Hamline University
DigitalCommons@Hamline
School of Education Student Capstone Projects School of Education
Fall 2017
Literacy Coaching: A Research Based Coaching
Guide
Mary E. House Hamline University
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Recommended Citation
House, Mary E., "Literacy Coaching: A Research Based Coaching Guide" (2017).School of Education Student Capstone Projects. 118. https://digitalcommons.hamline.edu/hse_cp/118
LITERACYCOACHING:ARESEARCH BASEDRESOURCEGUIDE by
MaryE.House
Acapstonesubmittedinpartialfulfillmentofthe requirementsforthedegreeofMaster ofArtsinLiteracyEducation
HamlineUniversity SaintPaul,Minnesota
December2017
CapstoneProjectFacilitator:TrishHarvey ContentExpert:NicoleCahill
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Tomyfamily,friends,andcolleagueswhosupportedmethroughthe processofresearch andwritingofmyCapstone.Youencouragedme,challengedme,anddidnotletmequit whenIwasdiscouraged.Iwouldalsoliketo dedicatemyworkto mylatemother,who passedawayinthemidstofthistwoyearjourney. Shewouldhavebeensoproudofme.I learnedfromherthatitisnever toolateto pursueyourdreams.
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TABLEOFCONTENTS
CHAPTERONE:TheJourneytoInstructionalCoaching………....8
Introduction………...8
LiteracyMemories………..8
PathtoInstructionalCoaching………...10
CurrentReality………...12
Rationale………...12
ResearchSignificance………...14
Summary………...15
CHAPTERTWO:LiteratureReview………..16
Introduction……….16 LiteracyCoaching………....17 Definition………..17 Qualifications………18 Purpose………..18 CoachingRoles……….19
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KeyPrinciplesofCoaching……….20
CharacteristicsofEffectiveLiteracyCoaches………..21
Communication………22
Collaboration………22
IntentionalandOpportunistic………..23
LeaderinLearning………...23 CoachingModels………24 CognitiveCoaching………..24 PartnershipCoaching………25 DifferentiatedCoaching………25 CoachingContinuum………25 TransformationalCoaching………..26
AdultLearningTheory………...28
Andragogy……….28
Self-Directed……….28
Transformative………..28
Constructive-developmental……….29
School-wideProfessionalDevelopment……….30
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CollaborativeResourceManagement………..31
CollaborativeDataAnalysis……….31
StudyGroups/BookClubs………32
LessonPlanning/Co-Teaching………..32
LargeGroupLiteracyPresentations……….32
PersonalLearningCommunities………...32
Modeling………...33
ObservationandFeedback………34
MeasuringEffectiveness……….36
TeacherSurvey………...………..37
Walkthroughs………37
PeriodicFormativeAssessment………37
ProfessionalDevelopmentChecklist………38
AnecdotalData……….39
ReflectionontheLiterature………39
KeyUnderstandings………..39
ConnectingTheResearchand ThePlan………...40
Summary………...40
6 Introduction……….42 Setting/Context……….43 History………...43 Rationale………...44 TheProject………..45 PlanningResources………...45
CoachingBestPractice……….46
DifferentiatedCoachingOpportunities……….47
MeasuringEffectiveness………...49
Implementation……….49
Summary……….49
CHAPTERFOUR:Reflectionon theJourney……….51
Conclusion………..51
ThePerspectiveofResearcher,Writer,andLearner…………..………52
Reflectionof SignificanceofResearch………54
ImplicationsofCapstone………56
NextSteps inResearch………...56
Recommendations………..57
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CHAPTERONE INTRODUCTION
TheJourneytoInstructionalCoaching
"Readingshouldnotbepresentedtochildrenas achoreorduty.Itshouldbe offeredtothemasapreciousgift."—KateDiCamillo
Introduction
Thejoyofajourneyisinthevoyage, notthedestination.The destinationisnota place,butratheramovingtarget—atargetthatebbsandflows withtheknowledge graspedalongtheway.Myownliteracyjourneyisacollection ofexperiences,people, andbooksthathaveshapedmyoutlookon life,career,andmostundeniably,myfuture. Theopportunitytobeaninstructionalcoachaffordsmetheopportunity toshapethe journeyofothers.ItisimportanttomethatIprovideteachersandteamsofteachers supportthatmovesthemforwardontheirown literacyjourneys.Toprepareforthisnext step,Ireflectedonmanystepsalongthe way. Iembracedtheopportunitytoincreasemy effectivenessasaliteracycoachandIfoundmyselfasking:What impactwoulda
researchbasedcoachingguidehaveon acoach’seffectivenesswithteachers, understandingthattheendgoalof coachingisincreasedstudentachievement?
LiteracyMemories
CurledupinmyNana’slapwithapintsized,spine-torn BeatrixPotterbook listeningtoherbringPeterRabbittolifewithhervoiceisamemory thatisetchedin stoneforme.MyNana,averyprim andproperEnglishwoman,wouldtransposeherself intothetreestumphomeandtakeonvoicesofmice,rabbits,and,of course,theslyMr. Fox.ItisinthatlapthatIbeganto lovereading.Longbeforebedtime,Iwouldhandher
9 thesamestackofminiature,tatteredbooks.Mrs. Tittlemouse(1910)wastheonethatwe readcountlesstimes.EachtimeIlistenedwithanewfoundanticipationasifIdidnot reallyknowwhatwastohappen.Eachtimeit wasreadtome withthesameexcitement andpatiencesoIcouldscourthetinypicturesforthedetailsthatwere etchedinstonein myfour-year-oldmind.
AsIgrew,thereadaloudsbecameless frequent.Instead,Ibecamethereceiverof bookseachtimemyNanavisited.Shewouldalways say“hereisthe bestbookever”and handmeaclassiclike MaryPoppins(1934),WinnieThePooh(1927) ,MyFavoriteAge
(1943),andRebeccaofSunnybrookFarm(1917).Iwoulddevourthebooksshebought meandbeeagerlyanticipatingthenextbooklongbeforehernextvisit! Mymother,who wasasticklerforchildrentoexpressgratitudeforgiftstheyreceive,taughtmethata goodthankyounotealwaysstartedaconversationinaletter.Inevitably,thatmeantIhad to“discuss”thebooksomyNanawouldreallyknow howmuchIlovedit.Thiswasnota hardtaskformebecauseIreallydidlovethebooks.Iwouldbegin myletterbysaying theobligatorythankyoudeclarativesentence.ThenI wouldtellhermyfavoritepartof thebookandbeforeyouknowitIhad retoldthemostimportant partsandeliciteda responsebyaskingheraquestionaboutthebook. Mymotheralwayssaidthataquestion wasanessentialpartofagoodthankyounote ifyoudesirearesponse.Ialwaysgota responsetomynoteswhichmademelove writingnotesandletters.Ilearnedthe importanceoftheconnectionbetweenreadingandwritingatayoung age.MyNana alwayssaidthatanythingyouneedtolearn,youcanlearnfrom readingabook.A positiveattitudeaboutreadingissurelyaby-productofmychildhoodexperiences.
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PathtoInstructionalCoaching
Ihavenotlostthatloveoflisteningtopeoplereadaloudortalkingandwriting aboutbooks.Many,many,yearslaterIsatinteachertrainings andwasmesmerized listeningtothedistrictLanguageArtscoachreadfromPatriciaPolaccobooks.
Rechenka'sEgg(1988),DearMr.Falker(1998),andBabushka’sDoll(1995)had undeniablethemesforallhumankind.ThereI wasa30 somethingwomanbeing
transportedintimelisteningtoachildren’spicturebook.Itwasasimilarfeelingtositting onmyNana’slap;ithadthesame profoundimpact.Thelessonsandthemestranscend time,place,andcircumstance.Iusedtheverysamebookswith deepgratitudeand fiercenessasItaughtmyfirstclassofthirdgraderskeystoryelements.Itwasthe coachingIreceivedthatyearthatreshaped myreadinginstruction andsparkedmy interestincoaching.
AsconnectedasIfelttobooks,Ihadnotyetreallyeverwonderedhowauthors’ wrotealltheclassicsIadored.AndthenIwenttoaLucyCalkins Workshop.Ilistenedto herwiththeintensityofmyfive-year-oldself. Theformatofherworkshopandcoaching hadaprofoundimpactonme.Iwasintroducedtotheterm“seedidea”(Calkins,1994). Sheexplainedhowauthorsoftentakeideasfromtheirreallifeandmakethemintoa story.ItwasanepiphanyformeasawritingteacherthatIshould notonlyallowbut encouragethestudentstakeanexperienceandturnitintoamemoirorfictionstory.I listenedtokidstelltheirstorieswithmuch greaterintensityandpurposeasitcould becometheirnextpieceofwriting.Itwashercoachingthatcreatedaparadigmshiftin mythinkingaboutwriting.ThechangesthatI madethatyearincreasedthecapacityof
11 mystudentsaswritersandmeasaneducator.Sheprovidedamodelofdifferentiationin hercoachingthatallowedmetodothesameformystudents.Sheallowedforchoice, collaboration,andofferedpersonalizedfeedbackinherpresentationforus. Myinterest incoachingwasreignitedthatyear.
Myinformalcoachingcareerbeganlong beforeinstructionalcoacheswerein vogue.Ienteredintothefieldofeducationasasecondcareer,amother ofthree,anda womanwhowasdeterminedtomakeadifference forkidsandfamilies.Itookevery courseofferedinreading,builtanextensiveclassroomlibrary,andread everybookI couldfindonliteracy.Ispentallbutoneyearofmy18years teachingintheprimary grades.Ihostedmanystudentteachers, taughtdistrictinterventioncourses,created districtscopeandsequencesforliteracy instruction,alignedstandards,servedon
languageartscommittees,andspentmanyyearsonschoolleadershipteams. Ithrivedon professionallearningandlovedconnectingwithmany teachersinthe buildingtosupport school-wideeffortsinliteracy.But,whenaskedtoconsider thiskindofrole, Isaidnoto formalopportunitiestolead.Ilovedtheclassroom;I lovedeverysinglepart ofit.Ihad seriousdoubtsthatIcouldhavemorejobsatisfaction thanIhadbeing inchargeofa kindergartenclassroom.Honestly,IthoughtwhywouldIleaveajobIlovetobean instructionalcoach?Then,Itookaleapoffaithinmy18thyearofteaching.I
interviewedforthepositionofaliteracycoach. Ihadseveralimportantpeoplehavemore faiththanIhadinmyselfwhoassuredmewhenIdoubtedIcould dotheliteracycoach job.Iamthankfulfortheiradvice,support,andfaithinmyabilitiesfor nowIama literacycoachfortheprimarygrades atalargeelementaryschool.
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CurrentReality
Inmycurrentroleasliteracycoachinanelementarybuilding, Icherishthe opportunitytosharemylearningandexperiences withmycolleagues. Learningwithand frommycolleaguesisthehighlightofeachday. Iknowthatcarefullycraftedcoachingis theperfecttimetoteachnewconcepts,solve problems,reflectondata,andbuilda
communityofadultlearners.Coachingcreates opportunitiestolearnnewconcepts, reflectandrefinecurrentpractice,andbuild a“cultureof learningthatrecognizes collaborationasanasset”(Moran,2007,p.6).AsIsupported teachersintheir professionallearningeachday,Ifoundmyselfwantingtoknowmore aboutnotonly contentknowledgebutalsothecraftofcoachingtobetterservethemandtheworkthey dowithstudents.Iembracedthisopportunitytodeepenmyunderstandingof
instructionalcoachingintheprimarygrades.My literacyjourneyis notoveryet.
Rationale
Inadditiontotakingonanewrolelatein mycareer,Idecideditwasalsotimeto finishthemaster’sdegreeinliteracyeducationIstartedadecadeago.Thetimingofmy courseworkandmynewpositioncouldnotbe better.Iwasimmersedinnewlearning, newjob,newcolleagues,andnewexpectationsformyself. Tosaythatmy firstyearasa literacycoachwasalearningcurveis anunderstatement.My knowledgeofteaching studentswastheonlythingfamiliartomethat year.Nonetheless,Iloved mynewroleas acoach.Itshowcasedmystrengthsbutatthesametime, highlightedareasfor
professionalgrowth.Ihadsomuchto learntodo thisjobwell.
13 practicethatIhavesharedwithteachers. But,IamquitesureIdidnotdothebestjobof actuallycoachingtheminawaythatwillprofoundlyimpacttheir practice.Withouta solidbaseincoachingbestpracticefrom whichtobuild, mycoachinglacked
effectivenessandclarity.Iwasandstill amenergizedby conversationswithteachers aroundtheirpractice,Ienjoymodelinglessons,Iappreciatesteppingin tohelpinterpret datatoforminstructionalgroups,andIthoughtfullyparticipateona buildinglevelto ensuregoodinstructionforall.However,asI walkedthroughmydays,Icravedmore depthofknowledgearoundcoachingeffectively, coachingwithpurposeandpromise, andacollaborativeresourcetoguidemycoaching efforts.Ifeltthesameexcitementand energyIfeltwhenIbeganmycareer;IwasastoundedbymyeagernesstogotoajobI loveeachandeveryday-the jobofaliteracycoach.
Inmyfirstyearasaliteracycoach,Ireliedonmybestprofessionaljudgement andyearsofexperienceinmostofmyinteractionswith staff.Ifeltabitlostastherewas nothingtoanchormythoughtsintheformofacoreresourceorcurriculum.Therewere manysleeplessnightsfrettingoverwhetherIsaidordidtherightthing,askedtheright questions,analyzedthedatacorrectly,anddoneanyofthateffectively.Icamefromajob withafairlyfulltoolkittoatoolkit withnothingbuthomemadetools.Althoughthe feedbackfromteacherswassurprisinglypositivethatfirstyear,itwastimeIdoareset andgetsomeresearchbasedtoolsand frameworkstosupport literacyinstruction.During thefirstyearIsupportedteachersbyfindingresources,modeledlessons,facilitated wholeschoolworkshops,andsupportedPLCwork. Thiswasdone morereactivelyrather thansystematicallyorwithpurposefuldifferentiation. It wasthelack ofclarityfor
