No More Random Acts of Literacy Coaching

Teacher-coach collaboration is critical to teacher effectiveness and student learning, but sometimes the in-the-moment response rate required when supporting several teacher requests at once can make literacy coaching appear to be, well, rather random.

No More Random Acts of Literacy Coaching looks at the common obstacles and misconceptions that can prevent effective coaching, and offers strategies that literacy coaches, teachers, and principals can employ to make wise use of their time together. The authors offer practical steps to create a climate of positive professional learning that include:

• Providing responsive coaching in varied settings
• Identifying coaching activities that have the greatest impact
• Matching goals and priorities to coaching cycles
• Honoring teachers as co-designers of the work.

When literacy coaching is intentional, carefully planned, and a collaborative team effort with teachers and principals, the results are dramatic. Student literacy growth increases, and the number of students needing intervention decreases. Learn how your team can work together to accelerate student success.

Erin Brown has more than twenty years of experience as a classroom teacher, literacy specialist, literacy coach, and consultant. Her current role includes facilitating a professional learning network of literacy coaches across Michigan. While working with children is her first passion, she is honored to now learn alongside literacy educators, focusing on research-supported instruction and professional learning that is as close to the real work of classrooms as possible.

Susan L'Allier is Associate Professor Emeritus at Northern Illinois University, where she taught graduate courses in literacy leadership and coaching. A former elementary school teacher and principal, Susan's research has focused on the relationship between literacy coaching and student achievement. She is the author of numerous articles and the coauthor of two books about literacy coaching, including The Common Core Coaching Book and Collaborative Coaching for Disciplinary Literacy.