“Planning to Coach”

Cedric Gerald, M.Ed.Central Secondary Zone Title I Literacy SpecialistCharlotte-Mecklenburg Schools704-241-4853Cedric.gerald@cms.k12.nc.us

Agenda

1. Introduction & Overview of Session Morning Session

2. Planning to Coach Afternoon Session

3. Coaching to Plan4. Small Group Sessions5. Closure

PD Focus: Coaching Stances

KNOW AND DISCUSS THE ROLE OF AN INSTRUCTIONAL COACH

EXPLORE THE ROLE OF THE COACH IN GUIDING INSTRUCTIONAL PLANNING

COLLABORATE IN SMALL-GROUPS TO DO A CLOSE READING OF A STANDARD

GOALS OF THE PD OPPORTUNITY

ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION1. On the post-it notes provided, write down what

you know about instructional coaching practices and how you currently use these practices in your work as a facilitator.

2. Then paste the sticky notes on the poster-board on the wall.

DEBRIEFING PROCESS After reviewing the Post-It display, the facilitator

will ask the participants to share comment in an open forum.

K-W-L

“The ultimate purpose of improving

instructional practice is to improve student

achievement.”Jim Knight

◦ ICs are on-site professional developers who teach educators how to use proven teaching methods. They: use effective instructional practices for teacher

collaboration, identify practices that will effectively address teacher

needs, and help teachers Implement instructional practices.

What is an Instructional Coach?

◦ Identify how to address the most pressing concerns.

◦ Guide teachers through instructional manuals, checklists, and other curriculum materials.

◦ Plan collaboratively with teachers to identify when and how to implement effective instruction practices.

◦ Prepare materials for teachers prior to instruction.

◦ Model instructional practices in teachers’ classrooms.

◦ Observe teachers to know when to use interventions.

◦ Provide feedback to teachers.

ICs hold one-to-one or small-group meetings so they can:

◦ Coaching leads to implementation of effective instructional practices with follow-up when the right conditions are in place.

◦ Coaching can increase the level of fidelity when teachers implement scientifically proven instructional practices.

◦ Coaching promotes positive conversations in schools.

Why is Instructional Coaching Needed for School Improvement?

• Coaches must carefully choose the changes they initiate.

• They must focus on high-leverage interventions that are likely to have a significant positive effect on classroom instruction.

What Should Coaches Teach?

◦ Continually communicate a deep, honest belief in the teachers’ ability, even when talking about specific ways that they need to improve their instructional practices.

◦ Work to identify the teachers who can most benefit from the coaching support.

◦ Make it as easy as possible for teachers to implement a given intervention.

How Should Coaches Go About Their Work?

Start by helping teachers address classroom management issues.

Next, focus on content by helping to ensure that teachers are teaching the right content and that they have a deep, correct understanding of the content standards.

Then, proceed to collaborate with teachers in developing teaching tactics to ensure that students master the content.

Follow by working with teachers to develop assessment literacy.

Finally continue collaborating with teachers to enhance instructional proficiency.

Steps to Success

The Motivated Classroom

Shifting ideas about motivation

work with people: helpthem be self-motivated

focus on causes: whypeople are de-motivated

find out what solutions will work for them and how

do things to or forpeople to motivate them

focus on the symptomsof de-motivation

fix the undesirable behavior

Two strategies

Focus on our own thoughts feelings and behaviors and what we can change

Focus on children’s thoughts, feelings and behaviors and what they can change

What students say makes a good day at school

fun a sense of achievement doing something well being given credit or

praise for doing something well

everyone getting along well together

being with friends feeling good about

yourself

Teachers can motivate their pupils by meeting their needs for the three ‘As’: affiliation, agency and autonomy.

Agency• Our sense of getting ahead or our self-belief: a key factor underlying agency is the idea we hold about ability.

• Pupils can see intelligence as fixed or can recognize that their ability will be increased through effort.

Affiliation• Our sense of getting along with others.

Autonomy• Our sense of self-realization: marked in the classroom by our attitudes towards achievement, which influence how we approach learning.

Emotions Make You Cry Sometimes!

The main function of our emotions is to tell us how we’re coping and so motivate us to adapt to the context in which we find ourselves. Emotions are crucial in the development of pro-social behavior. This is particularly true of empathy, the ability to understand another person’s emotional state.

REMEMBER Motivational resilience is not a quality of

the learner but of the transaction between the learner and the learning climate.

The three ‘As’ are not so much personal qualities of learners as acquired states that are more likely when certain conditions obtain in the classroom.

Two dimensions

You get feedback that isRELATIONSHIPS POWER

People relate to you and show they value you as a person.(ENGAGEMENT)

You are in a secure environment where you know where you stand and it’s clear what needs to be done.(STRUCTURE)

honest and accurate; critical as well as affirming. (FEEDBACK)

You are involved in something that you care about and interests you. (STIMULATION)

value

reject

cold classroom stormy

classroom

humid classroom

empowerrestrict

sunnyclassroom

our need for control

ou

r nee

d

fo

r con

nect

ion

Alan McLean ‘The Motivated Classroom’

humid classroom

tightrestricted autonomy

discipline of benevolence

manipulative

sunny classroom

tight becoming loosergradually supporting

autonomy

discipline of community

assertive

stormy classroom

loosedistorted autonomy

lack of discipline

passive

value

reject

cold classroom

tightcrushed autonomy

discipline of fear

authoritarian

empowerrestrict our need for control

o

ur n

eed

for

conn

ectio

n

Alan McLean ‘The Motivated Classroom’

The humidclassroom

The cold classroom

The stormy

classroom

The secure classroom: setting

clear limits

The sharing classroom: encouraging and enabling student

autonomy

reject

enable

value

restrict

1

2

3 The self-motivating classroom: allowing

a measure of self determination

Alan McLean ‘The Motivated Classroom’

What will be the environments we work to move toward in our classroom tomorrow?

The best form of motivation is self-motivation. Pupils need to connect with teachers if they are to achieve this.

Alan McLean

Energizers vs. Drainers Energizers create

a motivating learning climate.

Drainers are things that create a demotivating learning climate.

What Kind of Teacher are You?

Energizer DrainerYippee! Really

?

Energizers

Engagement – how teachers show they are interested in and value pupils.

Structure – provides clear pathways towards the learning goals and boundaries that let pupils know what is expected of them.

Stimulation – comes from a curriculum that highlights the relevance of activities and sets achievable goals.

Feedback – provides information that lets pupils know how they are doing, guiding them from where they are to where they need to be.

The energizers provide the

ingredients of the classroom climate that are needed to

wet pupils’ appetites for learning. The

energizers effectively engage

most pupils and are accessible to most

teachers:

Drainers

Engagement – showing they are disinterested in their pupils by embarrassing them, threatening them or voicing comparisons between them.

Structure – dictating the agenda and denying pupil participation by, for example, setting too many rules and refusing any choice.

Stimulation – leaving pupils confused as to the purpose and relevance of activities, setting goals that are too easy or too difficult and generally failing to create enthusiasm.

Feedback – undermining confidence through personalized blame, judgmental criticism and feedback that is generally highly evaluative and emotion-laden.

Drainers expose pupils to painful and

unpleasant experiences

that they will want to avoid:

TOP EIGHT FACTORS TEACHERS SAY MOTIVATES THEM

ENTHUSIASTIC ENCOURAGING SUPPORTIVE APPROACHABLE GIVES YOU

DIRECTION HIGH

EXPECTATIONS BELIEVES IN YOU RESPECTS YOU

INCONSISTENT OVER-CRITICAL BULLYING INTIMIDATING JUDGEMENTAL SARCASTIC BEING

SHOUTED AT OBSESSIVE

FEAR

TOP EIGHT FACTORS TEACHERS SAY DE-MOTIVATES THEM

motivating person you have ever known?

demotivating person you have ever known?

Who is the most…

I. What is an Instructional Coach? ICs are on-site professional developers who teach educators how to

use proven teaching methods. II. Why Instructional Coaching is needed for school

improvement? Coaching facilitates the instructional and cultural changes for school

in need of improvement when the right conditions are in place.III. What should coaches teach?

Coaches must choose the changes that focus on high-leverage interventions that are likely to have a significant positive effect on classroom instruction.

IV. How should coaches go about their work? Continually communicate a belief in teacher’s abilities, identify

teachers who need coaching, and ensure that interventions are feasible.

Topics Discussed from Our Morning Session

Opening Activity- 4 Corners

1.DirtTrail (little progress) 2.Gravel Road (moderate progress) 3.Paved Road (a lot of progress) 4.Highway (in the passing lane!)

Directions- Move to the corner that best fits you! 

Reflecting on ProgressHow would you rate your progress in your experiences as an instructional coach so far this year?

“We do not learn from experience…we learn from reflecting on experience.” --John Dewey

Coaching to PlanCollaborative Planning to Support Common Core

Cedric Gerald, M.Ed.CSZ Title Literacy SpecialistCedric.gerald@cms.k12.nc.us

Start by helping teachers address classroom management issues.

Next, focus on content by helping to ensure that teachers are teaching the right content and that they have a deep, correct understanding of the content standards.

Then, proceed to collaborate with teachers in developing teaching tactics to ensure that students master the content.

Follow by working with teachers to develop assessment literacy.

Finally continue collaborating with teachers to enhance instructional proficiency.

Steps to Success

•Provides intensive technical coaching to improve instruction of classroom teachers and support staff

•Collaborates with teachers to self-assess and identify a focus of professional growth in instruction

•Facilitates department/grade level meetings as needed

Coaching

•Assists teachers with effective instructional planning and lesson design that aligns with district curriculum and state content standards

•Offers demonstration lessons, planning, and co-teaching with teachers to develop quality teaching and instructional practice

Planning•Provides support for the development and implementation of formative assessments

•Guides and supports teachers in the analysis of student work and assessment data

Assessing

The Coach is an instructional change agent who provides coaching to increase the skills and knowledge of teachers and enhance their ability to work effectively with all students to improve academic achievement.

Our modern society is faster paced, globally networked, technologically oriented, and requires workers who can problem solve and think critically.

How is this true?

Write quietly on your own in your section of the placemat for several moments about a connection to each strand of the phrase below. As a table, choose what number each member will begin with between 1 & 4. Then rotate to the next number when you hear the word “Rotate.”

Our modern society is 1)faster paced, 2)globally networked, 3)technologically oriented, and requires workers who can 4)problem solve and think critically.

1

2

3

4

Learned Helplessness Vs. Self-Efficacy

How does this reflect the current reality of your planning sessions?

Turn and Talk

emphasize the importance of true collaboration.

hold all teachers accountable for a shared and deep understanding of the content.

ensure that every member has a vested interest in the success of all children.

insist that all planning sessions end with a quality work plan that is fully aligned to the Common Core.

As an instructional coach, you must …

Where Is a Coach When You Need One? How important is modeling? What happens when expectations are vague? How do you gauge the right pace for progress to occur? Is success likely without collaboration? Why is a plan needed to promote growth?

A Missed Opportunity for Coaching

You must establish yourself as a visible and knowledgeable resource. This does not mean you have all the solutions; it means you work to help teachers navigate through instructional barriers. For example, bringing a new teacher or new-hire up to date on the difference between internal and external alignment.

“Assessment & Instructional Alignment, An Online Tutorial for Faculty.”

DOING THE WORK

You must establish yourself as a visible and knowledgeable resource. This does not mean you have all the solutions; it means you work to help teachers navigate through instructional barriers. For example, bringing a new teacher or new-hire up to date on the Common Core.

Common Core State Standard Self-Study

DOING THE WORK

Teachers must engage in a close reading of the standard(s) that will be taught. Let’s try it!◦ ELA and Math Unpacking Standards ◦ Essential Standards Unpacking For Other Content Areas

Agree on the non-negotiables that the standards demand of teachers and students.

Decide what assessment(s) will be used to measure student mastery.

How will we teach the standard, and what prior knowledge, skills and/or vocabulary is needed for a student to demonstrate mastery?

What instructional tools will be used to teach the standards and what will the differentiation or scaffolding look like?

Facilitating A Planning Session

Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and fallacious reasoning. (RI.9-10.8)

1

2

3

4

What does it mean? What are skills that students need to know and be able to do in order to master this standard?

What does it matter? Why is this standard important

How does the unpacking contribute to my understanding? How can the anchor standard add to my understanding?

What does it say? What does it not say?

Directions: As a table, choose what number your team will begin with between 1 & 4. Then rotate to the next number when you hear the “Music Stop.”

A Close Reading of a Standard

What is the Common Core Standard to be learned?

What does proficient student work look like? What prior knowledge, skills, and/or vocabulary

is needed for a student to master this standard? What assessment(s) will be used to measure

student mastery? When will this standard be taught? What will we do when students have learned the

standard?

What is it we expect students to learn?

Teachers must focus on high-leverage interventions that are likely to have a significant positive effect on students’ lives.

How Should We Teach?

◦ There is no quick fix.◦ Teaching the Common Core and Essential

Standards involves dedicated, persistent, meaningful collaboration among teachers, parents, students, coaches, and principals.

Conclusion

What, if any, are the relationships between these themes?

Turn and Talk

Start by helping teachers address classroom management issues.

Next, focus on content by helping to ensure that teachers are teaching the right content and that they have a deep, correct understanding of the content standards.

Then, proceed to collaborate with teachers in developing teaching tactics to ensure that students master the content.

Follow by working with teachers to develop assessment literacy.

Finally continue collaborating with teachers to enhance instructional proficiency.

Next Steps Differentiating

instruction Scaffolding

Student Engagement Rigor and Relevance

Framework

Reality?

Questions

1. Parini, J. (2005). The art of teaching. New York: Oxford University Press.

2. http://www.ascd.org/portal/site/ascd/template.MAXIMIZE/menuitem.459dee008f99653f...

Sources