ETO’s Way of Work

Instructional Coaching

Essentials

1

2013 ETO COACHES’ ACADEMY Booker T. Washington Senior High School

June 10 – 11, 2013

Coaching Cycle and

Coaching Continuum

What is effective instructional coaching? How can my approach/work with my administration/teachers maximize my effectiveness as an instructional coach? How can the coaching cycle benefit instruction?

Essential Questions

Coaching as a well-oiled machine

“Every piece is equally important and ALL must work in sync for the ‘machine’ to work!”

What’s the purpose?

The classroom walk through provides a powerful

tool for instructional coaches to gather

information for the purposes of coaching,

tiering teachers, and needed job-embedded

professional development opportunities.

Classroom Walk Through

Classroom Walk Through

What is it?

An observation technique that allows the observer to record “snapshot” information on the effective elements of a classroom including:

• instructional strategies •standard-based objectives

•aligned instructional materials •level of cognitive interaction

•classroom displays and resources •student engagement and works produced

Tiering MY Teachers

Content Knowledge Pedagogy

Knowledge of Learner

T-3

T-3 T-3

T-2

T-2

T-2 T-1

Administrative Support Cycle How does the administration support the Instructional

Coach’s work?

Administrative Support Cycle

Coaching Cycle

How Do I Know where to Start?

ETO

Coaching

Cycle

PRE-CONFERENCE*Based on needs identified

during walkthrough

Model*Teacher takes notes for

the debriefing

Debrief & Plan

*Determine focus for collaborative teaching

CollaborativeTeaching &

Debrief*Varies depending on the

level of support

Observation & Feedback

*Determine next steps

Why do we do it? To set up the gradual release coaching cycle – naming goals, roles,

and accountability for teacher and coach.

How do we do it?

Invite the teacher to meet with you. Share observations & notes from walkthrough. Discuss teacher’s existing strengths and skills. Determine instructional strategies to be refined during the coaching

cycle and how they will affect student achievement. SET A GOAL WITH A TIMELINE Schedule a modeled teaching session that focuses on identified

instructional strategies.

PRE-CONFERENCE

What does it look like (Coaches’ Reflection)?

I meet with the teacher after walk-throughs to discuss my observations

and determine where the teacher could improve their instruction that is

most aligned with the whole-school’s needs/vision. We talk about how

students are moving and how she is feeling about her implementation

of the established ETO systems and structures. By the end of the

conversation we have decided that I will model the identified

instructional strategy that we both agree she could refine and key

points of lesson she should focus on. The next step will be for the

teacher to use the modeled strategy and try using it in future lessons.

PRE-CONFERENCE

Why do we do it? To demonstrate for a teacher (or group of teachers) how to

implement a pedagogical structure or a content move. It is important to narrate/reflect throughout the model, as long as it does not disrupt instruction for students (video taping opportunity)

How do we do it? Teach a lesson that focuses on the strategies discussed during the

pre-conference.

The teacher observes and takes extensive notes with clarifying questions.

Modeling Model

What does it look like (Coaches’ Reflection)?

As per our discussion during the pre-conference, I (the coach) will be delivering a lesson focused on the instructional strategy identified as the point of refinement. The teacher will attentively take notes and write down clarifying questions on strategy observed for discussion later. If possible, I will be pointing out components of instruction that the observing teacher must focus on.

Modeling Model

Why do we do it?

To discuss teacher implementation and student learning throughout the coaching cycle and plan for next steps.

How do we do it?

Teacher shares feedback/notes taken during the modeled lesson.

Answer questions the teacher has about the strategies modeled during the lesson.

Plan a lesson that allows for the teacher to practice implementing the strategies and the coach will observe and take notes.

Debrief & Plan

What does it look like (Coach’s Reflection)? After modeling the identified strategy for the teacher, we meet to

debrief. I explain what I was hoping they would get from observing and we begin to discuss how the students engaged and absorbed the lesson. The teacher feels that the students could have participated more in the mathematical discourse and answering of questions. The debriefing begins to take on a “planning session” feel because the work is looking forward. I let the teacher know I will take on any aspect of the work that is still uncomfortable, so the teacher plans to develop more opportunities for students to talk and discuss and asks me to do a follow-up on student accountable talk and embedding “checks for understanding” throughout the lesson. I begin to think about what the next coaching cycle will focus on.

Debrief & Plan

Why do we do it? To SHARE the work in order to gradually release the responsibility to the

teacher.

How do we do it? Select the collaborative teaching approach that best fits the teacher’s

needs. Supportive, Complementary, or Team Teaching

Teach the lesson that was created during the planning phase.

Debrief (as soon as possible) after the lesson.

Collaborative Teaching & Debrief

Collaborative Teaching

What does it look like (Coach’s Reflection)?

The teacher and I have decided to use complimentary co-teaching as the model for the collaborative teaching component of the coaching cycle. Part of our focus of the support is to improve content knowledge, the teacher wants to tweak the co-teaching strategy by taking a greater lead in the delivery and has asked me to interject as “teachable moments” are missed. The lesson was delivered well and my “interjections” helped the students develop a better understanding. The teacher also added some information related to other topics discussed prior. The teacher still needs to improve the student discourse and engagement in the lesson.

Several collaborative teaching approaches have proven to be

successful to guide educators who work together in co-teaching partnerships:

Supportive Co-teaching

(Parallel Co-teaching)

Complementary Co-teaching

Team Teaching

Collaborative Teaching

Different Strategies for Co-Teaching

Potential Problems with Co-Teaching

What does it look like? To determine effectiveness of the coaching cycle and plan for next

steps.

Assessment/Closure

How do we do it?

Conduct an informal observation of the teacher during a scheduled time to look for implementation of new practices.

Meet with teacher to provide targeted feedback.

Identify the next steps for teacher’s own practice.

Discuss opportunities to build capacity through structured opportunities for the participating teacher to share learning with colleagues. (Lesson Study)

Observation & Feedback

Observation & Feedback

What does it look like (Coach’s Reflection)?

The teacher began the debriefing session by thanking me for the support and helping them get better. We discussed how I saw some improvements and that there is still some work to be done. I informed them that I will be back in a week or two to see these improvements. We discussed possibly improving on holding all students accountable for participating. The teacher did not believe this was an issue and seemed insulted. I said that I will video-tape a lesson and only we will dissect it. The teacher seems hesitant, but I plan on working on their comfort level and relate it to improvements only and not for evaluation purposes.

Response Boards

Find these sheets and “HAMBURGER” fold them to use as response boards

Where are we with the Coaching Cycle?

Respond to each one of the scenarios by using the response boards.

YOU HAVE 20 SECONDS TO RESPOND AND HOLD UP YOUR BOARD!! (After the scenario is read)

Where are we with the Coaching Cycle?

Conducted initial walkthroughs at the beginning of school year and have begun to have conversations with individual teachers on areas of support.

Just completed a demonstration lesson and the teacher and I are discussing the implementation of it.

Teacher and I are having a conversation regarding the effective implementation of the strategy to be informally observed.

While observing the teacher’s instruction, the coach “chimes in” on additional instruction the students may need to better understand the concept being taught.

Where are we with the Coaching Cycle?

The conversation is heading towards other areas of support for the teacher that the coach can assist with.

The coach is teaching a lesson and the teacher is actively observing and taking notes.

The teacher is teaching the lesson and the coach is walking around and making sure the students are understanding the lesson and actively engaged.

HOW DID YOU DO??

“MODIFIED” Coaching Cycles

Classroom environment

Pre-conference

Observation Coaching Debrief

Model

Coaching Debrief

Collaborative Lesson

(optional)

Coaching Debrief

Observation Post-

Conference

Inform the Assistant Principal of the completion of the

focused cycle for follow-up and monitoring.

Understanding the Coaching Continuum

An effective Instructional Coach differentiates professional learning opportunities by thinking of coaching as a continuum.

Consider

COACHING CONTINUUM

Inter-active coaching Intra-active coaching

Increased external scaffolding Decreased external scaffolding

Transformation may occur when teachers or his or her coaches are provided opportunities to

observe, co-teach, confer, study, research, and reflect on practices based on behavioral evidence.

Subject-centered pedagogy Solution-seeking andragogy

adapted from

K. S. Froelich & E. A. Puig, 2010, p. 128 The Literacy Leadership Team:

Sustaining and Expanding Success

Note: The term observation lesson has been used to replace demonstration lesson to denote the opportunity being provided versus a model lesson to emulate.

Components of the Coaching Continuum:

Provide an

observation lesson

(“model”) to improve

learning and

instruction

Co-teach with a host

teacher in an

observation classroom

to improve learning

and instruction

Confer, observe,

and debrief to

improve learning

and instruction

Facilitate a study group

or literacy leadership

team to investigate

adaptive challenges to

improve learning and

instruction

Facilitate action

research to seek

resources after reflection

to improve learning and

instruction

Facilitate a workshop

or session to improve

learning and instruction

Your TASK with the Continuum…

1. PUT AWAY all your handouts and CLOSE your folder.

2. Find the BLANK Coaching Continuum with cards clipped on.

3. Discuss in your groups where each card would fall on the continuum.

COACHING CONTINUUM

Provide an

observation lesson

to improve learning

and instruction

Co-teach with a host

teacher in an

observation classroom

to improve learning

and instruction

Confer,

observe, and

debrief to

improve

learning and

instruction

Facilitate a study

group or literacy

leadership team to

investigate adaptive

challenges to

improve learning and

instruction

Facilitate action

research to seek

resources after

reflection to

improve learning

and instruction

Inter-active coaching Intra-active coaching

Increased external scaffolding Decreased external scaffolding

Transformation may occur when teachers or his or her coaches are provided opportunities to

observe, co-teach, confer, study, research, and reflect on practices based on behavioral evidence.

Subject-centered pedagogy Solution-seeking andragogy

Facilitate a

workshop or

session to

improve

learning and

instruction

*Answer: C, E, D, F, B, A

Note: The term observation lesson has been used to replace demonstration lesson to denote the opportunity being provided versus a model lesson to emulate.