Coaching Roles and Responsibilities-4 Part D: Examine Coaching Roles

First Example
ROLES COACH ADOPTED

• Co-planning technology-rich, active, engaging learning activities with collaborating teachers.
• Helping teachers adapt and adopt innovative examples of standards-based, technology-rich projects that are relevant to participating teachers.
  

STAGES OF THE COACHING CYCLE USED

• Prepare
• Reflect (students assess, but by whom?)

IMPACT ON STUDENT LEARNING

reactions:

• Tom said, “Pat has helped me move into 21st Century Teaching!”
• Students learned about multiple authors instead of one.
• After the project, Pat surveyed students and they responded that they were more engaged in their learning during this task than previous assignments.

stated objectives:

Reading

3b. Organize information from resource materials and communicate findings effectively

Writing

1. The student writes clearly and effectively.
1.1 Develop concept and design
c. Focuses text clearly to hold reader’s attention to make a point, tell a story, or describe a process or phenomenon

National Educational Technology Standards for Students

4b. Students use a variety of media and formats to communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences. 

student learning:

For the most part, this project was focused on effective communication through organizing, writing, and orally presenting. 

I found it difficult to evaluate a lesson based on a text account. Up to now, my own reflections look much like the one provided, so I want to incorporate more video and student samples in the lesson examples I make next year. 

Define Coaching Roles and Responsibilities

Image via The ISTE Coaching Academy

Review the possible roles and responsibilities and think about which would make the most sense for you to adopt.

ROLES

• Providing just-in-time, just enough advice or training on teaching strategies, or integrating technology.
• Co-planning technology-rich, active, engaging learning activities with collaborating teachers.
• Helping teachers adapt and adopt innovative examples of standards-based, technology-rich projects that are relevant to participating teachers.
• Modeling or team teaching and reflection
• Observing teachers and encouraging reflection on learning activities

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Working with fellow teachers and administrators to determine the most appropriate use of coaching resources.
• Aligning coaching with the existing school professional development initiatives.
• Coaching one or more teachers consistently over an entire school year.
• Tracking coaching work using appropriate tools, for example, a log or record of collaboration; and providing coaching program updates as appropriate to peers in the coaching program and to school staff.
• Engaging administration to support the coaching program as a multi-year investment in teaching and learning improvement.

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Which of the above roles and responsibilities would make sense in my situation? I think they could all work. 

For the roles, I am currently doing all of them [until now on a limited scale with certain teachers] but I really need to emphasize reflection next school year. Those reflections will allow teachers to show other teachers what works as well as what doesn't work.

Responsibilities too is an area that I am almost doing all of -- if even on a small scale during the first year. Looking at the responsibilities, the weakest of them has been the communication with administration. This school year, that will be a focus.

As a side note, this year I will put more of an emphasis on collecting data about the coaching program.

What roles and responsibilities do peer coaches assume?

Part A: Coach Attributes 

The characteristics or qualities a coach brings to the job are critical to a coach’s success and will shape the roles a coach plays.

1. Jot down your ideas on the qualities that would be desirable for a coach to possess.  You may also want to ask a peer to define a few desirable coach qualities.

• positive / approachable
• You will not ask someone for help whom you don't like or trust (I suppose trustworthy should be another characteristic), so a good coach should be approachable. When I think of the people I approach for advice, one commonality they all have is that they are positive people and creative problem solvers. (I suppose I could have added curious, or problem solver to this list as well).

• risk taker - willing to try new ideas
• A coach will encounter a wide range of lesson ideas -- not all will be in one's comfort zone. Teachers want to work with someone who is willing to try their ideas as well as give them ideas.

• knowledgeable of tools as well as pedagogy
• A coach will be up to date on the best tools for the job, and be aware of new tools that could be used. More than the technology, however, student learning should take precedent. A good coach will know this and always place student learning at the forefront.

• patient
• Another characteristic of a coach is patience. A coach understands that plans do not always turn out as expected. Coaches should be able to adjust as needed.
• The skills and experience integrating technology can vary greatly between teachers. Coaches require patience with those who need it.

• proactive
• Coaches seek out ways to help others by making observations and offering suggestions. Often this will be without being asked. This can be in the form of looking at the curriculum map and gathering resources and ideas ahead of time.

• good listener
• Coaches are good listeners. 

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1. Review the qualities teachers who collaborated with coaches say strong coaches should possess.  Teachers say a successful peer coach:

• Is able to build trust with peers.
• Builds on what a teacher needs.
• Is a team player.
• Communicates well and listens to teachers.
• Knows what teachers are doing in their classrooms.
• Can show teachers how to replace what they are doing with something better, not just present technology as an add-on.
• Is highly organized and plans well in advance with teachers.
• Provides a safe, risk-taking environment and is non-threatening, non-judgmental, and accepting.
• Is flexible.
• Has enough depth and breadth of knowledge to help teachers who are at various stages of technology integration, including knowledge of appropriate instructional strategies.
• Knows how to organize and structure a technology-rich classroom.
• Is recognized by staff as a strong/outstanding teacher.

1. After reviewing your list, and the ideas of coaches’ collaborating teachers identify one or two most important qualities of a strong coach.
1. Communicates well and listens to teachers
2. Knows what teachers are doing in their classrooms
2. Keep your list of attributes handy as you define your roles as a coach and develop your coaching plan.

Slide Animation for Computational Thinking

Computational Thinking (CT) is a problem solving process that includes a number of characteristics and dispositions. CT is essential to the development of computer applications, but it can also be used to support problem solving across all disciplines, including the humanities, math, and science. Students who learn CT across the curriculum can begin to see a relationship between academic subjects, as well as between life inside and outside of the classroom. 

From the Google Computational Thinking for Educators Course 

When I think of computational thinking, I lean towards this definition. Nowhere in this definition does it talk about coding. While I think coding is an important skill, it is not for everyone. However, being able to problem solve is a skill for everyone.

Last year I was teaching the third-grade different aspects of Google Slides. I brought them through many aspects of how to use Slides and finally got to animation.

Google Slides, and I am sure PowerPoint has this function as well, allows you to choose to animate on click, after previous, or with previous object. It is a good way to introduce or practice, if ... then ... thinking.

Animations within Slides can get very complex, but they can also be simple enough for any student to do. Animations in Google Slides is a practical way to integrate computational thinking into any subject.

Characteristics of Effective Professional Development

The following are this course's Characteristics of Effective PD:

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I had a few of these down in my own reflection, but I did not think of a few.

On the job or job-embedded

The GLT Center has a long definition in this report, but in summary (p. 2):

• grounded in day-to-day practice
• deals with authentic and immediate problems
• part of a continuous cycle
• aligned to standards and school goals

Looking through these, even the most influential PD I say I have had cannot be described as this. But a few I can think of have been adoptions of initiatives such as the PYP, MYP, Singapore Math, and different reading and writing programs. 

I think coaching also falls into this category.

Connected to classroom practice, pedagogy, and content

Most all of the PD I have taken has, thankfully, been directly related to what I am doing in the classroom. 

Shaped by data

This is something I do not know whether the PD I have taken (as well as the PD chosen for me).

Intensive, ongoing, and long-term

Again, the initiatives are those ongoing PDs I have experienced. By being long-term and embedded, or intensive, they were always on my mind while planning and teaching.

Connects peers with purpose, focuses on innovation

I think this is the most important of all the characteristics listed. In my experience, the connections with my peers has helped me think differently about what I do, and has helped me think more deeply about what I do. 

I originally started using Twitter professionally about 5 years ago based on a recommendation from a colleague. The colleague was transformational for me, but left the school soon after he arrived, but the connections I made on Twitter never leave (and now we are connected on Twitter).

Collaborative and structured to offer educators chances to learn from others

I have had limited exposure to this type of PD, but it increased with a change of schools. It is this type of PD that we began last year on a small scale using our tech ambassadors program. Twice a month we meet for 20 minutes, take turns sharing what we are doing in class, and give feedback to each other.

For further thought:

How can I better incorporate these characteristics into the PD we deliver at school?