Development of a Literacy Vision
Toll (2007) points out that
experts in educational change have focused their attentions on four elements of
change. Who will lead the change, who will implement the change, what will be
changed, and how the change will occur? Typically the principals will lead the
change by setting the tone and direction, and then teachers will implement the
change. The focus then becomes what will be changed and what will the process
of change be (p. 15). Normally with the principals lead, their efforts may take
the form of developing a vision, involving the expansion of strategies for the
school to follow (Toll, 2007, p.16).
Following Toll’s four elements of change, Serigiovanni and Starratt
(2007) speak of Moral Authority. Moral
Authority, relates to the development of a school vision, and yet can keep the
focus on the visionary elements.
In agreement, “When moral authority
is in place, teachers respond to shared commitments and felt interdependence by
creating communities of practice, and schools to take on the characteristics of
communities” (Serigiovanni & Starratt, 2007, p. 32). In relation, Burkins (2007) perceives the
duty of a literacy coach as providing teachers differentiated, classroom-based
support in alignment with the school's comprehensive literacy program. In
retrospect, Toll (2007) imparts, when school personnel are looking for
different changes other than that of the literacy coach, then problems can
arise. Problems may arise within the school system that may cause the literacy
coach to focus change on areas pertinent to sustaining the literacy vision.
Toll (2007) provides 6 areas in which
to focus change. In support of the
school vision for literacy, change involves a change in 1. Behavior, 2.
Attitude, 3. Cognition 4. Inquiry 5. Systems 6. Culture. Change focused on
behavior, alludes to a behavioral approach that deals with awards and
punishment. Awards for those of the desired behavior and punishments for those
who don’t. An important concern here,
reinforced by Toll (2007) is that literacy coach may not wish to get involved
with the reward of punishment systems. By doing so, they may defame their power
of coaching (p.19). Change focus on attitude involves the literacy coach’s need
to pay attention to the classroom teacher’s change attitudes. Within the ranks, the literacy coach becomes
perceptive and be adaptive to teachers needs. It is this more personalized
approach that has a dramatic effect on building the moral authority within the
school. Change focus on cognition
relates to the act of teaching and teaching experience. A powerfully related
statement provided by Toll (2007) here is “teaching is not merely a reflection
of one's thinking. Rather, teaching is influenced by one’s beliefs, values,
perceptions, and experiences, as well as by the context of the particular
teaching act. Therefore, literacy coaches are encouraged to learn not only
about coaching, the thinking of others but also to combine such efforts with
other perspectives on change” (p. 20). Change focus on inquiry is noted as
being very rewarding for the literacy coach. Within certain schools, the school
staff and faculty is more perceptive to change by valuing the guidance of the
coach. Change focus on systems refers to school culture and the systems that
have developed. Toll (2007) writes about a healthy system where teachers strive
for academic success for children. When the system is disrupted due to change,
they typically struggle for some time, yet over time they maintain the healthy
system. It becomes the literacy coaches role to become aware of the system,
healthy or not, and to modify the system to change (p. 21-22). Change focus on
culture involves components of many of the focused areas and points out that
there is differences in change at the macro level (school) and the micro level
(teaching strategies). The focus then involves change dealing with
relationships and processes within the school. For culture change to occur at
the macro and micro systems, Toll emphasizes the importance of building trust.
This relationship then becomes focused on staff/faculty processes that support
engagement and empowerment.
Of most importance here is that the
literacy coach cannot change the culture of the school by self. Such change
requires strong leadership by the principal building on the school’s staff
commitment to change (p. 22). The school
principal as leader of moral authority deals more specifically with leading
ideas. Supporting the literacy coach
with change focused on the system would be an initial starting point involving
leading ideas. With the initial
guidance of the principal, it becomes the literacy coaches role to become aware
of the system and focus on the literacy cognition of the teachers. About change
focuses on cognition. Toll (2007) admits that a literacy coach can play a
significant role in new learning by asking important questions, providing
information, and giving teacher feedback on the teaching process used (p.20). This can is done on individual bases, yet can
be productive through group learning sessions for teachers. It becomes these sessions and individual
teacher interaction which lays insight for the literacy coach to bring about
change in teachers attitudes and gain knowledge of the school culture. Hopefully, teacher trust is gained by the
literacy coach and change focused on teacher inquiry is gained as a means of
promoting moral authority. As noted by
Serigiovanni and Starratt (2007), moral authority is derived from determined
obligations and duties that teachers feel as a result of their connection to
widely shared values, assumptions, ideals, and the connecting researched
frameworks.
References
Burkins, J. (2007). Coaching for
balance: How to meet the challenges of literacy coaching. Newark, Del.:
International Reading Association.
Toll, C.
(2005). How Do I Coach Individuals. In The literacy coach's survival
guide: Essential
questions and practical answers. Newark, DE: International
Reading Association.
Sergiovanni,
T., & Starratt, R. (2007). Supervision: A redefinition (8th ed.).
Boston, MA: McGra Hill.
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