Instructional coaching supports teachers in their daily classroom instruction and is available to targeted districts in Marquette-Alger RESA.

When you think about the kind of:

• reading and writing you want your students to do
• literate lives you want your students to have
• classroom or school you want to have
• teacher or leader you want to be (Toll, 2004)

What do you need?

The role of a literacy coach is to serve as a guide, facilitator and co-learner who supports teachers in eliminating roadblocks and creating the kind of learning environment he or she envisions. Literacy coaching is a form of high quality, job-embedded, professional learning.

Below is a menu of coaching options available to support teachers and school teams in developing independent and life-long readers and writers through implementation of research-informed instructional practices.

The Essential Instructional Practices in Literacy and What Work Clearinghouse Practice Guides are a set of practices that support what research suggests will have a positive impact on literacy development and are the foundation for instructional and system level coaching:

• Prekindergarten Essential Instructional Practices
• Grades K-3 Essential Instructional Practices
• Grades 4-5 Essential Instructional Practices
• Essential Coaching Practices for Elementary Literacy
• Essential School-Wide Practices in Literacy
• Literacy Theory of Action
• Early Literacy Task Force Executive Summary

• WWC Foundational Skills to Support Reading
  
• WWC Assisting Students Who Struggle in Reading: RTI & Multi-Tier Intervention
• WWC Using Student Achievement Data to Support Instructional Decision Making
• WWC Improving Reading Comprehension in K-3
• WWC Teaching Elementary Students to be Effective Writers

System literacy coaching is available to all schools in Marquette-Alger RESA.

Below is a list of professional learning available for instructional or system coaching:

• Essential 1: Literacy Motivation & Engagement
• Essential 2: Interactive Read Alouds
• Essential 3: Small Group Instruction/Grouping Strategies
  
• Essential 4: Phonological Awareness (Heggerty)
  
• Essential 5: Explicit instruction in Letter-Sound Awareness
• Essential 6: Writing
• Essential 7: Building Vocabulary & Content Knowledge
  
• Essential 8: Abundant Reading Materials & Opportunities in the Classroom
  
• Essential 9: Observation & Assessment to Inform Instruction
  
• Essential 10: Collaborating with Families to Promote Literacy

My love for reading and writing and their incredible ability to transform lives lead me to this position as an Early Literacy Coach here at Marquette-Alger RESA. Emily Dickinson once said, “I know nothing in the world that has as much power as a word. Sometimes I write one, and I look at it, until it begins to shine.”

I believe in the power of literacy. I believe in the incredible teachers and leaders I am honored to work with. I believe in all the students we are blessed to serve. I believe it is our greatest duty and JOY to help them grow to their fullest potential so they can SHINE!

As a classroom teacher of almost two decades and a mother of three girls (ages 5, 8, 11), watching all my children grow as readers and writers was nothing short of magical. Yes, it comes with a lot of work, a lot of patience, and a lot of understanding of current research. However, I never lost track of the forest through the trees. The ultimate goal of literacy is to help us grow as human beings - to open doors, minds, hearts, and possibilities!

I am here to support you on your journey to help all your students succeed, to become more empathetic, and to help them discover their own voice and limitless potential. Thank you for all you do. I look forward to working together. Reach out anytime!

Peace,

Chandra

Email: cziegler@maresa.org
Website: www.maresa.org
Location: E. 321 Ohio St., Marquette, MI
Phone: 906-225-5100

“Separating coaching from supervising,’’ by Cathy Toll, English Leadership Quarterly, Oct. 2004, Vol. 27, No. 2. Copyright 2004, National Council of Teachers of English.