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Please reflect on what John L Brekke has to say about leadership from the chapter, describe a situation where a reading specialist or literacy coach could apply the following principles: (I have given an example under strategic thinking, but you will be doing one for each situation - don't forget your name!)

- Reading specialists can help districts/schools when new legislation such as RTI and NCLB impacts literacy instruction and expectations. They can help educate and plan for what is needed (Elizabeth) -Reading Specialists can help bring the whole literacy picture of the district together and make goals and a plan of action--like a two-year literacy plan! (Amanda) - Reading specialists can apply strategic thinking when doing curriculum work. If the district is looking at a change in curriculum, reading specialists need to step back to think of implications of the changes in curriculum. (Julie) - An RS can listen to what administrators say, what they do, listen to teachers' positive and negative conversations and communicate needs from both sides as a school moves forward on a topic in need of exploring in best-practice reading instruction. (Melanie) - A reading specialist applies strategic thinking when dealing with difficult situations within their school. Perhaps best practice is not occurring and the reading specialist needs to step in to help (think of the many vignettes we talked about in class!). The reading specialist needs to think about how to approach the situation and what the outcomes might be. (Kim) -Reading specialists can help with reading strategies or implementing new plans or ideas for the school. The literacy coach at our school helps the school out with RTI things as well as helps teachers prepare for helping students in their reading goals. They also work on presenting materials for staff development days. (Sarah) -Reading Specialists use strategic thinking when deciding what materials should be used for Language Arts and/or how to in-service the staff. They need to be aware of the various ability levels of the students, what materials are out there, who is going to pilot the materials, and once a material is decided on, how are you going to get the rest of the staff on board. (Jenny H.) -Reading specialists can help individual teachers in developing a plan to meet the needs of their students. Reading specialists can research the most current best practices and help teachers implement them. For example, The Daily Five is being done in my school. What a great way to apply all of your knowledge in a strategic way! (Jennifer) - Reading Specialists use strategic thinking when planning how to in-service staff. It is crucial to consider the most effective ways to influence and help teachers evolve as they implement new literacy activities, skills and resources. I think strategic thinking is also vital to the communication process; it helps ensure that as many people as possible share the same vision. (Nadine) -Reading specialists use strategic thinking when they help act upon strategies that are being implemented in the classroom. When they see the things that teachers are doing everyday that are working, they can go with those ideas and share them with other teachers in the district. (Mara) RS-use strategic thinking in interactions with a large group and individually. They must always try and see the larger vision and communicate that when colloborating with others. (Nikki) --> Reading specialists can use strategic thinking to be the trouble shooter for big ideas brought to the school (i.e. textbook changes, new initiatives, professional development...). The RS should ask questions and try to see the situation from all sides. She may need to play "devil's advocate" and try to see the flaws in the plans, so that they can be worked out before implementation. (Abbi) -This is a very important part of the job. Being able to suggest stratgies to use in situations is important but being able to make sure they are working is even more important. Recognizing the pros and cons of each situation needs to be done so the desired outcome is met. (Jacque) -Reading Specialists have the opportunity to reach out to staff--through individual coaching or inservices, and students--through co-taught lessons with their reg. ed teachers or by working with struggling students (Amanda) - Reading specialists can take time at the beginning of the school year to spend time in teachers' classrooms. That way both teachers and students get to know the reading specialists and feel more comfortable around them. Reading specialists need to make sure they tell teachers the positive things they see happening in the classroom to build a positive relationshop. (Julie) - Remembering that a LC or RS needs to be visible and actively engaged in student need discussions, brainstorming with teachers either informally or formally, and still managing to get the paperwork done. In other words, don't hide at your desk all the time - get to know the staff and their lives (professionally and within reason) just as much as the students in their classroom. (Melanie) -A reading specialist needs to have a way with people. I see a reading specialist as someone who can bring about change. However, not all teachers like change. If a reading specialist has good people skills, relates well to others, and communicates well then that reading specialist has a better chance of "getting in the door" with those teachers that might be more hesitant of change. (Kim) -Readings specialists/lit.coaches are seen as someone teachers can go to as a resource. They can also go into classrooms to help out teachers and students. They can go to team meetings where teachers can present any questions. This is a great way to be "seen" in the building. (Sarah) -The reading specialist really just needs to listen to the staff and their needs. They need to communicate with staff and administration on new curriculum ideas, get the staff involved- form a committee, and remain visible by offering to help support teachers when they need it.(Jenny H.) -Reading specialists also need to be able to communicate with adminstrators and parents. This is especially true when considering their time working with stuggling students. Oftentimes, parents will want to meet with them during parent teacher conferences in order to feel re-assured that their child is receiving the services they need. (Jennifer) -Reading Specialists need to be approachable. A big part of this involves effective time management so that he or she is aware of what is going on at different grade levels and in individual classrooms. An important function of Reading Specialists is to act as a link, connecting good practice, research and strategies with teachers, students and administrators. A Reading Specialist has to be available and has to have these things to offer. (Nadine) -A Reading specialist has to form relationships with the teachers in their building and get to truly know them. When this happens they are able to better support them in the classroom because they can relate to them on a personal level as well. It's important to have this feeling of comfort with one another when working together. We have two reading specialists in our district at my building level and one I have really gotten to know and trust, the other I have not and therefore feel very intimated by. (Mara) RS and Educators in general need to have the ability to relate to others- We need to be good listners and effective communicators. We need to know how to disagree professionally and most importantly show people we value their input and ideas. (Nikki) -->Reading specialists can't stay cloistered in their offices. They need to get out, eat lunch in the lounge, attend school events, wander the halls and pop into classrooms. They should probably attend some department meetings for all content areas as well. They need to be seen in the school and as part of the school community.(Abbi) -Striving to make connections with each staff member in the building is important. If it doesnt happen at the beginning of the year, giving random Kudos to those people who are not always recognized may help those connections. (Jacque) -Reading Specialists are the indiviudals that should be the most informed about current issues, ideas, and legislation in literacy. They have the opportunitiy to go to more conferences that regular teachers. In return, the reading specialist should pass on that information to the rest of the staff. (Amanda) - Reading specialists need to make sure they stay on top of what is happening in literacy so that they are ready to make a decision quickly. In addition, they should have an idea of how to evaluate the decisions that they made. This will help hold them accountable for the decisions. (Julie) - When a problem arises, step back for a few minutes, evaluate the problem, who has the authority to make a decision, who it impacts, and if anyone else needs to be involved. If you are the one making the decision, DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT! (Melanie) -As we have talked about - reading specialists are leaders. They need to be able to make decisions. However that doesn't mean they are a dictator. Reading specialists need to be able to work with others and value others' opinions yet they need to be able to make a decision and be accountable for that decision. Sometimes those decisions may be hard to make but they need to be made. (Kim) -Reading specialists/lit.coaches can sometimes be seen as a lead role in a school. They make some decisions based on students' reading abilities. Because of their role, reading specialists should keep up with the best practices and latest views in litearacy. In some schools, the reading specialist and principals work very closely in making some school decisions. (Sarah) -Reading Specialists need to attend and pursue constant professional development opportunities. They need to be on the up and up. What are the newest trends? How do you help ensure differentiation in every classroom? etc. Being educated and educating your administrators and staff will help to ensure accountability. (Jenny H.) -Reading specialists may sometimes be required to administor tests to students attending the school at which they work. They may then be required to analyze the results of these tests in order to make a decision about the students placement. They must be able to provide data for their decisions. (Jennifer) -Reading Specialists do have specialized information and skills, and with that comes responsibility. They have a responsibility to disseminate information and resources. A part of this means not just being aware of new trends but being willing to implement them. That's where a common vision begins. However, this often requires change, and change can be difficult. In the role of Reading Specialist a person has to be able to make decisions and then to be willing to stand by those decisions. Like Brekke suggests, if you've got the authority to make the decision, you've got to expect to be held accountable for it. (Nadine) -Reading specialists are seen as leaders in their buildings and are often part of the decision making processes. When a decision has been made they need to remember how it might affect the teachers and be ready to work them so that they are too on the same page. I think as the reading specialist they need to be ready to act on these decisions/changes quickly and prep their teachers for them so everyone can be on board together. This is a very difficult job to do. (Mara) RS-need to be acountable to not only administation, parents, students, but also to peers as well. Other staff members often come to the RS in urgency to help a particular struggling students. RS need to balance the urgency with the accountabilty inorder not to give quick fixes to problems. (Nikki) -->Reading specialists need to follow through on decisions once they make them as well. If you decide that the current spelling program isn't working you need to get into the classrooms and show the teachers methods that work better. If you decide that the staff needs more training on Acelerated Reader you need to get them that training ASAP. It's hard for people to respect someone who makes decsions and then walks away from them and doesn't follow through. (Abbi) -Showing your dedication to help find a solution to a problem is the most important. Making sure the solution is following best practice is the main job. To do that, attending conferences and reading about current research and sharing that with the teachers is also important. (Jacque) -When I read this section, I thought of a positive culture in a school district or even school building, for that matter. The Reading Specialist has the opporutnity to establish a positive environment and attitude when it comes to literacy--and pass that on to the students and staff. The hard part may be to continue that poisitive environment and attitude. I believe that staff who have a postitive attitude and outlook will be more likely to give new materials/curriculum/strategies a try. (Amanda) - Reading specialists need to work to build positive relationships with teachers and show that they are knowledgable about literacy. With these things, teachers will feel more comfortable asking reading specialists for help. Readings specialists can them help teachers learn and grow in thier own teaching. I think that reading specialists also need to show that they are also continuing to learn and grow by going to conferences and staying on top of research. (Julie) - If you are applying for a new position, asking the principal to describe the climate in the building may give some insight into whether you're entering the 'danger zone', a school 'in limbo', or a flourishing environment. If the principal seems hesitant to share, there may be some bigger challenges for you. If they are up front, you can make an informed decision for yourself and them. Having a plan of action in terms of climate building is much more important than managers think it is - some managers maintain while many leaders motivate and inspire! (Melanie) -I see this section as the reading specialist modeling their love of reading and wanting all students and teachers to be passionate about reading. He/She creates the climate in their building to be successful and to try new things. I think this can also relate to the people-relatedness trait above. A reading specialist's relationships with teachers in the school will help create the climate of learning. (Kim) -The learning enviornment in a school matters a lot. Students can change attitudes based on the cultural of a room or learning space. As a reading specialist/lit. coach it is important to promote a positive learning enviorment and have a positive attitude when it comes to reading. Students can see this attitude and will hopefully model the positive behavior. I too think it is important that reading specialists attend workshops and professional conferences to gain new knowledge in reading. (Sarah) -Creating a positive school climate is an extremely important facet to any school. Students need to feel welcomed and comfortable in the school that they attend. The reading specialist can help to ensure this by promoting classrooms enriched in reading. (Jenny H.) -I agree with Amanda. I believe this is something all teachers need to take into account. Reading specialists are lucky in that they can influence the climate of the school in which they work and guide teachers and other staff members in developing a positive learning environment. (Jennifer) - "Culture" does mean everyone. I think it's true that working hard on something is much more rewarding, though, when there is a sense of trust among teachers. I also think an important part of establishing culture is creating a sense of ownership and professionalism. People need to feel confident that the organization, (in this case, the school) is headed in the right direction. In a sense, a big part of building culture is building confidence. (Nadine) -I agree that the culture of a school does involve everyone and the culture of a school can make or break something. As a reading specialist you need to be prepared for this and ready to work with your teachers in creating a positive culture and working environment. As a leader you are not only a model for others but too can help influence others way of thinking. (Mara) Culture is something that is constantly changing when the demographics of your population change. It is a constant learning process for all. I see the RS being a leader when it comes to awareness and sensitivity to cultural differences. (Nikki) --> The reading specialist can help create a feeling of community at the school by encouraging relationships between people. Lead by example. Help everyone feel like they belong and are important to the function of the school. This helps people feel comfortable sharing new ideas and helping each other. (Abbi) -Trying to connect all individuals in a building to create a culture of literacy is huge. Making sure people, everyone, feels a part of the culture will help get to the end product. If staff are not on board with the literacy culture of the building it will affect the students and others and ultimately could bring a good thing down. (Jacque) -Reading Specialists can help classroom teachers to plan their lessons--and give them ideas on what strategies to use when to maximize the effectiveness of their instruction. (Amanda) - Reading specalists coach other teachers through in-services and in the classroom support. They can help model strategies and support teachers while they are trying new strategies. Teachers are able to improve their teaching techniques through this coaching. (Julie) - If you ever have the opportunity to team-teach, try it! Learning from each other is so powerful. You think you might be the coach/reading teacher, however, there is so much that can be shared in both directions. Coaching is also tremendously important for new teachers and having a literacy mentor can create not only a trusting relationship, but also a stronger teacher in the long run. (Melanie) -When I think of coaching I think of the reading specialist going into a classroom and modeling lessons/strategies, etc... for the classroom teacher. I think in this position, we need to remember how we teach children and that it is not much different than how we teach adults. We explain (before the lesson you might want to explain what you are going to do), we model, and then we gradually release the responsibility to the teacher and we follow-up with questions. As a coach, we should not assume the teacher understands everything we did or talked to them about - just as we would not assume that if we were teaching children. (Kim) -Reading specialists and coaches are very helpful people in a school. They have a job that is seen as very important. Teachers can learn a lot from these helpful resources. I think teachers need to remember to take advantage of these wonderful resources. Teachers should invite the specialist or coach into their classroom and make them feel welcome. (Sarah) -Coaching teachers is essential in creating reading enriched classrooms. At our school, the concept of differentiation, though not new, is difficult for some teachers to implement. Not having every student read the exact same book in class is a new concept for some teachers. The reading specialist offering to teach/coach the class/teacher on a lesson or two in their classroom is a huge help and a step in the right direction. (Jenny H.) -This goes back to my comment above--reading specialists/coaches have a wonderful gift that has been given to them. Their job has the power to influence so many people (staff and students)! By meeting with teachers and determining a need, reading specialists/coaches can really be the key to unlocking the door to a wonderful, inviting, exciting school climate. Take advantage of them if you can. (Jennifer) - Coaching is begin a "guide on the side," someone who is knowledgeable and accepting and willing to take time to model behaviors and techniques. There's an aspect to coaching that involves getting people you work with to surpass the point they're currently at. And as a Literacy Coach an important component is to keep learning yourself. We constantly find out new things through research, from other teachers, and from our own observations and experiences. To help those you coach advance, you have to continue to advance as well. It's crucial that you be there to build people up, not tear them down. It's important to listen. (Nadine) -Reading specialists as coaches have the opportunity to go into classrooms and model strategies for teachers. They too can not only model but work with the teachers on implementing new strategies with students. The reading specialist also has a role as a coach to go in and observe teachers so that they can give them feedback on ways to improve their teaching. All of these roles that they hold are very powerful. They need to remember that not all teachers will be as welcoming as others, so before they go into classrooms they need work on building that trust and respect with the classroom teacher first. (Mara) Coaching is something like in sports the RS gets better with in time. Just like a game changes so does the demands on the RS and what students need in today's school from the RS. Coaching is tricky because your working with your peers and one needs to be sensitive to that delicate balance. (Nikki) --> As coaches we need to give people the tools they need in order to make their own informed decisions. We can't do it for them. Just like in athletics, the coach can only give students the skills and tools they need and ultimately the game play is up to the team. The coach can guide and offer suggestions by the actual acting is up to the players. It's the same with literacy coaching, we can give them the tools and guides that they need, but what they do on the "court" is up to them. We need to be powerful leaders, but we can force people to do things. (Abbi) -Being a coach means to be available depending on the job descirption. Letting teachers know that you are willing and want to help is just a starting point. Getting teachers to buy into using you as a resource may take time and no one can expect everything at once. (Jacque)
 * Strategic Thinking:**
 * People-relatedness:**
 * Urgency and accountability:**
 * Cultural attention:**
 * Coaching:**