TOP TEN BELIEFS ON LITERACY COACHING

Meagan Eberstein

Kady Milliagn

10: VISION

Establish and implement a vision for what literacy

should look like in the school.

Understand the goal of implementing literacy

coaches in a district should be.

What do you want the district’s literacy program to

look like in the end?

9:DEFINE& BUILD A SCHOOL WIDE PROGRAM

Establish and communicate what the district’s

literacy program will look like and how the literacy

coaches should be used throughout the year.

Map out a game plan.

8: ADMINISTER ASSESSMENTS

Everyone loves to give tests and we know the

students love taking them!

Literacy coaches should help give the assessments

to free up the teacher’s time so they can continue

instruction in the classroom.

7: SUMMARIZE

Actually use the data that was provided from the

torture…ahem the test you gave to the students.

Literacy coaches should summarize results in a

useful and accessible way. Somehow numbers on a

graph don’t always cut it for teachers!

6: SET UP PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Literacy coaches should find useful and meaningful

staff development opportunities for teachers.

Who knew teachers could actually benefit from

attending a professional development session.

Wait….teachers are professionals?? Doesn’t show

in the paychecks!

5: SHARE RESOURCES

It’s amazing how sometimes materials and professional

text just appear.

With the lack of time in a school year we need to play

nice and share resources that work.

Practice what you preach. (Share with others!)

Literacy coaches should not force teachers to use their

materials and resources, but encourage them to try (a little

peer pressure never hurt!)

4: INDIVIDUALIZE

I know the state thinks that the teachers and students in

the school are robots, but we actually do have pulses,

hearts, and different learning styles.

Literacy coaches should introduce a variety of techniques

teachers can use in their classroom. They should also be

aware of the classroom population and teacher well

enough that they have an idea of what would best fit.

Communication is key!

3: BE AVAILABLE

It is important to observe classroom instruction to

become more familiar with the classroom population.

Trust and rapport is essential for providing timely

feedback. Even though we think we are perfect at

times, everyone has room for improvement!

2: MODEL

No we don’t mean Tyra Banks, literacy coaches

need to model instruction!

Modeling can be done in and out of the classroom

using teachers as students.

“Don’t tell me, show me!”

1: PASSION

Even though you may need a drink after school, be

passionate and love what you do!

It is in your hands to teach kids to love to read.