Course Syllabus
EDRD 776 Coaching Within Classrooms: Improving Teaching and Literacy
Instruction
I. Descriptive Information
A. Course Number and Title: EDRD 776: Coaching Within Classrooms:
Improving Teaching and Literacy Instruction
B. Course Description: Coaching principles and strategies related to
improvements and innovations in classroom teaching and literacy
instruction. Emphasis is on ways to work with teachers in classrooms and
professional development to bring about educational reform and
improvements in teaching and literacy instruction.
C. Course Credit: 3 semester graduate hours
D. Prerequisites: none
E. Intended Audience: Students enrolled in advanced graduate, Ed. Specialist or
Ph. D. programs.
F. Instructor: Dr. Victoria A. Oglan
II. Statement of Course Goals and Objectives
A. Course Goals: To increase teachers' expertise and ability in the following:
1. Long-term planning for professional development activities offered in
educational settings
2. Applying knowledge of interrelationships among classroom, school, sociocultural and economic contexts to develop and carry out effective professional
development related to literacy education in school contexts.
3. Planning for and conducting evaluation of teaching and instruction in literacy
contexts.
4. Applying knowledge of the principles of educational change, best
practices in literacy education, and effective coaching practices to facilitate
reform in teaching and literacy education contexts within school settings
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B. Course Objectives: At the conclusion of the course, the student should will:

Understand adult learners in professional development settings
 Plan, implement, and facilitate professional development sessions for literacy
educators

Understand the impact of social interaction as a powerful learning tool and use
this knowledge to establish effective learning communities in school settings

Understand the impact of beliefs on teacher decision-making and learning in
literacy education

Understand the role of the coach in improving literacy practices in an
educational setting

Develop abilities to use coaching strategies to bring about change

Become self reflective as a teacher and a coach of teachers

Become an agent of change within the school context, using leadership, team
building, teacher support, and program advocacy to support children’s literacy
learning.
 Understand how to draw upon research, observation, and analysis of
student/teacher actions while engaging it authentic literacy experiences to
further the learning of professional educators working in school contexts.
 Develop personal skills in organizing for change, time management, record
keeping, and managing resources to conduct professional development that is
dynamic and effective
III. Required Texts and Readings
Robb, L. (2000). Redefining staff development: A collaborative model for teachers and
administrators. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. (Book Club)
Toll, C. (2005) The literacy coach’s survival guide: Essential questions and practical
answers. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
In addition to the texts, we will read articles which will be posted to Blackboard and/or
distributed in class.
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IV. Academic Course Requirements
A. Double Entry Journal
You will keep a Double Entry Journal for all reading. BRING YOUR DEJ TO
EVERY CLASS. We will use the DEJ’s as a tool to inform our discussions.
1. Double Entry Journals must be typed using a two column format like the
example given in class.
2. Be sure to accurately cite (author, text, chapter, page number) each quote you
use. Refer to the sample given in class.
On the information side of your journal: record direct quotes, summaries of
ideas, or outlines. Your decision about what to record will depend on the type of
reading and on your needs as a teacher and learner. It also depends on what you
think is central to the author’s message. Include the necessary reference
information.
On the personal side of your journal: think about writing to yourself, to me and
to your peers. Experiment with a variety of responses. Relate the information to
your experiences; put the ideas into your own words, draw conclusions; make
connections to other readings; create visuals; ask questions. This side of the
journal must be substantive and must demonstrate levels of thinking and diversity
of thinking
Please ensure that this journal accomplishes at least these goals:
1. It should become a collection of insights and citations that are reflective of
your thinking as you move through the theoretical and practical
fundamentals of learning about reading and writing in the content areas.
2. It should show reflection about your own dispositions, knowledge, and
practices.
3. It should demonstrate clearly that you have read each assignment carefully
and thoughtfully.
B. Memoir
This writing will be a reflective piece that chronicles where you are at the
beginning of this journey as a study group leader/coach/literacy professional.
This piece will address your concerns and questions as you embark on this new
journey. Explore your thoughts, questions and wonderings at the beginning of this
journey, starting with today. Share what you know, want to know, and expect to
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learn in this course. Share who you are as a learner, teacher, and coach/study
group leader. We will have further discussions about this writing in class.
C. Final Reflective Narrative: My Learning Journey
Learning is a life-long process and learners are constantly in the process of
“outgrowing themselves”. You too will “outgrow yourselves” as you engage in
reading, writing, listening, speaking, and thinking in this course this semester and
as you move into the role of study group leader. Many of your thoughts, ideas and
reflections will be captured in your Double Entry Journals which will provide a
rich resource for writing this reflective narrative. You will use this DEJ to see
where you have “grown your knowing” through reading and reflecting. You will
write a five to seven page, double-spaced reflection of your learning journey in the
course and chronicle how you have grown over the semester. You will address
where you were when you began this journey, where you are now as a study group
leader, learner and teacher and you will explore where you predict you will go
next in your career. We will have further discussions in class about this piece.
D. Coaching Portfolio
A portfolio is a description of your coaching accomplishments supported by
relevant artifacts and reflection on those artifacts that demonstrate the thinking
process behind the artifacts. Most portfolios are NOT collections of everything
that a teacher has done in the way of coaching. Rather they are selected samples
that illustrate how your coaching philosophy has changed, how your teaching has
changed, and what you consider to be the best aspects of your coaching/teaching.
Organize your binder in sections with dividers.
You will add to your portfolio over time. The following items will be included:
1. Study group agendas
2. Study group attendance
3. Coaches notebook – this will include reflections on what is happening in your
study groups (each time your group meets you should reflect on what you
expected, what you observed, what questions remain, where you want to go
next, questions the study group participants had, anecdotes about critical
incidents etc.)
4. Artifacts used with study groups – we will discuss what these could be
5. Reference section – here you will include what professional reading you and
your study group have explored. This will take the form of an annotated
bibliography
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6. Readers’ Profile Year 2 – revisiting this experience.
7. Blogging and reflecting. Include samples of your blogging on the RAISSE
webpage.
8. Workshop – SC State Literacy Conference, Charleston SC – planning,
executing and reflection on this experience.
V. Evaluation and Grading
Each assignment will be evaluated collaboratively; by the student and instructor. It will
be rigorous, fair and reflective of the process as well as the products produced for the
course. This course is a graded course using A, B, C, D, F. Across the course, points
accrue and determine a course grade in the following manner: 90-100% is considered an
A; 80 – 89% is considered a B; 70-79% is considered a C; 60-69% is considered a D;
below 60% is considered an F. Students are required to conform to attendance guidelines
and to complete all assignments thoroughly and professionally
VI. Major Topics

Teachers (coaches) as learners; children as learners
 Building a Community of Trust (Caring, Co-learner, Communication, Tentative
Stance, Listening Carefully, Accepting where teachers are and moving forward, being
reflective, being honest)

Beliefs & practices and continuing to grow
 Coaching Strategies (Role of a Coach Creating a Vision; Assessing teachers’
needs; Conferring with teachers, giving feedback; making instructional decisions)

Reflecting on where you are as a coach/context: Challenges and Support Systems

Change Forces-organizing for change

Demonstrations as a powerful tool

Notes, records, planning, needs lists

Selected Experiences for literacy content explorations
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Bibliography of Course Readings
EDRD 776 Coaching Within Classrooms: Improving Teaching and Literacy Instruction
Barth, R. (1990) Improving schools from within. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Costa, A. & Garmston, R. (1992). Cognitive coaching leadership training--A training
syllabus. Berkeley, CA: Institute for Intelligent Behavior
Costa, A. Y Garmston, R. (1994). Cognitive coaching: A foundation for renaissance
schools. Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon
Fosnot, C. T. (1989) Enquiring teachers, enquiring learners: A constructive approach
for teaching. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
Fullan, M (1993). Change forces: Probing the depths of educational reform. London,
GB: Falmer Press.
Goodlad, J. (1990). Access to Knowledge: Agenda to Our Nation’s Schools. New York,
NY: College Board
______, (2004). A place called school: Prospects for the future (second edition). New
York, NY: McGraw Hill.
______, (1993). The ecology of school renewal. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago
Press.
Lambert, L, et. al. (1995). The constructivist leader. New York, NY: Teachers College
Press.
Lyons, C.A., & Pinnell, G.S.(2001). Systems for change in literacy education: A guide to
professional development. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Power, B.(1996) Taking Note: Improve your observational note-taking. Portland, ME:
Stenhouse.
Robb, L. (2000). Redefining staff development: A collaborative model for teachers and
administrators. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Rodgers & Pinnell, (Eds., 2002). Learning from teaching in literacy education: New
perspectives on professional development. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Schön, D. (1983) The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. New
York, NY: Basic Books.
Schön, D. (1987). Educating the reflective practitioner. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
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Toll, C. (2005) The Literacy Coach’s Survival Guide: Essential Questions and Practical
Answers Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
Toll, C. A. (2004). Reading coaches and professional development. Washington, DC:
U.S. Department of Education (at http://www.ncrel.org/rf/pd/training.htm)
Toll, C. A., Righeimer, J., & Voss, C. M. (2004). Reading First literacy coaching: A
guide for coaches and leaders. Naperville, IL: North Central Regional Educational
Laboratory (at http://www.ncrel.org/litweb/coaching/)
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