Final reflection

What areas, if any, were challenging?

What went well?
This was not a challenging coaching
I think that sharing resources and helping her
experience. Mary is very open minded and
reflect on the strategies she used in the class
willing to try new things in the classroom.
went well. Mary is someone I have gotten to
Although in the beginning it was a little
know very well over the last year (we share
daunting trying to think of what
kids) and it made for a low stress coaching
resources/strategies to use because there are
experience. Still a little nervous for when I start
just so many out there!
coaching those teachers whom I do not know
as well! She was very receptive to all the
resources and very easy to talk to. Asking her
follow up questions after she taught the lesson
went well and she was able to reflect on her
own given prompts.

What did you learn from this experience?
I learned that you need to listen to the teacher
that you are coaching. Teachers will identify
their areas of need and ways they would like
to improve their teaching practices. It is
important to let them lead those conversations
and then offer your support. I also learned
there are so many things I still do not know
about literacy! I need to continue to read and
do research even after I finish my UH classes
if I want to be a successful and
knowledgeable literacy coach moving forward.
Describe how your beliefs about coaching
have grown.
Coskie et al. (2005) discusses providing
teacher support, developing content
knowledge and skill in literacy and fostering a
professional learning community. I think this
really encapsulates my beliefs as a coach. I
need to supportive rather than evaluative
when it comes to supporting teachers. I also
need to be well versed in both my knowledge
and my practice of literacy skills. I can help
support my teachers with ongoing
professional learning experiences to create a
learning community.
What did you initially believe about coaching?
Initially I believed that coaches were the
experts. As a literacy coach you need to know
everything about everything and have had lots
of experiences in the classroom implementing
literacy practices. I believed that you were
supposed provide resources and tell the
teachers exactly what they needed to do. In
my head I guess I thought it was more of a role
where I say do this and you do it.
What else would you still like to know?
I would like to know more about facilitating job
embedded professional development.
Shanklin (2006) discusses the importance of
on going embedded learning to increase
teacher capacity to meet student needs. I
know this is an area of weakness as I have not
yet entered into a formal coaching position
and still have a lot to learn. I think I will need to
also learn what sorts of things would be
valuable to help teachers/ what they would
even like to learn more about! I think creating
a google form and ask for teacher input would
be the way to go!
What do you believe now?
Paramore (2007) states “there is no way
literacy coaches could be experts on the
students in every classroom”. This is very true.
Each student is so different, their teachers
know them best, know how they learn best,
know how they function. I think that you must
work with the teachers and provide them with
resources because they are the experts when
it comes to knowing their students.
Explain if you lived your beliefs about
coaching in your interactions with your
coaching partner, i.e. in what circumstances
did your coaching mirror your beliefs and
where did your coaching diverge from your
beliefs?
I think my coaching mirrored my new beliefs
about coaching in general. I tried really hard
to really listen to my teacher’s concerns and
areas of need. I did not say use this specific
strategy, rather I gave a variety. I explained
how to use them and then gave her the choice.
I think I am doing well with learning my new
role as a teacher supporter.