers to excellence, not tear them down.  The items on your checklist are based on best practices, so if you do not see them, they must be addressed.  If there are more negative aspects than positive ones, focus on the most necessary at the moment.  These comments are NOT helpful, “Your room is a mess.”  “No common board configuration.”  “Too much talking.” Try phrasing negative comments that lead to reflection, “How are you monitoring behavior?” “How do students know what level they are on?” “How many students took an AR test today?”    

My notes will guide me as to what needs to be targeted first for the advancement of our school.  Because we do not make formal observations, leave the checklist in the classroom with the teacher.  However, when I debrief with the teacher, I ask her to bring it with her so that we can talk specifically about what I saw.  

Developing a Vision for your School

If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.

I received quite a bit of feedback on my last post, Top 5 Mistakes Literacy Coaches Make. There were many questions about the #2 mistake, Lack of Vision.  I have to admit.  I made this mistake before, myself.  Once I realized that I was the reading LEADER of the school, I knew I had to do things drastically different in order to effect the most change in the school I possibly could.  

There are so many resources to help you develop your vision.  Don't just look at educational books.  Google "Developing Your Vision."  I did and got 142,000,000 results!  Take a look at the wealth of information in the field of business.  There are so many books about creating your vision.  Whatever you do, read up on it.  I follow a few steps to developing my vision as the literacy coach of my school.  I break them down into these steps:

Your vision will maintain your focus.  We all know how many new initiatives get thrown at us and how many quick fix solutions outsiders (and insiders) try to get us to start in our schools.  These are all fine and dandy, but the most effective solution to any initiative is fidelity.  If you know where your school is and where they need to go, then you will know exactly which of these initiatives will work for your school.

My next posts will focus on each of these steps.  How has your vision influenced your school?  Have you seen big changes because of your focus?

First Linky Party!

I have been invited to participate in my first Linky party by an incredibly helpful person, Ms. M. Please go to her blog and have a look. While you're there, check out the rest of her blog and leave a comment. She has GREAT stuff!

Teaching is a Gift Test Prep Linky Party!

You can also buy the entire Silent Reading Challenge program on my Teachers Pay Teachers store here:  http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Test-Prep-Silent-Reading-Challenge

Starting Point for Literacy Coaches

I became a Literacy Coach 5 years ago. When this happened, I felt like I was on my own. The school I was working in was also on an accountability list, which meant that we were under the close eye of the district and state. To most people, that may seem unfortunate, and in a few ways it was. But, fortunately for me, I was blessed with some of most gifted support specialists I've ever come across. I wanted to be just like them. So, I copied everything they did, until I was able to develop my own coaching style. It was at that time that I came up with the Literacy Coach's Checklist. And, the really interesting part about it is that I have now trained many brand new coaches as well as seasoned ones using it. They have commented how the checklist has helped them become better too. My new resource not only includes The Literacy Coach Checklist, but also step-by-step instructions on how to use it. You can train your own coaching eye and open up discussions with your teachers. In addition, I have described 5 Different Scenarios you may encounter with your teachers and the guided discussion frameworks for each. You will know just how to present the checklist to your faculty and guide them into coming to you for support. And finally, there are detailed descriptions stating exactly what to look for in each of the areas of focus on the checklist. You may purchase the entire 10-paged resource in my TPT store: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Starting-Point-for-Literacy-Coaches

 It came about right before a state review. I wanted our teachers to be as prepared as possible. The document we were sent about the review discussed effective teaching practices and was over 20 pages long! So, I condensed this document into brief bullet points. I let the teachers know that I was going to do walk-throughs using the checklist and then we would debrief about it. 5 years later, I know this is not the correct protocol, but I was new, and didn't know any better. The checklist was eye-opening to the teachers as well as myself. I have tweaked this checklist and made sure NOT to take it out of the teacher's classroom (big no-no). Since then, it has really helped develop my "coaching eye." I can now walk into a teacher's room and quickly determine effective teaching practices versus a pretty class. I now use it as a tool to foster the coach/teacher relationship and to provide direct feedback to teachers during the debriefing process. It also helps teachers become more reflective and because of this has impacted student learning.

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?

Book Follow-up Fun!

Today, I wanted to have a little fun with our kids. We've been working SO hard getting through our current novel, Holes by Louis Sachar. What a fantastic book! The text is complex and engaging. Our kids could not get enough. In addition, we've been building stamina through the Silent Reading Challenge. I've discussed this in an earlier post, but I'll summarize briefly. Students are given a 500-700 portion of the book to read and answer 8 questions about what they just read. They must complete the reading and answer the questions with a 70% or higher accuracy rate. They are rewarded if they are able to do so successfully and we track each class's overall percent correct and total percentage proficient on a class thermometer. It has motivated them to closely pay attention to the reading. Since we finished the book ahead of time, and we are about to let out for Spring Break, we wanted to allow them to reflect and enjoy the book. So, I came up with a review game that encourages student discussion. Although the concept is very simple, the results were amazing! Students engaged in great discussions while playing the game using a modified version of the numbered heads collaborative strategy. Here's how it works: They are presented with a question. They are given 1 to 2 minutes to discuss the answer. A number flashes on the screen. The student who was assigned that number must write his group's answer on a white board and hold it up before the allotted time is up. At the same time, students review important aspects of the book through 26 higher order thinking questions. The questions range from identifying the main characters to identifying various text structures throughout the book. We briefly played today. The excitement level was incredible. I can't wait to play again tomorrow. You can buy the entire 80 slide-game here:

Test Prep Strategy

Well, it's that time of year again-test prep time! I've tried many different plans, but the one that has been the most effective for us has been the silent reading challenge. Why? Well, there are several reasons. First of all, we focus on silent reading stamina. This is an area often overlooked in reading. We read aloud to our students, we have them read aloud to us in groups, they read to a buddy, and so on. But, we usually assign independent, or silent reading as homework. How will we know if our students are actually reading at home and how will we know if they are understanding what they read? So, I introduced this concept to our teachers. I had them put up a Stamina Tracker, so they could track how long their students were able to read. In our intermediate grades, we started at 5 minutes, just to introduce the concept. This is a basic poster. Some of our teachers have done a beautiful job with their Stamina Trackers and incorporated them with their class' themes. You'll also notice on this poster, that we have included three basic rules. In addition, we add HOT questions or questions where the students must make a connection. Because we are departmentalized, teachers have a different colored post-it note for each class, but you could do this with different group names. After we begin tracking silent reading stamina, we introduce the silent reading challenge. I read the current story or novel we are actually using in class and I count out a 500-700 word portion. Our item specifications state that passages will be around this length. Then, I write up an assessment of 8-10 questions using our state's question stems with the answers listed in multiple choice format. I included the answer key along with each benchmark per question. This helped use the finished test as a formative assessment. This year, I added an idea I saw on Pinterest. I added this to my TPT resource to make it much easier for the teachers. Here's how it works: Students are given 20 minutes to read the selected portion of their textbook or novel. They must read silently and answer their questions with at least 70% or higher accuracy rate. If they are success, they earn two candies. Yes, this sounds like bribing, but trust me, it's motivation. Then, calculate the class average and the average proficiency rate for the group. Track this progress on their Silent Reading Challenge Log. Our kids'not only improved their independent reading stamina, but learned to love reading as well. You can find the entire package on my TPT store: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Test-Prep-Silent-Reading-Challenge