What Is Our Role?

Jaimie Howe contributed today's post.

I recently read an article from The Reading Teacher titled “Leader, Teacher, Diagnostician, Colleague, and Change Agent: A Synthesis of the Research on the Role of the Reading Specialist in This Era of RtI-Based Literacy Reform,” by Emily Phillips Galloway and Nonie K. Lesaux. What a mouthful, I know. However, isn’t that truly what our jobs, as literacy coaches/reading specialists, are?  A smorgasbord of responsibilities. We have so many roles and our roles look so different across the state, within districts, and even across schools within the same district.  This article helped me to truly reflect on what my role as “Literacy Coach” entails and how it has evolved.  

In the past, I was always frustrated at the idea of our roles being so inconsistent; however, the more I reflect I understand why that is and why it may be “okay”.  Every building, every district, is at a different point in their journey.  The literacy coach needs to meet the needs of their current situation to move their building/district forward. As I've said before in my posts, we need to differentiate in all that we do, not just with our children.  It doesn't pay to move too fast, putting teachers/staff in a position they’re not ready for (frustration); however, we can’t  move too slow either. A  little push into the discomfort zone is how change happens. Think Vygotsky . . . Zone of Proximal Development.  The idea holds true in all that we do. Change does not happen overnight.  It takes time.

The charts and quotes below are from the article.  I used them to help me reflect on where my current reality is as a literacy coach in my building/district.  I looked at the first chart (Figure 1: The Roles Filled by Reading Specialists Today) and said, “Yep, I do all of these things.”  However, the most meaningful to me was looking at the second chart (TAKE ACTION!) and filling in what my role looked like for each of the 4 years I’ve been a literacy coach.  It is amazing to see how it has evolved. I’ve really done all of these jobs each year, but the percentage spent in each area has completely changed. I challenge you to take a look at your role and reflect on where you have been, where you are now, and where you want to go.

“The role of today’s reading specialist is highly influenced by school type (elementary or secondary), school performance, and the professional culture in the building.”

“Assuming the role of reading specialist in an era of school reform, requires skill

in managing uncertainty and in seeing the possibilities that exist.”

“If this review suggests anything, it is that reading specialists in an era of RtI-based reform,

remain dedicated to supporting students to become readers.”

Galloway, Emily P. & Lesaux, Nonie, K. (2014)  Leader, teacher, diagnostician, colleague, and change agent: A synthesis of the research on the role of the reading specialist in this era of RtI-based literacy reform.  The Reading Teacher, 67(8).