EDRD 555

Organization and Management of Reading

Programs
Week 1
Once there was a peddler who sold caps. but he was not like an ordinary peddler,
carrying his wares on his back. He carried them on top of his head. First he had on his
own checked cap, then a bunch of gray caps, then a bunch of blue caps, and, on the very
top, a bunch of red caps.
~ Esphyr Slobodkina (1940, n.p)
Introduction
Welcome to Organization and Management of Reading Programs, where you will look at
literacy through a school-wide lens. The activities you will engage in are those that may
surely be the responsibility of a literacy leader or administrator. They are complex and
difficult, requiring one to keep all stakeholders in mind. In your text, The Administration
and Supervision of Reading Programs, it is stated that Developing a comprehensive
schoolwide reading plan for a pre-K 12 district or school is an important, complex, and
often controversial task (Wepner, Strickland, and Quatroche, 2014, p. 12). This course,
therefore, will help prepare you for the role of a literacy coach or reading specialist in
which you will be the agent of change, helping your school meet the needs of our everchanging student population.
Organization and Management of Reading Programs will also explore the major
components of a school-wide literacy plan including tiered instruction, assessment
systems, allocation of time, and professional development. This course will ask you to
step outside of the classroom and assume a new role from a school-wide, systems
perspective as a literacy leader.

What is a Literacy Coach?

Slobodkinas (1940) quote above about the peddler and his caps is used in your textbook
The Literacy Coachs Handbook: A Guide to Research-Based Practice, (Walpole &
McKenna, 2013) to introduce you to the role of the literacy coach. Walpole and McKenna
summarize the connection between the peddler and the role of the literacy coach by
saying:
For a literacy coach, a stack of caps might be the perfect analogy. A literacy coach
is not a principal, not an assistant principal, not a reading specialist, and not a
teacher. On a given day, he or she probably dons each of these caps, but not for
long. In fact, a literacy coach is fashioning a new cap---one that fits better than
any of those, and one that reflects the needs of the teachers in a particular school
building. (2013, p. 1)

This course will not only ask you to try on many different caps, making sure each one fits
comfortably, but it will also encourage you to get in the mindset of a school level planner.
A literacy coach is more than just a coach, and success is dependent on a variety of
variables. Walpole and McKenna (2013) state, In coaching, as in nearly every aspect of
education, the context really matters (p. 18). In essence, what is planned and organized
on a school-wide level can impact the success of coaching and achievement of the
students.
You will find that the literacy coach is there to not only support the teachers in improving
best practices in instruction, but to ensure that the school-wide literacy program is being
aligned and implemented on all levels.
Literacy Coach vs. Reading Specialist
The roles of the literacy coach and reading specialist have been seen as quite different but
in The Administration and Supervision of Reading Programs, Wepner, Strickland and
Quatroche state:
The International Reading Association (IRA) now refers to a reading specialist as
a reading specialist/literacy coach because of the various and varied roles and
responsibilities within and across schools and districts. Such titles and
responsibilities depend on the context in which reading specialists work, their
teaching experience, and their educational background. (2014, p. 31)
Because the two positions are still utilized and seen as different entities, its important for
you to know how each can function in a school setting. To compare and contrast the
reading specialist and literacy coach see the table below:
Reading Specialist
Directly supports students and sometimes
teachers, parents and administration.
Provides direct instruction to students on a
daily basis.
Works directly with teachers to an extent
but only when addressing a particular
student.
Position most often requires a reading
endorsement or certificate.
Assesses students and reading curriculum.
Must have a strong knowledge of best
practices in reading instruction.
Works at a school level.

Literacy Coach
Emphasizes support for teachers, although
support for others may take place.
Provides direct instruction to students
primarily when demonstrating for teachers
or other staff members.
Spends a great deal of time working
directly with teachers in individual and
small group settings.
Reading endorsement is desired but not
necessarily required.
Sometimes analyzes student test results to
support teacher instruction and program
effectiveness.
Must have a strong knowledge of best
practices in literacy instruction.
Works at a school or district level.

Although the responsibilities may vary, reading specialists and literacy coaches can both
be seen as leaders and experts in the field of literacy.
A School-wide Literacy Program
This course is not so much about reading as it is about reading programs and the structure
of a comprehensive plan. It is about the organization and management of school and/or
district reading programs. The program should depict a plan that is a well-developed and
articulated vision that all professionals in the building work towards. Walpole and
McKenna define a school-wide literacy program as being:
A plan for using personnel, time, materials, and assessments designed specifically
to meet the needs of the children it serves. It should be organic - constantly
adapting to new information. (2013, p. 30)
Before the development of a plan, a shared vision and common goals should be created
and agreed upon. This is necessary because it will be the foundation of the plan. All
components of the plan rest and rely on this foundation in order to achieve success.
Once a vision is developed, a framework needs to be put in place in order to support the
development of a comprehensive plan. Wepner, Strickland and Quatroche (2014) state
that this framework includes three essential elements: standards and curriculum (what is
taught), instruction (how something is taught), and assessment (has it been learned) (p.
14).
References
Slobodkina, E. (1940). Caps for sale: A tale of a peddler, some monkeys, and their
monkey business. New York, NY: William R. Scott.
Walpole, S., & McKenna, M. C. (2013). The literacy coachs handbook: A guide to
research-based practice (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Wepner, S. B., & Strickland, D. S., D. J. Quatroche (Eds.). (2014). The administration
and supervision of reading programs (5th ed.). New York, NY: Teachers College
Press.

Weekly Objectives
Through participation in the following activities, the candidate will:

Apply leadership skills and the systemic understanding necessary to develop a

comprehensive, effective program of reading instruction.
o Philosophy of Literacy Instruction Statement
o Overview of a School-Wide Literacy Program

Heads Up
Your job as a literacy leader in this course is to design a comprehensive school-wide
literacy program. The assignments you complete will be part of this plan and should
reflect your philosophy of literacy instruction. You may use existing models from your
current school, but I expect you to make changes that will support literacy success for all
students. Look at this as your wish list for change in your own school and/or
educational setting and create a roadmap for literacy achievement.
Assignments that are at the core of your final project, such as the Philosophy of Literacy
Instruction Statement, Literacy Coaching Menu, Intervention Plan, and Professional
Development Plan will take a considerable amount of time and planning. You will want
to continuously look ahead in this course in order to know what comes next. Most of the
major assignments cannot be completed in one night, and some may require you to access
resources in your community or circle of contacts. Please plan ahead accordingly.
Required Studies
The following materials are required studies for this week and will help you complete
your assignments. Complete these studies at the beginning of the week and save these
weekly materials for future use.
Required Text:
The Literacy Coachs Handbook: A Guide to Research-Based Practices
o Chapter 1: What is a Literacy Coach?
o Chapter 3: What is a Schoolwide Literacy Program?

The Administration and Supervision of Reading Programs

o Introduction: Looking Forward, Looking Back
o Chapter 1: Developing a Comprehensive Reading Plan (pre-K-Grade 12)

Read:
K-5 Essential Components of Balanced Literacy: Our Mission for Literacy (Glastonbury
Public Schools, 2010) [PDF]
A Framework for Middle and High School Literacy. (Rock Hill Schools, 2009)
Recommended Studies The following resources are provided to enhance your overall
learning experience. For deeper understanding of the weekly concepts, review these
optional resources.
Note: Consider bookmarking these sites, as there is good information here and you may
want to return to it later.
Web Resources Website
Education Northwest
http://www.educationnorthwest.org
American Education Research Association

http://www.aera.net
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
http://www.ascd.org
International Reading Association
http://www.reading.org
Association for Middle Level Education
http://www.amle.org
U.S. Department of Education
http://www.ed.gov
National Association for the Education of the Young Child
http://www.naeyc.org
National Research Centers Website
Center for Research on Education, Diversity and Excellence (CREDE)
http://www.crede.ucsc.edu
The Consortium for Policy Change in Education
http://www.cpre.org
Using Reference Lists
Review the References Section after each chapter in the Wepner and Strickland (2014)
textbook, or other recommended textbooks, for citations on additional books, articles, and
research monographs.
The CU Library has important research resources available as well. Navigate to the CU
Intranet and log on. Find Library in the list on the left. Then look for Subject Guides.

Post to Discussion Board: Week 1 Academic Agreement

Due Monday
As you move toward becoming a scholarly-practitioner, this rigorous program requires
you to act with ethics and integrity as you explore, study, research, and write. Please read
the following.
Academic Integrity Policy (Student Handbook)
CU APA
Respond by posting a statement like the following to the Discussion Board. Add your
name after the statement.
"I have read, understand, and agree to the Academic Integrity Policy and the APA writing
style requirements for this program."
Note: This is a pass/fail Discussion Board post that must be completed before other
assignments are submitted. The instructor will post a 0 and note that the requirement
has been met.
Click here for the rubric.
Post to Discussion Board: Week 1 Introduction
Due Monday

In a paragraph or two, please post the following information about yourself to your
Introduction Post:
Explain your reasons and/or motivations for taking this course.
Tell us about your experience in teaching reading and/or being a literacy leader, as well as
your current position.
What do you want to know about the organization and management of school
reading/literacy programs?
Tell us something about your life outside of education.
Click here for the rubric.
Post to Discussion Board: Peer Response
Due Tuesday
Read your classmates introductions and reply to at least two posts. Welcome your
classmates to this new course.
Post to Discussion Board: Week 1 Philosophy of Literacy Instruction Statement
Due Wednesday
Philosophy is important and it all starts with what you believe. What philosophy of
reading instruction will drive your literacy program? A literacy program needs to be
based on a solid foundation of research, theory, and best practices. What you believe
about reading instruction is the foundation of your literacy program and will drive all
decisions about your design.
Write a philosophy of literacy instruction statement and post it to the Discussion Board. It
is important that your statement is clear, concise and direct. Organize your ideas
succinctly in order to write a concise philosophy in 50 words or less. The first two words
will be I believe.
In an additional paragraph use your studies and Required Resources to support your
philosophy of literacy instruction statement, referencing text you used to help create your
statement.
Note: This will be included in your Final Literacy Program Design Project due in Week
5. If you have not already done so, please look ahead to Week 5 to view the complete
directions of the Final Literacy Program Design Project.
Post to Discussion Board: Peer Response
Due Thursday
Read your classmates philosophy of literacy statements and reply to at least two posts.
Discuss how your peers statements are similar and different from yours. Reflect on
whether or not the exposure to others philosophy changes yours. Support your
statements with evidence from the required studies, other research, and experiences. You
are required to respond to comments or questions about your posts.
Submit to Assignment Dropbox: Week 1 Overview of a School-wide Literacy
Program

Due Saturday
In order to design a literacy program, it will be instructive to gain an overview of the
organization of the essential components of a literacy program. The required textbook
readings, along with the following two documents will provide you that instructive
overview:
K-5 Essential Components of Balanced Literacy: Our Mission for Literacy (Glastonbury
Public Schools, 2010).
A Framework for Middle and High School Literacy (Rock Hill Schools, 2009).
The second document is quite lengthy so scan it in order to understand the framework
that is in place. After completing the required studies, write a two-page paper
synthesizing what these authors define as the essential components of an effective
reading program.

Discuss the similarities and differences you discovered between the different sources.
In what ways do their opinions match your views and experiences?
In what areas do you disagree based on your experiences?
Support your statements with evidence from the text and course readings. Please refer to
the rubric to ensure all requirements are met.
Click here for the rubric.
References
Glastonbury Public Schools. (2010). K-5 essential components of balanced literacy: Our
mission for literacy. Retrieved from
https://www.glastonburyus.org/curriculum/englishlanguagearts/languageartsreadi
ng/k2lit/Documents/Essential%20Components%20of%20Balanced%20Literacy
%20REVISED%209-7-10.pdf
Rock Hill Schools. (2009). A Framework for Middle and High School Literacy. Retrieved
from http://www.rockhill.k12.sc.us/UserFiles/district/Documents/Instruction/ELA/2Web
%20Guide_1.pdf

Activity Summary
Due Monday

Post Academic Agreement

Due Monday

Post Introduction

Due Tuesday

Post Peer Response

Due Wednesday

Post Philosophy of Literacy Instruction Statement

Due Thursday

Post Peer Response

Due Saturday

Submit Overview of a School-Wide Reading Program

Scripture
We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him.
~ Romans 8:28