What have we heard? What does it make us think about?

1. Literacy Coaching at NRC 07 & Next Steps for the Study Groupby Nancy Shanklin & Kristin Rainville What have we heard? What does it make us think about?

2. Does coaching make a difference?(our group’s sense of important Qs to ask) • What is changing practice? T knowledge, Coach knowledge, S learning • Replicate studies – Esp. Northern Ill study. Analyzes logs in relation to student data. • PD plus coaching; just coaching?; just PD no progress • Auckland – see coaching as PD. National. Principals are different in New Zealand • Linda Dorn’s work and data • Partner up • Change in T knowledge • Consistent training model – linked to ideas in Reading Recovery

3. Does coaching make a difference?(our group’s sense of important Qs to ask) • Teacher identity; voices of teachers • Administrators and coaches working together that relationship • S achievement • Sustainability • Link to policymakers • Preparation of coaches – high impact schools; multi dilemma cases. • Logs – how to make good, have reflection; logs not prescriptive • Role vs. structure—look at the structures that schools constrain or not ($, time)

4. Raphael, Taylor, & Au(HRR Preconvention) • Work of literacy coaches is part of the work on school reform around literacy.

5. Mraz, Kissel, Kavel, Wood, Watson, & Algozzine (North Carolina Group) • Used Likert scale survey and interviewed • Interested in differences of perceptions of coaches’ role from teachers, principals, and coaches • Principals: Management & Program Implementation • Ts : Raised Qs about evaluative role of coaches • Ts and principals differ as to whether coaches ought to work with students

6. Gross Case Study of PA High School • People not hired & in place at the start of the project • Lack of clarity about the coach role • Many people left • Negative examples can be helpful

7. Rainville • Coaching is situated: Power, positioning & identity (vs just “context”) • There are many ways to work with resistance (read & response) – set up alternate structures • Remember all 3 of these coaches had consistent, strong PD & STILL there are differences in how they were able to implement

8. Toll • 4 potential different coach roles • Plus there is a “fresh perspective” • This is defined as a partnership with shared power • Emphasis in her work is on the relationship between the coach and the teacher

9. Rodgers & Rodgers • Q: How do skilled coaches coach teachers? How do coaches analyze their coaching? • Case study: 20 cases collected over 5 years, each coach observed once over a two day period, field notes during this, interviews followed. • There is a need to understand the role of emotions in adult learning better. • Questions about moving from a coach’s demonstrating to a GRR model. Real value of demonstration is probably providing teachers with alternative cases to fuel analysis and reflection.

10. Rodgers & Rodgers (cont.) • Coaches did not have a predetermined plan for interacting. • Coaches tried to involve teachers in inquiry but it was difficult. • Conclusion: Suggests that the potential to shift expertise lies in the interactions between the coach and teacher

11. Some important observations • Role of literacy coach vs identity • “Model” of literacy coaching vs coaching as a process • Conclusion: Fluidity and complexity of coaching initiatives and coaching work

12. Reading First – Bean & Zigmond • Confidentiality is important • Changes in leadership really affect coaching support and evaluation • Even in schools not making progress, coaches are still doing the same role – Something else is causing no change to take place

13. Bean et al • Have data from 19 coaches and have analyzed 5 • Five approaches to coaching: resource, mentor, manager, helper, and responder • The content in which coaches work has a major impact on how they function - # of teachers served, # struggling readers in the school, support of principals, buy in of teachers

14. Elish-Piper & L’Allier • 12 LCs, 121 teachers, 3,029 Ss • Coaching logs and student test scores • Coaches spent 48% of their time working with Ts • Total gains on DIBELS were significant for K-3. • Number of coaching hours focused on conference was found to be statistically significant in relation to students’ total gain for K, 1, and 2. (Used HLM)

15. Sturtevant, Calo, Rutherford, Pratt-Fartro • What would be most rewarding about being an LC? Impacting Ss, Impacting Ts, Focus on Reading, Professional Challenge, Affecting Change • What would be most challenging? Resistant Ts, balancing the roles of a LC, finding the time to coach and teach, meeting the needs of so many people with ranging expectations

16. Literacy Collaborative Report from Yrs 1 & 2 of New Study, Fountas, Pinnell, Scharer, Bryk, Biancarosa, et al • Learn about all of the partners and projects by going to: • http://www.iisrd.org • http://irepp.stanford.edu/projects/pd.htm • See observational instruments that they have developed: http://www.iisrd.org/documents/DLLT_Rubric_2007-08_FINAL.pdf

17. Literacy Collaborative Report from Yrs 1 & 2 of New Study, Fountas, Pinnell, Scharer, Bryk, Biancarosa, et al • Bryk et al’s design for this study is really worth studying • Have found changes in teachers’ practices • Also, the more coaching, the more change in teaching • Also increases in student achievement using DIBELS • Will present more results at AERA, March 08

18. What will really move the field of literacy coaching forward? • Research on work with administrators • Paul Carson • Linda Carr • Kristin Rainville • Research on school climate & vision for literacy reform; social capital • Kristin Rainville • Linda Carr • Pam Chomsky-Higgins • Potential of skills in a school; how different does it make a coach’s role

19. What will really move the field of literacy coaching forward? • Roles of coaches • as static or fluid • What are shared understandings about the role of the coach? • Expectations in the role/quality of those in the coaching role; how has the role of the coach influenced the role of the reading specialist; how does this impact preparation? • Role of the coach in working with RTI

20. What will really move the field of literacy coaching forward? • Classroom observation instruments and attitude/beliefs instruments to assess changes in teacher’s beliefs & instruction from coaching • Nature of the PD--about adult learning a coach needs to know

21. What does the study group want to work on? • Coaches work with other special professionals – resource teachers, other offices, school psychologists; bilingual and special education teachers; RTI (instructional support team & coaches role in it) • MS/HS coaching – especially with content teachers Check Langer Partnership for Learning Look at other instructional coaching – especially math • Distribution of leadership when a coach is present (Hathaway & Risko) • Capacity beyond the coach; when the coach leaves • CHAT – Cultural, historical activity theory • Home grown efforts – small schools • Connect to student achievement – Susan L’Allier • How do you describe quality/effective coaching – Judy, Susan, Beth • What is the expertise? Working and doing ? Not all one on one How do you capture this (LeAnne); video,

22. Additional Observations • Publication of research & important work needs to happen more quickly • Where are the outlets for publication? • Mentoring and learning • Serve as critical friends for each other • Keep eyes out for places that can be outlets • Send out places where we are trolling • So what link to S achievement; T practice; T knowledge • Is important chance for school-based and university researchers to work together