Cultivating Coaching Mindsets: An Action Guide for Literacy Leaders

A Joint Publication with the International Literacy Association:Many educators in schools have coaching responsibilities. These literacy leaders, including reading specialists, teacher-leaders, literacy coaches, and administrators, are working to develop, implement, and sustain powerful schoolwide literacy programs. They're remodeling schools to help provide highly effective, rigorous teaching and learning. To do all of this, they need to wear many hats, serving as leaders, facilitators, designers, and advocates. In Cultivating Coaching Mindsets, authors Rita M. Bean and Jacy Ippolito lay out a detailed framework to help literacy leaders promote the advancement of literacy instruction that improves and deepens learning. They discuss ways to build trust with teachers, both individually and in groups, in a shared effort to:

• Establish a school culture that promotes shared leadership and collegiality
• Help teachers use data to improve instruction and literacy learning
• Ensure that everyone maintains a focus on lifelong learning
• Work with families, communities, individuals, and the system simultaneously

The authors take a detailed look at the coaching observation cycle, explore facilitation techniques for providing meaningful feedback, and support teachers as they build their capacity to reflect on and improve literacy learning for all students.