Early Childhood Literacy Coaches' Role Perceptions and Recommendations for Change

Leader, Teacher, Diagnostician, Colleague, and Change Agent

“…Of course, negotiating these new relationships with colleagues is not without its challenges (Blamey et al., ; Deussen et al., ; Hunt & Handsfield, ; Kissel, Mraz, Algozzine, & Stover, ; Rainville & Jones, ; Walpole & Blamey, ). In particular, one study, which drew from interview data, highlighted the inherent challenges faced by reading specialists in “reform roles,” or roles focused on changing colleague's instructional practices (Donaldson et al., ).…”

Discursive Tactical Negotiations within and across Literacy Coaching Interactions

“…working with a formal model are frequently responsible for school-wide initiatives such as providing whole group professional development workshops and coordinating schoolwide literacy improvement plans and assessments (Kissel, Mraz, Algozzine, & Stover, 2011;Neufeld & Roper, 2003;Otaiba et al, 2008;Scott et al, 2012;Stephens et al, 2011). Proponents of formal literacy coaching argue that coaches are in a unique position to connect individual teacher learning with school, district, and state literacy initiatives and to bridge the gap between professional development workshops and classroom practices (Bean, 2004;Blachowicz et al, 2010;Sturtevant, 2006;McKenna & Walpole, 2008).…”

“…Many researchers have claimed that literacy coaches should be experts (Blachowicz et al, 2005;Deussen et al, 2007;Dole, 2004;Dole, Liang, Watkins, & Wiggins, 2006;Gibson, 2006;Kissel et al, 2011;Mangin & Stoelinga, 2011;Mraz, Kissel, Algozzine, Babb, & Foxworth, 2011;Teemant et al, 2010;Walpole et al, 2011).…”

“…The research is peppered with mentions of literacy coaches' emotions in relation to the unique challenges of literacy coaching, but there are few substantive discussions of how emotions are enacted within literacy coaching interactions. Rather, researchers mention literacy coaches' specific emotions, such as frustration with unclear expectations or struggles with barriers such as teacher resistance (Gibson, 2005;Gibson, 2006;Davis-& Harris, 2003;Kissel et al, 2011;Mangin & Stoelinga, 2011;McKinney & Girogis, 2009;Smith, 2007), but do not consider them as an essential element of analysis.…”

“…While many researchers have acknowledged that emotions play an important role in literacy coaches' daily work and their interactions with teachers (Gibson, 2005;Gibson, 2006;Hays & Harris, 2003;Kissel et al, 2011;Mangin & Dunsmore, 2013;Mangin & Stoelinga, 2011;McKinney & Girogis, 2009;Smith, 2007), few have specifically explored emotions in literacy coaching (Hunt & Handsfield, 2013). This study deepens the understanding of how coaches and teachers "do emotions" (Zembylas, 2005, p. 211) Much of the research on literacy coaching considers space as a backdrop for professional learning (Asaf, 2005;McKinney & Giorgis, 2009;Scott et al, 2012;Smith, 2007) without acknowledging how space operates in the production of and resistance to dominant Discourses within literacy coaching interactions.…”