Guiding Change Impacting Quality: Understanding Coaching and TA

PowerPoint Presentation

Guiding Change, Impacting QualityTA Course

www.earlychildhoodassociates.com2

2TA Course Day 2 Slide Deck

Welcome!Who is Participating?Newcomers?www.earlychildhoodassociates.com3


Topics Covered: Day Two

Day One Revisited

TA Processes CompetenciesProfessional ConferencingObservation and AssessmentReflective PracticeThe Role of Evaluation in the TA Process CompetenciesPlanning and Conducting AssessmentsTracking TA Progress and OutcomesUsing Data to Inform Revisions to the TA Process

www.earlychildhoodassociates.com4 Cultural CompetenceEnergizeInspireStretch

Day 1 reflection with sticksEnergizeInspireStretchTA Course Day 2 Slide Deck4

Coaching Quotes

Take a fortune cookie. Read & share your quote with others.

Think about how the quote relates to your experiences as a coach or TA Specialist.

Revisit Day One. Brainstorm a list of competencies needed to be an effective coach.


At your Tables are boxes of fortune cookies. Each fortune cookie contains a quotation especially chosen for this Institute linked to some aspect of coachingTake a cookie, read the quotation inside and share it with a few people at your Table.

Next we will spend about 10 minutes at our Tables brainstorming from a leadership perspective what Birth through Grade Three Alignment means.

The entire activity will take about 20 minutes.

A MA Dept of EEC representative or ECA Team member is sitting at each of your Tables. to facilitate the brainstorming and share one or two of your responses with the larger group


Effective CoachesAre responsive and reflectiveShare backgrounds, knowledge and experiencesAdopt a professional code of ethics Are goal oriented and solution focusedDefine clear roles for themselves and menteesWork jointly on goal settingProvide timely feedbackUse strategies to navigate conflictsAre empathetic-try to understand and validate mentee experiences and perspectives Build on strengthsEmbrace diverse culture and beliefs


What did you come up with. Lets see if it aligns with my list.

TA Course Day 2 Slide Deck6

The Coaching ProcessPre-Conference The CycleGoal SettingObservationFeedback


An effective model of coaching emphasizes relationship building, goals setting and targets quality improvements (including interactions between teachers and children) that will ultimately increase support for families and for childrens optimal development.

It focuses on the implementation of action plans with clear roles, provision of feedback and reflection, and finally provides an opportunity to assess the process.


Professional Conferencing ProcessTA Guide-Section 1, Subdomain 1.3 (page 16). Find competencies related to professional conferencing.www.earlychildhoodassociates.com8

Pre-Conference The CycleGoal SettingObservationFeedback

Pre-Observation Conferencewww.earlychildhoodassociates.com9

Where should we go?How should we get there?Whats this ride going to be like?

During the pre-observation conference the coach explains the purpose of the of the observation.

This is an important first step in the process. Mentees can voice needs. Coaches and mentees can select a focus for the observation, based on mentees gals

They can also decide on an observation method, tool or if a video tape will be used to record the observation. If videotaping is being used-should give the mentee to view the video in advance of any follow-up

Coaches can learn more about the make-up of the classroom, the routines, etc.

It lessens tension about the observation if the mentee knows what the protg will observe.


Pre-Observation ConferenceWhat Coaches Can DoLearn more about the make-up, values and culture of the learners in the classroom

Ease tension and anxiety about the observation

Lay the groundwork for a productive post-observation conference.What Mentees Can DoIdentify needs and goals

Gain clarity about the observation.Coaches & Mentees CanSelect a focus for the observation

Agree on an approach, a recording method (observation, videotape) and a time

Set time for post observation conference

Build a trusting relationshipwww.earlychildhoodassociates.com10

Goal setting is an important aspect of the process.


Professional Conferencing Guide Handoutwww.earlychildhoodassociates.com11




In GroupsCompare Handout and TA Guide 1.3Continuous Improvement Process Cycle vs. GROW Protocol3 Steps of Coachingwww.earlychildhoodassociates.com12What is the TA Cycle?

Continuous Improvement Process1. NOTICECoaches document specific challenges and strengths2.REFLECTCoaches and Mentees reflect on what they notice, identifying patterns3. BUILD KNOWLEDGEMentees learn about and/or design a strategy that addresses identified challenge4. PLANMentees plan how they will incorporate the new strategy in practice5. TRYMentees implement their plans in classroomswww.earlychildhoodassociates.com13




Goal SettingThink about the GROW: Shared Coaching Plan Handout discussed on Day One

Read Step 1 in the Professional Conferencing Guide

Watch the Video

Reflect and Discusswww.earlychildhoodassociates.com14

The professional conferencing cycle involves these steps. The Coaching Process contains three steps:In the Pre-Observation Planning meeting the mentee sets goals for childrens learning and plans an activity to meet those goals. In Step 2, the coach observes or videotapes the mentee carrying out the activity and analyzes the observation or videotape. In Step 3, Reflective Conference and Analysis, the coach and the mentee watch and discuss the video or review observation notes and the coach asks the mentee questions to support reflection on his her instructional practices, they set new goals and assessing the usefulness and impact of the Reflective Conference. The Observation and Reflective Practice process provides opportunities for mentees and Coaches to engage in a cycle of continuous improvement.They do this by engaging in knowledgebuilding conversations where mentees learn about and/or design a strategy that addresses an identified challenge. They plan how they will incorporate the new strategy. Supported by a planning guide or protocol, they: outline steps for implementation, including strategy adjustments for their context; brainstorm potential roadblocks and ways to prevent or address themThey try their plans in the classroom or family child care setting. New observations and reflection conferences are planned to notice and discuss whats working and whats challenging.


Professional Conferencing Guide

Entry and Relationship BuildingGoal Setting and Action PlanningObservation Debrief, Feedback & Reflection


The professional conferencing cycle involves these steps. The Coaching Process contains three steps:In the Pre-Observation Planning meeting the mentee sets goals for childrens learning and plans an activity to meet those goals. In Step 2, the coach observes or videotapes the mentee carrying out the activity and analyzes the observation or videotape. In Step 3, Reflective Conference and Analysis, the coach and the mentee watch and discuss the video or review observation notes and the coach asks the mentee questions to support reflection on his her instructional practices, they set new goals and assessing the usefulness and impact of the Reflective Conference. The Observation and Reflective Practice process provides opportunities for mentees and Coaches to engage in a cycle of continuous improvement.They do this by engaging in knowledgebuilding conversations where mentees learn about and/or design a strategy that addresses an identified challenge. They plan how they will incorporate the new strategy. Supported by a planning guide or protocol, they: outline steps for implementation, including strategy adjustments for their context; brainstorm potential roadblocks and ways to prevent or address themThey try their plans in the classroom or family child care setting. New observations and reflection conferences are planned to notice and discuss whats working and whats challenging.


Video ViewingIn this video, Tyshawn talks about setting goals.


Goal Setting: Coaching Questions

What result are you trying to achieve?Whyare you hoping to achieve this goal?How can you word that goal more specifically?How can you word this goal using positive language?What outcome would be ideal?What do you want to change?Whats important to you at the moment?What challenges are you struggling with at the moment?Whats your ideal future?



Getting to Outcomes: Coaching QuestionsHow can you measure that goal?

What is the outcome youre looking to achieve here?

How will you know you have been successful?

How can you break down that goal into bite-sized pieces?



Tips for Focusing on GoalsBe explicitMake sure the steps to meet the goal are manageableFollow-up and encourage follow-throughRestate the goal each time you meet to maintain a shared focus.Look for moments of effectiveness that are small steps towards the goal.Review what has come beforeLink coaching goals to other required goal setting.www.earlychildhoodassociates.com19

Tips for focusing on goalsare there any others you would add?


Journal ReflectionIdentify 1 or 2 takeaways from the Goal Setting review.

Describe 1 or 2 implications for your work as a coach or TA specialist.


Five Minute Stretch Break


11-11:25

If you are not already sitting with your teaching team and partners, move near them as we are going to begin talking about the classroom environment and how it supports our goals when we reconvene.

Three sheets with headings Physical, Emotional, and Temporal (Time) Environment


Step 2Observation and Analysis


Read

Step 2 in the professional conferencing process is about observation and analysis.

Observation is a like a mirror that coaches can hold up to help mentees view their own work in classrooms or as a program administrator. Through this mirror, mentees can see how their work supports childrens learning or staffs development or performance.

Observation also helps coaches collect accurate and reliable information about a mentees strengths as well as about areas that can be enhanced.

With this information, coaches can help mentees think about their own work, validate and reinforce effective practice.

Observation is one of the most important ways that coaches can tailor their support to the individual needs of mentees.

Take a few minutes to read step 2 in the professional conferencing guide.


Video


ObservationWhat are your experiences with observation and professional conferencing?

How do they compare to those depicted in the video clips?www.earlychildhoodassociates.com24

Watch the video

Two coaches from Denver Colorado. One mentee asks her coach to observe her conversations with preschool children; the coach uses a closed observation method. The other Coach uses an open-ended observation method for examining how language and literacy are used in the classroom.

There are many tools that can support these observations. In a few minutes we will view case studies using the CLASS and ECERS.

Other tools that are used frequently include..


Observation Tips


Use your notes about relevant aspects of the environment and interactions to keep you focused.

Focus on the agreed-upon plan, attending to the mentees goals for the observation or shared video.

Pay attention to the mentees approach, responses to classroom situations and the childrens behaviors, interactions and engagement. Research shows coaching around environments or instructional practices alone does not produce changes in child outcomes. That is why linking instructional practices, environmental assessments with child outcomes in coaching conversations is so important.

Use guiding questions to reflect on and analyze what you notice, identifying patterns that shed light on strengths and barriers to effective instruction.

Set realistic goals for the reflective conference. Identify any challenges you want to see addressed. Then develop questions to get the process started.


Post ObservationIt is tempting to provide immediate feedback at the conclusion of the observation; however, taking the time to analyze observation data and to think about the conference to follow increases the success and power of the ..cyclewww.earlychildhoodassociates.com26

Post observation analysis simply means thinking about what you heard, saw and experienced and breaking information into understandable parts.

The insights gained from this analysis sets the stage for rich conversations about the mentees practice. It informs decisions that the coach and mentee make about follow-up steps.

Both mentee and coach need time to reflect separately on what happened in the observation.

People want immediate feedback but this does not give coaches time to reflect on what they heard or saw.

Providing instant feedback may overwhelm mentees. It may also prompt them to make a quick fix they dont understand.

However, ideally the reflective conference should occur within 48-72 hours of the observation while events are still fresh in their minds.


Post Observation Analysis

23

Critical Incidents?Patterns?Missed Opportunities?Strengths?Messages?Accomplishments?Child/Adult Influence on each other?Environmental/ Instructional Stressors?

Three points I want to highlight from this list

Critical incidentsMissed opportunities Patterns of behavior

Important moments in the mentees teaching, called critical incidents, often give a Mentor-Coach insights about the mentees work and clues about her understanding and knowledge.

A critical incident can be a major improvement in a mentees practice or it can represent a challenge.

Frequently critical incidents take the form of missed opportunities.

Look for patterns when analyzing data. Can provide clues about effective practices and what the mentee thinks is important.

Can use this information to identify topics to explore during the reflective conference.27

Critical IncidentsA coach observes a mentee helping a child write a letter (an example of the mentees growth). And concludes the mentee knows how to support childrens writing.

But later on, the coach observes the same mentee giving children worksheets to practice repeatedly forming the letter d, ( a challenge for the mentee).

24

Let me read this example to illustrate the concept of critical incidents

What could the coach conclude after observing these two critical incidents.

The mentee does not fully understand how to support childrens writing

The mentee may not understand that giving children a purpose for their writing is more effective than drilling them on letter formation

By identifying critical incidents, the Coach is able to identify a starting point for a conversation on supporting childrens writing.TA Course Day 2 Slide Deck28

Identify critical incidents by asking:Is this incident consistent with other events I observed?What did I see that makes me think the mentee understands an aspect of instruction?What did I see that makes me think the mentee is struggling with an instructional concept?Did one incident stand out? If yes, what did it tell me?What did I not see that I want to bring to the mentees attention.25

29

Missed OpportunityA mentee whose teaching goal is to extend conversations with children by asking open-ended questions effectively during a book reading activity but may fail to engage children in a similar way in the block area or at lunch.

26

Here the mentee is engaged in appropriate practice but on a limited or narrow basis.


One of the hardest tasks to learn is to suspend pre-judgment, to become acquainted with ones own defense mechanisms, to correct for expectations and preconceptions so as to be able to see and hear more accurately what is going on.EH Schein, 1997www.earlychildhoodassociates.com31

Cultural CompetenceHaving an awareness of ones own cultural identity and views about difference and the ability to learn and build on varying culture and community norms of children and families. It is the ability to understand the within group differences that make each child unique while celebrating the between group variations that make our country a tapestry. This understanding informs and expands our teaching practices.. (NEA 2013)www.earlychildhoodassociates.com32

Cultural CompetenceIn the TA Guide (page 14) we developed the following definition of Cultural Competence.Culture includes our beliefs about ourselves as well as our attitudes, assumptions and expectations about people and events around us. It influences how and what we see, what interests us, what annoys us or frustrates us as we communicate with other people.Culture points to what is below the surface, things that are powerful in their impact but invincible and to a degree unconscious. While culture can function to guide our behavior we also know that it can limit thinking and stand in the way of change.As coaches and TA specialists we need to understand how culture is both a facilitator and inhibitor of change in teachers or administrators as well as myselfTA Course Day 2 Slide Deck32

Observer BiasCommon Observer BiasesHalo EffectHorns EffectMiddle of the Road Effect

To Overcome or Minimize BiasBecome aware of the lenses you bringTalk about beliefs and values with protegesUse formal observation tools that give observers objective criteriaFollow guidelines for accurate and objective recordingwww.earlychildhoodassociates.com33

Observer bias prevents someone from seeing a situation or person objectively. Bias may be subtle or lie below the level of consciousness.

As a coach, your preconceptions and biases may affect what you pay attention to during an observation or influence the judgments you make. TA Course Day 2 Slide Deck33

Case of Rhoda &YvonneWhat are some biases that have surfaced when you were observing a mentee?

How did you minimize the effects of bias on your observations?www.earlychildhoodassociates.com34

What are some of the biases that have surfaced when you have observed?How did you minimize the effect of bias on your observations?TA Course Day 2 Slide Deck34

Dimensions of Diversity Wheel


I want to think about diversity in the broadest of waysThis is a dimensions of diversity wheel. It is designed to help up thing about diversity in its broadest sense and can be used to remind us that bias is not based on country of origin, language or ethnicity alone.We all have unique attributes-the dimensions in the center circle are not easily changed.External dimensions form the outer circle. These dimensions are more flexble. All have implications for coaching.TA Course Day 2 Slide Deck35

Reflectionwww.earlychildhoodassociates.com36

Cultural Questions-ReflectionLets take a minute to reflect on and rate these questions. Any one want to share their ratings or some aspect of them.While knowledge about cultures can be learned, cultural competence needs to be practiced. As coaches we need to be familiar with the cultural background and experiences of the individuals we coach. Coaching is predominately Western, if not an Anglo Saxon concept. Some of its methodologies may be challenging to apply across cultures. A mentee from a predominantly group oriented culture with traditional hierarchies may have difficulty challenging a coach or sharing insights. He/ she may see an elder in the coach and may be more obedient. Understanding these differences and similarities in our way of interacting influences how a coach works with the mentee to be a partner in the coaching process.TA Course Day 2 Slide Deck36

Post Observation AnalysisWhat Coaches Can DoReview the goals of the observation/video review Review observation notes and other documentation and decide what to address during the conferenceDevelop a few open-ended questions to guide the reflection Be prepared to probe for more detail and further thinkingPrepare to draw the mentees attention to missed opportunities or challenges facedThink through several possibilities for the mentee reaction and how to respond.

What Mentees Can DoEngage in self-reflection on the observed activity and the effectiveness of the strategies used including impact on childrens behaviors, teaching and learning

View the videotape of the observation when available

Prepare questions to ask the Coach.


Education

Guiding Change Impacting Quality: Understanding Coaching and TA