Insights That Helped Me Shift from Nervous Newbie to Confident Coach
By Rhonda M Brown, M.Ed., Professional Learning Consultant
When I first stepped into the role of a literacy coach, I brought a background in science education, a love for reading, and a lot of questions. Over the past five years, I’ve supported dozens of teachers, sat in countless classrooms, and coached through first-day jitters, pacing problems, and everything in between.
Looking back, there are a few key lessons I wish someone had shared with me from the start—simple, human-centered practices that make a big difference in how teachers experience support. Whether you’re just stepping into a coaching role or leading a team of ELA educators through a new literacy initiative, these lessons can help you build trust, boost confidence, and make the shift to foundational literacy smoother for everyone involved.
#1 – Introduce Yourself Early to Ease Nerves
Teachers—even veteran teachers—get nervous when you observe them. During an observation, teachers falsely think they need to teach perfectly. And, of course, they want their students to act and learn perfectly. I have found that a tiny change on my part can go a long way in alleviating some of that pressure.
I always try to add time at the beginning of the day—before I conduct any meetings or observations. I like to arrive early enough to visit each classroom teacher I’ll observe, introduce myself, and ask if they have any questions. I also make a point to assure them my visit is for support and coaching only, not evaluative in any way. I want the teachers to be as comfortable as possible when I am there so they can focus on the students and the lesson—not the observation itself. I also spend some time introducing myself to the students (so they also focus on the lesson and not me).
#2 – Start and End on a Positive Note
Teachers are their own worst critics. We (yes, I still include myself in this category) always think our lesson was horrible and prepare ourselves for the following criticism. After each observation debrief, I always ask: What do you think went well? And if they can’t think of something, I show them the good things I wrote on sticky notes! As I place each note in front of them—one by one—and elaborate, I see the perception move from negative to positive. I always find something positive to say about the students in the class as well.
Once we cover the good, we focus on small changes to improve the lesson. I start with where they think they need support and build from there. Whether it’s pacing, following the lesson script, whether or not (and when) to reteach, or how to get additional resources, I always leave each debrief by giving concrete next steps.
At the end of the debrief, we choose two to three goals to improve implementation, and I remind them of the great things they should continue to do!
#3 – Share Your Story with Purpose
As a classroom science teacher, I helped students use the reading skills they already had to comprehend scientific subject matter. However, when I decided to become a literacy coach, I quickly realized I didn’t know anything about teaching students how to read. As the simple view of reading illustrates, if students can’t decode the words—even if they understand the language—they won’t be able comprehend the text.
When I started my literacy coach training, I felt like I was in way over my head. However, as the days passed, I quickly began to see the patterns emerge. Now, decoding words is second nature to me.
The first year of implementation is the toughest. Many teachers receive a mere day of curriculum training and often feel overwhelmed or uncertain. However, I always remind them that what they are learning in a few hours of training, they will teach to their students over weeks and months. Still, I often hear I just don’t know where to start. It’s easy for a teacher to think he is the only one who has ever felt that way. When I sense that I’ll never get this right feeling, I share my story.
#4 – Ask Questions to Find Solutions
Teachers are resourceful, compassionate individuals who care deeply and want the best for every one of their students. When they are confident in their instruction, their students are confident in their learning.
That’s why it breaks my heart when I hear things like:
I’m trying to do it the way I learned in training, but I have 36 students!
or:
I don’t have a place to hang my materials because I am not in the same room all day.
Or any of the other dozens of issues that can arise.
Start by asking questions and brainstorming possible solutions. In one instance, a teacher was moving from room to room to work with small groups. She wanted to project the lesson onto a large screen and have access to stationary sound wall posters. Since that wasn’t possible, she found a way to project the lessons onto a large laptop and gave the students copies of the posters for their independent transfer work. A couple of questions. Simple solution. Problem solved!
There’s always a modification (or three) when you think outside the box and get creative together.
#5 – Don’t Forget the Chocolate
When I visit a school, especially for the first time, I carefully select items for a thank you goody bag! I’m always scouring the big box stores and looking for sales on school-related items from online retailers. I include things like bookmarks, playing cards, a pen and a pad of sticky notes, or the all-important whiteboard markers—and always some chocolate, of course!
In addition to the goody bags, I bring other “gifts” to make teachers’ lives easier, such as grab-and-go student games (i.e., no prep or planning required) and manipulatives for small groups. Teachers love having a ready-made transfer activity. This practice has added more depth to my coaching, provided an easy way for the teachers to include games, and has led to more discussions about ways to make transfer and review even more fun for students. And chocolate is always a big hit.
I am beginning my fifth year as a literacy coach, and I continue to learn new lessons every day. I see students begging for more dictation words and teachers who found creative ways to incorporate or modify games to fit their classroom dynamics. I watch with sheer joy when a student gets excited about being able to read and understand words that were a mystery before. My passion for reading instruction and coaching only gets stronger as I work with more inspiring teachers!
Ready to coach with confidence? Check out our Six Strategies for Supporting Teachers eBook—a practical resource designed to help literacy coaches meet teachers where they are and guide them forward.
