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Moments in Mathematics Coaching
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Moments in Mathematics Coaching
Improving K–5 Instruction


Other Titles in:
Coaching | Mathematics & Numeracy

March 2010 | 184 pages | Corwin

"A must-read for all mathematics teacher coaches. Woleck brings us into her coaching life by sharing these cases from her work. Through the engaging details of these personal stories, she skillfully leads us into considering various coaching models, essential coaching skills, and effective coaching practices. Focus questions at the end of each chapter add an incentive for readers to deepen their own practices and use this book as the basis for study groups."
—Euthecia Hancewicz, Mathematics Teacher Support Specialist
Mathematics Educator Support Services, Westhampton, MA

"Woleck provides an instructive and insightful analysis of what makes coaching a powerful and capacity-building resource for schools. This highly engaging and informative account details how effective coaching skills develop and become refined through research-based study, daily practice, and ongoing reflection."
—Mary Monroe Kolek, Deputy Superintendent
New Canaan Public Schools, CT

Follow a mathematics coach through real cases from actual school situations!

Kristine Reed Woleck reflects on specific cases or "moments" from her years as a mathematics coach, unpacking and examining for readers the critical elements of mathematics teaching, learning, and coaching. This accessible, practical resource discusses what effective coaching looks like and how beginning and veteran mathematics coaches in Grades K–5 can bring about meaningful improvements in mathematics instruction. The real-life cases illustrate how to

  • Incorporate key elements of coaching into practice
  • Build trusting relationships with teachers
  • Make effective decisions throughout the coaching cycle
  • Reference data and the curriculum as coaching tools
  • Use reflection to link coaching concepts to actual practice

 


 
Preface
 
Acknowledgments
 
About the Author
 
Part I. The Coach's Work
 
1. What Is Coaching?
Case: Coaching in Action, Ann, Grade 5

 
Taking a Closer Look

 
Research-Based Models of Coaching

 
Keys to Developing a Coaching Model

 
Questions for Reflecting and Linking to Practice

 
 
2. Starting the School Year
Making Introductions

 
Establishing Trust

 
Deciding Who to Coach

 
Deciding Who Not to Coach . . . Then What?

 
Getting Organized

 
Communicating With Administrators

 
Keys to Getting Started

 
Questions for Reflecting and Linking to Practice

 
 
3. The Coaching Cycle
Case: Decision Making in the Coaching Cycle, Fiona, Kindergarten

 
Taking a Closer Look

 
Defining the Focus

 
Coach's Role, Teacher's Role

 
Fiona's Case, Continued

 
Taking a Closer Look

 
The Need for Variations in the Coaching Cycle

 
Keys to the Coaching Cycle

 
Questions for Reflecting and Linking to Practice

 
 
Part II. Tools for Coaching
 
4. Using Curriculum
Defining the Meaning of Curriculum

 
Case: Talking About Curriculum, Sue, Grade 2

 
Taking a Closer Look

 
Using the Curriculum as a Coaching Tool

 
Keys to Coaching With Curriculum

 
Questions for Reflecting and Linking to Practice

 
 
5. The Role of Questioning
Case: Different Questions for Different Purposes, Nancy, Grade 1

 
Taking a Closer Look

 
Case: Planning the Questions, Rick, Grade 4

 
Taking a Closer Look

 
Case: When Open-Ended Questions Aren't Enough, Carolyn, Grade 1

 
Taking a Closer Look

 
Keys to Questioning

 
Questions for Reflecting and Linking to Practice

 
 
6. Being Explicit
Case: Making Explicit Moves, Keith, Grade 4

 
Taking a Closer Look

 
Keys to Being Explicit

 
Questions for Reflecting and Linking to Practice

 
 
7. Using Data
Case: Creating Urgency Through Data, Peggy, Grade 5

 
Taking a Closer Look

 
Tools to Facilitate the Use of Data

 
Developing Student-Focused Action Plans

 
Keys to Using Data

 
Final Thoughts About Data

 
Questions for Reflecting and Linking to Practice

 
 
Part III. Coaching Dilemmas
 
8. Confronting Classroom Errors
Case: Keeping the Mathematics in Mind, Holly, Grade 3

 
Taking a Closer Look

 
Case: Deciding When to Address an Error, Maggie, Grade 5

 
Taking a Closer Look

 
Being Proactive: Discussing How to Address an Error

 
Being Proactive: Building Mathematical Knowledge to Avoid Errors

 
Keys to Confronting Errors

 
Questions for Reflecting and Linking to Practice

 
 
9. Transforming the Demonstration Lesson
Case: To Demo or Not to Demo? Janet, Kindergarten

 
Taking a Closer Look

 
Keys to Transforming the Demo Lesson

 
Questions for Reflecting and Linking to Practice

 
 
10. The Coach as a Learner
Case: Doing the Math, Lisa, Grade 5

 
Taking a Closer Look

 
Permission to Be a Learner

 
Keeping the Teacher in Mind

 
Keys to Being Coach AND Learner

 
Questions for Reflecting and Linking to Practice

 
 
Part IV. Growing the Coach
 
11. Professional Development for the Coach
Identifying What Coaches Need to Know

 
Moving From Research to Practice

 
Coaching Simulations

 
Journaling as a Tool for Learning

 
Belonging to a Coaching Community

 
Keys to Professional Development for the Coach

 
Questions for Reflecting and Linking to Practice

 
 
Conclusion
Resource A. Resources to Develop Mathematical and Pedagogical Content knowledge

 
Resource B. Sources of Math Coach Professional Development

 
 
References
 
Index

"Woleck provides an instructive and insightful analysis of what makes coaching a powerful and capacity-building resource for schools dedicated to ensuring excellence in teaching and learning. This is a highly engaging and informative account of how effective coaching skills develop and become refined through research-based study, daily practice, and ongoing reflection. What makes this book stand out is that Woleck treats mind-set and principle-based understanding as core dimension that develop and promote expertise. The author's melding of research, practice, and reflection is done artfully, enhancing the appeal and usefulness of the book as both a personal resource for educators and a tool for ongoing, collaborative study in text-based professional development."

Mary Monroe Kolek, Deputy Superintendent
New Canaan Public Schools, CT

"A must-read for all mathematics teacher coaches. Woleck brings us into her coaching life by sharing these cases from her work. Through the engaging details of these personal stories, she skillfully leads us into considering various coaching models, essential coaching skills, and effective coaching practices. Focus questions at the end of each chapter add an incentive for readers to deepen their own practice and use this book as the basis for study groups."

Euthecia Hancewicz, Mathematics Teacher Support Specialist
Mathematics Educator Support Services, Westhampton, MA

"For the times when working as a math coach can make us feel unsure and shaky, Woleck’s book offers some steady, solid ground. The wisdom she has gained through years of coaching is evident. She has melded and adapted several models of coaching for her practice in ways that make good sense. In her telling of actual classroom cases, we can appreciate just how adaptable and flexible coaching requires us to be in taking a range of coaching stances and in filling a variety of roles. Woleck has not shied away from addressing the dilemmas coaches face in their practice nor simplified the complexity of the decisions coaches must regularly make. This book is replete with usable resources to help us develop and refine our coaching practices."

Meredith Melvin Adelfio, Math Coordinator
Sidwell Friends School, Washington, DC

"This book stands out as one that gives a full picture of the role of the coach while being extremely specific. Beyond the obvious tasks of getting started and planning with teachers, the book discusses aspects of the job that are rarely covered in coaching books. Cases ground the reader in the important features of the job and are used to point out links to research. I recommend this as a handbook for all math coaches."

Barbara Dubitsky, Director of Mathematics Leadership
Bank Street College

Sample Materials & Chapters

Preface

Chapter 1: What Is Coaching?


Purchasing options

For large school/district orders, volume discounts, availability and shipping times contact customer service at 800-233-9936
or order@corwin.com.

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ISBN: 9781412965842
CAD$ 54.95

For large school/district orders, volume discounts, availability and shipping times contact customer service at 800-233-9936
or order@corwin.com.

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