EDUC 611: Literacy Coaching and Collaboration

EDUC 611: Literacy Coaching and

Collaboration

Session 11

EDUC 611 Syllabus

2

EDUC 611 Syllabus Review course syllabus

Required Text Resource Material Course Description Course Guidelines and Requirements Course Objectives Course Assignments Attendance and Late Work Grade Determination

Benedictine University 3

Course Description

4

EDUC 611 Course description

• Refer to page 2 in course syllabus


Course Objectives

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EDUC 611 Course Objectives

• Refer to pages 2 – 3 in course syllabus


EDUC 611 Major Assignments

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EDUC 611 Assignments• Please refer to your syllabus pages 3 – 5 • EDUC 611 Major Assignments:

A. Practicum Experience – Interview and Reflection Paper (5 Clock Hours) 75 pts. [DUE Sess. 7]

B. Journal Article & Presentation – 50 pts. [DUE Sess. 3, 5, or 7]

C. Literacy Coaching Reference folder & Reflection PaperD. Literacy Coaching Lesson – 50 pts. [DUE Sess. 3 or 5]

E. Professional Portfolio Artifact – Literacy Support Survey 250 pts. [DUE Sess. 9]

A. Collaboration Self-Assessment is DUE Session 8


SESSION 1 OBJECTIVES

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In Session 1, we will:• (Discuss?) the creation and importance of two

facilitation tools:• ‘Group Norms’• ‘Parking Lot’• Examine the definitions of collaboration,

collaborative leader, and relationship management• Examine the differences between a Reading

Specialist and a Literacy CoachBenedictine University 11

Session 1 objectives

EDUC 611 Textbooks

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Literacy Coaching: The Essentials

“This book achieves something which is rare in professional development books. It demonstrates how to integrate core instructional elements into successful practices…It should become a central text for study at the classroom, school, and district level.”

Anthony J. AlvaradoFormer Superintendent, District 2, New York & Former Chancellor of Instruction, San Diego City Schools


The Literacy Coach’s Survival Guide

• “A literacy coach is one who helps teachers to recognize what they know and can do, assists teachers as they strengthen their ability to make more effective use of what they know and can do, and support teachers as they learn and do more.”

Cathy A. Toll


Facilitation Tools:• Group Norms• Parking Lot

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Group NormsGroup Norms are:• Informal standards of behavior and performance that

develop from the interaction of a group and that the group agrees to adhere to:– Both agreed upon behavior and performance norms apply to

all group members – The agreed upon group norms are intended to facilitate the

groups interactions and performance


Group NormsGroup Norms:• In a group, norms will evolve on their own if nothing

purposeful is done to develop them• These ad hoc group norms often may be ‘negative’• It is better to set norms as a group rather than to allow

them to merely evolve on their own• When setting group norms it is important to:

– Ensure that norms are the result of group consensus – Ensure that they are not confused with rules

• Rules are often “handed down” and tend not to be cooperatively set• Therefore ‘rules’ are not typically effective as group norms

Benedictine University 17Phippes, M. L. & Phipps, C. A.: http://mountainrise.wcu.edu/index.php/MtnRise/article/viewFile/37/86

http://mountainrise.wcu.edu/index.php/MtnRise/article/viewFile/37/86

Group NormsGroup Norms:


• An effective way to establish Group Norms is to allow time for a group to talk and cooperatively set group norms during the first meeting

• Three areas to consider setting Group Norms are:• “Individual to Individual” • “Group to Individual” • “Individual to Group”

• These three areas of Group Norms serve to provide a 360 support structure for healthy interactions of the group from the individual to the group as a whole

Group NormsSMALL GROUP NORMS ACTIVITY:• Create a draft set of Group Norms for one of three areas• The Group Norms you create will be our class

behavior/interaction for the next five weeks• Divide into 3 small groups

– Group A: Brainstorm group norms that apply to “Individual to Individual” situations within a group

– Group B: Brainstorm group norms that apply to “Group to Individual” situations in a group

– Group C: Brainstorm group norms that apply to “Individual to Group” situations in a group


Group NormsLARGE GROUP NORMS DEBRIEF ACTIVITY:• What is the importance of Group Norms for each of the three

areas, from individuals to whole group?– Each small group will orally present their draft Group Norms to the

entire class– The class will discuss each set of Group Norms

• The class will then come to a consensus on appropriate and useful Group Norms for each area:– Individual to Individual– Group to Individual– Individual to Group


Group Norm Examples

Benedictine University 21Phippes, M. L. & Phipps, C. A.: http://mountainrise.wcu.edu/index.php/MtnRise/article/viewFile/37/86

Individual to Individual Group to Individual Individual to Group

• Be considerate• Respect each other’s space• Stay in touch during projects• Share assignment loads

equally• Keep commitments• Be considerate of feelings• Communicate no matter what!• Be supportive• Have patience• Be flexible and agreeable to

change• Be enthusiastic• Be open to others’ ideas

• Show respect in general• Respect “off” days of an individual• Don’t gang up on anyone• Give each other a chance to

explain him/herself• Listen attentively as a group when

an individual is talking• Share helpful ideas• Don’t leave if someone is talking• Don’t pick on anyone (scapegoat)

or make fun of anyone • Be a good listener as well as a

speaker

• Do your fair share• Support others• Don’t interrupt• Don’t be defensive• Be able to take

constructive criticism• No put downs• Don’t smoke

Example of Group Norm Setting done in an Academic Course at California Polytechnic State

University

http://mountainrise.wcu.edu/index.php/MtnRise/article/viewFile/37/86

Group Norms‘Group Norm’ Maintenance:• Reviewing group norms each time a group meets and

renewing each person’s commitment to them is an important way to make the shift from small talk to big talk for each and every meeting

• Serve as a reminder and help the group make the transition from our usual chatter to the more reflective pace, tone, and intention for a meeting


Parking Lot The “parking lot” facilitation approach is used for ongoing

communication during a meeting When facilitating professional development, ask/encourage

participants to voice questions, concerns or suggestions Use chart paper to jot down questions or issues that cannot be

addressed during a session, but are important “Park” (write) ideas, comments, questions that may be off target

for the meeting agenda but may be helpful to revisit at a later time This assures that important ideas are not lost and that people feel that

their comments are taken seriously The “parking lot” approach serves as a visual reminder of issues to

be addressed during future sessions


Collaboration

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Collaboration• Collaboration is a process:– Collaborative success is not the result of a formula

or the product of a structure – Collaboration is a process that requires• Attention• Commitment • Work


Collaboration• Collaboration, at the conceptual level, involves:

– Awareness - Becoming part of a working entity with a shared purpose

– Motivation - Driving to gain consensus in problem solving or development

– Self-synchronization - Deciding as individuals when things need to happen

– Participation - Participating in collaboration and expecting others to participate

– Consensus Building - Working together to find a middle point – Reciprocity – Mutual sharing– Reflection - Thinking and considering alternatives – Engagement - Proactively engaging rather than ‘wait and see’


• According to H. Rubin, author of Collaborative Leadership, Developing Effective Partnerships in Communities and Schools

• Collaboration is a:– Purposeful relationship in which all parties strategically

choose to cooperate in order to accomplish a shared outcome

– Because of its voluntary nature, the success of a collaboration depends on one or more of the collaborative leader’s ability to build and maintain these relationships


Collaboration

Rubin, Hank. (2002), Collaborative Leadership, Developing Effective Partnerships in Communities and Schools, Thousand Oak, Calif: Corwin Press, (pp. 17-20)

• Collaborative leadership includes: – The purposeful exercise of your behavior,

communication, and organizational resources to• Affect the perspective, beliefs, and behaviors of another

person • Influence that person’s relationship with you and your

collaborative enterprise– The structure and climate of an environment that

supports the collaborative relationship


Collaboration

Rubin, Hank. (2002), Collaborative Leadership, Developing Effective Partnerships in Communities and Schools, Thousand Oak, Calif: Corwin Press, (p. 2)

• Relationship Management: – Initiates and sustains relationships influencing

individuals and institutions– Recruits and retains stakeholders and decision makers

with diverse missions and goals who find their self-interests are served by collaboration

– Establishes and maintains a level of productivity in the collaboration that satisfies the collective and individual interests of its members

Rubin uses the terms “relationship builder” and “relationship management” as synonyms for collaborative leadership


Collaboration

Rubin, Hank. (2002), Collaborative Leadership, Developing Effective Partnerships in Communities and Schools, Thousand Oak, Calif: Corwin Press, (p. 2)

• An individual is a collaborative leader when he/she accepts responsibility for building and helping to ensure the success of a heterogeneous team to accomplish a shared purpose

• Collaborative leadership:– Is the skillful and mission-oriented facilitation of relevant

relationships– It is the juncture of organizing and management– Builds structures to support and sustain these productive

relationships over time• Collaborative Leaders succeed with and through people


Collaboration

Rubin, Hank. (2002), Collaborative Leadership, Developing Effective Partnerships in Communities and Schools, Thousand Oak, Calif: Corwin Press, (p. 2 - 3)

Reading Specialist

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The International Reading Association (IRA) defines a Reading Specialist as:• An expert in reading instruction, assessment, and

leadership for the reading program• Holding advanced preparation and experience

in reading• Responsible for the literacy performance of all

readers, in particular those who struggle


Reading Specialist

Web Source: http://www.reading.org/General/AboutIRA/PositionStatements/ReadingSpecialistPosition.aspx

http://www.reading.org/General/AboutIRA/PositionStatements/ReadingSpecialistPosition.aspx

The IRA’s recommendations for the roles of the reading specialist include: • Instruction—The reading specialist supports classroom teaching,

and works collaboratively to implement a quality reading program

• Assessment—The reading specialist evaluates the literacy program in general, and can assess the reading strengths and needs of students and communicate these to classroom teachers, parents, and specialized personnel such as psychologists, special educators, or speech teachers

• Leadership—The reading specialist is a resource for other educators, parents, and the community


Reading Specialist

Web Source: http://www.reading.org/General/AboutIRA/PositionStatements/ReadingSpecialistPosition.aspx

http://www.reading.org/General/AboutIRA/PositionStatements/ReadingSpecialistPosition.aspx

• Works directly with teachers to an extent, but does not necessarily focus work on this area

• When working with teachers, may be responding to teachers’ needs and concerns, but also may be directing teachers to meet requirements or implement mandatory programs


Reading Specialist

Toll, Cathy A. The Literacy Coach’s Survival Guide, (p. 5).

Literacy Coach

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Emphasizes support for teachers, although support for others also may take place

Provides direct instruction to students primarily when demonstrating for teachers

Provides evaluation of students primarily to demonstrate for teachers or to support teachers in their instructional decision making

• Spends a great amount of time working directly with teachers in individual and small-group meetings

• Works with teachers mostly in response to teachers’ needs and concerns


Literacy Coach

Toll, Cathy A. The Literacy Coach’s Survival Guide, (p. 5).

Literacy CoachWhat Must Reading Coaches Know and Be Able to Do?• Literacy coaches should have successful teaching experiences and/or preparation

at their respective levels: – Elementary – successful teaching experiences at primary and intermediate levels – Middle school - successful teaching experiences at the middle school level – High school - successful teaching experiences at the high school level

• In-depth knowledge of reading processes, acquisition, assessment and instruction• Experience working with teachers to improve their practices.• Reading coaches must have experience or preparation that enables them to

master the complexities of observing and modeling in classrooms and providing feedback to teachers

• Have experience or preparation enabling them to master the complexities of observing and modeling in classrooms and providing feedback to teachers

• Be excellent presenters and be familiar with presenting to teacher conferences at the local, state, and even national levels

Benedictine University 37Web Source: http://www.reading.org/Libraries/Position_Statements_and_Resolutions/ps1065_reading_coach.sflb.ashx

http://www.reading.org/Libraries/Position_Statements_and_Resolutions/ps1065_reading_coach.sflb.ashx

Presentation Sign-Up

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Presentation Sign-up

• Group “Chapter Presentation” Sign-up:


Session 1 Assignments

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Session 1 Assignments Due Session 2

• Read:– Toll: Chapters 1 & 2– Toll – Page 38


Session 1 & 2 Objectives

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In Session 1, we have:• (Discuss?) the creation and importance of two

facilitation tools:‘Group Norms’‘Parking Lot’

• Examined the definitions of collaboration, collaborative leader, and relationship management

• Examined the differences between a Reading Specialist and a Literacy Coach


Session 1 objectives


Session 2 objectivesIn Session 2, you will:• Review Session 1 Content• Examine collaboration in action• Evaluate the Life Cycle of a Collaboration• Identify the Dimensions of Collaborative Leadership• Explain the work of a literacy coach• Examine Educational Change

Wrap-Up Activity Example

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Pluses and Deltas• An extremely powerful, yet often misused, facilitation tool

is pluses and deltas• The easiest way to conduct pluses and deltas is to simply

write “plus” and “delta” while drawing a line down the middle onto flip chart paper

• The basic idea is after a meeting or training class (especially training classes) each person in the meeting or class will write on post-it notes things they liked about the session (pluses) and things they thought could be improved (deltas)

• Each person should leave at least one plus and delta before leaving

Benedictine University 46Web Source: How Not to Screw up Pluses and Deltas http://lssacademy.com/2007/03/29/how-not-to-screw-up-pluses-and-deltas/

http://lssacademy.com/2007/03/29/how-not-to-screw-up-pluses-and-deltas/

Pluses and Deltas• The biggest mistake people make with pluses and deltas revolves around

the proper definition of a delta• Firsts: Deltas are NOT complaints/negatives

– For example, if the room was too hot during the day a complaint would be “the room was too hot”

– A delta would be “please make the room cooler”…There is a big difference

• Second: to argue or debate with the class or meeting attendees about deltas– If someone wants the room cooler don’t make any wise comments like,

“I thought the temperature was fine” – As an administrator of the meeting or training class what you think

matters little• Lastly, when running through the pluses and deltas with the participants

(at end of the day or start of the next day) start with the deltas and end with the pluses…It makes things happier

Benedictine University 47Web Source: How Not to Screw up Pluses and Deltas http://lssacademy.com/2007/03/29/how-not-to-screw-up-pluses-and-deltas/

http://lssacademy.com/2007/03/29/how-not-to-screw-up-pluses-and-deltas/

Wrap-Up ActivityPlus/Delta: • What are your Pluses & Deltas?– What worked for you + (Plus)

– What would have been better for you (Delta)▲


EDUC 611: Literacy Coaching and

Collaboration

Session 149

Documents

EDUC 611: Literacy Coaching and Collaboration