Moments in Mathematics Coaching

"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

 

Kristine Woleck is the K-5 mathematics coordinator for the New Canaan Public Schools in New Canaan, Connecticut. Prior to this position, she served as a K-8 staff developer, math coach/specialist, and mathematics consultant in both public and private schools in New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. She began her career as a first-grade teacher in Connecticut. Kris’ graduate studies in the Bank Street College of Education Mathematics Leadership Program sparked her interest in teacher leadership in mathematics and pushed her to pursue her study of staff development and ultimately coaching. With a sixth-year diploma in educational leadership and administration from the University of Connecticut, she is interested in examining how school administrators can most effectively bring principles of coaching into their supervision of teachers. Kris has authored several articles in professional journals based on her classroom teaching experiences, coaching work, and her experience as a facilitator of online coaching seminars in conjunction with the Education Alliance at Brown University. Her work has been published in Teaching Children Mathematics, the 2001 Yearbook of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), and the Journal of Staff Development. Most recently, she was selected as a 2009-2010 Classroom Teaching Fellow in the United States Department of Education Teaching Ambassador Fellowship program to include practitioner perspectives and voice in the development of educational policy.