Understanding the needs of Understanding the needs of adult learners adult learners
to to build and sustain professional build and sustain professional
relationshipsrelationships
Complied by Patsy Tanner and
Debra Vains-Loy 2009
Qualities of an Effective Coach
To understand the qualities of an effective coach we must first
understandchange.change.
When people are learning something new, dissonance is not only
inevitable but desirable.
Dissonance sharpens thinking and brings comparisons to mind
that clarify understanding.
We call this ‘good dissonance’, because it serves a useful
purpose in learning.
Within a trusting context, dissonance works for you, rather than
against you.Lyons, C.A. & Pinnell, G.S. (2001)
Systems for Change in Literacy Education: A guide to professional development.
“The process of change brings discomfort. ”
For change to be effective at a school site, it For change to be effective at a school site, it
needs to be a collaborative decision, needs to be a collaborative decision,
led by a motivated leadership team led by a motivated leadership team
based on evidence.based on evidence.
Addressing concerns about change
Seven Stages of ConcernSeven Stages of Concern
Awareness Aware that an innovation is being introduced but not really interested or concerned with it.
Informational Interested in some information about the change.
Personal Wants to know the personal impact of the change.
Management Concerned about how the change will be managed in practice.
Consequences Interested in the impact on students or the school.
Collaboration Interested in working with colleagues to make the change effective.
Refocusing Begins refining the innovation to improve student learning results.
What do experts say about educational change?
4 elements of change 4 elements of change
Who will lead the change? principals/coaches/curriculum leaders
Who will implement the
change?
typically identified coaches who have been
expert teachers
What will be changed? typically the focus of professional
development, based on student achievement
data and teacher’s identified needs
How will the change
occur?
the process.
Toll, C, (2005): The Literacy Coach’s Survival Guide
A coach’s role should focus on :
Behaviour
Attitude
Cognition
Inquiry
Culture
What are you trying to change?
Identity of self, influences the perspectives of
others and can have a powerful impact on ones
efforts to collaboratively work with teachers.
Knowing oneself serves as a prelude and a
foundation for relating well to others.
(Glickman 2002)
Who are you as a person?
Clarifying Your Own Approach
Coaches should first understand themselves, their core beliefs
about working with others and their predominant ways of
interacting.
In determining the approach to use with teachers, the coach
should take into account the commitment, expertise and needs of
individual teachers.
A coach’s goal is always to use approaches that strengthen a
teacher’s capacity for greater reflection and self-reliance in making
improvements in classroom teaching and learning.
Clarifying Your Own Approach
Interpersonal Approaches, Outcomes and Levels of Choice
Approach Outcome Choice
Nondirective Teacher self-plan Maximum teacher choice
Collaborative Mutual plan Mutual choice
Directive-informational Leader-suggest plan Selected choice
Directive-control Leader-assigned plan No teacher choice
How adults want to learn?
Want to be challenged intellectually and seek
learning opportunities that are:
Highly practical
Highly applicable
Very meaningful
and related to their own professional growth
and development.
Principles for Adult Learners
Learner responsibilityAdult learners seek to take responsibility for their own
learning.
They will appreciate opportunity for involvement in
training (as in active learning) and also in any decision
making concerning the learning.
They will look for and accept any opportunity to direct
their own learning, and they will use this as a learning
experience to enhance their future self-directed learning
efforts.
Principles for Adult Learners
Learning-for-life applications
Adult learners are highly motivated towards any
learning that is relevant to or needed for the current
learning project.
Conversely, adult learners will absent themselves
(either physically or psychologically) from any
learning activity that is not immediately relevant to
their needs.
Principles for Adult Learners
Learning by reflection and experienceAdult learners usually have a rich and varied background that
they bring to their current learning. They can recall and reflect on
their own experiences, for their future behaviours.
Learning experiences designed for adult learners should include
• individual “thinking time”
• discussions and sharing to communicate experiences
• an emphasis on personal applications of new directions developed out
of experiences.
The role of the coach in adult learning
Facilitates learning – what the learner is
able to do with the learning after the coach is
gone.
Coaching – the activity that sets up
conditions to stimulate and scaffold learning.
Learning Principles Applied to Coaching
Support and respect of fellow learners
A majority of learners prefer learning to occur in a
social context, rather than alone. Adult learners in
particular appreciate a supportive group of co-
learners who operate on a relatively informal basis,
who depend on and support one another, and who
assist each other with learning activities.
Learning Principles Applied to CoachingEstablishing objectivesEach objective should include a clear behavioural description which leads directly to assessment activities and suggests learning activities
Analysing and assessing needsTailored to the teacher’s individual needs, the student’s needs and the school’s and system’s needs.
Activity design
Needs to be congruent with objectives and have a clear direction toward
change allowing for adult participation in ownership of their own learning.
Progress and outcomes
Providing information on progress in reaching a desired objective including
celebrations of success and goal setting.
Partnership Principles
Coach and teachers are equal partners.
Teachers should have choice regarding what and how they learn.
Teachers need to reflect and apply learning to their real-life practice as they are learning.
Professional development should enable authentic dialogue, respecting and enabling the voices of teachers.
Professional learning is a reciprocal process whereby coach and teacher learn from each other.
Shifting to a Coach Approach
From ToFocusing only on results Creating sustainable results and engaging
teachers
Controlling the teacher’s actions Empowering individuals to take better actions
Creating a fear of consequences Creating a safe space for risk taking
Focusing on weaknesses Recognising strengths
Pointing out failure/errors Endorsing effort and growthReinforcing a “we/they” culture Optimising everyone’s styles and strengths
Solving all the problems Helping others solve and prevent problems
Listening to what teachers are saying
Understanding what teachers are meaning
Being the source of approval Being the resource for collaboration and resolution
“Every time we take something we do unconsciously and do it consciously and intentionally, we become more effective.”
Know you don’t knowConscious incompetence
Rational
Know you KnowConscious competence
Non-Rational
Don’t know you don’t knowUnconscious incompetence
Don’t know you knowUnconscious competence
Identify some of the challenges for you in your coaching role
Discuss elements of your understanding of adult learners
What will benefit your coaching?
What might undermine your coaching?
Teachers often blaze their own trails: sometimes we, as coaches, can be a compass.
Miller Burkins (2007)
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