Honestly my first reaction to how the readings are connected is, "wow reading specialist/coaches do a lot." That aside, literacy coaches hold several job descriptions. They coach, teach, assist, implement, and model. I'm quite amazed at all the job titles they can hold. But the more I think about the word coaching, the more I think of this term as an umbrella term By this I mean all other job descriptions can fall under this one term. In the end, I want to be considered a coach, not a supervisor or boss to my future colleagues. I want to be seen as someone who helps guide their learning and supports them or coaches them into their potential.
One thing I saw threaded through out the chapters was this idea coaching others. The WSQ chapter focused on types of coaching visits. The article about coaching guidelines focused on guiding principals that literacy coaches can use to improve their coaching. The team coaching article focused on using the CCCM approach to coaching teachers. Then the EPL chapter showed ways to actually begin implementing the coaching cycles. The chapters related to our class discussions over the weekend by tying together the essence of what my future position as as literacy coach will be. Coaching will be a huge part of what I'll do in the school. I will have to understand and refine my coaching strategies. I will have to decide the most effective ways to implement coaching. Then I will actually have to know how to successfully begin a coaching cycle.
One of the most important things I learned this last week while reading is that some teachers have a negative idea of coaching. They see it as someone who needs coaching must have a weakness. I completely understand this view. We as teachers sometimes want to portray to everyone," we've got it all together." Yet, as I become wiser, I am realizing we are all continually learning, even the experts. It's when we think we know it all the real danger happens. Therefor, I want to debunk this idea that coaching is for the people who don't get it. When I begin as a reading specialist one day, that will be my first goal is to work on relationships. By working on relationships, I hope to help teachers see we are all life long learners. Each on of us has a strength to share. I want them to know I am not here as the reading specialist to "fix" problems. I am here to help teachers live into their potential and to improve on what they are already good at and then share it with others.
I also learned this week about how to begin a coaching cycle. I honestly felt a little uneasy after the weekend. I kept thinking, " love this idea of coaching, but uhhh how do I begin?" The review of ch 18 in EPL helped settle my anxieties. I feel I have an idea of where to begin. I really like the forms that can be used for the coaching cycles. Why reinvent the wheel?
I love this idea of team coaching. First I think it relieves everyone in the group of the idea, "I'm not the only one who doesn't get it." It also is an efficient use of time. There is only so much time in a school day. Therefore if a group of teachers needs help with an idea, why not implement the CCCM. Through team coaching, teachers can collaborate and find answers together. You are building relationships that will benefit the school in the long run. There are times though that individual coaching is needed. Maybe a teacher has a certain classroom problem that only she has. It would benefit her to have the individual coaching aspect. The coach can then suggest ideas and help that tailor to her needs. I also think individual coaching builds an intimate relationship that team coaching may not. There is a trust that forms when working in pairs. The similarities of team and individual coaching are that a common goal of improvement is needed. There just happen to be different ways of going about improvement in a school.
Questions:
1. As a reading specialist (if that's your end goal) do you hope to spend more time helping teachers? or working one on one with students?
I go back and forth on this issues. There are times I wish to eventually be a literacy coach, Focusing my time on teacher improvement. Then other times I think I'd love to especially work with struggling readers most of the time, pulling in and out of the classroom. Do you have a calling or feel especially drawn to one or the other?
I also thought that Literacy Coaches do ALOT!!! Last year, our reading specialist was only around to purchase resources for the school. When I received my "resources" I was not given any explanation on how to use it or ways to use it. The reading specialist handed me a class set of comprehension readers and said, "the children love these." My initial thought was, "do you even know my students."
ReplyDeleteWith this said, although I am not becoming a reading specialist, I would really enjoy working with my grade level team or any new teachers who begin teaching. I think I would really enjoy working with colleagues on strategies and offering support.
Regardless of becoming a reading specialist or not, we need literacy leaders. Since reading specialist unfortunately are pulled in so many directions, I've felt more comfortable in the past at times going to peers about literacy questions! You'd be someone who would be easy to approach too!!
DeleteSometimes I really miss working one on one with children, but I really enjoy working closely with teachers. I definitely feel a draw to continue working with my staff as opposed to teaching children full time. You make a great point that we as educators have a tendency to take it as sign of failure when we're coached, instead of a tool that improves our practice and helps build stronger relationships with teaching team members.
ReplyDeleteI think you've hit on something. When I'm in the classroom I wish was I was working with teachers at times. I'm sure if I was working with teachers all the time I'd wish I was with kids. Since I'm a stay at home mom right now, I find myself longing for the classroom, a place I said I'd probably not go back to once I had my masters. But it's pulling my heart strings.
Deletel agree with what you told Erin.....regardless of whether we're reading specialists or not, we can still be coaches. That's what I'm working towards, being a better coach.
DeleteKatilin, I think you make a good point about the importance of relationships in coaching and of making the point that it doesn't have to be about "not doing well". I like the idea of team coaching as well as I think bringing together people who all want to learn together to improve student learning makes it easier on all.
ReplyDeleteI think relationships are the foundation of most things. If teachers, leaders, etc would get relationships, the possibilities with student and teacher growth would be amazing.
DeleteI personally would love to find a healthy balance of working with students and with teachers. However, I am realistic and I know that a literacy coach is also required at a lot of meetings, for assessments, and other various jobs, which will pull away from what I believe to be the most important aspect-working with teachers.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of helping educators improve their teaching and helping them to recognize their strengths, while encouraging them in areas that they consider to be weak in. Sharing ideas and talking things out with another individual has always been helpful to me, so I would love to be that person for someone else.
BUT...I also love working with kids. Helping them to become better readers and writers is such an awesome feeling. Teaching students different strategies and how to apply them is a truly satisfying feeling.
I think like I commented earlier with Julie, if your in the class, you wonder about coaching teachers. If you are with teachers, you miss the kids. I think in an ideal world it would be a 50/50 split. Unfortunately, reading specialist happen to be the first pulled for duties.
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