School+-+Aldercourt+Primary+(2)

Aldercourt Primary School - // Melissa Wisniewski //

My Coaching Road Trip   (Detours and All) The opportunity to participate in the Establishing Literacy Coaches in your School Program was one that I was excited to accept. I thought of the great benefits that it would have for the school and me personally. After attending the first few days of the course I remember sitting on the train on the way home saying to myself; · “How am I going to fulfil the role of literacy coach, with all the other roles that I already have in the school?”(4 days 5\6 class teacher, 1 day release for whole school curriculum coordination, member of the leadership team) · “How will it work? We already have a literacy coach and a numeracy coach working in the school with a large majority of staff?” · “Is it wrong for people to be coached by more than one person?” · “How is going to fit into the structure of the school?”

After much thought and discussion with fellow colleagues who are also participating in the course, I made the decision that I would work with the students in my class in a coaching role. I saw this as a great opportunity to support my students in becoming more reflective of their learning and it also complimented the direction in which the senior school team where taking in regards to teaching reading with the introduction of “CAFE”.

I worked with my class to develop the structures and protocols that would allow us to successfully implement the coaching conversations into our classroom. We developed a space in the classroom with comfy chairs and bean bags that would allow the students and I to have a relaxed coaching conversation. The expectation of the class was that when I was in this space with a student that we were not to be interrupted, as it was a private learning conversation between myself and the student involved.

The implementation of coaching led to some fantastic conversations with my students about their literacy learning. Some found it quite confronting at the beginning, while others enjoyed the opportunity to reflect on their learning. Through discussions with my students about format that we were using, they stated that they now felt that they were now being given the opportunity to have more of a say and input into their learning.

Throughout the process I was continually reflecting on my own practice as a coach and as a teacher. I began to question whether what I was actually doing was coaching or was it good teaching practice. I thought about past grades that I had taught and realised that I had always engaged with my students in this manner. While in the past the conversations were not as regular, I had always asked my students to reflect on their learning and to think about the direction that they needed to go in next to move forward in their learning. Was I coaching my students? Or Had I improved my teaching practice?

I discussed my feelings with Julie Kerr at one of my school visits. Through our discussions I came to the conclusion that the line between coach and teacher had blurred in my case. While I continue to work with my students in this manner, my conversations with Julie led me to another road that would have a wider impact on the practices of the school.

Through the BER our school was receiving a 21st century learning space. The new building would become the new learning space for the grade 5\6 classes and would also house the library and computer lab. As a member of the 5\6 team and curriculum coordinator I was already starting to think about the effects that this new open learning space would have on the teaching and learning of our students. In my discussions with Julie regarding this we came to the conclusions that this would be a great opportunity for me to develop a coaching relationship with my team and focus our work together on what teaching would look like in our new building.

In our team meetings my colleagues talked about their visions for the learning space. Terms like collective responsibility were used in regard to the teaching and welfare of the students that would be taught in this space. At times I had to remove my ‘coach’s hat’ and contribute as a member of the team about my thoughts and feelings regarding teaching and learning in the new building. The professional dialogue that was taking place was fantastic and we started to put some practices into place that would help our students in their transition into the new building. These included students working with different teachers within the senior school, students across the 3 grades being grouped in accordance to their point of need for different lessons.

During term 3 my coaching journey hit another detour in the road. I applied for a new position that would commence at the beginning of the 2011 school year at a new school. Much to my delight my application was successful. However it meant that I was no longer going to be a member of the team that would implement the teaching and learning in our new learning space. I saw this as a great opportunity for me to continue to lead the discussions with the new team that would work together in 2011. I began to work with the newest member of the 2011 teaching team to get her to reflect and think about what she would like the teaching and learning to look, feel and sound like in this space. My next step was to bring the team together to start working with them in a team coaching situation. Suddenly I hit another detour in the road to coaching the 2011 senior school team. Another member had applied for an external position and was successful in their application. This now meant that there was to be another new member to the 2011 senior school team. This is where I stand currently in the road to coaching. My aim is to work with the new team to develop a teaching and learning plan for the new building.

The question I ask myself currently is; ‘Where do I take what I have learned about coaching now?’

In my new position I will be leader of the middle school. The sub school will have 7 or 8 grades with a mixture of experienced and graduate staff. I see this as a great opportunity to work with my colleagues utilising the skills, strategies and techniques that I have developed throughout this year.

I look forward to the journey that is ahead of me.