Home Tags Posts tagged with "instructional coaching"
Tag:

instructional coaching

Instructional Coaching

Five Ways to Empower Educators through Instructional Coaching

by John Moran & Stacy Pattenaude
written by John Moran & Stacy Pattenaude

Have you heard the statement that educators are 99% likely to transfer to practice when professional development elements are combined with instructional coaching (Joyce and Showers, 2002)? In our experience in Northside ISD Academic Technology, we have found that coaching makes an impact on student outcomes, and more importantly, builds teacher efficacy. Let’s take a look at five ways coaches can empower educators.

1. Coaching as a Partner

Instructional coaching provides a powerful formula for improving teacher efficacy. An effective instructional coach will develop a strong partnership with educators. This partnership provides a safe environment for teachers to engage in goal-setting, learning, and reflection. Many times, professional learning can be overwhelming for teachers for a number of reasons including competing priorities and lack of time. However, instructional coaches can walk side by side with teachers throughout the learning process in real-time to support iterations of growth. Here in Northside, we utilize Connecthub.io to track and monitor teachers’ progress and our own efficacy as trusted partners. Connecthub.io offers a forever-free (basic) account with half the features available and a pro account that offers additional data insights.

2. Goal Setting

Through effective communication and shared collaborative experiences, coaches can support teachers in breaking down large goals into smaller ones, creating more attainable and accessible targets, thereby increasing teacher confidence to encourage responsible risk-taking. This coaching formula of “goal + partnership = teacher success” becomes a recurring process that educators are intentionally engaged in and excited about. At the same time, they feel competent to invent future improvements in their classroom.  

Our coaches rely on Jim Knight’s “Impact Cycle” and Growth Coaching International’s “Growth” model. We have found both models to be successful in partnering with teachers to make an impact. Both use questioning to help teachers identify their currency reality and set a meaningful teacher or student-centered goal. In the art of coaching, coaches are aware of and can apply various methods to help teachers set and reach goals.   

The Identify Questions – Impact Cycle Checklist

  • With 1 being “What’s going on” and 10 being “This is the best job I’ve ever done,” how would you rank this year’s teaching thus far?
  • What has pleased you about this year?
  • What would have to change to move what you’re doing in class closer to a 10?
  • What would your students be doing differently if your class was a 10?
  • Tell me more about what that would look like?
  • How could we measure that change?
  • Do you want that to be your goal?
  • If you could hit that goal, would it really matter to you?
  • What teaching strategy can you use to hit your goal?
  • What are your next steps?
A purple graphic listing the Identify Questions from the Impact Cycle of instructional coaching from the article.
Click here for the PDF.

Growth Coaching Questions

  • (Goals) – What do you want to achieve?
  • (Reality) – What is happening now? 
  • (Options) – What could you do? 
  • (Will) – What will you do? 
  • (Tactics) – How and when will you do it? 
  • (Habits) – How will you sustain your success?
A purple graphic listing the 6 growth coaching questions from the article.
Click here for the PDF.

3. Coaching with Differentiated Support 

Time and time again we have seen successes in classrooms when coaches deliver individualized and differentiated teacher support. It is important to recognize that no two coaching cycles are the same, even when it involves the same teacher and coach partnership. Just as no two journeys are the same, the path to reaching differing goals is as unique as the goals themselves. The only thing that remains is the partnership between teachers and coaches. During the process, it is critical to provide opportunities to identify progress every step along the way. Each coach tailors resources not only for the teacher they are collaborating with but also for their own personal “coaching craft.”  These guide posts allow teachers to look back on where they started and celebrate progress while adjusting goals as needed. 

4. Providing Engaging Experiences

To facilitate learning, instructional coaches need to guide teachers through a variety of engaging experiences in order to meet their unique goals. Sometimes the process involves observing master teachers, co-teaching, planning support, and discussing strategies and tools that promote efficiency. However, we use the motto “All Roads Lead to Coaching,” so we also try to engage and excite teachers with a variety of approaches!

Here are just a few great examples of engaging experiences:

5. Reflection for Teachers and Coaches

Possibly the most important part of the coaching process is the celebration of goal completion. Crossing the finish line fills teachers’ emotional buckets, provides a sense of pride and accomplishment, and opens the door for new growth opportunities. An additional way we intentionally have teachers reflect is through the completion of a form at the end of each cycle. This provides them with an opportunity to articulate their learning and, many times, allows a coach to begin conversations around next steps. Alongside teacher reflection, is the reflection of the coach.

In our department, we utilize: 

  • Connecthub for data collection and coaching logs
  • A feedback system that includes collecting qualitative feedback on the coaching process 

Using data from Connecthub and a feedback survey, we are able to reflect on our own process. This year, we refined our teacher feedback survey to ask questions in a Google form about the coaching process, the benefits, disadvantages, challenges, and unexpected opportunities. From both of these systems, we are able to reflect on the coaching process and articulate a story of impact. 

In a teacher’s own words, “This experience has been amazing! I was able to take risks and try new things in my classroom that would help to benefit every learner in my classroom. I had the opportunity to step outside of the box and teach my students in a way that made learning fun and engaging with the help of my coach. My coach always made time to come back so we would have more time and would always follow up to ensure I met my goals!” This is what every coach wants teachers to experience.

2 comments
5 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
Instructional Coaching

Five Benefits of Instructional Coaching

by Diana Benner
written by Diana Benner

Instructional coaching is a professional development approach that involves one-on-one or small group support for teachers. It is designed to help teachers improve their instructional practices and enhance student learning. There has been a lot of research conducted on the value that coaches can bring to student learning. Below are a few benefits of instructional coaching.

Individualized Support

Instructional coaches provide teachers with individualized support. The support given can be modified to fit the teacher’s specific needs and goals. This approach allows coaches to focus on the specific areas where the teacher needs improvement. As a result, teachers receive feedback that meets their individual needs.

Improved Instructional Practice

Through regular coaching sessions, teachers can receive feedback on their teaching practices. They learn new strategies and techniques, and they receive help on how to implement them in their classrooms. This leads to an improvement in the quality of instruction and an increase in student engagement and achievement.

Increased Confidence

instructional coaching for increased confidence

Instructional coaches help build teacher confidence by providing them with the tools, resources, and support they need to succeed. This increase in confidence can lead to a more positive and effective classroom environment where teachers are able to create meaningful learning experiences for their students.

Professional Growth

Instructional coaches provide teachers with a chance to grow. According to Elena Aguilar, the majority of teachers want professional development; they want to improve their craft, be more effective, implement new skills, and see students learn more. Through regular coaching sessions, teachers are able to reflect on their practices. In addition, they can set goals for growth and receive support in achieving those goals.

Improved Student Learning

Ultimately, the goal of coaching is to improve student learning outcomes. By providing teachers with the support they need to improve their instruction, instructional coaches help to create an environment where students are more engaged, motivated, and successful.

Instructional coaching is a valuable tool for teachers looking to improve their teaching practices and enhance student learning. Therefore, whether you are a new teacher or an experienced one, coaching can provide you with the support, guidance, and resources you need to achieve your goals and achieve success in the classroom.

0 comment
3 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
Instructional Coaching

Part 2: Getting Started with a Student-Centered Coaching Model

by Emily Horn
written by Emily Horn

Have you read my previous post, Part 1: Student-Centered Coaching Says Focus on Students Not Teachers? If not, head there to get an idea of what it means to take on a student-centered approach to coaching. In order to get things going with this coaching model, Diane Sweeney suggests five steps in her book, “Student-Centered Coaching: A Guide for K-8 Principals.” Let’s dive in!

Step 1: Defining your role with school leadership.

Working with school leaders is important. It’s also important to define your role. What will the role of “coach” look like specifically, and how will the leader work to support that role? Make sure you’re on the same page about each others’ roles with regard to coaching so that it’s clear for you, the leader, and the staff. Here is a great checklist offered by DianeSweeny.com that outlines calibration between leadership and coaches and a few other actions for getting started.

Checklist offered by DianeSweeny.com

Step 2: Defining the model to staff and gauging interest.

Work with leadership to make sure teachers know exactly what student-centered coaching is and is not. Communicate this to all staff, and then, seek to learn who is on board with coaching to gain momentum. Sweeney suggests polling staff to ask about interest and goals.

Step 3: Scheduling time with interested teachers.

Meet with teachers to discuss their interests in coaching and get the conversation on student learning goals started. This helps shift the focus to being student-centered instead of teacher-centered. Once goals are set with teachers, it’s time to work on setting up an impactful schedule based on the coaching cycle.

Download the Danielson Group’s “Six Clusters to Support Teacher Growth and Student Learning: A tool for collaborative observation,
professional conversations, and engaged teacher learning.”

Step 4: Organizing coaching cycles.

Coaching cycles are usually 6 to 9 weeks of regular planning meetings (one 30 or 50-minute meeting per week) and classroom visits for observation, co-teaching, and modeling (usually 1 to 3 times per week). The goal is based on student learning data. Teachers can complete 1 or 2 cycles during a school year, and coaches can usually manage 4 to 6 teachers at one time.

Step 5: Build your schedule.

Create an agreement with the teachers first. Then, once the expectations are clear, you can develop your coaching schedule for the first coaching cycle with this information in mind. It is recommended that your schedule be public, updated every trimester or quarter, and weekly planning meetings and classroom visits be added to the schedule.

Download the Partnership Agreement

Find out more information on Diane Sweeney’s website, which has some great infographics and information. Here is a blog post about the phases of implementation that you might find helpful and a detailed checklist for principals and coaches.

getting started with student-centered coaching

NOTE: “The Essential Guide for Student-Centered Coaching” serves as a replacement for “Student-Centered Coaching: A Guide for K-8 Principals,” which is no longer in print.

You’ve got just two weeks left to register for TCEA’s Conference for Educational Coaches (CEC)! Don’t miss out on the chance to learn from your peers in the field. Gather up ideas, best practices, and strategies to maximize your impact as a coach or instructional leader and to promote student learning. Attend in person or online October 12-13 and walk away excited to implement everything you’ve learned!

Register now for CEC!
0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
coaching
Instructional Coaching

The Art of Coaching in the Digital Age

by Kate Gomez and Corinna Saiz
written by Kate Gomez and Corinna Saiz

Teachers have leveraged technology to increase student learning in the classroom and it’s time for coaches to follow suit. How? Coaches (digital, instructional, data, and more) can use technology to increase their impact through teacher professional learning. Additionally, traditional coaching techniques can be enhanced with digital tools and used to increase effective technology use in the classroom. Used within Elena Aguilar’s Coaching Cycle and Google’s Five-Step Coaching Model, which are both circular in design, a continuation of coaching can be implemented. Consequently, a deepening of skills and understandings can be promoted through digital tools within the cycle.

Coaching Cycles

Digital Tools for Goal Setting 

The first stage of coaching is goal setting or identifying a focus with the teacher. Digital tools can certainly streamline this process. Two helpful tools are coaching choice boards and a shared space for brainstorming. 

Coaching Choice Boards

You can create a coaching choice board using any program you’re comfortable with; we like using Google Slides or Jamboard. The beauty of a coaching choice board? It provides the teacher with a place to start. You can also include programs being used at your school and skill-driven topics. We recommend including components that will reinforce the 4Cs Framework or the ISTE standards.  

Coaching Choice Board
Example PD Choice Board

Shared Spaces for Brainstorming

After selecting a general place to start your coaching sessions with the teacher, a shared space for idea generation is the next step. Two easy-to-use tools are Google Docs and Jamboard. We like to use the sticky note feature in Jamboard to jot down ideas and organize to create clarity for next steps with teachers. It’s key for you and the teacher to have clear, shared goals and next steps.  Using these digital tools streamlines the process and will open an easy line of communication.

Digital Tools for Selection and Implementation

For the select and implement step in the coaching process, several digital tools can support your continued work with your teacher. Wakelet offers a space to post resources for use in the classroom and can be a resource that teachers revisit for future use. Padlet is a virtual bulletin board that can be used to list resources for your teacher. Additionally,  these tools are collaborative so both of you can post resources and ideas. Padlet can also be a space where your teacher can post “reviews” of resources they’ve used, giving you some valuable feedback.  Finally, another great way to provide resources for your teachers is a choice board, which can be in the form of a Google Doc, Google Slide, or a Padlet. Like Wakelet and Padlet, choice boards are a space where your teachers can click on a resource to learn more about it.

Padlet Digital Learning Choice Board
Example Choice Board Using Padlet

Digital Tools for Observation and Data Collection 

 After you’ve done the pre-work, it’s time to put it all into action during the implementation stage or observation and data-collection stage of coaching. There are undoubtedly many different tools to support teachers through this process. 

Recording the Lesson 

While it’s not a digital tool, your presence to support at the beginning of implementation can really boost a teacher’s confidence moving forward! If you can’t be present and you already have your teacher’s trust, it can sometimes be beneficial to record the classroom in action using a tablet on a tripod with a microphone attachment. This should only be done if your teacher is comfortable, and it should only be for reflection. We do not recommend you suggest this until you have a strong rapport with your teacher. 

Student Surveys 

In the meantime, what better critics than the students? When trying something new in class, it can be extremely helpful to do short surveys using Google Forms or reflecting through FlipGrid. If using a student survey, make sure it takes five minutes or less to complete. 

Digital Tools for Reflection

Finally, for the reflection/identify step in the coaching process, you’ll want to provide your teacher with a means to discuss how the lesson went: what worked, what didn’t work, what they still have questions about, and finally, what their next steps are. We recommend a shared Google Doc where the teacher can reflect on the experience and you can give timely feedback on the same document. Some coaches provide surveys. In our experience, those have a low response rate; however, if you choose to use surveys, a great resource is Google Forms. 

All of the digital tools that have been recommended in this article are free to use and have a gentle learning curve. If you’re learning a new tool, be honest with your teachers about your own learning. There is no better way to show teachers that they can learn new skills than sharing your own skill acquisition process. We recommend that all learning coaches consider adding a touch of technology to their practice to support their teachers and provide them with digital tools that just might make their job a little easier.

Kate and Corinna will be co-leading the Digital Learning Coaches: How to Build Capacity and Leverage Impact session at TCEA 2022. If you’ve not yet registered, you have until January 14 for a discounted rate, so don’t wait to register! You don’t want to miss these two and all the other great TCEA 2022 speakers and sessions.

11 comments
4 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
Professional Learning

Ten Ideas for Tech Coaches to Help Their Teachers Grow

by Ali Worsham
written by Ali Worsham

Being a tech coach these days can be a bit daunting. Teachers were thrown into the deep end last year, and they’re still overwhelmed. Yet we know as coaches that we have to keep moving our teachers forward to help them find confidence and success with technology integration. In this blog, I’ll share ten fun ways that my team and I help our teachers grow.

Coach with Fun PD

As tech coaches, we strive to make ed tech PD enjoyable, approachable, and, most importantly– applicable! Think of all the training you attended as a teacher that was a repeat of what you’ve already learned, or even worse, it had nothing to do with your content or classroom. We never want our teachers to walk away from tech training feeling defeated or like it was a waste of their time. 

  • Give teachers options on what training to attend so that they are excited to be there. If they’re interested in the topic, it’s a lot easier to coach them.
  • Keep your training light-hearted and approachable.
  • Create a theme to tie it all together.

Each August, we host Tech Fest to kick off the school year with ed tech enthusiasm. Check it out here! 

Flex Your Tech with Badging

Tech coaching badging

Creating a badging program like this one has built a fun platform for us to continue to grow educators while incentivizing them with awesome prizes. We have seen so much growth from this program alone, and each year, teachers find themselves in friendly competition with their colleagues over who can earn the most badges, win a prize first, and fill up their lanyard before the rest of the school. As a coach, it’s such a fun way to reward teachers for integrating technology into their lessons while encouraging them to try new tech tools.

Breakfast for Badges

Our local Chick-fil-A has been so generous to sponsor our department and our teachers, and they’ve donated free breakfast gift cards for us to use with our staff. Breakfast for Badges changes throughout the year to keep it exciting, and we love delivering happiness in the morning. Here are examples of some Breakfast for Badges incentives:

tech badges
  • Earn three badges in a month 
  • The grade level with the most Lunch and Learn participants
  • The first person to complete the Try-Athon that week

Fun Badges

Create different badges that might help teachers smile, feel seen, or recognize their efforts outside of the official badging program. 

Sometimes our teachers’ favorite badges are the ones they “unofficially earn” from a tech fail they persevered through or from finally jumping on a tech trend after everyone else tried it first.

techie teacher

Techie Teachers and Trophies

In the 2020 school year, we paused official badging and tried to just encourage teachers to make it through and find what worked for them. To help with that, we created the Techie Teacher nomination and trophy. Each month, teachers and students could nominate a Techie Teacher who integrated tech into their lessons. Each nominee earned a Chick-fil-A breakfast gift card, a techie teacher badge, and a certificate. And the techiest of them all earned a trophy. 

tech coaching try-athon

Try-Athon

We got this idea from TCEA last year, and it was so much fun! Each week during the Try-Athon, teachers had (voluntary) tasks to try, and all they had to do was try the task and report back. Since we did this in the spring around testing season, we focused on test reviews and growing your PLN. Check it out here. Thank you to Lisa McLaughlin (@limclaughlin7), Kerri Sparkman (@mstechie_2002), and Chesley Madsen (@ChelsMadsen) for sharing this idea at TCEA!

Coffee Tech Chats

tech coaching coffee

Sometimes teachers just need to chat about technology without a real plan or topic in place. During the shutdown of 2020, we hosted weekly virtual coffee chats that turned out to be a hit. Teachers had space to ask questions that they’d never asked before, share ideas with other teachers, and talk about what works and doesn’t work. It created a positive community of teacher support that carried over once we came back to campus. Sometimes, we even made the chats themed or had a topic to launch the discussion.

Be a March Madness Coach

Jump into the March Madness fun with a Techie March Madness competition. Each week, teachers vote for their favorite tech tool in each bracket until we find the most loved tech tool for the entire district.

Social Media Presence

Everyone is on social media these days, and it’s a great way to reach teachers in a different way. We use our team Facebook page the most to share events we are putting on, shout out to teachers and schools doing awesome techie lessons, and so much more! We even just started a department TikTok so we can make fun ed tech-inspired videos.

Coach with Collaboration and Co-Teaching 

Sometimes the simplest things are the most effective, like collaborating with your teachers and co-teaching a tech lesson when they’re trying something new. It takes the pressure off of the teacher so they can enjoy the process and walk away with a positive experience! 

3 comments
1 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
ed tech club podcast logo
Podcasts

The Future of Instructional Coaching | Podcast Ep. 88

by Andrew Roush
written by Andrew Roush

Violet Christensen and Courtney Groskin join the club to explore what learning coaches have discovered about supporting teachers and student during the pandemic, and what lessons they hope to carry forward.

Homework

Top Five Instructional Coaching Practices to Carry Forward

Violet Christensen: @vhchristensen

Courtney Groskin: @MissGroskin

C3: Connecting Coaches’ Cognition Podcast: @C3Coaches

C3: Connecting Coaches’ Cognition Podcast Website

IDCC: Inter-District Coaching Collaborative Website

Extra credit

Check out our Google Summer Camp.

Learn more about the 2022 TCEA Convention & Exposition.

Send your questions and ideas about future episodes to podcast@tcea.org.

Facebook: facebook.com/tcea.org/

Twitter: @TCEA

Instagram: tcea_org

Pinterest: tceaorg

Music by Bruno E

0 comment
1 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
instructional coaching
Professional Learning

Ideas and Insights on Instructional Coaching

by Andrew Roush
written by Andrew Roush

Instructional coaches support students and educators through professional development, relationship building, and much more. Like so many things in education (and life) this year, education has seen major shifts. As a result, instructional coaches have taken new lessons from the experiences of 2020.

In this post, we’ve compiled a variety of insights and ideas that have emerged this year to help build teacher capacity and improve student outcomes. 

Coaching Defined

Texas’ ESC Region 13 describes instructional coaching succinctly as “job-embedded professional development.” To that end, they write, an instructional coach does the following:

  • Facilitates pre-observation conversations, goal setting, and post-observation conferences
  • Conducts classroom observations to collect data on specified practice
  • Maintains a confidential relationship with teacher
  • Supports teachers by consistently co-planning, co-teaching, and modeling lessons.

Supporting Learning

Instructional coaches and those in similar roles are concerned with supporting learning in many ways, from understanding social-emotional needs to navigating rules, standards, schedules, and guidelines.

Responding to Change

Last month, TechNotes featured an interview with education researcher Jim Knight. He took a broad view of instructional coaching during the current COVID-19 pandemic, pointing to ways to overcome continued challenges — and the skills educators can take from this period. 

For example, what does eye contact look like for coaching when you’re doing it through Zoom versus face to face? Overall many of the same skills or best practices apply – let people finish their responses, genuinely want to hear what they have to say and listen, don’t interrupt, don’t fidget with stuff while they’re talking, and pay attention to the person. This can just be harder virtually, especially with a group. When you sit down with a person or a group face to face, you can feel if this is working or not, and that’s hard to do virtually, so working on skills like these are key.

Interview: Instructional Coaching During COVID-19

The challenges of changing schedules and changing methods of instruction mean a focus on the foundations of teaching. In the Lit Coach Connection blog, Krista Senatore outlines five lessons from the COVID outbreak that coaches can take to heart. Not only should educators focus on building and maintaining the vital personal connections that make learning happen, they should also be mindful of building a community of learners, using the right data to assess and plan, and maintain a focus on the basics of literacy, critical thinking, and reading.

Professional Learners

Not only do instructional coaches work to teach teachers, they themselves must be lifelong students. Jim Knight outlined a similar emphasis in his November interview:

“It’s really important that professional developers reflect deeply on their beliefs. Paulo Freire in the Pedagogy of the Oppressed talks about a few key concepts that need to be in place if you want to have dialogue with somebody. He said you have to have humility in the way you interact with the person. … He said when people understand that we want to hear what they have to say, we’re open to being changed by them, and we believe in them and want what’s best for them — and this is authentic — they’ll trust us. But the flip side is also true if any of those things are missing. So, I don’t know if it’s a new skill, but I think to be effective at this work, it’s really important to think carefully about our beliefs.”

Interview: Instructional Coaching During COVID-19

You can also read Knight’s thoughts on video for coaching in a previous TechNotes interview here. 

Launching Ideas

The Launch Pad is the blog from the makers of the Teach Boost tool. The blog includes a deep catalogue of posts on topics relevant to instructional coaches and similar professionals. 

In September, San Antonio instructional coach Genevie Rodríguez-Quiñones shared her insights on building teacher capacity — and easing the burden on coaches — in her piece in The Launch Pad. Among her insights are ways to share ideas and engage all of your professional network and colleagues into the process of improving and renewing learning. Also on The Launch Pad, Greg Jung shares a six-point blueprint for tech integration with the teacher in mind. 

As noted above, video is now a standard part of coaching and education in general. Coaches and educators looking to conduct useful video training and teaching, especially those running virtual events, seminars, and more, should be aware of these tips, also shared on The Launch Pad. And, if you’re interested in running top-notch virtual trainings, check out our post on the subject, and our virtual events-themed episode of our podcast, the Ed Tech Club. 

Giving Everyone Choice

Choice boards are a popular way to engage students by giving them a choice and a voice in their learning, making them active participants and creators. When it comes to providing educators with the right choice boards options, it’s all about finding the right tool for the job. 

To dig deeper into choice boards, check out this post that shares ways to provide flexible choice board options for teachers, or this post from Edthena on the power of choice boards.

Taking Control with Tech

Technology can provide powerful tools to engage, assess, and communicate with students, families, and colleagues. But using tech successfully also requires effective, proven strategies, and an understanding of teachers’ and students’ individual needs. 

In the Windy City Literacy blog, Liz Janusz outlines what we’ve learned regarding remote learning — a trend sure to stick around in ways large and small, regardless of how long the current COVID-19 pandemic lasts. 

Want to see a wide range of tools? Explore this list from InstrucionalCoaching.com, with links to a number of strategies, apps, and resources, and even self-care and wellness tips to help alleviate the stresses of remote learning and teaching. 

Looking for even more insights? Register for TCEA’s virtual Convention & Exposition, beginning February 1, 2021. Check out sessions just for professionals like you here, and don’t forget to register here!

 More from TechNotes

Photo by Christina Morillo from Pexels

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
instructional coaching
Good TeachingProfessional Learning

Interview with Jim Knight: Instructional Coaching During COVID-19

by Adam Geller, Guest Author
written by Adam Geller, Guest Author

As educators, we talk a lot about how teaching and learning has dramatically changed as a result of the pandemic. We seem to be talking less, however, about how these new ways of operating are changing our professional learning and professional relationships. 

With so many demands on our attention, it’s easy to let the process of self reflecting on instruction fall down the list of priorities a bit. But, as I uncovered in a recent conversation with Jim Knight, the importance of these coaching-style relationships has never been higher. Yes, instructional coaching may look or feel different, but it’s still possible — even if we can’t be together in person all the time. 

I trust Jim’s opinion. He’s a respected researcher and author of multiple books, including Focus on Teaching: Using Video for High-Impact Instruction, who has spent more than two decades studying instructional coaching, effective learning, and professional learning. 

During our conversation, we first discussed why video should be a central part of professional learning, and Jim was clear that this idea is true regardless of whether educators are in the classroom or teaching virtually. Then, we delved into tips and strategies to help coaches successfully support and connect with teachers online.

With the shift to online and distanced collaboration among educators, how is professional learning changing for today’s virtual world?

While in-person workshops are good for providing an overview, I don’t think they are great for deep, transformational change. That’s why we need coaching. And I think we’re moving to a point where the coaching part of professional learning is going to be more pre-eminent than workshops.

Today, we can do a lot of things virtually that aren’t possible if it’s exclusively face to face. We can differentiate in a whole lot of ways, divide up into groups, meet at different times, and use asynchronous communication. While these opportunities for professional learning were there before, they weren’t being fully exploited.

I think these methods are going to work. For example, it’s helpful to have a person to send a video of your teaching to or watch your lesson happening virtually, and then have a Zoom call with after and try different things out. Coaches and educators are able to respond using this method and it should be more powerful than our more traditional forms of professional development.

What new skills should coaches try to build to become professional learners?

It’s really important that professional developers reflect deeply on their beliefs. Paulo Freire in the Pedagogy of the Oppressed talks about a few key concepts that need to be in place if you want to have dialogue with somebody. He said you have to have humility in the way you interact with the person. This means, “I’m open to being changed by what you have to say, in fact, I’m encouraging you, I want to hear you and I’m open.” You also have to communicate faith, which is to say, “I believe in you and I really think you can succeed.” The other condition is love, which means “I’m engaging in my will for the good of you and I have an attitude of benevolence toward you.”

He said when people understand that we want to hear what they have to say, we’re open to being changed by them, and we believe in them and want what’s best for them — and this is authentic — they’ll trust us. But the flip side is also true if any of those things are missing. So, I don’t know if it’s a new skill, but I think to be effective at this work, it’s really important to think carefully about our beliefs.

What new skills should teachers try to build?

I don’t have research on this the way I do for coaching, but I would say the same thing applies in instruction. Teachers can step back and ask what beliefs guide their interactions with students. They can ask questions like: Do I truly see the dignity in every child that I teach? Do I really communicate that I believe in them? Do I genuinely want what’s best for each of my children? Can my students see these things?

Beyond beliefs, it’s important to try to figure some skills out. For example, what does eye contact look like for coaching when you’re doing it through Zoom versus face to face? Overall many of the same skills or best practices apply – let people finish their responses, genuinely want to hear what they have to say and listen, don’t interrupt, don’t fidget with stuff while they’re talking, and pay attention to the person. This can just be harder virtually, especially with a group. When you sit down with a person or a group face to face, you can feel if this is working or not, and that’s hard to do virtually, so working on skills like these are key.

How do you think empathy and listening between a coach or school leader and a teacher changes in an online context?

I think the good thing is you’re able to communicate in a number of different ways, so you can find different opportunities for asynchronous communication using video. And, you can just get online anywhere.

The opportunity is there, but what’s different is you have to find other ways for taking the temperature of the relationship. With face to face, you can usually feel what’s happening and get a sense if you’re in sync or not. But online, it’s a little harder.

Jim Knight is a research associate at the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning and the president of the Instructional Coaching Group. To watch more of this interview with Knight, visit the Edthena blog. To read more insights from Jim Knight, check out our past interview on TCEA TechNotes.

Photo by Julia M Cameron from Pexels

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
hand holding lights
Educational TrendsGood Teaching

Coaching for Results, Part 3: Terminology

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

How do you blend technology into instruction while also providing coaching support? In this third installment of  Coaching for Results, we’ll explore several key concepts. Then we’ll put it all together. Before we do that, it’s important to clarify vocabulary, so let’s begin with that.

Overlapping Terms

The following list of words and phrases often mean different things to people. Let’s take a look at each one and define it.

  • Blended learning
  • Coaching
  • Evidence-based learning
  • Instructional strategies
  • High-effect size instructional strategies a la John Hattie
  • Technology integration
  • Strategic technology integration

As you might imagine, quite a bit of confusion exists around each of these terms and they do overlap each other.

Clarifying Vocabulary

Let’s revisit what some of the terms used in this blog entry mean to most of us:

  • Blended learning:  This term has resulted in much confusion. It is often seen as the successor to the term “technology integration.” Clayton Christensen defines the term as “not the same as technology-rich instruction.” It’s often seen as the way to blend technology into teaching and learning. Blended learning advocates incorporate the idea of active, engaged learning with a flipped classroom approach. Station rotation includes activities like small group instruction and group work. Advocates like Caitlin Tucker (see my Wakelet on her work) include online learning.  Collaborative projects are a key component of Caitlin’s brand of blended learning.
  • Coaching: Many coaching approaches are teacher-centric. That is, they are about building relationships with staff. The goal is that these will result in changes to teaching practice. When we shift our focus from the teacher to student, then we may get the results we seek. Many coaching models exist. Two worth your time include Knight’s The Impact Cycle and Diane Sweeney’s Student-Centered Coaching. Diane’s efforts focus coaches on student-centered change efforts which transform teaching practice.  We’ll come back to Diane Sweeney’s approach later.
  • Evidence-based learning: Many different kinds of activities find their way into classrooms today. Some are not evidence-based, or based on research that is in itself questionable. As Cathy Lassiter points out, “Many old assumptions about what works best in education have been disproven.” As a result, we have to rethink positions on certain instructional strategies. This requires accepting new research that challenges what we once believed to work. Evidence-based learning means no less than knowing how new research defines success. What we do as teacher and students must align to the findings of scientific research. This means new research takes precedence over what we would like to believe. Old, disproven assumptions offer opportunities for reflection and new learning.
  • Instructional strategies: This includes the entire collection of instructional strategies (sans ed tech) available to us. (Check out this extensive list here.) As educators, we’ve seen many instructional strategies. Some are research-based, many are not. How do you differentiate between cutesy activities and strategies that work?
  • High-Effect Size Instructional Strategies (HESIS): “We have no right to teach in a way that leads to students gaining less than d= 0.40 within a year,” says John Hattie (Visible Learning, 2009). These are research-based strategies that are shown to work. Now, when I say research-based, this isn’t your run of the mill research. You can learn more about these strategies online. As educators, why not use strategies that work best instead of those that are less effective? In particular, strategies that meet or exceed an effect size of >.40. These HESIS have the potential to accelerate student learning in one school year. Instead of one year’s growth that some instructional strategies offer, these accomplish more. For example, jigsaw has an effect size of 1.2, equating to three or more years of growth for a student in one year. If you focus on using high-effect size instructional strategies, students will learn faster.
  • Technology integration: This is an older term that many ed tech veterans have relied on. It is a catch-all phrase that involves using technology as part of teaching and learning. Some see it as an all-inclusive term that includes blended learning, while others dismiss it as first level use. Whatever your definition, the term is old, abused, and difficult to refresh. Many choose to abandon it in favor of “blended learning” (leading to confusion). Others use terms such as “technology-rich instruction” in lieu of it. Both replacement terms lack specificity.
  • Strategic technology integration: Weston Kieschnick coined this term. He refers to it as a merging of two components. That is, Hattie’s high-effect size instructional strategies with educational technology.  The term includes the use of both desktop and internet-based technology approaches. This includes blended learning as both Caitlin Tucker and Clayton Christiansen define them.

Three Aspects

Now that we have a clearer understanding of terminology, we can get to the heart of good teaching. Achieving academic standards is accomplished through the union of three aspects of teaching and learning. Those aspects include the fusion of the following:

  • High-effect size instructional strategies
  • Strategic technology use in the classroom
  • Pupil-centric coaching efforts

We merge these so that we may construct evidence-based learning experiences. These experiences lead to accelerated growth as John Hattie defines it.

  • High-Effect Size Instructional Strategies (HESIS). Past assumptions have not held up. Consider Natalie Wexler’s and Cathy Lassiter’s perspectives. Hattie provides definitive work on the subject of what strategies work and when it is best to use them.
  • Strategic Technology Integration (STI). The prevalence of technology in today’s society makes strategic technology integration critical. That is, as Weston Kieschnick says, technology integration that elevates high-effect size instructional strategies.
  • Pupil-Centric Coaching Efforts. This is Diane Sweeney’s student-centered coaching. It involves doing pre- and post-assessments of student learning followed by discussions with the teacher and student about both instructional strategies and strategic technology integration.

How do we combine these into a working model? To simplify the process, Weston Kieschnick offers five actions we can take. With some minor modifications, we can see how these three components can work together.

In part four of the series, I’ll share the fusion of these three aspects in a working model you can use in your K-12 or adult classroom.

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
LeadershipProfessional Learning

Relationship-Building Tips for Instructional Coaches

by Diana Benner
written by Diana Benner

Building strong relationships with those you coach is one of the most important things an instructional coach can do. In this blog, I mentioned how relationship building in coaching is one of the first things you want to do. While this can be a difficult task, there are some things you can do to help strengthen the bond with your coachee. Here are a few that I’d like to share with you.

Really Get to Know the Person You’re Coaching

At the heart of making a strong connection is understanding who you are coaching. Get to know them as a person. Move beyond the basic facts that you might already know and find out what is important to them, what their values and beliefs are, and what motivates them. You don’t have to be their best friend, but you do want to try to find common ground or that one thing you can connect on that goes beyond the content.

Share Your Story

You became an instructional coach for a reason. Share your story and your goals with those you coach. Let them know you care about them and want to help them grow as educators. This will help create a mutual understanding from the onset. Teachers might have different views as to what a coach is and what a coach does.  Sharing your story will help clear up any misconceptions and will help shape a trusting relationship.

Listen Patiently

As a coach, you might feel pressure to have the right answers all the time. It’s okay, and, in fact, really important to just listen to the teachers you coach and not immediately offer solutions. It is important to listen fully and completely understand the context of what is being said. If an idea pops into your head, write it down and don’t interrupt.

Problem Solve Together

It’s vital that you work together with teachers to problem solve. Instead of always providing the answers, try asking questions to help teachers solve their own challenges. Ask questions such as, “What have you tried?” or “What do you think?” Problem solving together will help create that true partnership. Remember that it is not your job to be the know-it-all. It is your job to help the teacher develop his/her own problem-solving strategies.

Get Feedback

One of main jobs that you have as an instructional coach is to give feedback. However, it is just as important that you receive feedback from the teachers you are working with. Create a survey or be open during your coaching conversations about receiving feedback. Ask those you coach how the relationship is going and how you can support them better. This type of two-way feedback is essential to building trust. In addition, you are modeling the openness you are hoping to see in your teachers.

building relationships

Provide Praise

When giving feedback, make sure you mention some of the strengths you are observing. Sometimes, we cannot see our own good qualities and are focused on the things we do wrong. It helps to build your relationship if you can identify some good things you are seeing.

Keep Working on Building Relationships

Know that building relationships takes time, so it might not happen right away. Relationship building works both ways. Both you and the person you coach must be invested in developing the relationship and this might take some time. Continue to find ways to keep working on the relationship if it doesn’t happen right away.

Use these tips to help you establish a solid relationship with those you coach. In addition, if you have some tips that have worked for you, please share them with us in the comments below.

0 comment
3 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
Newer Posts
Older Posts