Catalyst for Change: The Leadership Role of Reading Specialists Rita M. Bean

1. Catalyst for Change: The Leadership Role of Reading Specialists Rita M. Bean University of Pittsburgh May 4, 2004

2. What Title Should I Give this Presentation? • The Changing Role of the Reading Specialist Part 2 • More Things Change, The More They Remain the Same or (The More Things Change the More they Remain Insane) • The Coaching Role: Old Wine in new Bottles

3. Goals of Presentation • What we know about the roles of the reading specialist • What’s this coaching role? • Keys to successful leadership and coaching • Issues we face

4. What Reading Specialists Do • Three Key Roles • Instruction • Assessment • Leadership • IRA position statement calls for dual role: working with struggling readers and helping to improve classroom instruction • All are important!

5. Reading Specialists in Exemplary Schools (On a Daily Basis) Exemplary National Instruction 78% 91% Assessment 45% 25% Resource – teachers 50% 16% Plans/teachers 22% 8% • Bean, Swan, & Knaub (2003)

6. What Leadership Roles Are Part of Your Responsibility? • Resource to teachers, parents, and other professionals • Share ideas and materials with teachers? • Plan with teachers for classroom instruction? • Discuss needs of students with special educators? • Meet with parents and do workshops for them?

7. Leadership Roles • Providing professional development • Lead workshops? • Do demonstration lessons (modeling)? • Visit classrooms and provide feedback to teachers? • Assist volunteers or paraprofessionals in their work?

8. Leadership Roles • Assist in reading program development in the school • Write or revise curriculum? • Select materials for the reading program?

9. What is Leadership? • A position with authority • Traits (caring, charismatic) • Set of behaviors

10. A Definition to Think About • …any activity or set of activities associated with working with others to accomplish a common goal, that of improving reading achievement. • Leading by influence – encouraging, guiding, facilitating, and coaching • Bean, R.M. (2004). The Reading Specialist Leadership in the Classroom, School, and Community. New York, Guilford Press.

11. Coaching: Is this different from the leadership role of the reading specialist? • There is an acknowledgement that the literacy coach is to work with teachers. • May or may not work with students • Seen as responsible for professional development • Most continue to lead by “influence”

13. Forms of Coaching • Level 1 – informal; helps to develop relationships • Informal conversations, study groups, assisting with assessment • Level 2 – more formal, begins to look at areas of need and focus • Co-planning lessons, team meetings • Level 3 – formal, more intense • Classroom visits; co-teaching lessons

14. Keys to Effective Leadership

15. Know Your Responsibilities • Is there a job description? • Has everyone seen it – and have you had opportunity to discuss it with teachers, etc.? • Was principal involved in developing it or at least supports it? • Is it reasonable in terms of workload, etc.?

16. Be prepared for the unexpected • No day is the same • Understand that each teacher has different expectations, different needs, and may require that the coach function in a different way.

17. Make Haste Slowly. • Start with those who are eager to see you • Use “low-risk” activities with those who may be hesitant – reluctant – or resistant.

18. Getting to Know you (Building Trust) • Characteristics that help to develop trust: • Being a good listener • Acting in a nonjudgmental way • Keeping commitments • Being interested in the person

19. Getting to Know You (Build Trust) • Start with the teacher’s agenda! • Maintain confidentiality • Stay away from evaluating teacher’s performance • Respect ideas and views of teachers

20. Work with the Principal • Our coaches tell us that principals can “make or break” their jobs. • Must understand the role • Must value the role

21. Working with Groups • Create Team Power: No one of us is as smart as all of us! • Create a Clear Purpose and Vision • Develop Skills (Build Bench Strength) • Keep the accent on the positive! • Blanchard, K., Bowles, S., Carew, D. & Parisi-Carew, E. (2001). High Five! The Magic of Working Together. HarperCollins Publisher, New York.

22. Leading Professional Development Sessions • Create a strong beginning and ending. • Create an atmosphere conducive to adult learning (relaxed, opportunity for interaction) • Provide for the physical needs of participants • Less is More!

23. Develop Skills that Enable You to Observe and Provide Meaningful Feedback • Plan for your visit to the classroom with the teacher. • Plan for your conference with the teacher: • Coach as expert • Coach as collaborator • Coach as mirror • (Robbins, P. Peer Coaching, ASCD)

24. Feedback to Teachers • Focus on what you see, not on what you infer • Share information before providing advice • Suggest alternatives • Focus on what teacher requests • Focus on what teacher can manage • Use the data you collected from your visit

25. Being a Lifelong Learner • Importance of self-reflection • Network with others

26. Issues in the Field • Need for selection of coaches who are prepared to handle the responsibilities • Need for Training • Balance between working with children and working with teachers (not ignoring the need for providing instruction to struggling readers) • Getting evidence about effectiveness of coaches – K-12.