For Team Read coaches, the work begins before they step into an elementary school and meet the reader they’ll be tutoring. One of the many strengths of the Team Read method is that each coach is thoroughly trained on a variety of topics that will impact their time as a Reading Coach. That training started earlier this month and will continue throughout the year.
All coaches are introduced to Team Read with a 90-minute online training session. Several dates and times are offered, so coaches can choose a session that best fits their schedule. The training season officially kicked off this year on October 2, when over 75 coaches attended the first online training session.
To begin, Team Read’s Executive Director Ebony Pattenaude welcomed our new coaches to the Team Read Community. She shared her words of wisdom, comprised of three components: #1. Show up. Show up for your reader and your community. The work can’t happen if you’re not there. Readers, along with their teachers and families, are depending on you to give your all and help them improve their reading skills. #2. Be the teacher you wish you had. Think of the characteristics of the best teachers you’ve had, and then exemplify them. While you’re not a teacher, you can bring forth the traits you most admire while tutoring. #3. Have fun! “Second and third graders are funny,” Ebony shared with the coaches. “They’ll throw questions at you that you did not see coming and make you laugh every day. Enjoy it!”
In this initial training session, Team Read’s Training and Program Manager Kelsey Bleckner guides coaches through an overview of the program, including the session schedule, how to use various tools like mood meters and Power Reader Journals, how to set goals, play word games, and best support their student in reading out loud. Coaches spend time in small group breakout rooms throughout, so they have an opportunity to practice and process the information shared with them. There’s a lot of information packed into this session, so it’s followed up with a self-paced, online training module that each coach is required to complete.
After completing the online training module, coaches are assigned to an elementary school program site, where they receive two one hour-long sessions of onsite training. In these sessions, coaches get to know each other as well as the adult Site Coordinator and teen Site Assistant who will keep the program running smoothly. These onsite sessions are a great opportunity for coaches to practice techniques for handling various situations, get more familiar with the daily routine, and get a hands-on look at the materials Team REad provides.
At this point, coaches have had between 4 and 6 hours of training time, and they’re ready to get started with their reader. At the end of every session, coaches gather for 15-20 minutes of professional development, where they review the day and share what worked best for them during the session.
Throughout the year, as coaches get to know their reader’s specific needs, more training sessions are available. Coaches often take part in online workshops covering how to manage challenging behaviors, how to make the most of phonics games, or how to best work with new and emerging readers.
Our coaches take their training seriously, ask thoughtful questions, and take the time to commit to Team Read as a professional work experience. Their dedication is easy to see week after week as they lead their readers to success.