THE IMPACT OF LITERACY COACHES.

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Bibliographic Details
Title:	THE IMPACT OF LITERACY COACHES.
Authors:	Vanderburg, Michelle¹, Stephens, Diane¹
Source:	Elementary School Journal. Sep2010, Vol. 111 Issue 1, p141-163. 23p. 1 Diagram, 1 Chart.
Subject Terms:	Reading teachers, Educational coaching, In-service training of teachers, Teacher collaboration, Teacher attitudes, Teacher development, *Teaching methods
Geographic Terms:	South Carolina
Abstract:	In order to better understand literacy coaches' impact on teachers, the authors analyzed interviews with 35 teachers who participated in a statewide professional development effort, the South Carolina Reading Initiative. For 3 years, literacy coaches facilitated bimonthly study groups for teachers and spent 4 days a week in teachers' classrooms helping them implement practices learned in study groups. The authors sought to (a) understand what coaches did that teachers found helpful, and (b) identify ways in which teachers' beliefs and practices changed because of their coach. Patterns in the data suggest the teachers valued how the coaches created a space for collaboration, provided ongoing support, and taught about research-based instructional strategies. Teachers credited their coach with helping them try new teaching practices, incorporate more authentic assessments, ground their decisions in professional literature, and create curriculum that was more student centered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database:	Education Research Complete

Description
Abstract:	In order to better understand literacy coaches' impact on teachers, the authors analyzed interviews with 35 teachers who participated in a statewide professional development effort, the South Carolina Reading Initiative. For 3 years, literacy coaches facilitated bimonthly study groups for teachers and spent 4 days a week in teachers' classrooms helping them implement practices learned in study groups. The authors sought to (a) understand what coaches did that teachers found helpful, and (b) identify ways in which teachers' beliefs and practices changed because of their coach. Patterns in the data suggest the teachers valued how the coaches created a space for collaboration, provided ongoing support, and taught about research-based instructional strategies. Teachers credited their coach with helping them try new teaching practices, incorporate more authentic assessments, ground their decisions in professional literature, and create curriculum that was more student centered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:	00135984
DOI:	10.1086/653473