Support your Teachers - Monitor the Implementation
The Importance of In-School Coaches
If schools are serious about implementing SharpReading as the main instructional reading approach school-wide (this doesn't exclude other components that can be added to the reading program), then our experience tells us that investing in the training of SharpReading coaches is pivotal to success.
Purpose of a SharpReading Coach: To monitor the accurate delivery of the program and maintain its integrity over time.
As SharpReading is a teaching approach that is dependent on the consistent and accurate delivery of instructional reading routines, there is a specific teaching skill set that has to be mastered and we have developed easy-to-follow protocols to monitor this.
Learn the importance of getting your teachers to self-reflect, why team teaching is so powerful and how to observe lessons and get accurate data 'safely', without upsets. Guide teachers towards competency and fluency with online video, downloadable templates and the knowledge of 1000s of hours of work with licensed teachers.
Who can be a SharpReading Coach?
A SharpReading Coach should be:
1. A 'champion' for SharpReading in the school, that is, someone who is a SharpReading enthusiast who recognises the value of this approach and is well invested in it.
2. Someone who the school recognises has leadership potential and wishes to develop these curriculum and interpersonal skills.
3. Someone who is an accredited SharpReading teacher at either Stages 1&2 (Junior School Teacher) or Stage 3 (Middle to Upper Primary teacher). Usually a coach would specialise in the area of the school they are teaching in but it is possible for a coach to cover all of stages 1-3. Note that a teacher does not have to be an accredited teacher to make a start on the ONLiNE training course.
"This is such a different way to work with teachers and so useable in so many areas of what we do."
Resource Teachers of Literacy and Behaviour - Whakatane
PART 1: The Coach ONLiNE Course
The first step is to sign up for our SharpReading Coach ONLiNE Course.
The cost is $250 NZD ($240 AUD) and you have 12 months access to this at-your-our-pace learning to develop the observation skills and teacher support skills that that you need.
The course consists of 7 units and you can see the breakdown of the content and the time commitment in the overview below.
This is followed by working with a SharpReading Consultant to transfer the skills you have learnt into live in-class support situations with members of your staff (See part 2).
UNIT 1: Overview - What it means to be a SharpReading Coach
This unit provides you with an overview of what it means to be a SharpReading Coach. We also include suggestions about how to present your role as a Coach in Training to the staff so that there is no misunderstanding about what is being put in place.
Staff should know that initially you are learning to observe and collect data so that in the future you can support teachers with their SharpReading. This has to be navigated carefully because it quickly gets interpreted as part of the appraisal system and teachers get very anxious and defensive about ‘Observations and Feedback’.
It may not be necessary to implement these suggestions if a SharpReading Consultant has already been doing some in-school support work or if you have had a TOD day.
Time commitment: 15 minute read and two videos to watch explaining the self evaluation process for teachers if this has not been covered in your previous SharpReading training.
UNIT 2: Learn to Collect Data on the essential actions of the teaching routines
The competence indicators are a list of the essential actions in the routine. Has the teacher included these? Is the delivery accurate?
Viewing Time: Stages 1&2: 7 videos Total viewing time 1 hour 40 mins
Stage 3: 3 videos Total viewing time 1 hour
Additional processing time: 30 minutes
Note that there are more videos for Stages 1&2 because we are covering two stages.
Classroom practise: 30 mins for at least 1 practice with a colleague in a classroom
(NB: no feedback is given. This is just practice with live data collection).
UNIT 3: Giving Feedback on the Competence Indicators
Learning a simple process for after-lesson review of the data collected which allows the teacher to identify their own next steps towards greater accuracy with the competence indicators.
Viewing Time: Stages 1&2: 3 videos Total viewing time 35 mins
Stage 3: 3 videos Total viewing time 45 mins
Additional processing time: 30 minutes
Note that there are more videos for Stages 1&2 because we are covering two stages.
Classroom practise: 30 mins for at least 1 practice with a colleague in a classroom
(NB: no feedback is given. This is just practice with live data collection).
UNIT 4: Data Collection on Fluency Indicators
Once a teacher is COMPETENT with the routine delivery, the coach can now collect data on the FLUENCY Indicators - part of the teaching process where the teacher can analyse what is happening and make adjustments to their delivery to meet the needs of the students.
Viewing Time: Stages 1&2: 3 videos Total viewing time 40 mins
Stage 3: 2 videos Total viewing time 25 mins
Additional processing time: 30 minutes
Note that there are more videos for Stages 1&2 because we are covering two stages.
Classroom practise: 30 mins for at least 1 practice with a colleague in a classroom
UNIT 5: Giving Feedback on the Fluency Indicators
Expanding the feedback on the competence indicators to include the fluency indicators.
Viewing Time: Stages 1&2: 3 videos Total viewing time 20 mins
Stage 3: 2 videos Total viewing time 25 mins
Additional processing time: 30 minutes
Classroom practise: 30 mins for at least 1 practice with a colleague in a classroom
UNIT 6: Supporting the Classroom Teacher
In this unit we go through the informal support processes that the Coach can use to help a teacher develop accuracy with the Next Steps that have been identified. (Whisper Coaching, Team Teaching etc)
Processing time: 30 minutes
Practice Time: Opportunity to practice with a teacher in a classroom.
UNIT 7: Launching a School-wide Approach
Now that you have some practice with the skills you need we talk about some of the issues you may face getting teachers on board and maintaining the integrity of the programme over time.
Processing time: 30 minutes
PART 2: In-School Coach Training
The next step is the transference of the skills you have gained into your school situation. This is done working alongside a SharpReading Consultant as they provide in-class support to teachers. The transference occurs through a gradual release of responsibility in these support situations.
Step 1. Observing 'live' support sessions being run by a SharpReading Director.
Step 2. Taking part in Shared responsibility for the 'live' support sessions.
Step 3. Taking full responsibility for the support sessions (SharpReading Director observes)
The final step is to set up the School Plan for ongoing teacher training, classroom monitoring and teacher support. We have a well-established template for this and your SharpReading Consultant will guide you.
The Coach is NOT a SharpReading trainer
Being a SharpReading Coach is a support role but doesn't include the training of teachers new to SharpReading. This is very time consuming for the coach and can often result in a watered down transfer of the teaching purposes and the skills required. New teachers should attend a Start-Up Webinar to ensure they get good buy-in, and then the Coach can guided them through the ONLiNE Course, providing feedback and support as is deemed necessary.
Contact us for a quote for Part 2 of this training. Note that your staff receive personalised in-class support during this process as well as providing the opportunity for the practical training of your coaches. We plan to see 6 teachers per day (45 minute sessions per teacher) which will give you an idea of the time requirement for your school.
Go the Whole Hog - Become Accredited
A Coach who becomes accredited by us goes through rigorous practices with one of our directors to meet our high quality standards. (All our consultants have to meet theses standards).
Many teachers achieve competency with the delivery of our routines (approx 70% accuracy) but it takes extra focus to gain 85%+ accuracy and get accredited. Obtaining this level as a teacher and then becoming and accredited Coach is a fantastic achievement
Accredited Coaches will be able to:
- accredit teachers
- access school data collation tools
- document a teacher's learning journey.
- award certificates of fluency to their staff.
- be recognized on the SharpReading website.
- support the school to become SharpReading Accredited.
Plan Ahead
Develop in-school expertise to become independent.
The sooner you decide to become a Coach the sooner your teachers or whole school can edge towards mastering skills for a solid reading programme.
As a Coach you dedicate the time and develop the skills for working alongside your peers: you are in charge of the learning journey of your teachers. You set and maintain the plan and in doing so maintain high levels of teaching and the overall success of the reading programme in the school.
Sign Up to become a SharpReading Coach
Pay on Invoice for the SharpReading Coach ONLiNE Course
Fill in the form to purchase Part 1 of the training. The cost is $250 (PLUS GST for NZ customers). Access is for 12 months.