Reflective Conversations

The world of a coach, just like a teacher, gets busy on the first day of school and never slows down. "Is this your busy time of the year?" Is a question that always bewilders me, because truth be told, all 196 teacher days are a busy time of year. Something, I've come to believe only an educator can fully appreciate. Boarding a Lear jet on the first day of school depicts the typical momentum that begins on Day 1 and ends when the last bell has rung, the classroom is packed up, and we emerge on the other side for a blissful few uninterrupted weeks. Until, once again, the planning begins for the upcoming year, if it truly ever ended in the first place.

Hurling at mock speed, we often forget that a critical component of growing professionally is to reflect on our practice. Where have we been? Where are we going? Questions like these allow you to reflect, refocus, redefine, and reembrace your work. The answers certainly aren't fancy but get at the heart of strategic planning. For me, this type of reflection comes easily now, but in my early teaching years, it took a leader asking me these questions and listening attentively as I answered them.

This year, I'm trying this reflective practice with our new teachers. Each of them is meeting with me this week to answer these questions:

• What are you most proud that you've accomplished so far this year?


• What would you like to work on as you move into the second half of the year?


• What do you need for me to do for you?

The reason for the conversations are two fold. First, I want new teachers to get in the habit of reflecting and second, I want to know, from their point of view, what they need to learn next. Each conversation has been intriguing. I've learned from them about their professional celebrations and their needs. The dialogue has captured a plan for me to move forward in supporting them. As we move into the new year, I'll be gathering some important content resources, setting up a couple of observations, demoing a few lessons, watching and giving written feedback, and teaching about wikis and Gizmos to name just a few things. What I like most about this process is that I am really getting to know each teacher better and I feel like I'll be able to meet their specific needs. This is definitely a practice I'll continue in the future. Stay tuned...

Looking Toward the Future

Not surprisingly, I've been giving much thought about the future of our professional growth. At Chets, we have 1,250 students and 88 teachers. In years past, we’ve had upwards of 3 coaching positions. We’ve filled these three with one full- time coach (me) and four part-time coaches (coach half day, teach half day). In my opinion, this has been an ideal situation because most coaches keep a foot in the classroom, have gained the utmost respect from their colleagues, and share the most relevant rich professional development.

This year, that ideal has changed due to budget cuts and now we are carrying two coaches. One full time instructional coach (me) and an instructional technology coach. We opted for the technology coach so we could begin digitally warehousing and sharing information on-line, and promote self-learning opportunities. This cut has us relying more heavily on lead teachers who run PD in their content area at their grade level. With that said, they also have full-time teaching responsibilities. Therefore, without coaches with release time, we have gone from substantial in class coaching to virtually none. What implications this will hold are forthcoming.

In Florida, like many other places, we are continuing to hear of the dismal financial situation which will cut deeply into the pockets of schools. Next year, our district is likely to have a $139 million dollar cut, so where will that leave us? And, how can we prepare for cuts that run this deeply? It could be a reality that schools won’t be able to carry coaching support.

So, to prepare, I have four ideas:

#1 Capture, edit, and upload as many videos as possible from classrooms and warehouse them on our Setting the Standard ning.

The following video is an excellent example of what I mean, and will give our teachers--and others--open access to classroom observation and teaching.

#2 Digitally warehouse grade level content, assessments, and other resources on wikis.

This first grade wiki is an example of what I mean, and is the central data bank for a grade level. It can also easily be added to and deleted from to keep the most current information. In time, I'm sure it will even contain student work that supports each standard and/or lesson.

#3 Form PLC’s based on needs and passions rather than by grade levels.

Last week, a Grade 3 teacher did a writing demonstration lesson for four colleagues from Grade 2-5. The professional conversation that occurred in debriefing after the lesson was the richest dialogue I’ve heard exchanged between teachers yet this year. So many times, we form PLC's just by grade levels, but I'm wondering if we aren't sometimes missing the mark without these vertical teams also in place.

#4 Lead our teachers to be self-directed learners, avid readers, collaborative workers, and community contributors.

Collectively as a community of learners, thanks to technology, we can continue to move forward regardless of the financial constraints placed on us. Will this be a burden and a barrier? Perhaps. But with a strong will and determined spirit, we will move forward. To move forward with no coaching support, I think all teachers will have to be self-directed, avid blog and professional readers, and collaborate and share ideas with the whole community.

Are you facing the same bleak financial outlook? If you are, what are you doing to prepare your school community for the future?

Cognitive Coaching, Take 2

Day 2 of the Cognitive Coaching Seminar was as big of a hit as Day 1. I had many ah-ha moments that validated my coaching practices, but just as many pondering oh-yeah moments that will help me deliver deeper professional development, focus my planning conversations with teachers, and pay closer attention to non-verbal cues.

Our agenda consisted of

• Homework Review
• Why Coach?
• The Planning Conversation
• Cognitive Coaching Capabilities
• Coaching Tools: paraphrasing and pausing
• Homework & Closure.

My first ah-ha moment occurred in our dialogue on Why Coach? based on Joyce and Showers Research on Training. I was fascinated and quickly self-assessed the types of training we provide at The Creek, and the successes we've had implementing the America's Choice School Design. As I host hundreds of visitors each year, they always ask, "How did you get from where you were (21% of students achieving at standard in math and 54% at standard in reading) to where you are now (95% of students achieving at standard in math, reading, writing, and 80% in science)? This piece of research may answer that question on how we've gotten transfer from Professional Development into classroom practice. This piece also left me thinking about the components we haven't had as much success with like shared reading and in some cases guided reading. Take a look at this table.

Basically, the research table shows that if during Professinal Development, you study theory only 10% of teachers will gain knowledge and 5% skill, but there will be 0% transfer into the classroom. (This to me, may be accurate for a book study that has no follow-up.) If the PD consists of the study of theory and provides demonstration, then 30% of participants will gain knowledge, 20% skills, but still there is 0% transfer back into the classroom. (At Chets, this may be studying the research of Skills Block and then going to watch a Skills Block demonstration lesson, but not practicing or getting peer coaching.) If the PD consists of the study of theory, watching of demonstration, and practice, you will see 60% of the participants gaining knowledge, 60% gaining skills, but still I was surprised that only 5% transferred into practice. (I'm imagining studying the theory behind administering DRA's, watching a teacher administer a DRA, and then practicing administering a DRA yourself. But, then not having Peer Coaching.) On the other hand, if the PD consists of theory, demonstration, practice, and peer coaching, you will have 95% of participants gaining knowledge, 95% gaining skill, and a 95% transfer back into classroom practice. That is huge! After all, does it really matter what a teacher knows if it doesn't impact classroom instruction and student achievement? To me, now, the only type of training that makes any sense is the full array of theory, demonstration, practice, and peer coaching. As always, the barriers are time and money. So, we must embrace out of the box thinking to overcome these obstacles, because our teachers and our students deserve researched based best practices embedded in practice. It may be the only thing that will raise student achievement levels.

Next, we studied the Nine Outcomes of Cognitive Coaching and how to hold a Planning Conversation. I'm not sharing the Planning Conversation with you, because too many of my own teachers read this blog. They will get to experience, first hand, my new planning questions. :)

The paraphrasing and pausing coaching tools were informative as well, especially the Eye Accessing Cues which after practice in the school setting, I will be sharing with you.

Embedded into all our training throughout the two days were the study of theory, the watching of demonstration, and practice. I'm going to role out the training with my Leadership Team so they can assist in Peer Coaching me. After all, I do want my new knowledge to transfer into my coaching practice.

Our homework has us seeking out opportunities for formal and informal planning conversations, conducting self-mediated planning conversations, and practicing isolated skills like rapport, pausing, and paraphrasing.

I had to laugh as we began packing up, because the lasting image of the day's events was the comic on the big screen of a dog steadying himself on a high wire which read: High above the hushed crowd, Rex tried to remain focused. Still he couldn't shake one nagging thought. He was an old dog and this is a new trick.

Cognitive Coaching: Take 1

I'm wondering, how many of my coaching colleagues have ever been taught how to coach? Not why, when, or where, but HOW. Raise your hands. Raise em' high. Those of you proudly raising your hands, you know what I'm about to say, put your hands down and stop gloating, you know it, you're the lucky ones. The ones I and many of my colleagues are jealous of, because you hold the knowledge and expertise that many of us so desperately want.

This marks year 7 of my coaching adventure. You did notice the word--adventure, didn't you? Adventures, by definition, are dangerous undertakings, risky attempts, and gambles. One takes a chance, tries something new, seeks to go into uncharted territory. Most coaches dive in with little training and modest expert coaching support. What generally emerges is the equivalent of street smarts because it is sink or swim time.

Before today, I could not raise my hand. I think, by and large, I was swimming rather than sinking, but today, I learned exactly what I do well, and what I desperately need to change. Today, through a Cognitive Coaching Training Seminar (1 of 8 in all) at the Schultz Center, I discovered that I usually consult or collaborate, but rarely do I use Cognitive Coaching, a pattern that I will reverse.

Cognitive Coaching is about providing the support and assistance for a teacher to become a self-directed thinker both independently and as a member of the school community to improve student learning. The intention is to increase the effectiveness of a teacher's decision making process to allow them to be self-monitoring and self-modifying. It is not about rendering advice, constant modeling, or solving their problems. Cognitive Coaches do not rob teachers of the opportunity to solve their own problems. They probe to bring about self-assessment.

How to Cognitively Coach is the mission of our seminar. On Day 1, we...

• studied the word, Holonomy, or the act of simultaneously being equally good by yourself and as a part of your learning community.


• learned about the five States of Mind including efficacy, flexibility, interdependence, consciousness, and craftsmanship.
  
• discussed the goal and went over four orientations as a coach: parent, expert, friend, and boss.
  
• role played, practiced, synthesized, and discussed.


• explored trust. The three types Organic, Contractual, and Relational. We learned about the common facets of trust and exactly how to repair broken trust.


• discussed rapport. The Elements of Rapport: posture, gesture, tonality, language, and breathing.


• watched a video to understand, on a cellular level, what happens with mirrored neurons that makes us social beings and how that effects rapport.


• went into the four support functions of coaching. Cognitive Coaching, Collaborative Coaching, Consulting, and Evaluating. We explored the intention and purpose of each system, as well as what the conversations focus on when we are acting in this role.


• participated in a structured coaching interchange as partners.


• were assigned homework! (I feel like one of the kids! Homework = Yuck!)

Today, for the first time, I feel like I am mapping a more intentional path for how to coach. I'm not saying it won't still be an adventure with some uncharted territory, but I am implying that I will have more tools and self-awareness. I will become more of a Cognitive Coach and less of a Collaborator and Consultant. After today, I must say that I would recommend this training for any coach or principal.

A Feedback Loop--How Do You Do It?

I’ve often struggled with the most appropriate way to give feedback to a teacher once I’ve visited their classroom. Questions I grapple with include:

• Should I ask the teacher to reflect on my observation before I give feedback?
• When I give feedback what is more effective verbal or written?
• How should I deliver the feedback?
• What balance do I strike between positive uplifting comments and next steps?

This month, as I’m coaching two second grade teachers during Writers’ Workshop, I’m trying two different feedback loops.

One teacher’s classroom, I visit four days a week during the one hour Writers’ Workshop. I observe the mini-lesson, work period, and closing session, and offer written feedback. The written feedback is done that day and gets emailed to the teacher. The written feedback allows the teacher to read and reflect on the feedback, and look for patterns. She also has the ability to reply and ask questions at her convenience without having to sit and formally meet with me. I structure the feedback in three parts:

• Factual Observation Notes
• Things to Continue
• Things to Think About

In the first, I simply record factual observations rather than opinions or suggestions. In part two, I suggest best practice ideas to continue. I list as many things as possible. In the third section, I focus on next steps in the form of a question giving the teacher the opportunity to reflect and adjust instruction accordingly. I list no more than three questions in this section, and really prefer to keep it to two questions if possible. At any given time, there may be a list of things I could ask the teacher to think about, however just like a teacher selects a teaching point while conferring with a student, I too, must pick teaching points that will most effectively move the teacher forward.

My feedback to Teacher #1 as shown through this link, is written, delivered same day, and has the advantage of not consuming teacher planning time. However, the disadvantage must be weighed of not having face to face dialogue.

On the other hand, the other second grade teacher I am coaching has asked me to visit during her Writers’ Workshop work period. She wanted me to model how I confer with students, and wanted my feedback on how her students were doing compared to other second graders.

While I confer with students, I record my conferring notes on a sticky pad so she can easily transfer them to her anecdotal notes. She and I have informal conversation about my teaching points with students. This gives her a good idea of whether she would confer with them on the same teaching point. She also has the opportunity to have me watch her confer with students.

With this teacher, we’ve had the opportunity to have verbal dialogue and written correspondences. We talk for about two minutes as we come toward the end of the work period, she reads my sticky notes, and often stops by during her planning time to touch base. We also use email to ask and answer questions.

In addition, I’ve pulled professional literature on writing conferences and reminded her that a teacher teaches the writer and not the writing, and that you have to give the student the one next step to move their work forward, and not try to help them improve on all weak areas.

These are two different examples feedback loops I use. Both seem to work based on the purpose, the teacher, and the situation. I'd love to hear how you give feedback as a coach.

Coaching LIVE

Broadcasting live lessons through videostreaming allows the doors of Our Magic Kingdom to open to the outside world. “Why is this important?” you might ask. It is no secret that teaching is traditionally hailed as a closed door profession, and at Chets Creek we have broken that barrier. Since the school opened in 1998, teachers have been building a culture of collaboration and collegiality. They have been hosting and participating in demonstration lessons and debriefs, attending weekly teacher meetings, working with content coaches in their classrooms, and delving into professional book studies. The next evolution was sharing our best practice with the outside world. Video streaming on real time has allowed us to begin this journey.

My coaching role in this week’s video stream was an easy one. I simply observed in Vicky’s classroom over the course of a week in Reader’s Workshop, gave her a few suggestions on tweaking her practice, and pointed her in the direction of Melanie’s blog. Reading Melanie’s blog on teaching Sub Text allowed Vicky an avenue to read about a new strategy, gather children’s literature, and implement the reading strategy in her own classroom. My role was minimized with this self-directed second year teacher, and Vicky’s colleagues from around the district got to benefit by watching her lesson live!