Back to Basics

Julie Schwartzbauer contributed today's thinking. To understand more, begin with Julie's first post about her district's Back to Basics plan.

The district goal of the Back to Basics plan is for coaches to support teachers in deepening their understanding of the workshop framework, by refining their practices and developing expertise in the components of balanced literacy.

The coaching Professional Learning Community (PLC) meets bi-weekly each month and consists of building literacy coaches across the district. At each PLC the focus is on a pre-selected component of balanced literacy.  The focus on each component will last for approximately two months, or as needed, determined through observations and reflections on the initial goals and objectives.

During each coaching PLC the following questions are discussed…

• How can we use our data and student work to guide our instruction in each component?
• How can each component be used as a tool to reach student learning objectives/I Can Statements ?
• What can I learn from my colleagues in this area?

Coaching PLC’s will focus on DuFour's essential questions…

• What is it we want students to learn (standard, skill, I Can statement)?
• What is your goal and how can this component help students learn?
• How will we know when students have learned it?
• What do we do for students who haven’t learned it?
• What do we do for students who already know it?

Below, you will find a table displaying the coaching cycle for the Back to Basics plan.  In my next blog I will reflect on how our district uses the coaching continuum to differentiate for coaches across the district.

First PLC	Second PLC	Third PLC	Fourth PLC
PLC will establish a district goal on component.  What are our shared beliefs and understandings of the component? PLC will dig deeper into several resources related to focus component.	Coaches will return to PLC with observations of instruction of focus component in their buildings. Coaches will reflect on the following: What made the instruction in the focus component good? What did you notice about the teacher’s use of language, planning, instruction, etc.? What did you notice about teacher/student interaction? Coaches will develop a coaching plan for their building focusing on the component.	Discussion at PLC will focus on updates of coach’s plan. District coaches will differentiate for coaches based on building and coaches need. Coaches will reflect on the Coaching Continuum and their current placement in regards to coaching on the focus component. Coaches will reflect on the component and set final goals for the next two weeks of coaching.	Final reflections on focus component, district goal and coaching plans.

Ongoing

• Coaches will use the Coaching Continuum.
• Coaches will observe teachers’ instruction in component area.
• COaches will focus on student-centered learning.