Multiple districts — Just before playtime, teacher Ashley Kron challenged each of her preschoolers to name a “tricky, tricky vowel.”
She flashed cards picturing an oval, island and ant as students squealed O, I and A sounds before leaving their spots on the classroom carpet to dash off and find building blocks and puzzles.
The Kent ISD Great Start Readiness Program class at South Elementary in Grandville Public Schools was squeezing in vowel practice on a recent Tuesday morning, following a science experiment monitoring sprouts on bean and radish seeds.
‘Early childhood is so complicated and complex and demanding. … Having dedicated coaches provides teachers with a partner.’
— Julie Guenther, GSRP supervisor
All the while, Jodi Witczak, Kent ISD early childhood coach, observed, taking notes on her laptop and assisting GSRP lead teacher Kron and associate teacher Becky Truman with the children as needed.
As their coach, Witczak set a recent goal with the teachers to embed more literacy instruction into teaching and the environment. In the classroom where reading cues are presented from A to Z on walls, beanbags and book nooks, she was seeing it firsthand.
After playtime, the 4- and 5-year-olds returned to their spots to practice using sight words in sentences.
“I went to the museum to see all the dinosaur bones!” said one eager preschooler.
The following Friday during a coaching session, Kron talked excitedly with Witczak about her students’ growing grasp of reading.
“They are really starting to understand that ‘These skills that I have — knowing my letter sounds, blending (sounds), knowing sight words — means I can read,’” Kron said.
A Support System for Teachers
In all, 18 coaches serve about 300 GSRP classrooms located in Kent ISD districts and at community-based organizations.
The goal is for teachers to feel supported so they want to stay in the classroom and with Great Start Readiness for years to come, said Julie Guenther, GSRP supervisor.
“Teachers always have somebody to go to. The coaches model best practice in the classroom. They work side-by-side with them,” Guenther said. “I really do feel like the coaching plays a significant role in teacher retention. … Early childhood is so complicated and complex and demanding. It’s often a family’s first experience with school. Having dedicated coaches provides teachers with a partner.”
Along with the classroom visits, coaches offer support through collaborative coaching communities: groups of preschool teachers that get together with a coach four times a year, twice virtually and twice in person.
They devote the time to reflection and peer learning, offering time to go beyond their own classroom walls and learn from each other.
One thing was made clear during a Friday morning discussion led by coach Kate Lara and involving more than a dozen GSRP teachers in Lowell Area Schools: In a classroom of 4-year-olds, the unexpected always happens.
While students’ antics led to lots of laughs, the purpose of the gathering was to reflect on recent professional development about three things: reframing power struggles, teaching skills that change behavior, and rest time.
“The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and participants appreciate the format — they feel they are gaining a lot from both the collaboration and the presented learning,” Lara said about the sessions.
Emily Kruizenga, lead GSRP teacher in Lowell schools, said the communities have been extremely helpful.
“You get to hear what other people are doing in their classrooms,” Kruizenga said. “Sometimes when you are in your own classroom you don’t see things. When you talk about what is going on, other people are seeing it with fresh eyes so they can give different perspectives.”
A ‘Thought Partner’
In Grandville, Witczak coaches teachers in two South Elementary classrooms, along with four at the Grandville Early Learning Center and one at Cummings Elementary. She also supports eight other Kent ISD coaches. It’s her fifth year in that role; she previously taught GSRP preschool for 14 years in Grand Rapids Public Schools.
“That’s one of the nice things for teachers: having a specialist that’s been in their shoes. It makes them feel like I’m a thought partner; I’m not their supervisor.”
Each GSRP classroom, including a lead and associate teacher, receives three focused observations — including follow-up coaching sessions and other visits that are less formal — when the coach models instruction, plays with students and supports lessons.
“I’m really intentional about making sure that I give way more supportive feedback than any constructive feedback,” she said. “I make sure I have a really good relationship with them.”
She watches instruction and how the children engage, then offers feedback at follow-up sessions.
During follow-ups, Witczak said she shares what she saw working well, with feedback such as, “When you did this, the students were really engaged, so let’s do more of that.”
She added, “It’s letting them know, ‘You did this really well, the kids loved it; they were into it. Let’s do more.’”
‘You get to hear what other people are doing in their classrooms. … When you talk about what is going on, other people are seeing it with fresh eyes so they can give different perspectives.’
— Emily Kruizenga, lead GSRP teacher, Lowell Area Schools
Ashley Kron, who has taught preschool for 12 years and has been with GSRP for three years, said she values Witczak’s coaching.
“Jodi specifically is great when we are having trouble with something. If we are struggling, she’s always somebody we can shoot a text or email to. She always has resources for us and ideas we can use for anything from curriculum to behavior to emotions to our routine.”
It’s that kind of collaboration that improves everything, Kron said.
“When we are feeling supported and we have someone we can go to, it makes us better teachers and it makes us feel more comfortable and confident in what we can do in the classroom for our kids.”
Becky Truman is in her third year teaching GSRP in Grandville and has taught in other districts as well.
“(Witczak) listens to our opinions and what’s going on, and how we feel and what we need,” Truman said. “Her advice is really sound advice. … It’s real life advice we can put forth in a classroom. It’s not just straight out of a textbook.”
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