Creating Moments to Coach & Lead
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Collaborative Coaching ExperiencesBy using the Problem-Solving Model, I was able to work collaboratively with a 3rd grade teacher on how to increase students use of vocabulary during their whole group instruction, and in their independent literacy rotations. While working together during this coaching cycle, we decided to create a "vocabulary spotlight" board to help students continue referring back to these chosen words. This solution allowed students to be more engaged in their creation of their vocabulary charts because they looked forward to seeing their work highlighted by the teacher. To further academically challenge her students, we implemented the technology tool Adobe Spark. This is a tool that allowed her students to draw a picture and write a meaningful sentence that supported the definitions of these words. Students could then create bi-weekly videos to showcase the vocabulary they had been learning!
Needs Assessment & Strategic Plan |
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In our Teachers as Leaders course, we have learned that as future literacy specialists it is our responsibility to determine and address areas of improvement that are needed among the staff at our schools. By collecting quantitative data around an area of need in literacy, specialists are then able to create a strategic plan with action steps in order to meet a desired goal. For my Needs Assessment & Strategic Plan, I created a Google survey for a third grade team of teachers. Based on the data, I created a plan to help them engage students in their independent ALL-block stations. The “ALL” stands for Additional Language and Literacy in the EL Educational curriculum. These rotations allow students time to complete assignments based on the whole group module lesson in order to achieve mastery of the content. Creating this plan would help these teachers effectively address the curriculum standards, plan specific spaces in the room for students to work, and implement a schedule for literacy stations each individual student would need to complete.
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Evolving into a Literacy Leader
When creating a classroom or professional learning environment, it is important for literacy leaders to be aware and in control of many critical pieces. In order to meet the individual needs of students, teachers need to be able to collaborate and receive support from literacy leaders in their school. Author Jennifer Allen (2016) of the text Becoming a Literacy Leader provides some wonderful core, foundational understandings that need to be put into place for literacy leaders to see the effects of their work with other educators. Literacy leaders have a direct impact on the staff they work with and the students they work with. Literacy leaders are impactful within the school community. I fully believe that students are able to become confident and successful in their independent studies due to the collaboration between these leaders and classroom teachers.
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