Role of the Learning Coach

Parents and guardians have a critical responsibility to oversee their child’s education during remote instruction. Success in the Remote Academy is critically dependent on a child having the support of a Learning Coach.

The Learning Coach is the adult who provides the structure a student needs for remote learning by establishing and managing the online school daily routine. This includes, monitoring and supporting students in ensuring their attendance and participation in "live" teaching or collaborative activities scheduled with their teacher, as well as completing tasks, and projects assigned to be complete on their own. The amount of assistance will depend on the student's grade level and the student's ability to complete work independently.

It is strongly recommended that the Learning Coach stay in touch with the student’s teachers by phone, email and/or online meetings. The student’s teacher will contact the parents/guardians to discuss how they will work together to help the student reach his or her potential during remote learning.

Understanding the role of the Learning Coach is key to the success of a students virtual school experience. Roles and responsibilities at the different levels are outlined below.

Depending on the age and maturity of the student, learning coaches are needed to provide support at different levels of time and intensity.

Role of the Learning Coach During Benchmark Assessment

For any assessment given to students remotely, the job of the learning coach is to make sure the student does their very best without help. At the elementary level, our benchmark assessments that include early literacy probes (letter identification, Hearing and Recording Sounds, written vocabulary, etc.), the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System (BAS), spelling inventories, and high-frequency word list and the STAR assessments are not given for a grade. These assessments are used for teachers to know how best to instruct students. It does not help your child if they are given assistance. This would just provide false information to teachers, hampering their ability to personalize instruction as they can help each student find success meeting learning outcomes.

Renaissance STAR Assessment

If learning coaches are asked to administer or monitor a specific assessments, like the computer adapted STAR assessment, coaches should read the test instructions aloud to the student (see the link at the end of this section). The coaches may help the student log in and select the correct assessment, but no assistance should be given once the test begins. Coaches should not read questions or answer choices to the student or prompt the student in any other way. If your student is having difficulty with an item, encourage them to choose the answer they think is best and click next to move on to the next question.

No materials other than headphones and paper and pencil are allowed unless accommodations are discussed with your student’s teacher.

Prior to testing

• • Be sure you have following information from your school: The Renaissance web address (URL), your student’s username and password, the monitor password (if appropriate), and the tests your student should take.

  • Schedule enough time for the test so your student isn’t feeling rushed.

  • Ensure a quiet testing area that is free from distractions.

  • Remove or cover any materials around the testing area that might help answer test items.

  • Provide scratch paper and pencil for your student to use during testing.

  • Check that your computer audio is set appropriately and that you have working headphones available if needed. (Star Early Literacy is an audio-based test. Audio for Star Math can be turned on by the teacher if accommodations are needed.)

  • Discuss with your student the importance of doing their best in order for their teachers to know how to best help them in class.

  • NOTE: For young student taking the Star Early Literacy assessment, share the introductory videos the day before they take the test. Select the video below that matches how your student will be taking the test.
    Videos:

Using a keyboard, mouse, or trackpad

Using a tablet

Please click the link below for full directions for administering the STAR Assessment at home: