Doing Our Part: Trust and Relational Dynamics in Literacy Coaching

Literacy coaching has become a prevalent model of professional development (PD) that embodies the characteristics of high-quality teacher learning. At the same time, many literacy coaches have experienced the practice as fraught with tensions, both for coaches and teachers. This paper focuses on the relational dynamics in literacy coaching, through the lens of building trust. It describes a literacy coaching cycle in which the author, serving as literacy coach, attempts to build and maintain a trusting relationship with a teacher, while supporting her desired instructional improvement in writing. This work uses critical discourse analysis (CDA) as theory and method to analyze literacy coaching interactions, especially the affective landscape and relational dynamics over time, between a literacy coach and teacher.