Practical Literacy Coaching
A Collection of Tools to Support Your Work
1st Edition
Published on 1. September 2009
Book
Paperback/Softback
180 pages
978-0-87207-473-6 (ISBN)
Description
Strengthen your effectiveness with proven tools developed by coaches who have "been there"!
This rich compilation of ready-made tools will enhance your literacy coaching by building skills across a wide range of responsibilities such as communication, literacy research, and technology. In an engaging, no-nonsense style, veteran coach and literacy consultant Jan Miller Burkins describes how to use each tool, provides action steps with reflection questions, and explores important aspects of coaching, including:
Defining roles-what you are, what you are not
Finding your "fit" in new coaching environments
Using forms in ways that motivate and support teachers
Assessing your impact based on a school's or district's mandate
This rich compilation of ready-made tools will enhance your literacy coaching by building skills across a wide range of responsibilities such as communication, literacy research, and technology. In an engaging, no-nonsense style, veteran coach and literacy consultant Jan Miller Burkins describes how to use each tool, provides action steps with reflection questions, and explores important aspects of coaching, including:
Defining roles-what you are, what you are not
Finding your "fit" in new coaching environments
Using forms in ways that motivate and support teachers
Assessing your impact based on a school's or district's mandate
Reviews / Votes
"This engaging resource lends an authentic voice to the challenges that literacy coaches face in their daily work and offers clear solutions for meeting those challenges. An excellent array of practical tools supports literacy coaches as they strive to establish collegial partnerships, reflect on their coaching roles, and refine coaching practices to facilitate effective learning communities." -- Maryann Mraz, Associate Professor, Reading and Elementary Education, University of North Carolina at CharlotteMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Newark
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 254 mm
Width: 178 mm
Weight
312 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-87207-473-6 (9780872074736)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Jan Miller Burkins is currently completing her sixth year as a full-time coach at Chase Street Elementary School, Athens, Georgia. She has worked as a language arts consultant for a regional educational service agency, a district-level literacy coordinator, a reading specialist, and an elementary classroom teacher. Her work as a consultant has taken her into elementary, middle, and high schools where she has helped school leaders examine their reading instruction, modeled lessons, and facilitated professional learning.
Burkins is also a part-time assistant professor at the University of Georgia, where she teaches classes to students pursuing graduate degrees in literacy education. She has also developed a series of courses for educators interested in becoming literacy coaches. Burkins is the author of Coaching for Balance: Meeting the Challenges of Literacy Coaching.
In 1989, Burkins received her undergraduate degree in early childhood education from Birmingham-Southern College in Birmingham, Alabama, and in 1993 her master's from the University of Alabama. She later earned her reading specialist certification and her doctorate from the University of Kansas in 1999. Her dissertation, which was a meta-analysis of the research on phonemic awareness, was the Dissertation of the Year for the University of Kansas School of Education and one of three finalists for the International Reading Association's Dissertation of the Year.
Burkins is also a part-time assistant professor at the University of Georgia, where she teaches classes to students pursuing graduate degrees in literacy education. She has also developed a series of courses for educators interested in becoming literacy coaches. Burkins is the author of Coaching for Balance: Meeting the Challenges of Literacy Coaching.
In 1989, Burkins received her undergraduate degree in early childhood education from Birmingham-Southern College in Birmingham, Alabama, and in 1993 her master's from the University of Alabama. She later earned her reading specialist certification and her doctorate from the University of Kansas in 1999. Her dissertation, which was a meta-analysis of the research on phonemic awareness, was the Dissertation of the Year for the University of Kansas School of Education and one of three finalists for the International Reading Association's Dissertation of the Year.
Content
Foreword
About the Author
Preface
Sharing Our Work
How This Book Came to Be
Suppositions
From Philosophy to Action
Conclusions: A Word About Imagination
Acknowledgments
Introduction: Three Metaphors for Literacy Coaching
Metaphor I: Coaching Pie
Metaphor II: Nesting Dolls
Metaphor III: Phases of the Moon
Closing Thoughts
1. Defining and Clarifying Your Role
Opening Thoughts: Finding Ourselves
Coaching Connection: Living Horizontal in a Vertical World
Related Research: Four Schools, Three Literacy Coaches, and 160 Teachers
Tools for Defining and Clarifying Your Role
A Coaching Story: Crossing Lines
Coaching Connection: Wet Cement in the Threshold
Taking Chapter 1 Personally: How Are You Defining and Clarifying Your Role?
2. Stepping Into the Work of Literacy Coaching
Opening Thoughts: Big Shoes
Coaching Connection: Sitting Big
Related Research: What Can a Coach Do for You?
Tools for Stepping Into the Work of Literacy Coaching
A Coaching Story: Quality Over Quantity
Coaching Connection: One Piece at a Time
Taking Chapter 2 Personally: How Are You Stepping Into Your Work as Literacy Coach?
3. Stretching Yourself
Opening Thoughts: Risky Business
Coaching Connection: Coaches Worth Their Salt
Related Research: Reflecting With Others
Tools for Stretching Yourself
A Coaching Story: Reading With a Different Lens
Coaching Connection: Yoga and Honoring Resistance
Taking Chapter 3 Personally: How Are You Stretching Yourself?
4. Developing and Supporting Learning Communities
Opening Thoughts: Smart Work
Coaching Connection: Red Grapes or Green Grapes
Related Research: Learning to Learn
Tools for Supporting and Developing Learning Communities
A Coaching Story: Modeling in Professional Learning
Coaching Connection: The Rubik's Cube
Taking Chapter 4 Personally: How Are You Developing and Supporting Learning Communities in Your School?
5. Coaching Individual Teachers
Opening Thoughts: Records on the Run
Coaching Connection: Thinking Outside the Mailbox
Related Research: Feedback and Situated Identities
Tools for Coaching Individual Teachers
A Coaching Story: Learning to Script Lessons
Coaching Connection: Just What I Needed
Taking Chapter 5 Personally: How Will You Work With Individual Teachers?
6. Documenting Your Work, Managing Your Time
Opening Thoughts: Matters of Time
Coaching Connection: Drumming Class
Related Key: Energy and Time
Tools for Documenting Your Work and Managing Your Time
Coaching Story: Play Fast
Coaching Connection: Machines That Make the Work Harder
Taking Chapter 6 Personally: How Do You Document Your Work and Manage Your Time?
References
Index
About the Author
Preface
Sharing Our Work
How This Book Came to Be
Suppositions
From Philosophy to Action
Conclusions: A Word About Imagination
Acknowledgments
Introduction: Three Metaphors for Literacy Coaching
Metaphor I: Coaching Pie
Metaphor II: Nesting Dolls
Metaphor III: Phases of the Moon
Closing Thoughts
1. Defining and Clarifying Your Role
Opening Thoughts: Finding Ourselves
Coaching Connection: Living Horizontal in a Vertical World
Related Research: Four Schools, Three Literacy Coaches, and 160 Teachers
Tools for Defining and Clarifying Your Role
A Coaching Story: Crossing Lines
Coaching Connection: Wet Cement in the Threshold
Taking Chapter 1 Personally: How Are You Defining and Clarifying Your Role?
2. Stepping Into the Work of Literacy Coaching
Opening Thoughts: Big Shoes
Coaching Connection: Sitting Big
Related Research: What Can a Coach Do for You?
Tools for Stepping Into the Work of Literacy Coaching
A Coaching Story: Quality Over Quantity
Coaching Connection: One Piece at a Time
Taking Chapter 2 Personally: How Are You Stepping Into Your Work as Literacy Coach?
3. Stretching Yourself
Opening Thoughts: Risky Business
Coaching Connection: Coaches Worth Their Salt
Related Research: Reflecting With Others
Tools for Stretching Yourself
A Coaching Story: Reading With a Different Lens
Coaching Connection: Yoga and Honoring Resistance
Taking Chapter 3 Personally: How Are You Stretching Yourself?
4. Developing and Supporting Learning Communities
Opening Thoughts: Smart Work
Coaching Connection: Red Grapes or Green Grapes
Related Research: Learning to Learn
Tools for Supporting and Developing Learning Communities
A Coaching Story: Modeling in Professional Learning
Coaching Connection: The Rubik's Cube
Taking Chapter 4 Personally: How Are You Developing and Supporting Learning Communities in Your School?
5. Coaching Individual Teachers
Opening Thoughts: Records on the Run
Coaching Connection: Thinking Outside the Mailbox
Related Research: Feedback and Situated Identities
Tools for Coaching Individual Teachers
A Coaching Story: Learning to Script Lessons
Coaching Connection: Just What I Needed
Taking Chapter 5 Personally: How Will You Work With Individual Teachers?
6. Documenting Your Work, Managing Your Time
Opening Thoughts: Matters of Time
Coaching Connection: Drumming Class
Related Key: Energy and Time
Tools for Documenting Your Work and Managing Your Time
Coaching Story: Play Fast
Coaching Connection: Machines That Make the Work Harder
Taking Chapter 6 Personally: How Do You Document Your Work and Manage Your Time?
References
Index