Professional Development:Professional Development:Lessons for Literacy CoachesLessons for Literacy Coaches

Sharon WalpoleSharon Walpole

University of DelawareUniversity of Delaware

Our Goals and StrategiesOur Goals and Strategies

1.1. Review research related to our work in Review research related to our work in professional developmentprofessional development

Sharon will describe some findings and then ask Sharon will describe some findings and then ask you to reflect on themyou to reflect on them

2.2. Show our general professional Show our general professional development plan for GARFdevelopment plan for GARF

Mike will present the nuts and bolts of our plan and Mike will present the nuts and bolts of our plan and its relationship to researchits relationship to research

PS: We’re just getting started. We’ll learn PS: We’re just getting started. We’ll learn more about all of this. Together.more about all of this. Together.

Research to Search!Research to Search!

Literacy CoachesLiteracy Coaches Teacher LearningTeacher Learning Professional/Staff DevelopmentProfessional/Staff Development Reports from recent effortsReports from recent efforts

IRA’s Reading Coach (2004)IRA’s Reading Coach (2004)

Strong Knowledge

Base

Experienced with In-class Coaching

Strong Presenter

Experienced Teacher

Experienced withCollaborative Curriculum Design

How do the coaches with whom How do the coaches with whom you will be working measure up you will be working measure up to these standards? What can to these standards? What can we do to support their growth?we do to support their growth?

South Carolina’s Reading InitiativeSouth Carolina’s Reading Initiative(Morgan et al., 2003)(Morgan et al., 2003)

VisionVision RealityReality

Observe, demonstrate, Observe, demonstrate, study groupsstudy groups

Substitute? Testing Substitute? Testing proctor? Lunch monitor?proctor? Lunch monitor?

Regional coaches for Regional coaches for institutes and supportinstitutes and support

Literacy content, but not Literacy content, but not coaching contentcoaching content

Collaborative study Collaborative study groups for knowledgegroups for knowledge

Many teachers Many teachers uncomfortableuncomfortable

School and district School and district supportsupport

Varied support; varied Varied support; varied beliefsbeliefs

3-year time frame3-year time frame Varied acceptance by Varied acceptance by teachersteachers

How can we maintain the vision for our How can we maintain the vision for our Literacy Coaches?Literacy Coaches?

Research to Search!Research to Search!

Literacy CoachesLiteracy Coaches Teacher LearningTeacher Learning Professional/Staff DevelopmentProfessional/Staff Development Reports from recent effortsReports from recent efforts

A teacher change processA teacher change process(Guskey, 1986)(Guskey, 1986)

Change teachers’ beliefs and attitudes

Study study outcomes

Change teachers’ practices

PD TargetAreas

How can we help Literacy Coaches How can we help Literacy Coaches negotiate tensions between changes negotiate tensions between changes in practices and changes in beliefs in practices and changes in beliefs and attitudes?and attitudes?

Development of ExpertiseDevelopment of Expertise(Block, Oakar, & Hurt, 2002)(Block, Oakar, & Hurt, 2002)

Novice teachersNovice teachers Set and follow “rules”Set and follow “rules”

Advanced beginnersAdvanced beginners Sometimes bend their Sometimes bend their “rules”“rules”

Competent teachersCompetent teachers Set priorities, strategies, Set priorities, strategies, and choose methodsand choose methods

Proficient teachersProficient teachers Add expert intuitionAdd expert intuition

Expert teachersExpert teachers Add automatic, flexible, Add automatic, flexible, responsive adaptationresponsive adaptation

What implications do these stages of What implications do these stages of expertise have for Literacy Coaches? expertise have for Literacy Coaches? How can we help them?How can we help them?

Grade-Level Differences at Expert LevelGrade-Level Differences at Expert Level (Block, Oakar, & Hurt, 2002) (Block, Oakar, & Hurt, 2002)

Teacher’s Role

MotivationStrategies

ReteachingStrategies

Relating Strategies

Classroom Qualities

LessonCharacteristics

How can we help Literacy Coaches How can we help Literacy Coaches learn to balance and adjust their learn to balance and adjust their strategies for different grade levels?strategies for different grade levels?

Research to Search!Research to Search!

Literacy CoachesLiteracy Coaches Teacher LearningTeacher Learning Professional/Staff DevelopmentProfessional/Staff Development Reports from recent effortsReports from recent efforts

Research on Math and ScienceResearch on Math and Science(Birman et al., 2002)(Birman et al., 2002)

FormForm Teacher networks and study Teacher networks and study groupsgroups

DurationDuration Long and intenseLong and intense

Collective Collective ParticipationParticipation

Colleagues from same school and Colleagues from same school and same gradesame grade

ContentContent Combination of knowledge and Combination of knowledge and practicepractice

Active LearningActive Learning Observation, lesson planning, Observation, lesson planning, review of student work and datareview of student work and data

CoherenceCoherence Integrated into the whole school Integrated into the whole school curriculum plancurriculum plan

How can we communicate this How can we communicate this understanding to our Literacy understanding to our Literacy Coaches? What obstacles are they Coaches? What obstacles are they likely to face? likely to face?

From Staff Development to Student LearningFrom Staff Development to Student Learning

(Guskey & Sparks, 1996)(Guskey & Sparks, 1996)

Content

Process

Context

Quality of StaffDevelopment

Parent Knowledge/Practice

Connections withFamilies

TeacherKnowledge/Practice

School CultureSupervision/Evaluation

AdministratorKnowledge/Practice

Parent Education

School Policies

ImprovedAchievement

Areas for PlanningAreas for Planning

Content

Process

Context

Quality of StaffDevelopment

So what can we do to attend to So what can we do to attend to content, process, and context content, process, and context variables with our Literacy Coaches?variables with our Literacy Coaches?

Impact of Quality Staff Impact of Quality Staff DevelopmentDevelopment

Quality of StaffDevelopment

Parent Knowledge/Practice

Connections with Families

Teacher Knowledge/Practice

School Culture Supervision/Evaluation

Administrator Knowledge/Practice

Parent Education

So what can we do to help our Literacy So what can we do to help our Literacy Coaches to maximize the impact of Coaches to maximize the impact of their staff development? their staff development?

Impact of Changes in Knowledge and Impact of Changes in Knowledge and PracticePractice

Parent Knowledge/Practice

TeacherKnowledge/Practice

AdministratorKnowledge/Practice

School Policies

ImprovedAchievement

So what can we do to help our Literacy So what can we do to help our Literacy Coaches to maximize the impact of Coaches to maximize the impact of changes in knowledge and practice?changes in knowledge and practice?

From Staff Development to Student LearningFrom Staff Development to Student Learning

(Guskey & Sparks, 1996)(Guskey & Sparks, 1996)

Content

Process

Context

Quality of StaffDevelopment

Parent Knowledge/Practice

Connections withFamilies

TeacherKnowledge/Practice

School CultureSupervision/Evaluation

AdministratorKnowledge/Practice

Parent Education

School Policies

ImprovedAchievement

Research to Search!Research to Search!

Literacy CoachesLiteracy Coaches Teacher LearningTeacher Learning Professional/Staff DevelopmentProfessional/Staff Development Reports from recent effortsReports from recent efforts

An REA Staff Development ModelAn REA Staff Development Model(Mesmer & Karchmer, 2003)(Mesmer & Karchmer, 2003)

Staff Development in each area

Coaching &Modeling

Reflection on Data with Peers

Lessons they LearnedLessons they Learned

1.1. Collect multiple data sources to evaluate Collect multiple data sources to evaluate the quality of the staff developmentthe quality of the staff development

2.2. Rework the staff development sessions Rework the staff development sessions to respond to teachers’ needsto respond to teachers’ needs

3.3. Reward teachers for participationReward teachers for participation

4.4. Be sensitive to other curriculum Be sensitive to other curriculum pressurespressures

5.5. Actively work with the stateActively work with the state

What can we do to help our Literacy What can we do to help our Literacy Coaches to benefit from these Coaches to benefit from these lessons?lessons?

REA in GeorgiaREA in Georgia

Whole Group Support

Small Group Support

Individual Support

Choosing Whole Group FocusChoosing Whole Group Focus

Issues that pertain to all (e.g., data Issues that pertain to all (e.g., data analysis, school-level planning and analysis, school-level planning and scheduling)scheduling)

Good for short reviews of research, Good for short reviews of research, especially of areas that apply to allespecially of areas that apply to all

Introductory plans that are then Introductory plans that are then taken to the grade levelstaken to the grade levels

Whole Group ManagementWhole Group Management

Plan it carefully. Plan it carefully. • Agenda, HandoutsAgenda, Handouts• ProcedureProcedure• TimeTime• Physical settingPhysical setting

Be thoughtful of weary teachers Be thoughtful of weary teachers (e.g., movement, short group and (e.g., movement, short group and individual tasks)individual tasks)

Involve the administratorsInvolve the administrators

Choosing Small Group FocusChoosing Small Group Focus

Keep attention on children at first:Keep attention on children at first:

What is it that we want children at this What is it that we want children at this grade level to know and do?grade level to know and do?

How will we measure it?How will we measure it?

What will we do if they don’t know it?What will we do if they don’t know it?

Shift attention to curriculum, especially Shift attention to curriculum, especially curriculum specific to the grade levelcurriculum specific to the grade level

Make sure to plot the curriculum in large Make sure to plot the curriculum in large chunks, so teachers can planchunks, so teachers can plan

Choosing Small Group FocusChoosing Small Group Focus

Identify texts that address concerns for Identify texts that address concerns for that group (self-reported or after that group (self-reported or after data analysis or after observation)data analysis or after observation)• Book study groups keep teachers from Book study groups keep teachers from

feeling “naked”feeling “naked”• Book study groups keep them learning Book study groups keep them learning

together rather than learning from youtogether rather than learning from you

Small Group ManagementSmall Group Management

Establish a procedure: time, agendaEstablish a procedure: time, agenda

Have it during the regular day, with a Have it during the regular day, with a regular schedule regular schedule

Be proactive in keeping members on Be proactive in keeping members on tasktask

Make the setting positive (chocolate)Make the setting positive (chocolate)

Keep minutesKeep minutes

Use the parking lotUse the parking lot

Choosing Individual FocusChoosing Individual Focus

Use data (achievement or observation)Use data (achievement or observation)

Be specific about what needs to Be specific about what needs to changechange

Ask the teacher what type of support is Ask the teacher what type of support is best (e.g., modeling, reading, best (e.g., modeling, reading, planning, visiting, being observed)planning, visiting, being observed)

Follow through immediatelyFollow through immediately

At all three levels, remember the At all three levels, remember the looploop

Choose a Focus

Connect to Practice

Provide support

Build Knowledge

Birman, B.F., Desimone, L., Porter, A.C., & Grant, M.S. (2002, Birman, B.F., Desimone, L., Porter, A.C., & Grant, M.S. (2002, May). Designing professional development that works. May). Designing professional development that works. Educational Leadership, Educational Leadership, 28-33.28-33.

Block, C. C., Oakar, M., & Hurt, N. (2002). The Expertise of Block, C. C., Oakar, M., & Hurt, N. (2002). The Expertise of Literacy Teachers: A Continuum from Preschool to Grade 5. Literacy Teachers: A Continuum from Preschool to Grade 5. Reading Research Quarterly, 37Reading Research Quarterly, 37(2), 178-206.(2), 178-206.

Guskey, T. R., & Sparks, D. (1996). Exploring the Relationship Guskey, T. R., & Sparks, D. (1996). Exploring the Relationship between Staff Development and Improvements in Student between Staff Development and Improvements in Student Learning. Learning. Journal of Staff Development, 17Journal of Staff Development, 17(4), 34-38.(4), 34-38.

Mesmer, H.A., & Karchmer, R.A. (2003). REAlity: How the Mesmer, H.A., & Karchmer, R.A. (2003). REAlity: How the Reading Excellence Act took form in two schools. Reading Excellence Act took form in two schools. Reading Reading Teacher, 56, Teacher, 56, 636-645.636-645.

Morgan, D.N., Saylors-Crowder, K., Stephens, D., DeFord, D.E., Morgan, D.N., Saylors-Crowder, K., Stephens, D., DeFord, D.E., & Hamel. E. (2003, October). Managing the complexities of & Hamel. E. (2003, October). Managing the complexities of a state-wide reading initiative. Phi Delta Kappan, 139-145.a state-wide reading initiative. Phi Delta Kappan, 139-145.