How WriterCoach Connection Got Started
Inspired by a successful writing coach program on the East Coast, Dr. Mary Lee Cole introduced the program at Berkeley High School in February 2001. She had visited the East Coast program after hearing reports of dramatic gains in language arts
SAT scores attributed to the program. With 35 trained community volunteers
and six English teachers, the “pioneer” coaches at Berkeley High began
working with 180 students, and word soon spread about coaching results.
“This program really works. All my students have moved up a grade,”
said Berkeley teacher Ms. Palau. Volunteers also spread word that the
program is a wonderful opportunity to make a difference to kids in the
schools. Embraced by the community, teachers and students, the program
rapidly expanded from Berkeley’s high school to its three middle schools.
Community Alliance For Learning (CAFL), a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, was founded in 2001 to bring WriterCoach Connection to schools. By the following academic year, 2002-03, the volunteer force had grown to 200 coaches providing one-on-one assistance to every eighth- and ninth-grade student in the Berkeley Unified School District.
In spring 2003, the organization launched a replication project at Albany High School in a neighboring district. Today, Albany’s WriterCoach Connection serves not only all 375 ninth-grade students but, since 2006-07, all 300 Albany Middle School eighth graders as well.
In 2006-07 WriterCoach Connection began what proved to be a successful pilot program of coaching seventh as well as eighth grade students at Longfellow Middle School in Berkeley. Now the Berkeley Unified School District Director of Educational Services is encouraging WriterCoach Connection to consider expanding the program to the seventh as well as eighth grades in all three Berkeley middle schools.
During that year (2006-07), WriterCoach Connection’s 275 trained volunteer coaches supported 28 teachers in 62 classes in Berkeley and Albany, conducting over 10,000 coaching conferences throughout the year with 1,400 secondary school students. In the spring, the City of Berkeley issued a proclamation declaring April 26 as "WriterCoach Connection Day" to honor the founders and many volunteers who have served Berkeley students during the past seven years.
Following a year’s absence from Berkeley High, in fall 2007 WriterCoach Connection returned to a warm welcome at the Community Partnerships Academy at Berkeley High. Ninth grade students have requested more coaching sessions with their coaches and teachers are pleased. “[WCC] has brought a shot of enthusiasm about writing to my freshman classes,” said teacher Susannah Bell. “The students feel supported and confident in their writing process and look forward to many more sessions with their coaches.”
In Spring 2008, with the help of a generous grant, WCC studied the possibility of expanding into nearby underserved school districts in the East Bay and made the decision to serve a high school in Oakland during the 2008-09 school year. Our pilot program in Oakland will bring coaching to all tenth grade students at The Media Academy, a small school that is part of the Fremont Federated Schools in the Fruitvale neighborhood. We will continue to provide in-class coaching in Berkeley and Albany secondary schools.
In the wake of decreased school budgets, increased class size, and reduced staff, requests for WCC coach and teacher support programs have increased and have come from as far away as Pennsylvania and Virginia. While taking one step forward at a time, we look toward a future when WriterCoach Connection is in schools nationwide.