Literacy Now

After 19 years in the classroom, I was a literacy coach. It was a leap of faith, a natural extension of what I was already doing in my daily practice, and I was ready, or so I thought. This was a new initiative in our district and, like anything new, was met with trepidation and uncertainty. Who is this person who will be coming into my room? What is she like? Why is she coming? The questions began to circulate. I could sense the tension and I needed to do something about it. It became clear as my interactions with teachers increased. I had to make them feel comfortable with me in the room. I had to create a new normal. I had to earn their trust.

Teachers experience with someone coming into their room was mostly based on being observed by an administrator and evaluated. I was not an evaluator, and although evaluation was not part of my role, being in the classroom as a supporter went against what experience told them.

Building Trust, Trusting Myself

To build trust with others, I first had to trust myself. I had to remind myself that coaching was not only new for the teachers I was coaching, it was new for me. It wasn’t always easy walking into a classroom when the climate wasn’t always very welcoming. Swallowing any apprehension and trusting in my ability was the first step. A smile, positivity, and self-trust were my allies.

Teachers are more than just teachers, they all go home and have another life. They are husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, daughters and sons, sisters and brothers. Showing an interest and concern in that life honors each teacher, makes a connection, and builds trust. Remembering a conversation from the previous week and asking, “How was your daughter’s birthday celebration?” shows a teacher you care. You connect and become a person to them, not just a coach. Little gestures go a long way in building trust.

Be Patient and Honest

When I first started coaching, I used to carry a small notebook to jot down what I discussed with a teacher and next steps. One day, a teacher I coached approached me and asked, “What are you writing in that notebook, and who are you giving that information to? My principal? The superintendent?” I was taken aback. Although she had asked to work with me and we had formed a relationship, she was uncertain. It never occurred to me she thought I might be reporting back to administrators. I opened my notebook and encouraged her to read what I had written—trust grew.  

Teachers have a lot to say. They are the pulse of the classroom and know better than anyone else what is and is not working for the children in their rooms. As a coach, it’s important to remember that you are a visitor in teachers’ rooms; you don’t hold all the answers. Listen to what teachers have to say. Listening not only gives important information, it validates the teachers and builds trust between teachers and the coach. Listening lets teachers know the coach believes what teachers have to say is important. Teachers want to tell their story and listening is the coach’s entry into their world. Be honored you are trusted and welcome.

Do What You Ask Teachers to Do

As a coach, it’s important to remember what it was like to be a classroom teacher, so it is necessary for the coach to do what you are asking teachers to do. In a classroom, I would first model the strategy I was asking the teacher to try. Then we would try it together before the teacher would try it alone. “I do, we do, you do,” was the framework and you are providing a gradual release and making yourself vulnerable before you ask the teacher to do the same. The playing field is leveled and you are not just the observer, but the doer, working together with the teacher, in tandem.

All roads here lead to trust and trust leads to a successful coaching experience.

Chris Fuller began her career teaching first and second grades in New York City and has taught through the seventh grade. She has also worked as a reading specialist and literacy coach. In one mid-sized school district, she collaborated with Grace White, a school administrator, Gail Cordello, a classroom teacher, and Gravity Goldberg, a literacy consultant, to establish a literacy coaching program, and years later, the team continues to meet and share. This post is one in a series from these educators in which they share their greatest take-aways from their collective experience. You can follow Fuller on Twitter.

photo credit: UNIVERSITY_OF_THE_FRASER_ VALLEY_PHOTOGRAPHY via photopin (license)

Being a teacher means embracing constant change. Yet all too often, teachers are told when, how, and why to change. In this monthly column, Mrs. Mimi takes on creating change for herself by rethinking old practices and redefining teaching on her own terms. 

Ah, coaching.  The word “coaching” seems synonymous with the word “training” which is a word I have always disliked.  Training implies we are simply another employee being told a new way to do our jobs, as if our jobs are all the same or we have nothing to add to the conversation.  Like we are seals learning a new trick.  As if we don't already have enough balls to balance, now we have yet another new idea, strategy, or practice.

I get it.

This is, perhaps, why so many teachers are wary of the idea of coaches in their schools.  I have seen many resist or, in some cases, totally avoid their literacy coach.  Why?  Because it's scary to really open up and allow someone else to constructively critique your practice?  Because being truly reflective also means being open to change?

Might I suggest a meeting of the minds?  Teachers, be brave and model being engaged and enthusiastic for your students.  Remind yourself what it feels like to be challenged or learn something new.  Be excited to share your learning and growth with others.  Coaches, respect and honor the knowledge teachers already possess.  Build or expand upon that knowledge slowly, but with confidence and excitement.  Always add value.  Never do harm.

Some of my most thrilling moments as a teacher came from working closely with a coach as equals.  We investigated new ways to push read-aloud instruction.  We researched and read articles about student engagement, theories around questioning and hot new titles.  We wrote lessons collaboratively, taught them in front of one another and debriefed on successes and not-so-successes.  Meeting with her never felt like "another thing on my to-do list" because it was the opposite of an arduous task.  It was thrilling work we saw have an immediate impact on students. 

Together we explored new ideas and ways of working with students.  Together we grew and showed our students what it meant to be vulnerable, brave, and engaged all at the same time; we showed them how to be learners.

Is there anything else you can ask for as a teacher?

Mrs. Mimi, a.k.a. Jennifer Scoggin, is a teacher who taught both first and second grades at a public elementary school in New York City. She's the author of  “Be Fabulous: The Reading Teacher's Guide to Reclaiming Your Happiness in the Classroom” and “It's Not All Flowers and Sausages: My Adventures in Second Grade”, which sprung from her popular blog of the same name. Mimi also has her doctorate in education from Teachers College, Columbia University.

What does a literacy coach do? I continually asked principals, superintendents, teachers, parents—even students. Everyone’s response differed. In the early implementation of coaching, some viewed the coach as a resource provider, others saw the coach as the fixer who would remediate teachers. A few thought of the coach as another collaborator, someone who could inspire their work with students. Our district was new to coaching. While energized by our coaching model, I also experienced a tinge of doubt. Quickly, I learned if coaching were to have any chance of being successful in our district, its purpose needed to be clear to all stakeholders.

Coaching as Everyday Professional Development

Coaching, I knew, was professional development. Not the sit and get model where a teacher attended a session for a day to learn something, and then returned to the district, left alone to implement. Having taught for 30 years, I participated in many of those days and recall longing to work alongside a colleague, a critical friend with whom I could try out new ideas, give and receive feedback, and grow our learning in our own classrooms. I understood the coaching our district embraced had to be the type of professional development that would allow for this exchange. It needed to be woven into the everyday fabric of teaching.

The classroom was at the heart of that learning—the place where a coach could support a teacher which, in turn, served students. The purpose of coaching, in the end, was to impact student learning. Through our coaching model, we were able to redefine professional development by giving it life within the school district.

Leadership, A Matter of Visibility, and Trust

As an instructional leader, I viewed my role as one of a guide. Too often, I observed teachers feeling discouraged—they were given curriculum and told what the latest, greatest initiative. They were told to immediately embrace and implement in their classrooms. They mostly worked in isolation and were congenial, but not very collegial. I resolved to ground my work with teachers by finding a place where their voice was valued. I felt strongly teachers needed to be empowered to examine their own strength and weakness, to seek feedback from others, and make curricular decisions that worked for their students.  Coaching was the vehicle that would pave the road to empower our teachers to do these very things.

Leading does not happen from sitting behind a desk in a remote office. I wanted to support our coaches in an authentic way. My visibility was an essential component of making the coaching model a welcome part of our professional culture. I spent as much time as I could in classrooms with our coaches so I knew first hand what challenges and successes they faced. Both teachers and coaches recognized I was there to support coaching partnerships. I also carved out time to talk with and listen to teachers, asking them about their experiences with the coaching model. How is it going for you and your students? was my simple question of choice. It became clear to me my firsthand involvement was important to teachers. Often, as I walked through the elementary school hallways, teachers stopped me to share anecdotes of working with a coach. As our coaches focused on building trust, I noticed how teachers endorsed and sought out opportunities to work alongside a coach. At the same time, the coaches worked to establish trust with teachers, I was focused on growing trust with the coaches. Our shared vision to deepen best practices around a balanced literacy model was clear. They were knowledgeable, talented, and committed to supporting teachers! By giving the coaches autonomy to make decisions and try out their innovative ideas, trust flourished. I trusted in them, valued their judgment, and continually sought their input as literacy leaders.

Feedback Matters

As we implemented the coaching model, we were mindful of how essential feedback was for its success. We thought about feedback in two ways.

Teachers needed feedback from coaches. With our consultant’s lead, we thought it most respectful to offer several types of feedback methods to teachers.

The coach could whisper in to a teacher during the lesson by offering them feedback during the lesson, tweaking it together in real time. Some teachers involved the coach in the actual lesson, while others selected to have a brief conversation with the coach on the spot as students worked independently. Or, the coach could leave a note for the teacher with points for praise and points for growth. Of course, face-to-face follow-up happened at a later time. Additionally, the coach could follow up with an email giving some general feedback and setting up a convenient time to meet to discuss the lesson. Finally, the coach was open to any unique feedback process a teacher may suggest.

Most importantly, coaches shared these feedback choices with teachers, and left the decision to choose one or several with the teacher.

Coaches needed timely feedback. Whenever possible, the coaches, our consultant, and I set aside time to talk immediately following a classroom coaching block. The coaches reflected on how effective they felt their coaching had been. What went well? What could they have done differently? As a result of taking the time to examine their process, coaches adjusted strategies, and teachers could work with those adjustments in another classroom that same day.

One of our biggest take-aways from the creation of a literacy coaching model was the importance of viewing each coach and teacher as a thought leader. If you are in the midst of creating your district’s literacy coaching model ask yourself, “How can I create a culture where everyone is empowered to contribute to the coaching model in meaningful ways?”

In our next post, we will share our third take-away: establishing the relationship between the coach and the teacher.

Grace White has worked in education for more than 30 years, teaching grades 1, 4, 5, 6 and 8. In addition her experience designing and writing curriculum helped her transition to become Wyckoff School District’s first literacy coach. In one mid-sized school district, she collaborated with Gail Cordello, a classroom teacher, Chris Fuller, a literacy coach, and Gravity Goldberg, a literacy consultant, to establish a literacy coaching program, and years later, the team continues to meet and share. This post is one in a series from the educators to share their greatest take-aways from their collective experience. You can follow White on Twitter.

I believe every child has a book that will fit them perfectly, a book they will fall in love with. It’s a book that seems like it was written just for them.  Over the past nine years I learned steps I can make as a teacher to help my students find the best fit.  

Know your literature

Before you can recommend a book to someone else, you need to be familiar with as many genres, authors, and award winning books yourself as possible. It’s easy—start with what you like.  What books did you like as a kid? As an adult?  What drew you to these stories, characters, conflict?  Was the message especially meaningful to you?  Reread a few of your favorites and then start to branch out.  Who is your target audience?  Read with this audience in mind. Try different genres, different character types, and different stories portraying the types of conflict that your students actually face. Read both the classics and new literature.  By growing the number of books you know, you will create a cornucopia of books to recommend to your young readers.

There are also many places that compile great book lists.   These are a good place to start creating your personal reading list.  Goodreads and Shelfari are both online bookshelves with book lists based on different criteria you enter.  Book award lists can also be used as a wonderful tool in finding great pieces of literature.  For young readers I recommend the Caldecott Awards, Jane Addams Children’s Book Awards, and the Theodor Suess Geisel Award list, for upper elementary I recommend the Newbery Award and honored book, Coretta Scott King Book Awards, Pura Belpre Awards, and the Edgars, and for teen readers I love reading from the Michael L. Printz, and Margaret A. Edwards award lists.  Readers of all ages can find books from the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award list—an especially great list for building your familiarity with nonfiction literature.

Get to know your readers

Before making the match between reader and book, you have to know your readers.  There are a few ways I get to better know my readers so I can best help them find their “book fit”.  On the first day of school I administer an interest survey filled with questions about reading, school life, home life, family, interests, hobbies, etc.  I even ask questions about how many hours a day they watch TV, play outside, do homework, etc.  I like to get a well-rounded picture of my students inside and outside of the classroom.  My survey changes every year.  During the first weekend after school starts, I read through these surveys and create a personalized list of three to five books for each child to have on Monday.  I also take at least one book off the shelf for each student, from their personalized list, and place it on their desk.  I try to write a short note explaining why I think they will like the book.  Usually about 50-60% of my kids actually read this first book selection I make for them.  Kids think it is neat when someone not only recommends a book for them but takes the time to take it off the shelf, and explain why they think it is a good fit.  

Match books based on a variety of criteria

The first mistake I made my first year teaching was thinking the following equation always proved true: student likes football + book about football = perfect match.  I remember recommending a book about horses to Annie, an avid horseback rider, then being disappointed when she returned it the next day saying she didn’t like it, but could she read The Indian in the Cupboard instead?  

Next, I accidentally paired the novel My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George with Nathan, a reluctant reader, but avid nature enthusiast.  I adore George’s books and had it sitting on my desk.  Nathan saw the hand-drawn illustrations that looked more like nature notes than pictures and he became interested.  He wanted to be a naturalist who worked in the wild with animals, and low and behold, so did Sam, the main character in the book. Once Nathan finished the book (his first book of the year, I might add) within five days, I sat down to figure out this new phenomenon.  I had been trying to get him to read my book recommendations for months, yet he never enjoyed anything I started him on.  He loved this novel which read more like a guide to surviving in the wild. I finally figured it out!  The theme of the book was finding your own way, when you didn’t necessarily fit in with those around you.  This theme fit so true for Nathan—someone who didn’t always fit in.  The plot of the book was a child running away to live side-by-side with nature.  Nathan dreamed of doing just that!

It dawned on me I need to match kids with books not only based on their interests, but on a theme that is true to the student’s life, or a conflict the child is currently going through, or because the student is very similar to the main character, or because the setting is so similar to that of something the student dreams about!  How simple.  I just needed to look deeper.

Conference and listen

I cannot overstate how important conferencing with students is, not only for you the teacher, but for your young readers.  Readers want to talk, to share, and to explain how the book they are reading is reaching them.  And the person they want to listen is you!  

I wish I had a great record keeping system for keeping track of who I have met with, when we met, what book they are reading, etc., but I don’t.  I do keep a notebook.  While there are some weeks I make sure to meet with a certain list of students to talk about their books, there are other weeks where this doesn’t happen. I have become creative in finding times to meet with students.  I have two separate kinds of conferences: the planned and the unplanned.  

The planned conferences happen about once or twice a month.  This is where the kids come to my meeting area to a kidney-shaped table and they sit one-on-one with me.  They can tell me whatever the like about their current book, I ask leading questions, and I bring up specific topics we are covering in class.  For example, during our biography unit we looked closely at theme.  During conferences I made sure to bring up theme conversations and I could get a really close picture not only of the book they were reading, but how well they understood the concept of theme.

The unplanned conferences happen throughout my day.  I always find a student to walk to lunch with and I always ask them about the book they are reading, or I tell them about the book I am reading.  Other great unplanned conference times include waiting in lines.  Every day in the cafeteria lunch line I book talk, during lines for the bathroom—guess what—book time!  When kids walk into my room at the beginning of the day, we talk books.  I also corner my kids when I see them outside of school.  High school basketball game? Great time for a quick conversation.  Oh, you’re grocery shopping at Walmart tonight? Let’s discuss that character you’re mad at and why.  Since I always have a book on me, I always have a conversation starter when I run into a student in public.  I even do this to past students!  

Even though conferences are sometimes hard to fit into my teaching schedule, I try to remember their purpose—to encourage my readers, listen to my readers, and get to know my readers, their excitements and struggles.

Struggling is okay

I think one misconception students have is that their teacher likes everything he/she reads. Students think I enjoy every book I come across, and they think I expect them to like every book I give them.  Show them that this is not true!  I always show kids what I struggle with. If I am reading a book that I cannot get “into,” I explain my feelings.  I let them see my struggle, and also see it is okay to not finish a book.  This is such a freeing feeling for them.  Kids should know I don’t only care about the books they like, but also the books they don’t like. When I make book recommendations I always make sure to explain that if they don’t like the book, to tell me. If that happens, we have a discussion about why this book didn’t fit. I make sure to write this down in my notes, so that I know how to make a better recommendation in the future. The more information I have, the better the “book fit”!

Emily Keifer is an ILA member and fifth-grade literacy block educator at Cowan Elementary School in Muncie, IN. She also teaches social studies curriculum and researches the role of multicultural literature in the classroom.

Remember getting a love note? How many times did you read it? How many times did you try to determine the sincerity behind it?

Love notes are why students need to have access to love stories and books about relationships at the intermediate level. I know some teachers think the topic is taboo and should be avoided so as not to encourage such feelings at school. That is like trying to stop a runaway train in a snowstorm.

Often we ask the legendary question to students, “What are you interested in?” There is a variation in answers and many boys and girls are too embarrassed to say, “love” even though that is what consumes their thoughts from fifth grade until prom. Boys are not about to willingly go to their teacher and say, “Hey teach, I am interested in a love story” or “Mr. Stygles, I need a book on relationships.” The student most certainly expects a raised eyebrow or a barrage of questions about why. Instead, boys will say they are interested in motorcycles, football, or baseball to avoid shame.

This is a tragedy. Last week, I embarrassed myself by admitting such an opinion in a conversation amongst consummate book lovers. I recall when I finally started admitting that I liked love stories, it all began with the Scarlet Pimpernel in 10th grade. I became a bit of a romantic afterwards, but who wants to be caught dead with books like that. I mean, my literary hero is Mr. Darcy, for heaven's sake. But how do we get kiddos to feel this comfortable with books of this content? The market is swamped with books like this and most are written off as girl books.

This year, we started our class by reading Firegirl by Tony Abbott, the tragic story of girl burned head to toe. She was bullied, teased, and missed tons of school for appointments. But one boy—one overweight, shy boy had the courage to talk to Firegirl. He established a relationship with her, in light of social consequences and that symbolized the courage we all wish to have. While they never dated, which is what the kids immediately want to happen, we, as a class, certainly felt he fell in love with her. Even if they were “just friends,” they came to care for each other. If you haven't read the book, I'll save the ending. It’s a killer—that eternal feeling of wanting that one moment to last forever.

The next class read-aloud was Joan Bauer's Hope Was Here, the tale of a young waitress somewhat irritated with the world. In a mix of politics, thugs, and cancer, there is love. Bauer expertly crafted the developing relationship between Braverman and Hope. Students waited and waited, chapter after chapter, for Braverman or Hope to finally announce their feelings. Hope had a rule though, never date the cook. Every single student anxiously waited for Hope to break the rule. Then it happened. The dinner “date” between the two at the restaurant was not quite Jasmine and Aladdin flying around the world on a carpet, but it's that moment where time stops and the world is owned by two people. The kids roared in applause and celebration when the date finally happened.

Look at Smile. Though not about love per se, the whole premise was about a girl crazy about a boy. What is at the heart of Tale of Desperaux and the Tiger Rising? These are captivating books. Kids want to read them. Kids love the books when they read them. If books are students connections to the world or a lens in which to see the world, why do we shut them down when it comes to talking about how people interact? Is that not character analysis? Theme? Author's craft? (Do you know how hard it is to wrap that one moment in time up into the perfect narrative?)

A rich literature (circle) conversation would be so much deeper and profound if students felt as ease to discuss relationship between characters, as opposed to retelling events and stating opinions about main events. What really was the most important part of Hope Was Here? Was it really G.T. winning the election? Or was it Hope and Braverman finally working up the nerve to do what every reader waited to read?

Let’s face it, even Ariel gave up her family and kingdom in the sea for a prince in The Little Mermaid. We teach this to our toddlers and preschoolers. Love is a part of our culture. I encourage students to embrace books about love and relationships to let them escape into a world where love is eternal and rejection is a fantasy. Children have the right to be romantic dreamers and believe in a world of happiness, hope, and happily ever after. If books are based on author's experiences or we are supposed to learn from books, wouldn't we want kids to read books of such subject matter? Maybe these books will even teach or encourage students how to engage in appropriate relationships, preventing classroom complications.

Justin Stygles is a sixth grade language arts teacher and IRA Advisory Committee of Teachers (ACT) committee member based in Norway, Maine. He also serves as the state’s Maine Reading Association coordinator.