12. TLT Vol 2 No. 4 Dec 06 Separating Coaching From Supervising

8/10/2019 12. TLT Vol 2 No. 4 Dec 06 Separating Coaching From Supervising

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TEACHERSTEACHINGTEACHERS

TEACHERSTEACHINGTEACHERS

B Y C AT H Y A . T O L L

Iwork with literacy coaches all over the United States. These coachesare employed by their schools or districts to support teacher growthin literacy instruction. As a coach

of literacy coaches, I can predict many of the questions that I will be asked becausecertain topics in coaching are commonacross sites. Among these questions are anumber related to coaching and supervi-sion.

Typical questions include:

How can I convince teachers that Imnot working with them as a supervi-sor?

How often should I report to the prin-cipal and how much should I tell her?

What should I do if my principalwants me to tell him which teachersare not doing a good job?

What should I do when I see some-thing bad happening in a class-room? If I tell the principal, theteachers wont trust me.At the core of such questions are two

issues:Coaching duties sometimes look sim-

ilar to duties performed by supervisors;Coaches need to maintain teachers

trust while having good communicationwith the supervisor (Lyons & Pinnell,2001; Toll, 2005).

Lets explore these issues. First,though, Id like to provide my definitionsof coach and supervisor. The defini-tions pertain specifically to work withteachers.

Coach: One who helps teachers torecognize what they know and can do,assists teachers as they strengthen their

F O R A D Y N A M I C C O M M U N I T Y O F T E A C H E R L E A D E R S

WHATSINSIDE

Focus on NSDCsstandardsCoaches marchin the lead

positions.PAGE 5

Voice of ateacher leaderPAGE 7

NSDC toolThis can naildown anagreement

between a coachand a principal.PAGE 8

NSDC profileKathy Spruiell,above, andChristy LeMaster multiply matheducation.PAGE 10

Research brief PAGE 13

Vol. 2, No. 4December 2006

Vol.2, No. 4December 2006

t t

National Staff DevelopmentCouncil800-727-7288www.nsdc.org

Our goal: All teachers in all schools will experience high-quality professional learning as part of their daily work.

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nsdc

Separating coachingfrom supervising


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ability to make more effective use of what theyknow and do, and supports teachers as they learnmore and do more.

Supervisor: One who ensures that teachers

meet the requirements of their positions at a sat-isfactory level and continue to do so over time.

Ive given these definitions a good deal of thought. I have chosen to describe a coach in

positive terms rather than ones that would indi-cate a coachs duties in finding problems or help-ing underperforming teachers to do better jobs.This choice reflects my belief that coaching

builds on strengths and that, while coaches maywork with problem situations, they dont neces-sarily do so.

The definition above does not preclude

working with problem situations they certain-ly can arise as a coach assists teachers instrengthening their ability to make more effectiveuse of what they know and do, as well as whena coach supports teachers as they learn moreand do more.

Ive phrased the definition of a supervisor ina similarly positive manner. In addition, Iveindicated that supervisors want to ensure thatteachers do their work satisfactorily not only inthe present but also in the future. The inclusionof over time in the definition indicates thatgrowth, not stasis, is a goal of supervision. Iincluded another word, satisfactory, with agreat deal of thought. There are many teacherswhose work is better than satisfactory, and thereare many supervisors who want above satisfacto-ry work. Id suggest, though, that when supervi-sors assist teachers in moving beyond satisfactory

performance, they are really coaching, accordingto the definitions above. In addition, when super-visors assist teachers in continuing satisfactory

performance over time, they may do some coach-ing as defined above, or they may continue to usesupervisory strategies.

The examples in Figure 1 on this page illus-trate the potential overlap between coaching andsupervising in a principals duties. The differenceis subtle but important: When one is coaching,one is responding to anothers needs, values, and

perceptions. Yes, a coach will provide her own perspective as well, but the teacher directs thecontent of the conversation. In supervising, the

supervisor may listen to and respect anothersneeds, values, and perceptions, but the supervisor directs the content of the conversation.

The reverse can also occur. A coach may slipinto a supervisory role. Examples in Figure 2 on

p. 3 exemplify the potential for such an overlap.In the first case, the coach responds to theteacher in a nonjudgmental manner and asks aninquiring question to help the teacher solve the

problem. In the second case, the coach tells theteacher what to do.

TEACHERS TEACHING TEACHERS PAGE 2 t 3

National Staff Development Council 800-727-7288 www.nsdc.org DECEMBER 2006

SUPERVISINGCOACHING

About the author

Cathy Toll, a formerteacher, reading

specialist, andprincipal, is chair of elementary teachereducation at IndianaUniversity School of Education at IUPUI.

She has workedextensively withliteracy coaches andtheir leadersthroughout the

United States and alsoserved as director of literacy research anddevelopment at theNorth CentralRegional EducationalLaboratory.

She is founder of TheProfessional LearningGroup,a thoughtcollaborativededicated to re-visioning teacherprofessional growth.

You can continuethis conversation [email protected].

Figure 1DRAWING A DISTINCTIONBETWEEN SUPERVISING AND COACHING

Example 1PRINCIPAL SUPERVISINGONLYPrincipal to third-yearteacher: You have beenreally successful in gettingyour students interested in reading! Your class-room is full of interesting books, and the par-ents are involved, too. I know this was a goalyouve been working on congratulations onyour success.Now,how do you plan to main-

tain the studentsmotivation to read? In this case,the principal follows an observa-tion that the teacher met his goal with a questionto direct the teacher to a further goal.

Example 2PRINCIPAL SUPERVISINGAND COACHINGPrincipal to third-yearteacher: You have beenreally successful in gettingyour students interested inreading! Your classroom isfull of interesting books, and the parents areinvolved, too.What is your next goal for yourliteracy instruction? In this case,the principal follows an observa-tion that the teacher met his goal with a questionto get the teacher to think about what else hemay want to address about his work.


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Supervisors who act as coaches are rarely blundering, unless they are failing to performtheir supervisory roles as well. However, coacheswho slip into supervisory roles are usually mak-ing a mistake, often a serious mistake. Successfulcoaching depends upon trust between teachersand coaches (Costa & Garmston, 2002; Sweeney,2003); if the teacher believes the coach is asupervisor, that trust may be jeopardized. In addi-

tion, when a coach becomes directive, the teacher may feel that his needs or concerns are not thefocus of attention (Flaherty, 1998). Finally,coaching is new to the culture of many schools,

and staff members often feel suspicious aboutclaims that the coach is there to help. In such sit-uations, when a coach behaves like a supervisor,even subtly, those suspicions flare and the entirecoaching endeavor is compromised.

For coaching to be successful, it must beseparated from supervision. Coaches and supervi-sors can practice a number of strategies to makethis possible.

Tips for coaches1. Separate yourself from the performance

assessment of teachers. Do not participate inany aspect of others performance assess-ment process.

2. If you see a supervisory matter, trust that thesupervisor will see it, too. Thats the supervi-sors job leave it up to her to take care of it. (Exceptions occur in cases where childrenare being endangered or where the coachneeds to protect himself.)

3. Communicate with supervisors in a neutralmanner. Provide a written summary of coaching

meetings individual and group to thoseinvolved and to the principal routinely. Develop aone-page form that includes the names of partici-

pants, date of meeting, topics discussed, goalsset, and action steps. Plans for the next meetingcould also be included. This information needs tobe reported in a factual manner, emphasizing only positive steps taken and avoiding any state-ments of judgment.

Summarize coaching activities as a whole(or by grade level or department, if there aregreat differences in the work you do among suchgroups). This summary might include the number of individual coaching sessions, group coachingsessions, demonstration lessons, and other duties

performed by a coach. Dont mention teachersnames. Give a copy to all staff members.

Consider having a coachs advisory teamwith a broad range of representation that willhelp you evaluate the coaching process (not youor your colleagues) and report on the process to



Figure 2DEMONSTRATING THE POTENTIAL FOR

OVERLAP BETWEEN SUPERVISING ANDCOACHING

Example 3COACH COACHING ONLYCoach to 9th-grade Englishteacher: At this point in theschool year, it may be helpfulto look back at your stu-dents' cumulative writingfolders to look at the samples you've collected.Teacher: Oh! I forgot to collect samples all

year!Coach: Hmmm ...Teacher: I have had the students write likecrazy but because I'm new to this school, I for-got to put them in the cumulative folder.Coach: What could you do now?

Example 4COACH COACHING AND SUPERVISINGCoach to 9th-gradeEnglish teacher: At thispoint in the school year, itmay be helpful to look back at your students' cumula-tive writing folders to look at the samples you've col-lected.Teacher: Oh! I forgot to collect samples allyear!Coach: You're supposed to collect three of them.You need to see your department chairabout this one.

SUPERVISINGCOACHING

Coaches who slipinto supervisoryroles are usuallymaking amistake, often aserious mistake.

See Page 8 for a toolfor developing apartnershipagreement betweena coach and aprincipal.


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supervisors and staff.4. In difficult situations with teachers, you can

avoid acting like a supervisor while takingsteps to move ahead.

Ask a peer (teacher or coach) to sit in on ameeting and provide feedback as a critical friend.If you can, ask the teacher with whom you areworking to agree to this and even to set it up.

Discuss with the teacher your concern andasking how to move beyond it. Focus on observ-able behaviors and your responses (not your guess about why the teacher is resisting, nor whatyou think the teacher is thinking/feeling).

Work with that teacher one-on-one rather than in a group, which will lessen the negativeinfluence on others.

Invite the teacher to take a leadership rolein sharing successful practices or leading a studygroup (a risk this could backfire).

Discuss the matter with the teachers super-visor if you and the supervisor can be sure thatthe other will not in any way reveal to others thatthe conversation took place. (Do this rarely andonly as a last resort.)5. If a supervisor tells you that a teacher needs

your help in improving performance to thesatisfactory level, politely tell the supervisor that youll wait for the teacher to approachyou about the matter and then youll be gladto help. (You may need to respectfullyremind the supervisor about the need for acoach to avoid supervisory duties, and pointout that, if you approach the teacher, youwill be acting as the representative of thesupervisor.)

6. If a supervisor repeatedly asks you to per-form activities that are supervisory in nature,ask for assistance in clarifying your rolefrom the director of literacy or the director of coaching in your school district.

Tips for supervisors1. If you believe that a teacher you are super-

vising needs to work with the literacy coachin order to improve performance to a satis-factory level: Place responsibility in the hands of the

teacher, not the coach, to initiate the coachingconversation. Avoid telling the coach that the

teacher needs help and expecting the coach toapproach the teacher. Ensure that the teacher knows the remediation effort is her responsibilityand that the coach will be available to help.

Ask the teacher to outline who will do whatin the improvement process.

Ask the teacher to provide notes of hiswork with the coach (dont ask the coach to dothis).2. Meet regularly with the coach, and be aware

of coaching activities in general. Learn aboutthe nature of the coachs work, includingareas of success and struggle, without askingabout specific supervisory problems.

3. If the coach broaches the topic of a particu-lar teacher, ask whether the teacher should

be the one sharing the information with thesupervisor.

4. Dont require the coach to report on indi-vidual teachers.

5. Dont share confidential supervisory infor-mation with the coach.

ReferencesCosta, A. & Garmston, R. (2002).

Cognitive coaching: A foundation for renaissance schools, 2nd ed. Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon.

Flaherty, J. (1998). Coaching: Evoking excellence in others. Boston: Butterworth-Heinemann.

Lyons, C.A. & Pinnell, G.S. (2001).Systems for change in literacy education: A guideto professional development. Portsmouth, NH:Heinemann.

Sweeney, D. (2003). Learning along theway: Professional development by and for teach-ers. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.

Toll, C.A. (2005). The literacy coaches sur-vival guide: Essential questions and answers

for literacy coaches. Newark, DE:International Reading Association.

SUPERVISINGCOACHING


FOR THE COACH:If a supervisorrepeatedly asks youto perform activitiesthat are supervisoryin nature, ask forassistance inclarifying your rolefrom the director of

literacy or thedirector of coachingin your schooldistrict.

FOR THESUPERVISOR:If the coachbroaches the topicof a particularteacher, ask whetherthe teacher shouldbe the one sharingthe information withthe supervisor.

This article originallyappeared asSeparating coachingfrom supervising, byCathy Toll, EnglishLeadership Quarterly,Oct.2004,Vol. 27,No.2. Copyright 2004,National Council of Teachers of English.Reprinted withpermission.


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Coaches are teachers at heart andleaders of change. They serve as

both formal and informal leaders intheir schools. As leaders, they standside-by-side with their school

administrators shaping improvement strategiesand supporting classroom practices designed toimprove student learning. In their role as leaders,

coaches engage in results-driven, goal-focusedwork.

As formal leaders, coaches chair committees,facilitate teams, contribute to decision making,and act as teacher leaders. They may, for exam-

ple, chair school improvement teams or co-chair teams with the principal or other colleagues.They may facilitate standing committees withinthe school, such as the professional developmentcommittee, lead curriculum teams, such as theschools literacy team, or head task forces, suchas those undertaking special projects within theschool. As designated leaders, coaches use their leadership skills to help others stay resultsfocused. As a formal leader within the school, acoach may find that she walks a fine line

between administrator and teacher.As informal leaders, coaches lead by exam-

ple with their attitudes and behaviors. What theysay and do convey their beliefs about any aspectof the education system. Other teachers look tocoaches for indicators about how to respond toinnovation or decisions. For example, if a districtadopts new mathematics curriculum, teachersresponse may mirror the coachs. When a coachfocuses his interactions and support on servicesthat align with school goals and not on other areas, he sends an unspoken message about theimportance of the goals and his commitment toachieve them. His actions communicate to col-leagues that the goals are worthy of his energyand effort. As informal leaders, coaches oftenhave a very powerful influence on their col-

leagues.As leaders within their schools, whether for-

mal or informal, coaches contribute to the cultureof the school. Through their actions, they revealtheir mental models, the beliefs that influencetheir actions. For example, how a coachapproaches an improvement effort reveals what acoach believes about the schools potential to

improve. If a coach approaches improvementfrom a deficit approach for example, Wehave a problem here and what we are currentlydoing is not working she may create resistancefrom teachers who have

been working very hard andwho feel as if all their work has been discredited or notappreciated. These teachersmay not enroll in thechange effort and may evenact to subvert the effort.

However, if a coachchooses an asset-based or success-based approach tochange, he may convey his

belief in the knowledge andskill of his colleagues. By

beginning with the strengths of the school or staff and movingtoward the staffs vision or dream, the coach builds on what already exists,engages teachers in recognition and appreciationof their successes, and supports them in identify-ing where they want to go next. Authors DougKrug and Ed Oakley in their book, Enlightened

Leadership:Getting to the Heart of Change(Fireside, 1991), offered a simple yet powerfulapproach to change that uses the principle of strength-based change. Their approach includesfour steps in the form of questions: What are our successes?


LEADERSHIPStaff development that improves thelearning of all students requires skillfulschool and district leaders who guidecontinuous instructional improvement.


Coaches lead in everything they doJoellen Killion isdirector of specialprojects for NationalStaff DevelopmentCouncil.

FOCUS ON NSDCSSTANDARDS


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t TEACHERS TEACHING TEACHERS PAGE 63


What contributes to those successes? Whatare we doing to achieve them?

Where do we want to go from here? How will we get there? What will we do?

By working from strengths instead of deficits, assets instead of problems, coachesempower teachers rather than demoralize them.They infuse a can-do attitude in their colleagues.They acknowledge and appreciate rather thancriticize. They assume positive intention rather than lack of professionalism. Building on assetsrather than deficits has a powerful impact onteachers morale, dedication, and effort. Whenthey feel respected, appreciated, and professional,teachers are more likely to work toward theschools goals than when they feel disrespected,

underappreciated, or unprofessional.Coaches contribute to creating a trusting and

blame-free environment within the school. Howthey use data with teachers, for example, is oneway coaches model their beliefs. If the dataanalysis protocol begins with identifying deficitsrather than successes, teachers may feel unsafeand blamed for their students poor performance.They may even feel that they are being singledout. On the other hand, if the use of data beginswith student successes, teachers are more likelyto move naturally from what worked to whatdidnt and take responsibility for the results.

Creating a forum for dialogue, healthy con-flict, and consensus is another way coaches shapethe schools culture as either a formal or informalleader. Coaches can create a safe haven in whichteachers can express their perceptions, identifytheir assumptions, and state their point of view.When teachers feel that their opinions or ideas donot matter, they become disenfranchised. Whengiven a voice in decision making, either by offer-ing input to shape the decision or making thedecision collaboratively, teachers are more com-

mitted to the success of the decision and work actively to support implementation.

Coaches can also protect teachers fromunnecessary or unimportant issues. Schools are

centers for change. Schools frequently have mul-tiple initiatives or innovations occurring simulta-neously. Daily external pressures or special inter-ests act to derail improvement efforts in schools.Coaches, working in partnership with principals,actively work to keep away distracters.Distracters may come in the form of a new initia-tive that is not aligned to the schools goal or aspecial interest. Coaches frequently make diffi-cult decisions to ignore opportunities that may beseductively attractive in favor of that which willmake a difference in the goal area.

A coachs most important leadership role issupporting instructional improvement. In their interactions with teachers, coaches continuouslyfocus on instruction that improves student learn-ing. Coaches help teachers use data to planinstruction, reflect on instruction, and revise les-son design so that all classroom practice meetsthe needs of all students. Coaches provide a vari-ety of services that focus on instructionalimprovement including doing demonstration les-sons, co-teaching, observing and offering feed-

back, conducting walk-throughs, facilitatingexamination of student work, or offering moreformal professional development.

Coaches, whether in formal or informal lead-ership roles within their school, act as leaders ineverything they do. They continuously guide,shape, mold, and influence others through their actions and attitudes.

What they do and believe contributes towhat others do and believe. Coaches work hand-in-hand with their principals to create a results-driven school culture that fosters teacher excel-lence so that all students learn.

FOCUS ON NSDCSSTANDARDS

For moreinformation aboutNSDCs Standardsfor Staff Development, see

www.nsdc.org/standards/index.cfm

A coachs mostimportantleadership role issupporting

instructionalimprovement.

ORDER TODAY!Taking the lead:New roles for teachersand school-based coachesBy Joellen Killion and Cindy HarrisonNSDC, 2006.

Explores the complex, multi-faceted roles played by teacher leadersand school-based coaches as well as examining district and schoolexpectations, hiring practices,and deployment of these educators.Item #B352 Price: $45 nonmembers


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One of the defining characteristicsof a professional learning team isa commitment to using data aboutstudent achievement to driveinstruction. Together, teachers

examine results and refine practices based onwhat they learn about students.

Few would argue about the need to refocus

our profession on results. As educators, weshould not only accept accountability weshould embrace it. We should con-stantly seek out information aboutour students because to make deci-sions without data is inherentlyirresponsible and unprofessional.

But on an emotional level,data can intimidate us. Collectingand analyzing data seems too sci-entific almost out of reach

because we havent been trained asformal researchers. Data analysisis something done by experts

behind computers working withspreadsheets and speaking a lan-guage that we dont understand!

What makes data even moreintimidating is that schools arealmost drowning in it! Standardized test scores,formative assessments developed by teachers,attendance patterns, behavior referrals, informalclassroom observations, and anecdotal recordscollected on each child surround us every day.Knowing where to begin is almost impossible.

For our learning team, the greatest barrier tousing data was the initial fear of being judged.Working together to plan lessons and to analyzeresults required us to reveal our practices andourselves to outsiders for the first time. What if my scores are the lowest? we wondered. Arewe willing to take that risk?

Matters were made worse when a well-inten-

tioned instructional support teacher tried to facili-tate a conversation with our learning team beforeour first data day. How will you feel if yourethe best teacher? she asked. What if you endup being the worst?

Almost immediately, conversation dried upat our table, replaced by a sense of uneasy com-

petition. What if you end up being the worst, I

kept thinking. Those few words stalled us. Nolonger was working with data something that we

were totally comfortable with. Our confidence and our willingnessto trust one another dwindledand hesitance kicked in.

After a few days of nervoustension, we met again on our own.We decided to focus our conversa-tions on instructional practicesrather than people. For us, lowscores werent evidence of weak teachers. Instead, they were evi-dence of instructional practices thatneed to be strengthened. Likewise,high scores werent evidence of thebest teachers. They were evi-dence of instructional practices thatwere working and needed to be

replicated. We eliminated judgmental terms likebest and worst from our conversations aboutinstruction and we were relieved!

While it may seem like a small semantic dis-tinction, focusing on practices rather than peoplemade collaboration safe. This move allowed us toreveal information that we would have otherwiseguarded closely. That was essential if we wereever going to risk opening doors to our instruc-tion.

Are conversations about data and instructionsafe for teachers in your building? What barri-ers stand in the way of a genuine commitment tofocusing on results?



VOICE OF ATEACHER LEADER

Bill Ferriter is a 6th-grade social studiesand language artsteacher at SalemMiddle School, Apex,N.C.

Conversation on data can turn sour

Join theconversation withBill by logging intothe NSDC members-only area andselecting the Bloglink on the frontpage.

The support teacherasked How will youfeel if youre the bestteacher? What if youend up being theworst? And the

conversation driedup.

The avalanche of data that schools

use is key toprofessional

decisions.Butranking and rating

are fraught withhuman emotions.


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NSDC TOOL

By answering thesequestions, a principaland a school-basedcoach can develop aset of agreements

that can guide theirwork in a school.Being clear aboutthe parameters andexpectations for thecoachs work alsohelps a principalexplain to staff thisimportant new rolein a school.

Coach What expectations do you have of me and the

work I do? What responsibilities will I have as a member of

this staff? What are the boundaries of my work? What is outside the boundaries of my work? How do you feel about me ... serving on a district

committee, facilitating a school committee, etc.

Principal What do you expect of me? What do we think teachers expect of you? What does the district expect of you? What are the defined responsibilities of your role

as a coach? How much flexibility do we have to adjust your

work to meet the needs of our students andstaff?

Coach Which teachers will I work with? How will I determine which teachers to work

with?

Principal Where are the greatest needs in our school? Which teachers have expressed interest in receiv-

ing your support?

Coach What percentage of the staff do you expect me

to work with? What results do you expect over the next year,

two years, and three years? What are the school improvement goals?

Principal What procedural goals are appropriate for your

work in this school? Here are our improvement goals...

Coach Here is how you can support me in my role as a

coach ... What resources are available for me?

Technology? Space? Money for professional pub-lications or development?

Principal What support do you want from me? What resources do you need to feel

comfortable? Heres how you will share in the schools

resources for professional development ...

EXPECTED RESULTS Identify the expected results of the coachs work. Define process goals which describe how the coachwill work and results goals which describe the outcome of the work. For example:Process: The coach will work one-on-one with 75% of the staff and every grade level.Results: Student achievement on the state math assessment will increase by 20% over the next two

years.

ROLES,RESPONSIBILITIES,AND BOUNDARIES

Agree on the roles coaches will fill within the school, other responsibilities the coach will have, such asteacher duties, etc., and what coaches will not do.

CLIENTS Identify who the coach will work with: teams of teachers, individual teachers, novice teachers, depart-ments/grade levels/teams, etc.

SUPPORT AND RESOURCESSpecify the support and resources the coach can expect.

Developing a partnership agreement between a coach and a principal


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Source: Adapted fromTaking the lead:New roles for teachers and school-based coaches,by Joellen Killion andCindy Harrison. NSDC,2006.

Coach When do you want this finished? What are the short- and long-term timelines for

my work?

Principal When will you be able to meet with all depart-

ments? When will you complete one-on-one visits with

every teacher?

Coach When shall we meet to discuss my work plan?

How often shall we meet to discuss my work?

Principal When can we meet to discuss how you plan your

work to serve teachers?

Coach What process do we want to establish to help

teachers access my assistance? What is the best way for me to spend the majori-

ty of my time? How will I log my work? What evidence do you

want?

Principal What process do you think will help teachers

access your services easily and conveniently? How will you demonstrate how you spend your

time?

Coach What information do you expect me to provide

about my work with individual teachers or teamsof teachers?

What agreements will allow teachers to feel com-fortable interacting with me, sharing theirstrengths and weaknesses, and being willing totake risks to change their instructional practices?

Whats the best way for me to tell you when I feelyou are asking for information that is outside ouragreement area?

Principal What agreements will allow teachers to feel com-

fortable interacting with me, sharing theirstrengths and weaknesses, and being willing totake risks to change their instructional practices?

How will we monitor our agreements about con-fidentiality?

CONFIDENTIALITY Be explicit about what is confidential and how to alert each other about confidentiality concerns.

PROCESSES Identify the processes the coach will use for various tasks, such as providing services to teachers,deciding priorities, how often to work with individual teachers or teams of teachers, how teachersaccess coaching services, how to document their work, how to report their accomplishments, etc.

COMMUNICATION Decide when to communicate, how often to communicate, and the purpose of your communication.

TIMELINESSetting timelines for achieving goals gives the coach and the principal the ability to measure progresstoward their goals so that they can make mid-course adjustments.

TEACHERS TEACHING TEACHERS PAGE 9 t 3 NSDC TOOL

Setting timelines forachieving goals givesthe coach and theprincipal the ability tomeasure progresstoward their goals so

that they can makemid-courseadjustments.

See the Winter 2007issue of JSDto learnmore about howprincipals can support

school-basedcoaches.


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NSDC PROFILEKATHY SPRUIELLCHRISTY LeMASTER

B Y J O A N R I C H A R D S O N

Christy LeMaster and Kathy Spruiellare a dynamic duo.

At Simonton Elementary Schoolin suburban Atlanta, the pair man-ages 13 Math Model Classrooms

(MMCs) in their building. These classrooms at least one for each grade level are demon-stration sites for the 134 teachers at Simonton.The MMC teachers have volunteered to opentheir classrooms to observations by other teach-ers. Some of the MMC teachers are novice teach-ers, some veterans.

The MMCs are open for observation at thesame time every week. Sometimes, LeMaster or Spruiell co-teaches with the teacher; sometimes,the regular teacher goes it alone. Teachers canvolunteer to visit an MMC whenever theyreinterested, but the principal, Dot Schoeller,requires every classroom teacher to visit anMMC at least once each year. She hires 12 sub-stitutes for a day and releases classroom teachersin two-hour blocks. Because of the size of thestaff, it takes weeks to ensure that every teacher

has released time for the observations. Simontonhas four such observation periods during theschool year.

The observations follow the same patterneach time. The coaches, working in consultationwith grade-level teachers, identify a math strate-gy for the focus of the observation. The strategymay be new or it may be one that challengesmany of the teachers. Classroom teachers willvisit one of the MMCs, typically in their gradelevel, for the observation.

Following the observation, the classroomteacher has a conversation with one of the coach-es about how he or she could use the same strate-gy. The teacher will commit to practicing thestrategy and schedule a time when the coach willobserve the teacher using the strategy with his or her own students. Sometimes, the classroomteacher will ask the coach to do another demolesson before trying it independently. Then thecoach observes the teacher using the strategywith his or her own students. Finally, the coachreflects with the teacher about the experience.

This year, LeMaster and Spruiell also havecreated a learning community of the MMC teach-

Kathy Spruiell, left,and Christy LeMaster

Read more aboutthe principalssupport for coaching

in this school in theDecember/January2007 issue of TheLearning Principal.



Mathcoaching,

squaredPAIR MAKES A DIFFERENCEWITH MODEL CLASSROOMSIN GEORGIA SCHOOL


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ers. Those 13 teachers meet regularly to share

their experiences and inevitably spin off moreideas. Our first meeting with them was excel-lent. So many ideas came out of that meeting,Spruiell said.

Both LeMaster and Spruiell express a greatdeal of admiration for the teachers who volun-teered for the MMCs. The teachers who volun-teered to be in the math model classrooms had to

be willing to be disturbed. Thats hard. It washard for them to say I dont know and I wanthelp. Teachers usually dont do that, LeMaster said.

LeMaster, who was a math coach in another building before coming to Simonton, believes theMMCs offer greater opportunities for conferenc-ing and reflection than having a coach do modellessons in a single classroom. When I did modellessons, I was seen as the expert, someone who

would come in and do something for them. This

is more reflective and collaborative.To be a coach, you have to build trust, no

matter how much expertise you have. That takestime. Teachers have to know that youre on their side and that you understand their frustrations,LeMaster said.

Offering opportunities to observe a regular classroom teacher from the same grade level is

part of the power of the MMC, LeMaster said.Coaches who dont have classroom responsibili-ties can quickly lose credibility with teachers, shesaid. Teachers think you may know the math butyou dont have the same responsibilities that Ihave every day in my classroom. You dont haveto worry about the lunch count, you dont have toteach language arts and science and math.Regular classroom teachers have much morecredibility with other classroom teachers,



KATHY SPRUIELL

Position: Math coach,Simonton Elementary School,Lawrenceville,Ga.School district: GwinnettCounty Public Schools

Professional history: Taught6th grade for six years inJefferson County, Ala. Becamemath specialist at SimontonElementary School in 2001 andlater was named math coach.

Education: Earned her bache-lors degree in elementary edu-cation from Birmingham-

Southern College and is work-ing on her masters degree inelementary math educationfrom Walden University.

Honors/accomplishments:1995 Second Mile TeacherAward (Teacher of the Year) inJefferson County,Ala.

Professional service: Has beena team leader and grade chair.

Has presented numerous timesat the Georgia and NationalCouncil of Teachers of

Mathematics. Presents frequent-ly to the math specialists andcoaches in her district. Serves asmath leader for the cluster of Gwinnett schools that includesSimonton.

To continue this conversation,e-mail [email protected]

CHRISTY COTHAM LeMASTER

Position: Math coach,Simonton Elementary School,Lawrenceville,Ga.

School district: GwinnettCounty Public Schools

Professional history: Taught4th and 5th grade at Rock Bridge Elementary School inGwinnett County for four yearsbefore becoming math special-ist at the same school.She wasmath specialist at Rock Bridge

for six years before becomingmath coach at Simonton.

Education: Earned her bache-lors degree in educational stud-

ies from Vanderbilt Universityand her masters degree andeducation specialists certificatein middle grade math fromMercer University,Atlanta. Shealso holds a leadership certifi-cate from Mercer University.

Professional service: Founderand president (2006) of

Gwinnett County Council of Teachers of Mathematics.Haspresented numerous times atthe Georgia and NationalCouncil of Teachers of Mathematics. Presents frequent-ly to the math specialists andcoaches in her district. PBSMathline participant

To continue this conversation,e-mail LeMaster [email protected]


SPRUIELL:If we grow them asleaders, they can goback into their gradelevels and be leaders

among those otherteachers.

LeMASTER:To be a coach, youhave to build trust,nomatter how muchexpertise you have. That takes time. Teachers have toknow that youre ontheir side and thatyou understand theirfrustrations.


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LeMaster said.The MMCs help bridge that gap, LeMaster

said. When someone asks us to model a lesson,we encourage them to visit the MMC. That way,

they will learn from another teacher and nottotally rely on Kathy and me, she said.

LeMaster and Spruiell share a vision for therole that the MMCs teachers will play in their school. They agree that they are grooming theseteachers to be teacher leaders.

If we grow them as leaders, they can go back into their grade levels and be leaders amongthose other teachers, Spruiell said.

LeMaster agrees. Success breeds success.When those MMC teachers were having success,they became storytellers. They were very vocal

about getting the word out. They were tellingother teachers, This is great. My teaching is get-

ting better. You can do this too. That encouragedmore teachers to get involved.

LeMaster embraces the concept of coachingas a way to build teaching capacity in more than

just one school. To me, an instructional coachhas to maximize the talent and potential of everyteacher. If I go in and fix something, thats shortterm. This is not just about the 24 kids they havetoday. If a teacher changes for the better and theyhave a teaching career for 10 to 15 years, theycan impact 240, 250 students. I want to providethem with the tools they need for the long range.I want them to be successful no matter wheretheyre teaching. I want them to be successful sothey dont burn out. I want them all to becometeacher leaders within their grade levels, their

schools, their county. Theres a ripple effectevery time a teacher improves, she said.




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B Y C A R L A T H O M A S M c C L U R E

Differentiated, peer-mediated,hands-on instruction in inclusivemiddle school science classroomscan generate academic gains for

all students, including those withdisabilities, according to research findings report-ed in The Journal of Special Education.

What instructional strategies can improve the sci-ence achievement of students with disabilities?

Numerous studies have identified instruc-tional strategies that can improve scienceachievement for students with disabilities. Theseinclude vocabulary enhancements, text adapta-tions, text-processing strategies, real-world prob-lem-solving strategies, and hands-on scienceactivities.

What sparked researchers interest in studyingdifferentiated hands-on activities combined withpeer tutoring?

The U.S. Department of Education hascalled for more research on the best ways toteach science. Researcher Margo Mastropieriidentified a need for research on the systematicimplementation of significant classroom variablessuch as practice, application, and engaged time-on-task.

In 2005, Mastropieri and two colleaguesdesigned an experiment to examine what hap-

pened to student achievement in science whenhigh school students in inclusive classes spentmore time in practice and application.Researchers found that students in peer-mediateddifferentiated instruction scored higher on theunit test than did students who received the sameinstruction without peer tutoring. These results

prompted Mastropieri to design a similar study,this time with 8th-grade science students.

How was the study conducted?Mastropieri and six colleagues developed

materials to sup- plement the text- books 12-week section on scien-tific investiga-tion. For eacharea of study(e.g. charts andgraphs), theydeveloped threelevels of materi-als. Level 1activities supportmastery of basicinformation andinclude supportsand prompts.Level 2 requiresapplication of information,with prompts asneeded. Level 3 requires production responseswith no prompts. All activities include easy-to-follow instructions.

A randomized field trial involved eightteachers (four general education, four specialeducation) and 213 students (44 of them classi-fied with disabilities) in 13 classes within oneschool. Classrooms were randomly assigned tothe control or experimental condition. In the con-trol condition, students received traditionalteacher-directed instruction lecture, note tak-ing, class lab activities, media presentations, and



Carla Thomas McClureis a staff writer atEdvantia(www.edvantia.org), anonprofit researchand developmentorganization thatworks with federal,state, and local educa-tion agencies toimprove studentachievement.

IMPROVING SCIENCE ACHIEVEMENT IN INCLUSIVE SCIENCE CLASSOOMS

Including helps everyone here

RESEARCHBRIEF


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worksheets. In the experimental condition, stu-dents received identical teacher presentations, but

peer-assisted learning replaced worksheets(teachers paired students needing assistance with

higher achieving partners and directed the pair to begin with Level 1 activities, moving to Level 2and 3 activities once proficiency was achieved).Team teaching was used in five classes, and eachlead teacher taught at least one experimental andone control class.

The 12-week intervention included pretest-ing, teacher and student training, posttesting, andteacher and student surveys. The research teamalso examined end-of-year results on the science

portion of the states achievement test.

What were the results?Average scores on posttests and state high-

stakes achievement tests were higher for studentswho received differentiated, peer-mediated,hands-on instruction. The differences were statis-tically significant, meaning they were not likelyto have occurred by chance.

The researchers said they were somewhat

surprised that an enhanced 12-week learningexperience could improve end-of-year total high-stakes test scores. This effect, they say, might be

because the content the scientific method

included vital information that students could lat-er apply in learning other science content.

Survey responses revealed students prefer-ence for activities that were game-oriented.Teachers valued the experimental materials butfound it challenging to devote sufficient time tothem.

What supports might teachers need if they imple-ment peer-mediated differentiated activities?

Teachers can be encouraged to target keyconcepts that, once mastered, might help students

understand subsequent science instruction.Coaches may need to help teachers develop or modify differentiated science activities for peer-mediated groups. The activities should be alignedwith the districts science curriculum and statetests. The central office can distribute successstories and materials to other science teachers inthe district.



RESEARCHBRIEF

Margo Mastropieriand colleaguesinvestigated howmiddle schoolstudents learn indifferentiatedscience classrooms.

ReferenceMastropieri, M. A.,Scruggs, T. E.,Norland, J. J.,Berkeley, S.,McDuffie, K.,Tornquist, E. H., &Conners, N. (2006).Differentiated cur-riculum enhance-ment in inclusivemiddle school sci-ence: Effects onclassroom and high-stakes tests. The

Journal of Special Education, 40 (3),130-137.

Documents

12. TLT Vol 2 No. 4 Dec 06 Separating Coaching From Supervising