THE LEARNING PROFESSIONAL THE LEARNING FORWARD JOURNAL
EXPERTS SHARE HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF COACHING ALSO IN Jim Knight p. 28 THIS ISSUE:
Joellen Killion p. 24 Disrupting inequity p. 45 Elena Aguilar p. 10 How to hire Robert Pianta p. 33 great coaches p. 12
COACHING
December 2019, Vol. 40, No. 6 SUMMER INSTITUTES MINNEAPOLIS
SAVE THE DATE! Learning Forward Institutes are coming to Minneapolis! JULY 1619, 2020
Join us for a deep dive into topics that will strengthen your coaching skills and increase your leadership capacity. SUMMER INSTITUTES institutes.learningforward.org Minneapolis • July 16-19, 2020 THE LEARNING PROFESSIONAL THE LEARNING FORWARD JOURNAL
DECEMBER 2019, VOLUME 40, NO. 6 in this issue ...
VOICES 7 RESEARCH 15
p. 10 16 RESEARCH REVIEW By Elizabeth Foster Study pinpoints success factors when teachers learn from peers. Research on a California coaching initiative adds to our understanding of how to support teacher-led professional 5 HERE WE GO learning. By Suzanne Bouffard To put it simply, coaching works. 18 ESSENTIALS This issue of The Learning Professional features stories and data about Keeping up with hot topics. coaching strategies, impact, and methods for continuous improvement. ONLINE EXCLUSIVES 8 CALL TO ACTION By Denise Glyn Borders learningforward.org/ Assess and document professional learning’s impact. the-learning-professional As champions for professional learning, we urge readers to take several • Community connects critical lessons from NAEP and other research. instructional coaching to improvement science. 9 BEING FORWARD By Leigh Wall Professional learning can chart a course for equity and excellence. Representatives from around the country detail the impact of professional learning on their districts and students.
10 WHAT I’VE LEARNED By Elena Aguilar You can coach for equity anywhere, with anyone. It isn’t an option for coaches to be neutral on issues of justice. These five tips • With peer visits, teachers see can help coaches do the essential work of focusing on equity. for themselves how to improve practice. 12 ASK By Cathy Toll • A continuum of coaching Effective coaching begins with the hiring process. supports: Modeling and co- Cathy Toll, director of Partnering to Learn and an expert on coaching, teaching aren’t mutually outlines what school and district leaders need to know when hiring coaches. exclusive.
December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 www.learningforward.org | The Learning Professional 1 THE LEARNING PROFESSIONAL THE LEARNING FORWARD JOURNAL in this issue ...
FOCUS 19 COACHING p. 24
20 How coaching takes root: 3 key factors lead to successful implementation. By Jennifer D. Pierce, Melissa Irby, and Melissa Weber-Mayrer Implementation science shows that competency, organization, and leadership are key drivers of success. The authors explain how they apply to coaching.
24 On the path to ‘becoming’: Awareness of their own mental models can help coaches stretch and grow. By Joellen Killion By becoming increasingly cognizant about the influence of their mental models, coaches can experience transformative learning and facilitate it for others. 36 Accentuate the positive: 45 Coaching for equity: Video can motivate teachers Disrupt and transform practices 28 Students on the margins: to improve their skills. that reveal implicit and explicit How instructional coaching By Jody A. Flowers biases. can increase engagement In this strengths-based By Tonikiaa Orange, and achievement. coaching model, coaches focus Jo Ann Isken, Amber Green, By Jim Knight on what teachers are doing Nancy Parachini, To help teachers move students well, which builds trust and and Annamarie Francois away from the margins and buy-in to the process. A coaching framework focused into the heart of schools, on equity encourages coaching coaching needs to address 41 Toolbox for SEL: conversations that counter bias, student engagement as well as Coaching builds teachers’ refute deficit thinking, and achievement. social and emotional strategies. combat racial stereotypes. By Laura Stickle, 33 A window into teaching: Rebecca Bailey, 50 Bright and early: With evidence-based coaching, Gretchen Brion-Meisels, Coaching increases the quality teachers observe and reflect and Stephanie M. Jones of early childhood programs. on student interactions. Coaches helped teachers By Noelle V. Banuelos, By Elizabeth Foster increase their use of SEL Mariel K. Doerfel, In this Q&A, Robert Pianta practices in a pilot study, and Rachael E. Stoffel discusses MyTeachingPartner, a underscoring the need for job- The quality of Los Angeles early coaching model that meets the embedded professional learning childhood programs improved evidence requirements of the on SEL. with support from professional Every Student Succeeds Act. coaches.
2 The Learning Professional | www.learningforward.org December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 I SAY Paul Katnik Assistant commissioner, 54 The power of coaching: CLASSICS Missouri Department of Fort Wayne’s model shows 71 Elementary and Secondary what an intentional Education learning system can accomplish. 72 Raise the level of conversation By Kay Psencik, Valerie Mitrani, by using paraphrasing as a and Ramona Coleman listening skill. Fort Wayne Community By Robert J. Garmston Schools illustrates the central Paraphrasing is not only a role of coaching in a systemic language skill, but a listening professional learning approach skill. It helps us synthesize, and what effective support for clarify, shift discourse to new coaching looks like. levels, and show others we’ve 58 A dashboard view of coaching: heard them. Digital log zooms in on coaches’ daily activities. By Lauren B. Goldenberg, TOOLS 75 Violet Wanta, and Andrew Fletcher 76 Coach as classroom supporter: A digital log provides data Protocol guides coaches that early literacy coaches in conducting demonstration New York City use to reflect, lessons. adjust practice, and promote Learning Forward Capitol Hill continuous improvement. Briefing: Addressing Equity in UPDATES Teaching Through Professional 62 Steps to self-reliance: 79 Learning, October 10, 2019, Coaching process strengthens Washington, D.C. math students’ confidence. 80 The latest from Learning By Sue Chapman Forward. and Mary Mitchell • Remembering Shirley Hord n the past] we figured With the focused reflection • Capitol Hill briefing “[Ithat, because the process, coaches and teachers • Host committee charitable operate as researchers and hold contribution principal has a license, we’re themselves accountable for their • Featured social media post good to go. It doesn’t work teaching and students’ learning. • 2019 Annual Conference that way. In order to keep up update 66 Bridging the distance: • Webinar on rigorous with the changing things that One-on-one video coaching assignments are happening in our school supports rural teachers. • Empowering teachers event communities, you have to By Cynthia D. Carson, Cynthia Callard, Ryan Gillespie, 84 AT A GLANCE continue to update the people Jeffrey Choppin, Instructional coaching: who run those school systems. and Julie M. Amador By the numbers. A model grounded in the “How many of you would be Standards for Professional 85 THROUGH THE LENS comfortable with your doctor Learning provides rural math of Learning Forward’s prepared to work on you with teachers one-on-one video Standards for Professional coaching with expert math Learning. what they knew two decades coaches. ago?”
December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 www.learningforward.org The Learning Professional 3 Professional Learning Planning
Set a systemwide vision for professional learning
Learning Forward supports districts to develop We start with the essential a systemwide vision for professional learning components of a professional that impacts educator practice and student learning plan and work with you achievement. to identify your key focus areas Build the guiding document for professional and customize your plan. learning in your system, and secure buy-in from For more information, visit stakeholders. Outline an agreed-upon vision, consulting.learningforward.org mission, and goals for professional learning or contact Tom Manning at related to four critical areas: [email protected]. • Content and pedagogy; • Coherence and relevance; • Measurement and impact; and • Professional learning culture. HERE WE GO Suzanne Bouffard
TO PUT IT SIMPLY, COACHING WORKS
he benefits of instructional coaching have been obvious to educators for decades, but research data now make those benefits measurably clear (Kraft, Blazar, & Hogan, 2018). TThe impact is particularly striking when you zoom in on districts and schools that have made a real investment in coaching. For example, Norman (Oklahoma) Public Schools nearly doubled its investment in coaching over a two-year period and saw a marked reduction in the need to hire new teachers, from 225 in You shared 2017 to 168 in 2019 (Norman Public Schools, 2019). with us a wealth Reducing teacher attrition saves costs for districts, and it saves a different kind of cost for students, who tend to learn more from experienced teachers than novices (Kini & Podolsky, 2016). of knowledge Norman’s story is just one of many we heard at a recent event Learning Forward sponsored and insight on Capitol Hill and that we hear on a regular basis from Learning Forward members and clients. This issue of The Learning Professional is dedicated to sharing those stories and data about that reinforced coaching strategies, impact, and methods for continuous improvement. our belief in Our readers’ interest and expertise in coaching were more evident than ever in the large number of article submissions we received for this issue. You shared with us a wealth of the excellent knowledge and insight that reinforced our belief learning in the excellent learning happening in schools and happening in organizations, for educators as well as, and in the service of, students. schools and In this issue, we have included a mix of topics that organizations, apply not only to coaches themselves but to those who lead, support, and benefit from coaches. In these pages, for educators as you’ll read about compelling evidence on the impact of well as, and in coaching from summaries of national research (p. 33) the service of, and new empirical data (pp. 41 and 50). You’ll hear from experts who encourage us to think about coaching with an equity lens (pp. 10 and 45), examining students. mental models in coaching (p. 24), and attending to student engagement (p. 28). Other articles share practical suggestions, like technologies and techniques for making coaching accessible and feasible (pp. 58 and 66), interview questions to use when hiring coaches (p. 12), and a tool to guide coaches’ demonstration lessons (p. 75). Plus, check out this issue’s online exclusives, which include articles on modeling versus co- teaching, peer visits across classrooms, and a statewide effort in Vermont to increase alignment between instructional coaching and school improvement plans. Looking forward to 2020, we hope you’ll join us in January for a webinar and a Twitter chat related to the coaching theme of this issue. In the meantime, we hope this season brings you time to reflect, rest, rejuvenate — and read!
REFERENCES Kini, T. & Podolsky, A. (2016). Does teaching experience increase teacher effectiveness? A Suzanne Bouffard review of the research. Palo Alto, CA: Learning Policy Institute. (suzanne.bouffard@ Kraft, M.A., Blazar, D., & Hogan, D. (2018). The effect of teacher coaching on instruction learningforward. and achievement: A meta-analysis of the causal evidence. Review of Educational Research, 88(4), org) is editor of 547-588. The Learning Norman Public Schools. (2019). Norman’s Title II professional learning investment cuts new Professional. teacher attrition. Oxford, OH: Learning Forward. ■
December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 www.learningforward.org | The Learning Professional 5 THE Advertisements: Advertisements are accepted in The LEARNING Learning Professional. The ad rate card for The Learning PROFESSIONAL Professional is at learningforward.org/rates. THE LEARNING FORWARD JOURNAL Correspondence: Business correspondence, including orders for back copies, memberships, subscriptions, and STAFF remittances for advertisements, should be sent to: Learning Executive editor: Tracy Crow Forward, 504 S. Locust St., Oxford, OH 45056. Editor: Suzanne Bouffard Telephone: 800-727-7288. Managing editor: Sue Chevalier Permissions: Learning Forward’s permission policy is Designer: Kitty Black available at learningforward.org/publications/permissions- At a Glance designer: David McCoy policy.
HOW TO GET IN TOUCH THE LEARNING PROFESSIONAL The Learning Professional is published six times a year to ISSN 2476-194X promote improvement in the quality of professional learning The Learning Professional is a benefit of membership as a means to improve student learning in K-12 schools. in Learning Forward. $89 of annual membership covers a Contributions from members and nonmembers of Learning year’s subscription to The Learning Professional. The Learning Forward are welcome. Professional is published bimonthly at the known office of publication at Learning Forward, 17330 Preston Road, Suite Manuscripts: Manuscripts and editorial mail should be 106-D, Dallas, TX 75252. Periodicals postage paid at Dallas, sent to Christy Colclasure (christy.colclasure@learningforward. TX 75260 and additional offices. Postmaster: Send address org). Learning Forward prefers to receive manuscripts by changes to The Learning Professional, 17330 Preston Road, email. Notes to assist authors in preparing a manuscript are Suite 106-D, Dallas, TX 75252. provided at learningforward.org/the-learning-professional/ © Copyright, Learning Forward, 2019. All rights reserved. write-for-us. Themes for upcoming issues of The Learning The views expressed in The Learning Professional do not Professional are available at learningforward.org/the-learning- necessarily reflect the official positions nor are products or professional/write-for-us. services being advertised endorsed by Learning Forward.
Suzanne Bouffard Nikki Mouton Vice president, publications Senior vice president, business [email protected] development, consulting, content [email protected] Michelle Bowman LEARNING FORWARD’S VISION: Vice president, networks & content design Renee Taylor-Johnson Equity and excellence in teaching [email protected] Vice president, business services and learning. [email protected] Tracy Crow BUSINESS OFFICE Chief strategy officer Joellen Killion 504 S. Locust St. [email protected] Senior advisor Oxford, OH 45056 [email protected] Elizabeth Foster 513-523-6029, 800-727-7288 Vice president, research & standards Fax: 513-523-0638 [email protected] BOARD OF TRUSTEES [email protected] Leigh Wall, president www.learningforward.org Carrie Freundlich Steve Cardwell, president-elect LEARNING FORWARD STAFF Vice president, conference operations, program management Alan Ingram, past president Denise Glyn Borders [email protected] Valeria Brown President/CEO Sharon Contreras [email protected] Melinda George Chief policy officer Shawn Joseph Frederick Brown [email protected] Monica Martinez Chief learning officer/deputy [email protected] Michael Lanham Wendy Robinson COO/CFO Anthony Armstrong [email protected] Vice president, marketing, membership, communications Tom Manning [email protected] Vice president, consulting management & services [email protected]
6 The Learning Professional | www.learningforward.org December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 Inspire.V Express.OIC Advocate. ES
INCLUDE EQUITY IN EVERY COACHING CONVERSATION ecause equity issues are present in every situation, I am coaching for equity in every coaching “Bconversation. We live in a society that is deeply inequitable, in which systems of oppression (including racism, patriarchy, and classism) are embedded in our mindsets, behaviors, and institutions, but we often don’t recognize the prevalence of this systemic oppression. “This is why we, as coaches and leaders, must make it visible. To coach for equity, you must see inequities, understand how they were constructed, and know why they perpetuate.”
— “You can coach for equity anywhere, with anyone,” p.10
December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 www.learningforward.org | The Learning Professional 7 CALL TO ACTION Denise Glyn Borders
ASSESS AND DOCUMENT PROFESSIONAL LEARNING’S IMPACT
s I write this, we’re all digesting the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results, and they are a disappointment. A An assessment of 4th- and 8th-grade reading and mathematics across the U.S., NAEP is administered biannually. Since 2017, most states have seen declines in students’ reading performance and a mixed picture in math, with 4th graders showing a slight increase and 8th graders a slight decrease. Perhaps most troubling, the lowest-achieving students showed the largest declines in performance. Although patterns vary by state, only one — Mississippi — gained ground at the 4th-grade level and only Washington, D.C., improved at the 8th-grade level (NAEP, 2019). It is notable that Mississippi State Superintendent Carey Wright attributed that state’s growth to a sharp focus on literacy, including increased professional learning for teachers (Jacobson, 2019). For Learning Forward, such results underscore the importance of ongoing, sustained investment in high-quality professional learning to advance teaching and leadership in schools. We can’t provide all students with rich opportunities to learn and thrive without doing all we can to strengthen teaching and leadership. Interestingly, a report published the same week as the NAEP results found that districts that invest in proven professional learning, such as the New Teacher Center induction model, reap benefits in higher teacher retention rates and increased student learning and earning potential (New Teacher Center, 2019). As champions for professional learning, Learning Forward urges readers to take several critical lessons from the latest news. First and foremost, assess and document the impact of the professional learning your educators experience. When professional learning has an impact, tell your stakeholders what works and how students benefit. When professional learning doesn’t achieve its goals, investigate why and make changes. Investment in ineffective professional learning is doubly harmful. Educators and communities suffer from a waste of resources and opportunity to improve, and the field is again placed in a position to justify why professional learning matters. Second, keep in mind that documenting professional learning’s impact happens as part of an ongoing process of careful research, planning, data collection, and implementation. Help your peers and educators stay abreast of the latest information about professional learning, and use the Standards for Professional Learning consistently to guide your learning system and processes. Finally, keep the big picture in mind as you strategize how building educators’ capacity fits into your district’s overall vision for teaching and learning. Professional learning is not optional or an add-on. It will always be a foundational pillar to schooling and must be treated as such. Denise Glyn Our colleagues internationally take these lessons to heart. As an OECD report on teacher Borders is policies found, professional learning is a “fundamental element for the success of any major president/CEO of educational reform” and professional learning strategies are a “key attribute of high-achieving Learning Forward. Continued on p. 14
8 The Learning Professional | www.learningforward.org December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 BEING FORWARD Leigh Wall
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING CAN CHART A COURSE FOR EQUITY AND EXCELLENCE
s I reflect on the past year of serving the Learning Forward community as president of the board of trustees, I am encouraged and inspired by all we are doing together to Abuild strong schools and systems. I am proud of how our members and staff are sharing our collective stories of evidence and impact and how we can change the course of equity and excellence through high-quality, job-embedded professional learning. Nowhere has this message been clearer than at the recent event Learning Forward hosted on Capitol Hill to raise awareness about the importance of Title IIA funds. A panel of educators Policymakers from across the country representing school districts in Norman, Oklahoma, South Brunswick, New Jersey, and Suffolk, Virginia, as well as the state of Missouri, shared powerful stories of need to hear professional learning impact that appeared to resonate with the members of the policy and more of these education communities in attendance. real-life stories These personal stories of accomplishment, supported by data outlining evidence of impact, exemplify that professional learning is not a one-size-fits-all model. It is a universal strength that all of evidence of us can use to address our specific goals and problems of practice. directly from The stories the panelists shared reflect challenges educators struggle with in several contexts. Examples include the impact of educators about professional learning on improved teacher retention, improving how professional organizational culture, leadership development, and the power of effective professional learning communities. Stories and learning systems examples similar to these are likely to resonate with individuals can shape and organizations nationwide. excellence In sharing the experience of my district in Santa Fe, Texas, I emphasized the valuable role of coaching, which can be and equity in supported by Title IIA funds and is the theme of this issue of teaching and The Learning Professional. Coaching exemplifies the ongoing, embedded type of professional learning recommended in the Standards for Professional Learning learning. and makes a real difference for educators and students. Strong coaches combine knowledge of core content with practical teaching strategies, actionable feedback, and modeling tools. Coaching can be beneficial in assisting all of us in teaching and leadership roles to understand content and pedagogy at deeper levels to make a meaningful impact on teaching and learning. In fact, in some districts, a coaching model is blended into all aspects of the organization, including operations, technology, and school safety, to realize continuous improvements in all areas that support student learning. Districts and organizations all over the U.S. and the world can share their own stories of impact about coaching and other types of high-quality professional learning. Policymakers need to hear more of these real-life stories of evidence directly from educators about how professional learning systems can shape excellence and equity in teaching and learning. Learning Forward plays a key role in supporting educators in developing capacity, from students to teachers to everyone throughout the system. Learning Forward will continue to build the evidence base for professional learning, prioritize illuminating research, and provide the information and support that educators need at all levels. I am excited about the evolution of Learning Forward, including a revision of the Standards for Leigh Wall is Professional Learning that is on the horizon. president of the Together, our work can build capacity and the awareness that professional learning is the Learning Forward most important factor in our quest for continued improvement for every student and staff in our board of trustees. schools. ■
December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 www.learningforward.org | The Learning Professional 9 WHAT I’VE LEARNED Elena Aguilar
YOU CAN COACH FOR EQUITY ANYWHERE, WITH ANYONE
o create the schools children deserve, we must coach educators and leaders for equity. It isn’t an option for coaches to be neutral on issues of justice — and there are injustices Toccurring in almost every school, every day. It’s our moral and professional obligation to lead and coach in a way that surfaces and interrupts these inequities. Every conversation I have in and about schools is a conversation about equity. Always looking through an equity lens, I notice who is sitting where, who is raising his, her, or their hand, who is being yelled at, who is reading what, who is playing with whom, who is in the front office waiting for the principal. I think about how teachers explain concepts and check for understanding, what they assign for reading, whom they praise and why, what they are doing during professional learning time. I process what I see through To coach for my understandings of race, institutional equity, you must racism, implicit bias, stereotype threat, white supremacy, and other frameworks see inequities, to make sense of what I see — and, understand perhaps most important, to figure out how to interrupt the inequities. how they were Because equity issues are present in constructed, and every situation, I am coaching for equity in every coaching conversation. We live know why they in a society that is deeply inequitable, in perpetuate. which systems of oppression (including racism, patriarchy, and classism) are embedded in our mindsets, behaviors, and institutions, but we often don’t recognize the prevalence of this systemic oppression. This is why we, as coaches and leaders, must make it visible. To coach for equity, you must see inequities, understand how they were constructed, and know why they perpetuate. While it’s helpful to be in a system or around leaders who hold equity at the center, these conditions aren’t essential if you want to coach for equity. Ultimately, you can coach for equity anywhere, with anyone. It’s about what you pay attention to and what you say about what you see and hear.
WHAT IS EQUITY? Educational equity means that all students receive whatever they need every day to develop to their full academic and social potential and thrive. By thrive, I mean academically as well as socially and emotionally. Every child has a right to feel loved and cared for and to feel that they belong to a community. Emotional well-being is as important as academic success in my definition of educational equity. Achieving educational equity would mean that there is no predictability of success or failure Elena Aguilar based on social or cultural factors like race, ethnicity, linguistic background, economic class, (elena@ religion, gender, sexual orientation, and physical and cognitive ability. Here are some examples of brightmorningteam. educational equity: com) is president • A Latinx child who enters kindergarten speaking only Spanish performs as well on reading of Bright Morning assessments in 3rd grade as her native English-speaking counterparts. Consulting. • An African American teen is just as likely as his white or Asian classmates to enroll
10 The Learning Professional | www.learningforward.org December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 and thrive in an engineering 5 TIPS ON COACHING FOR EQUITY What is a racist? What do you program in high school. I’m writing my next book, Coaching think racists think, feel, and do? • Girls are equally represented in for Equity (Jossey-Bass, in press), and so • Maybe. Am I understanding advanced math courses — and I have many suggestions for how to have that this is something you want are equally as successful as their coaching conversations about equity. to explore? What might you male classmates. Here are five of my top tips. have to gain, or how would you • There’s proportionality in the Attend to emotions. Conversations benefit, from digging into this demographics of kids sent about equity will raise emotions in question? to the office: If a district’s you and in your coachees. Learning • What would it mean to you if African American population about emotions — how to respond you are racist? is 20%, then at most 20% of productively and how to support • What do you really want to office referrals are for African someone else to recognize and engage know about yourself? What are American students. with them — will make all the you curious to discover? Educational equity also means that difference in coaching for equity. It’s • Yes, you probably are. To some all children are seen for who they are very likely that you and your coachee degree, we all are. and schools surface and cultivate their will feel angry, sad, nervous, impatient, As you read some of these, you unique interests and gifts. For this to confused, and a whole lot more. I’ve might have thought, I could never say happen, children need access to an seen many coaching conversations that! I want to challenge you to try extensive range of learning opportunities, derailed by an inadequate tool set for some of them. You might be surprised activities, and materials as vehicles to responding to emotions. at how effective they are at opening up self-realization and freedom. Build trust. A high degree of conversation. trust between you and your coachee Gather data. If you want to help a HOW CAN I COACH FOR EQUITY? is critical for you to coach effectively, coachee interrupt inequitable practices, Coaching for equity requires especially if you’re committed to you’ll likely need to gather the data a robust tool set. First, you need coaching for equity. There are many that illustrate these inequities. There to know what equity and inequity ways to build trust. We feel trust when are many kinds of data that can reveal look and sound like. The ability to people keep their word and honor their inequities, from video to surveys to recognize these patterns is affected commitments, are transparent and don’t teacher-to-student interaction data by your personal identity markers, so harbor a hidden agenda, and when we to disaggregated office referral data. before and during any work around can see that someone can and will do Knowing what to gather and how to educational equity, you need to reflect what they say they’re going to do. facilitate a meaningful discussion of this on and cultivate deep awareness of Know how to respond to the data with a client is essential. your sociopolitical identity markers, question, “Do you think I’m racist?” Hone your coach dispositions. including your own racial identity. This As a coach, I’m often asked some form Who you are as a coach — your way is meaningful work in and of itself. of this question. To engage with this of being — has a tremendous impact You also need foundational question, you need to know what racism on the quality of your coaching coaching skills — a refined ability to is. You also need to know what implicit conversations. Fortunately, who you listen, a variety of frameworks through bias is and how white supremacy are is firmly within your sphere of which you can make sense of what you manifests in our schools and a whole lot control. I have identified six essential hear, and a repertoire of question stems more — and so you need to be prepared. dispositions for coaches that lead to that cultivate dialogue. As you do that learning, here are some transformational conversations and Coaching for equity requires ways to respond to this question: are essential for equity conversations: professional learning and ongoing • Tell me more about where that compassion, curiosity, trust in the practice and feedback from trusted question is coming from. coaching process, humility and colleagues. • Let’s unpack that concept first. Continued on p. 14
December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 www.learningforward.org | The Learning Professional 11 ASK Cathy Toll
EFFECTIVE COACHING BEGINS WITH THE HIRING PROCESS
Coaching is a powerful professional learning strategy, but the process is only as effective as the coaches who lead it. It’s worth investing time in hiring the right coaches because they can have an impact on the whole school. We asked Cathy Toll, director of Partnering to Learn and an expert on coaching, what school and district leaders need to know when hiring.
: How do you find and hire great instructional coaches? There are two Q things that A: Finding the right person to do the job is a commonsense goal, but it isn’t always easy. are unique to Not only do coaches need to have successful teaching experience, there are additional demands interviewing of coaching that not all good teachers possess. To make sure you get the right person, three components are essential to the hiring process: the job description, enumeration of the qualities potential of effective coaches, and an effective interview. coaches: Be clear about the THE JOB DESCRIPTION A first step is to have a clear position, and understanding of the job and a ask questions written job description. Most job appropriate to descriptions provide a list of duties, but you should also include how the work. those duties will be met, in terms of time and process. For instance, if one of the duties is to support teachers in implementing effective instruction, indicate what percent of the coach’s time would be allocated to that duty and how — for example, by demonstrating effective instruction, working with small teams to study effective instruction, or meeting with teachers in coaching conversations. I am surprised by how many coaches work without a job description. I find that many leaders lack information necessary to develop an accurate job description for coaches. I encourage leaders to work with others in developing the description, especially coaches themselves. Additional help could come from curricular leads, professional organizations, and faculty at nearby universities. Be sure to articulate how the coach will be evaluated. In many schools, coaches are considered teachers and therefore are evaluated using the teacher evaluation system. This is frequently awkward and sometimes unfair to coaches because their jobs are so different from classroom teachers. If at all possible, use evaluation methods tailored to coaches. If you are required to use the teachers’ evaluation form, adjust some items or collect additional evidence of coaching success. Cathy Toll is director of ESSENTIAL QUALITIES Partnering to Learn. In my work with thousands of coaches in the U.S. and beyond, I have noticed that those who
12 The Learning Professional | www.learningforward.org December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 succeed have three personal qualities that you can remember with the 10 INTERVIEW QUESTIONS TO ASK POTENTIAL COACHES acronym CAT: he following questions form the basis for a helpful hiring conversation. • Connectedness: They want to TThey should be supplemented with additional questions about the specific connect with others. content expertise sought (for example, for a math coach, an additional question • Acceptance: They turn off would be “What is the goal of high-quality math instruction?”) and about the their judging mind, assume specific needs of your school, staff, and students. good intentions, and accept the people they work with. • Trustworthiness: They make expressed appreciation of the ASK: Describe your teachers feel comfortable and 1 interaction; colleague returned understanding of effective another time to talk further. will keep teachers’ information coaching: What is it and how does confidential. it look in practice? BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT: Top- Hiring a coach who already seems down interactions in which the to have these qualities optimizes the LISTEN FOR: Coach as partner; candidate was in charge; superficial focus on problem-solving; goal of chances for coaching success. But interactions; focus on goal or enhancing teacher success. sometimes principals will need to help product of a shared task rather than develop the qualities. BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT: Coach interpersonal connections. tells teachers what to do; coach ASK: What do you expect your THE INTERVIEW PROCESS determines how teachers need 4 schedule would look like on a Principles of good interviewing to grow; coach spends time with students unless providing typical day as a coach? apply to hiring educational coaches: demonstration. Interview with a team to get input from LISTEN FOR: Time to meet with multiple stakeholders, ask open-ended teachers; coaching conversations; ASK: What qualities do you collaborating with teams; questions, allow time to answer the 2 have that would make you an demonstration lessons; support of candidate’s questions. But there are two effective coach? new teachers. things that are unique to interviewing LISTEN FOR: Trustworthy; listener; potential coaches: Be clear about the BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT: Time effective questioner; collaborator; mainly spent in classrooms position, and ask questions appropriate relationship builder. to the work. providing demonstration lessons; time mainly spent working with Hiring a coach reflects a BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT: Candidate seems to think she knows more students; focus on observation in considerable investment, but it is classrooms. worthwhile. than others or knows what teachers need; plans to evaluate teachers; A coach who is not ready for the focuses only on her teaching skill 5 ASK: What would you do if a work will not only be ineffective but and not coaching attributes. teacher told you he or she didn’t can damage teachers’ understanding want to work with you? of coaching and have long-term 3 ASK: Please give an example LISTEN FOR: Learning more; consequences for their work with other of a time when you connected listening carefully; patience; getting coaches. well with a professional to know the teacher; collaboration When the right coach is selected, colleague. How do you know you outside of coaching — e.g. study there is potential for a big difference in connected well? groups or teaming. the school. Effective coaches support LISTEN FOR: Colleague opened teachers in ways that make a difference up to the candidate; colleague Continued on p. 14 for students — and that’s what we all want.
December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 www.learningforward.org | The Learning Professional 13 ASK / Kathy Toll
Continued from p. 13 help is requested; listening to teacher’s needs; distinction between 9 ASK: How would you know you BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT: Reporting coaching role and other duties, are effective as a coach? to principal; determining teacher is such as intervention, during which LISTEN FOR: Inquiring of colleagues uncoachable; pointing out teacher’s small-group instruction would be and principal; collecting evidence weaknesses as evidence that they appropriate. need coaching. based upon clear outcomes; BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT: Eager observable (looks like/sounds like) acceptance of daily duties that involve evidence. 6 ASK: What would you do if a teaching a small group. teacher had a different approach BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT: Formal to instruction or a different class teacher evaluation; “I just know”; management style than you? vague feelings of success. 8 ASK: Tell me about your own LISTEN FOR: Listen to understand; professional learning. How do you recognize there is more than one learn best? What have you learned 10 ASK: How would you advocate approach; accept teacher where he or recently? What would you like to for equity as a coach? she is; collaborate for growth. learn about as a coach? LISTEN FOR: Collaborative inquiry; BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT: Desire to get LISTEN FOR: Understanding of self working toward school vision/mission; teacher to see things the coach’s way; as learner; eagerness to continue demonstrating own practices; looking avoid working with the teacher; get learning; learning related to coaching closely at student data/evidence; into the classroom and fix things. — e.g. adult learning theory, coaching creating possibility — visits to other practice, collaboration, professional schools, viewing video, etc.; creating teaming — and not just related to equitable learning environment; 7 ASK: What would you do if a teaching. tools/resources such as Teaching teacher told you she wanted you to Tolerance, Rethinking Schools. come into her classroom and work BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT: Focus on with a small group of students? teaching rather than coaching; BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT: Assuming inability to describe self as learner; that equitable beliefs/practices can LISTEN FOR: Graceful explanation lack of understanding of areas for be demanded by coach; seeking of why that is not the coach’s role; future learning. superficial changes; statement that coach’s inquiry into why additional the school “has no diversity.” ■
CALL TO ACTION / Denise Glyn Borders
Continued from p. 8 REFERENCES nationsreportcard. systems” across the globe (OECD, Jacobson, L. (2019, October 30). New Teacher Center. (2019, 2019, p. 153). NAEP 2019: Reading scores drop for October). Counting the cost: A As your champion, Learning U.S. students, with mixed math results. commitment to educational equity that Forward commits to deepen its Education Dive. Available at www. yields returns. Santa Cruz, CA: Author. engagement in research and evidence educationdive.com/news/naep-2019- OECD. (2019). TALIS 2018 results so we all become stronger partners in reading-scores-drop-for-us-students- (Volume 1): Teachers and school leaders professional learning. I welcome your with-mixed-math-results/566090. as lifelong learners. Available at doi. input and feedback. NAEP. (2019, October). NAEP org/10.1787/1d0bc92a-en. ■ report card. Available at nces.ed.gov/
WHAT I’VE LEARNED / Elena Aguilar
Continued from p. 11 of us have acquired yet, but we can REFERENCE mutuality, appreciation, and learner develop them. In schools where coaches Aguilar, E. (in press). Coaching orientation. Regular and intentional work effectively within an equity for equity. San Francisco, CA: Jossey- practice strengthens these dispositions. lens, children and adults thrive and Bass. ■ To do this essential work of inequities decrease. This is perhaps what coaching for equity, we all have a great we need to know most: We can coach deal to learn. These aren’t skills most for equity and create equitable schools.
14 The Learning Professional | www.learningforward.org December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 RExamine. EStudy. Understand.SEARCH
BENEFITS OF MENTOR SUPPORT he New Teacher Center received a federal grant to provide high-intensity mentor support to new Tteachers in a large urban school district from 2013 to 2017. An independent study found evidence of financial return on investment for districts and the city and state funds that support them. The study’s four key findings: • Educators stay in their jobs longer. • Students learn more in math and English language arts, which can translate into higher adult earnings. • Districts spend less on teacher recruitment and training so they can invest in other areas. • Communities benefit from long-term student success. READ MORE about the study on p. 18.
December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 www.learningforward.org | The Learning Professional 15 RESEARCH REVIEW Elizabeth Foster
STUDY PINPOINTS SUCCESS FACTORS WHEN TEACHERS LEARN FROM PEERS
alifornia’s Instructional Leadership Corps (ILC), a peer-led, ongoing professional learning initiative operating since 2014, has served more than 32,000 educators in 2,000 schools Cand 495 districts across California. An additional 30,000 educators participated in ILC- u THE STUDY related conferences and presentations, and 38,000 more trained as instructional coaches. Lotan, R.A. & ILC is focused on developing the collective capacity and knowledge of teachers, principals, Burns, D. (2019). and superintendents to lead ongoing professional learning to implement effectively the Common The Instructional Core State Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards. ILC’s peer-to-peer design and Leadership Corps: large scale make it unique and an important area for study. Teachers leading Researchers Rachel Lotan and Dion Burns from the Learning Policy Institute recently sustainable published a study about ILC’s impact professional learning and the factors that have contributed in their communities. to it. This study, which focused on four Palo Alto, CA: schools, was part of a larger study, which Learning Policy found that the initiative led to changes in Institute. Available at instructional practice and improvements learningpolicy in student engagement in learning. institute. The four-site case study looked at how org/product/ ILC teams were established and operated instructional- in different settings and sought to learn leadership-corps- what factors enabled this practitioner-led teachers-leading. professional learning to take hold, grow, and become successful in these varied settings. The authors’ research adds to our understanding of how to support teacher-led professional learning, which can be challenging for schools and districts to embed and sustain. Their study is of interest to Learning Forward because it supports our continuing efforts to highlight what professional learning aspects and conditions have a positive impact on teacher practice and student Elizabeth Foster outcomes and what we can learn about specific initiatives that are generalizable to other contexts. (elizabeth.foster@ learningforward. METHODOLOGY org) is vice The authors chose the sites for the four case studies based on reports that the ILC process had president, research taken root, the ILC team reached an above-average number of teachers, teachers gave positive & standards at feedback about ILC participation, and the sites varied in demographics, geographic distribution, Learning Forward. and engagement with local organizations. The four selected schools shared the common goal In each issue of of addressing a chronic problem of practice, often inequities in students’ access to high-quality The Learning instruction. Professional, The four sites were: Foster explores • Madera Unified School District, a rural district serving largely Latinx students with recent research to varying levels of English proficiency, many of whom are from low-income families. help practitioners ILC teacher leaders focused their efforts on language and literacy development through understand the workshops, a train-the-trainer program, and induction supports for new teachers. impact of particular • East Side Alliance, a formal partnership between a high school and seven feeder districts professional in a moderate- to low-income community. Two ILC teams focused on math instruction, learning practices including new approaches to instruction, lesson study, and cross-grade alignment on student workshops. outcomes. • Conejo Valley Unified School District, a high-achieving and well-resourced district.
16 The Learning Professional | www.learningforward.org December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 Two ILC middle and high appreciated the accessibility of their educators and one that we need to school teams focused on Next colleagues and their familiarity with continue to support. Generation Science Standards students and the setting. The Standards for Professional implementation via webinars, ILC membership enhances Learning are evident and supported workshops, co-planning, and teacher leaders’ professionalism throughout the ILC approach co-teaching. and sense of efficacy. They spoke of and the research findings and • North Orange County, their experience as “empowering the recommendations. The Leadership a partnership between a profession.” standard is underscored by the fact professional learning network of The ILC supported structures that that sites did particularly well when ILC teacher leaders and a higher foster instructional change. The ILC leaders were engaged and informed education institution’s center ensured protected time and opportunity about the work, as well as the study’s for teaching careers. This site for professional collaboration, and this findings about supportive structural offered conferences focused on added legitimacy and institutionalized arrangements and teacher leaders the instructional shifts required schools’ commitment to professional developing professional efficacy through by new content standards and learning on the new standards and leadership. mentoring programs for new and curricula. The researchers recommended The fact that this professional prospective teachers. that future work prioritize engaging learning is teacher- and student- The study examined how these administrators with the authority to centered underscores the importance of sites implemented ILC strategies and make these structural adjustments. the Learning Communities standard, connected them to broader efforts of Systematic follow-up contributes which emphasizes that relationships are the districts and counties. The research to implementation of instructional at the core and must be supported by a team also examined the perceived shifts. Changes in pedagogy were more culture of collective responsibility and impacts on teachers’ practice. likely with sustained and consistent continuous improvement. Researchers visited the sites, where reflection and dialogue, both verbal This study and the ILC program they administered teacher surveys and and written, among colleagues. The itself also support the comprehensive conducted interviews of 28 teachers and researchers recommended building in approach of the Standards for 12 district and school administrators, additional strategies for such follow-up. Professional Learning. Just as there adding follow-up phone interviews Strategic relationships support is no single standard or element that as needed. They also observed two deep, widespread professional alone makes professional learning ILC regional conferences, seven ILC learning. Teacher leaders who built systems succeed, it is the multipronged team meetings, and classrooms of four relationships with stakeholders such approach of capacity building, content participating teachers. Additional data as district leaders, teacher associations, expertise development, leadership, and included artifacts such as videos and universities, philanthropic organizations, supports that leads to positive outcomes video transcripts, presentations from and policymakers were more able to in the ILC sites. ILC workshops, planning documents, align efforts, marshal resources, and Studies like this one illuminate not and project reports. share expertise, and they also reported just the impact of professional learning the work was valued more by others. on teachers and students but also the FINDINGS This last finding speaks directly to factors that contribute to successful and The researchers grouped their Learning Forward’s focus on moving sustained implementation that leads to findings about success factors into five away from sit-and-get workshops impact. These learnings are valuable for central lessons: toward more comprehensive, everyone because the needs they target Teachers value professional embedded, ongoing professional affect almost all schools and districts. ■ learning led by their colleagues, in learning. It is a reminder that contrast to professional development understanding and undertaking from outside consultants. They this shift is still a struggle for many
December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 www.learningforward.org | The Learning Professional 17 ESSENTIALS
one of the hottest housing markets $1 million 15 hours in the U.S. A recent follow-up to a study of In a study published in the Researchers found that teachers new teacher mentoring in Chicago October issue of the American there “are considerably more likely Public Schools found a sizable return Educational Research Journal, to experience economic anxiety” on investment. The independent researchers dove into the black than average Americans, with “a evaluation of New Teacher Project’s box of teacher professional full 85% experiencing economic mentoring effort documented an learning to examine which anxiety frequently or sometimes.” 11% increase in teacher retention, elements make a difference. They For example, “Fewer than 5% of resulting in a financial return on analyzed all materials and tasks employed Americans find it very investment of 22%, which the from 21 mathematics professional difficult to cover their housing costs, researchers project would translate development programs and whereas 13% to 27% of SFUSD into almost $1 million over a five- categorized them according to teachers (owners and renters, year investment in mentoring. content focus and learning strategy respectively)” do. They also estimated, based on (e.g. presentations, implementation Furthermore, the findings suggest students’ improved test scores, a planning). this could have a negative impact long-term benefit of an average The only significant content on students, as teachers with high $38,000 increase in students’ predictor of improvements in economic anxiety had a lower regard future lifetime earnings. The report teachers’ math knowledge was for the teaching profession, missed points out that these findings have curricular content knowledge — that more days of school, and were more important equity implications, is, professional development focused likely to plan to resign in the coming because African American and Latino on understanding the specific math year. students are more likely to be taught curricula teachers’ schools use, bit.ly/2MKainr by new teachers. learning standards, or how math bit.ly/2Jz5fEH concepts are sequenced. Examining student work was the only significant Null effect professional development strategy. Cooperating teachers, who 6 out of 45 Planning classroom implementation supervise teacher candidates’ Elementary school principals are was not associated with increased field placements, play a big role responsible for the instructional knowledge, despite being the most in preservice teacher education. leadership of their schools, and more common strategy. But leaders of preservice programs and more of those schools include The researchers write, “These sometimes struggle to recruit prekindergarten classrooms. Yet findings indicate that 15 hours of cooperating teachers, especially many principals have no background examining student work would be highly effective ones, in part because in early childhood education, and, associated with a 0.39 SD increase those teachers worry their own in 2017, only six out of 45 states in teachers’ [math knowledge] gain teaching evaluations will suffer. surveyed by New America required scores, whereas 15 hours of PD This study examined whether principals-in-training to take in curricular content knowledge there is empirical evidence for coursework in the subject. would be associated with a standard that fear and came to a reassuring The state of Illinois has worked to deviation increase of approximately conclusion. Looking at the address this gap as part of its efforts 0.15.” evaluations of 4,500 cooperating to revamp principal preparation, bit.ly/2MIzUB4 teachers during the years they did starting with legislation in 2010 and did not supervise candidates, that required early childhood researchers found no decrease in coursework and related questions on 85% evaluation scores. In fact, during the licensing exam. This report from Low salaries have long been a the years these teachers served New America details successes and concern for teachers and prospective as supervisors, “teachers had challenges in this work, along with teachers, but with the growing significantly better observation lessons for other states. cost of housing in many parts of ratings and somewhat better bit.ly/2BI2NHi the country, those concerns are achievement gains, though not becoming particularly acute. This always at significant levels.” study examined the impact of these bit.ly/2WbaQWA trends on teachers in San Francisco,
18 The Learning Professional | www.learningforward.org December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 Inform. Engage. Immerse.
FOCUSCOACHING
COACHING MAKES A DIFFERENCE ur estimates of the effect of coaching on “Oteachers’ instructional practice (0.49 SD) are larger than differences in measures of instructional quality between novice and veteran teachers. … Effects on students’ academic performance (0.18 SD) are of similar or larger magnitude than estimates of the degree to which teachers improve their ability to raise student achievement during the first five to 10 years of their careers.” Source: Kraft, M.A., Blazar, D., & Hogan, D. (2018). The effect of teacher coaching on instruction and achievement: A meta-analysis of the causal evidence. Review of Educational Research, 88(4), 547-588.
December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 www.learningforward.org | The Learning Professional 19 FOCUS COACHING
HOW COACHING TAKES ROOT
3 KEY FACTORS LEAD TO SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION
BY JENNIFER D. PIERCE, MELISSA IRBY, AND MELISSA WEBER-MAYRER
early 60,000 educators et al., 2017), and school infrastructure, to lead to desired outcomes if it is used serve as instructional such as effective allocation of resources in a less than systematic way (Pierce & coaches in schools today (Freeman et al., 2017). Ferguson, n.d.). (National Center for But simply hiring and funding The three of us have led and studied Education Statistics, coaches isn’t sufficient to reach these coaching across diverse settings and N2017), and other models of coaching, positive outcomes. with educators at multiple levels, from like leadership coaching and systems The implementation of coaching, classroom teachers to district and state coaching, are taking hold as well including the practices coaches use leaders, and have observed that the (Freeman, Sugai, Simonsen, & Everett, and the amount of time they allocate need for a more strategic approach 2017; Goff, Guthrie, Goldring, & to sessions, matters. If coaching is a common theme. We draw on Bickman, 2014). practices and dosage miss the mark, implementation science research to The decades-long push to use then teaching, leadership, and school describe how to improve coaching coaching as a means to support teachers infrastructure likely won’t improve. across educational systems and share and leaders to improve student learning Neither will student learning (Pierce, examples of how such a strategic and close achievement gaps is driven 2019). approach is improving coaching, in large part by research that shows And coaching that is not teaching, and learning. coaching can lead to improved teaching aligned with systemwide goals and and student learning (Kraft, Blazar, & infrastructure is hamstrung from the IMPLEMENTING COACHING Hogan, 2018), leadership skills (Goff beginning. We can’t expect coaching Implementation science has
20 The Learning Professional | www.learningforward.org December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 unraveled the numerous factors that shape successful uptake of practices, IMPLEMENTATION OF EFFECTIVE COACHING indicating that the successful implementation of anything, whether a math program or a coaching initiative, Competency is fairly predictable (Nilson, 2015). drivers At least three key drivers shape implementation success or failure (Fixsen, Naoom, Blase, Friedman, & ILDING E-BU STR Wallace, 2005), and here we explain NC AT IA EG LL Observe IE them as applied to coaching: A S
• Competency: the knowledge
and skills coaches need;
• Organization: the infrastructure needed for coaching success; and, • Leadership: the active role Feedback Model leaders play in supporting coaching (Pierce & Ferguson, n.d.). Taking a strategic approach Leadership Organization to implementing coaching means drivers drivers methodically addressing the three drivers so that coaching becomes deeply rooted into the system and leads to the desired Sources: Pierce, 2015, p. 27; Fixsen et al., 2005 outcomes (Pierce & Ferguson, n.d.). To learn how two teams took a strategic approach to implementing FREE ONLINE GUIDE AVAILABLE coaching, we highlight two stories. he National Center for Systemic Improvement created a tool to help schools In the first, state education leaders in Tand districts apply the competency drivers to ensure their coaching is Ohio applied the three implementation systemic and strategic. The Implementation Guide for Effective Coaching of drivers (competency, organization, Teachers includes details about each driver, questions for consideration about and leadership) to support improved current and planned practices, and recommended action steps. Download student literacy outcomes. In the the guide at www.air.org/sites/default/files/NCSI_Teacher_Coaching_ second, leaders working at the district Implementation_Guide-508.pdf. level in the Navajo Nation in Arizona drew on the same three drivers to create a coordinated coaching program for Plan aimed at bolstering literacy as systems-level coaches, teacher-level principles. instruction in preschool through grade coaches, or both. 3, with a focus on improving outcomes Systems-level coaches helped THE OHIO STORY among children with disabilities. school-level teams (e.g. a principal or In 2015, a team of general and To support the plan’s team of lead teachers) develop a strong special education leaders working at the implementation, ODE leaders school infrastructure to sustain the use Ohio Department of Education (ODE) partnered with several districts to hire of the new literacy practices. Teacher- outlined a State Systemic Improvement a cadre of coaches who were employed level coaches supported teachers in
December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 www.learningforward.org | The Learning Professional 21 FOCUS COACHING participating schools. The ODE team wanted to take a methodical approach to using both types. WHAT MATTERS NOW NETWORK hrough participation in Learning Forward’s What Matters Now Network, ENSURING COACH CAPACITY TOhio coaches and district leaders recently began to support several teacher- ODE’s first step was to provide based teams and building leadership teams in three areas: identifying evidence- capacity-building opportunities for based strategies for at-risk students; using a targeted decision tool to plan for those serving in the role. Coaches instruction; and using Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles to determine how students participated in two types of professional respond to instruction. learning: one focused on literacy to Here’s how ODE leaders, in partnership with network facilitators, ensured enhance content knowledge and the strategic implementation of this new stream of coaching work: other focused on developing expertise in conducting and supporting coaching • Competency: Coaches and district leaders need to have the capacity to cycles. support teacher-based teams and building leadership teams in identifying Coaches needed to hold clear evidence-based strategies, using the decision tool, and conducting Plan- expertise in literacy and have the skills Do-Study-Act cycles. The What Matters Now Network offers professional to conduct powerful coaching sessions learning in these three areas to coaches, district leaders, teacher-based with teachers and school teams. In teams, and building leadership teams. addition, ODE leaders also conducted monthly meetings so that coaches could • Organization: ODE leaders meet regularly with coaches, district leaders, collaboratively reflect on their work and teacher-based teams, and building leadership teams participating in the identify remaining professional learning What Matters Now Network to build critical connections across all parts of needs. the Ohio education system. • Leadership: The What Matters Now Network requires shared leadership DATA COLLECTION between coaches and district leaders. Therefore, both coaches and district ODE quickly recognized the leaders drive conversations at the teacher-team and building-team levels. need to formally track what practices coaches were enacting with teachers and school teams to establish links between coaching and changes in school to reflect on essential questions: How ENHANCING LEADERSHIP infrastructure, teacher practice, and do coaches use their time with teachers? ODE’s effort to strategically student outcomes. What transpires in systems coaching implement coaching was not yet They needed a data collection sessions with teams? They also used this complete. The team acknowledged that system to inform and guide a time to identify coaching successes, participating schools held different continuous improvement cycle. ODE areas for improvement, and factors expectations for coaching. Some leaders shifted their attention to (e.g. policies and cultural norms) that teachers expected coaches to conduct organizational drivers to coordinate influenced coaches’ work. literacy trainings only. Others expected coaching across the schools, focusing on Developing their organization for systems coaches to work with teachers, two areas. more systematic use of coaching proved not school teams. Installing a data dashboard. The beneficial. The ODE team had real- The ODE team realized the need data dashboard housed the coaching time data from every coach working at to communicate a common vision data where coaches entered data into a participating school and were situated of coaching. Without a consistent the system, including: dose, duration, to better understand the overall impact expectation for what coaches would do, and frequency of coaching for each of coaching on teaching and learning. the work of coaches might not remain teacher and each school team; amount The data identified successes and focused. of time the coach allocated to the challenges and informed the continuous In collaboration with coaches, breadth of job responsibilities; the improvement cycle. the ODE team drafted a definition specific practices employed by the The ODE team also used the data of coaching using the tool Support coach; and the topic covered during the to establish coaching goals, including Models: Matrix and Discussion Guide coaching session. short- and long-term objectives. All in for K-12th Grade Systems (Pierce, Using data for continuous all, the data system and the resulting 2018). The team shared the definition improvement. The ODE team and data-based problem-solving created a with teachers and principals, and it coaches then held monthly meetings to more coordinated implementation of became rooted into the everyday work analyze the data and used information coaching across participating schools. of coaches across participating schools.
22 The Learning Professional | www.learningforward.org December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 How coaching takes root
THE CHINLE STORY which principals could learn and focus on continuously developing their Chinle (Chʼínílį́) Unified School practice effective leadership habits with leadership skills. District is in the heart of the Navajo their coach. This included monthly Nation in Arizona. There are seven professional learning, on-site principal IMPACT schools and more than 3,647 students coaching, and bimonthly coaching. From 2017 to 2019, district in the Chinle school district, making it This approach established a new proficiency rates in 8th-grade English the largest district in the Navajo Nation organizational norm: Principals, not language arts nearly doubled, from in student enrollment and geographic just teachers, enagage in ongoing 10% in 2017 to 19% in 2019, while area. professional learning linked to the 8th-grade math proficiency rates nearly In 2017, frequent principal overall district goal for improving tripled, from 10% to 28% in the same leadership turnover at nearly all its student outcomes. time span. schools posed a significant challenge Aligning coaching sessions In Ohio, the percentage of students for Chinle. Understanding the critical around research-based leadership with disabilities at participating sites role leaders play in strong student habits. Research points to the critical achieving proficiency on the state’s achievement, Chinle leaders prioritized role four leadership habits play in English language arts achievement test coaching for their principals. principal effectiveness: driving for increased by 6.5% from 2015 to 2019. results; influencing for results; problem- In addition, the percentage of all K-3rd- ENSURING COACH CAPACITY solving; and showing confidence to lead grade students at participating sites To implement coaching (Steiner, Hassel, & Hassel, 2008). scoring proficient on state-approved strategically, district leaders hired With the coach, principals engaged reading assessments also increased by at an external expert to serve as the in self-assessment of these habits each least 3% in that same time frame. coach. Hiring an external expert was quarter using formative assessment, While multiple variables may have imperative given that Chinle staff attendance and discipline data, influenced student achievement and members were already stretched classroom walk-through data, and we cannot directly link outcomes to thin. Adding coaching to current job climate surveys from teachers. Coaching coaching, achieving growth among responsibilities seemed unreasonable. sessions allowed principals to reflect on typically marginalized student groups District leaders also acknowledged their current practices and identify areas is a significant accomplishment that that principals may be more for growth. warrants attention. comfortable working with a coach Aligning principal coaching around Whether coaches engage with external to the Chinle system. As noted the evidence-based leader habits individual teachers, school teams, or by a Chinle principal, coaching from an provided school and district leaders school leaders, coaching can be a critical outside expert helped him develop new with a common language, consistent lever for improving a host of outcomes: ways of working with teachers: “The approaches to problem-solving, and teacher practice, leader practice, school system I have developed in consultation ongoing self-reflection and assessment. infrastructure, and, most importantly, with [my leadership coach] to regularly student learning. To achieve these monitor teacher performance on key COACHING PRINCIPALS goals, take the time to use coaching the indicators and encourage teachers to Chinle’s intentional right way: with methodical attention strive for higher student performance implementation of coaching then to implementation drivers. Achieving has been invaluable. Having a solid shifted to leadership drivers. Here, desired goals may very well depend on it. structure … seems to be moving us into district leaders stressed that the primary new levels of discussion, motivation, purpose of principal coaching was to REFERENCES and staff engagement that didn’t exist continuously improve leadership, not to Fixsen, D.L., Naoom, S.F., Blase, previously.” evaluate. K.A., Friedman, R.M., & Wallace, District leaders and the external F. (2005). Implementation research: a ESTABLISHING SUPPORT coach explicitly communicated synthesis of the literature. Tampa, FL: Chinle district leaders next shifted to principals that all coaching University of South Florida. their attention to developing the overall conversations would remain between Freeman, J., Sugai, G., Simonsen, system’s support for principal coaching. the coach and coachee. Setting the B., & Everett, S. (2017). MTSS Their work focused on two areas. expectation that coaching was not coaching: Bridging knowing to doing. Cultivating a professional linked to evaluation resulted in Theory Into Practice, 56(1), 29-37. learning culture for leaders. In strong support among principals for Goff, P., Guthrie, J.E., Goldring, partnership with the coach, Chinle participating in sessions. E., & Bickman, L. (2014). Changing district leaders created a comprehensive Moreover, establishing coaching principals’ leadership through feedback professional learning approach in as nonevaluative freed principals to Continued on p. 40
December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 www.learningforward.org | The Learning Professional 23 FOCUS COACHING
ON THE PATH TO ‘BECOMING’
AWARENESS OF THEIR OWN MENTAL MODELS CAN HELP COACHES STRETCH AND GROW
BY JOELLEN KILLION
oaches make hundreds, if organizational learning (Senge, 1990), meet clients’ diverse needs and contexts. not thousands, of decisions has been described in multiple academic By becoming increasingly cognizant that affect the daily work fields since the late 19th century. about the influence of their mental of teaching and learning. Coaches’ mental models are models, coaches can stretch and grow. These decisions are not powerful factors in determining how They can engage in an essential Carbitrary; they are guided by the mental they see and understand their clients’ and ongoing process of “becoming” models coaches hold. classrooms, the school context and rather than getting stuck in the act of Mental models comprise culture, and the work that needs to be “being” who they are today. Too often, our assumptions, beliefs, and done. This is one reason that different though, coaches with frenzied daily generalizations, and they shape how coaches often respond differently to the schedules lack the time and sometimes we see the world and act in it. The same situation. even awareness to examine their mental concept of mental models, popularized It is important for coaches to models. by Donald Schon in his study of how analyze their mental model, understand This article explores three professionals learn (Schon, 1987) how it influences their work, and predominant mental models of coaches and Peter Senge in his work on ultimately learn to expand it to best and proposes how coaches can overcome
24 The Learning Professional | www.learningforward.org December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 SUMMARY OF PREDOMINANT COACH MENTAL MODELS
Mental model HEART HEAD HAND
PRIMARY DRIVERS • Feelings • Rational and analytic • Capacity-building OF COACHING • Relationships cognition • Removing barriers to action • Positive emotions • Clarity of vision, purpose, and goals
CORE BELIEFS Minimizing resistance and Understanding “why” and Jumping in and getting things frustration increases teachers’ engaging in deliberate, step-by- done facilitates change, when appreciation of coaching and step planning facilitate change. coupled with developing skills facilitates change. and capacity.
MAIN • Focusing on practice • Slow pace of change • Saying no CHALLENGES • Having difficult conversations • Letting go of being the • Focusing work for impact “expert” their limitations. As a business school hike to the top of a mountain summit In a journal, he records notes about professor and consultant who specializes at the end of a school day. Before they his work with teams of teachers so he in personal mastery, Srikumar Rao begin the climb toward the summit, can ensure all voices are heard. He has a writes, “All transformation begins and they examine what they packed in their manual of processes for building a sense ends with mental models … when you backpacks that morning. of team within professional learning change the model, you change your life” communities. (Rao, 2006). JAMES In his pack are a book of humor MIDDLE SCHOOL and snacks as antidotes to conflict, THREE MENTAL MODELS: INSTRUCTIONAL COACH frustration, and stress. He also carries HEART, HEAD, AND HAND James coaches through a mental a plaque that says, “When teachers feel From interactions with and model of the heart. He believes that good about themselves, they are doing observations of thousands of coaches relationships are the bedrock of what is best for students.” Near the top around the world, I have developed a coaching, and, in interactions with of his pack is a treasured thank-you theory that coaches operate from three teachers, he focuses on relationships, note from a team of teachers expressing predominant mental models. Each motivation, and emotional support. He their appreciation for listening to their mental model has unique strengths and maintains laser-like effort on building frustration. challenges, and each results in different and maintaining a culture of safety in James’ own frustration is piqued ways of working. coaching. He prefers to wait patiently by the strict accountability placed To describe the three models, let for teachers to exhibit willingness on students, teachers, coaches, me take you on a journey with three for coaching rather than initiating and principals. He complains that coaches preparing for a challenging interactions directly. there isn’t a culture of continuous
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improvement in the district and records little change across the school in requires coaches to move away from a notes of the many times he has talked technology use. Her biggest challenges single mental model toward a broader with administrators, encouraging them are being patient with the pace of one that supports fluidity and flexibility to be more proactive in creating a change and letting go of the desire to across multiple mental models. coaching culture. be perceived as the expert to engage Decades of research reveal that His greatest challenges are the lack teachers in discovery. transformative learning, the kind that of substance in coaching conversations changes how people think and act, and an unwillingness to have the JASMINE weaves together the heart, head, and difficult conversations to create ELEMENTARY MATH COACH hand, or as researchers would call them, dissonance essential for change. Jasmine coaches from a mental relational knowing, metacognitive model of the hand. She believes that analysis of practice, and deep JUSTINE the more she does for teachers and engagement. James’ relational mental HIGH-SCHOOL TECH COACH the school, the more staff will value model, Justine’s growth-oriented head Justine holds a mental model of coaching and the higher results will be. model, and Jasmine’s action-oriented the head — one driven by cognition By filling her day, she feels fulfilled. She model can coexist. For this to happen, and vision and by logical, rational is always busy, never a moment in a day these coaches must first examine and approaches to change. To her, telling to take a breath, eat lunch, or plan for understand the models they currently is coaching. Advising, guiding, and upcoming coaching conversations. hold. problem-solving, she believes, are She moves through the school necessary to motivate teachers to act. like a whirlwind sharing resources, GROWING COACHES She packs her tablet and details conducting demonstration lessons, BY ‘BECOMING’ of SAMR, a model of technology answering questions, generating When coaches experience coaching integration. She carries electronic files assessments for teachers, facilitating or self-coach, they can pair a growing of research on the effects of technology unit and lesson planning meetings, and awareness and deepening understanding integration on personalization of filling in wherever needed. of their current mental model with a student learning, achievement, and “I can’t get into classrooms,” she commitment to expand and extend teacher efficiency because she believes tells her coach champion, “because I their mental model to increase the that data are crucial for convincing am so busy with teacher and principal effectiveness and impact of their people to change. requests,” and she missed the last coaching practice and better meet client She has a collection of the best apps district coach meeting because she was needs. They are open to who they can for students and a curated collection of stepping in for her principal at the become — and who the teachers they online resources for teachers. She has kindergarten parent meeting. coach have the potential to become. a digital archive of emails and tweets Her pack is filled with tools, skills, It takes courage, confidence, from colleagues who acknowledge how strategies, protocols, and maps. Her and capacity for coaches to examine resourceful she is. They mention how planning book and calendar are heavy their own mental models. Coaches she plans lessons for them that integrate and full. She also carries teachers’ notes grow by embracing the challenge and technology and how quick she is to fix that express appreciation for helping dissonance of the journey to undergo pesky technology glitches. them with time-consuming tasks and their own transformative learning. They Justine has a healthy dose of for always saying yes to their requests. acknowledge and discover blind spots, impatience with teachers who avoid Her greatest challenges are saying seek deeper understanding of their working with her. She continually no to the insignificant requests that current mental models, and upgrade seeks strategies to work with resistant have little impact and reconstituting practices. teachers, and she worries that the same her current work to focus on what will James, Justine, and Jasmine, the small group of teachers are the only have the deepest impact on teaching coaches ready to start the climb to ones who work with her. quality and student learning. The chief the summit, have filled their packs Her biggest complaint is that the complaint she has about her work is with artifacts of their best current principal fails to advocate technology that if she doesn’t do it — whatever selves. Yet, to face and overcome the integration or her coaching services to that “it” is at the moment — it won’t challenges the journey presents, they teachers more actively. If the principal get done or won’t be done well. ensure they leave space in their packs would require teachers to integrate All of these mental models and for what they inevitably will learn along technology and work with her, she approaches have benefits. Yet, no one the way. Their packs will shift as they believes, she would have entrée to more of them alone is the best fit for every travel upwards — if they are open to classrooms. situation. Transformative learning, the becoming more than they are now. She is frustrated that data show kind that coaching seeks to achieve, Writer Maria Popova notes that
26 The Learning Professional | www.learningforward.org December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 On the path to ‘becoming’
“becoming” is a conundrum most REACHING THE SUMMIT student performance slips in the process people grapple with —awareness James, Justine, and Jasmine have of change — and muster the courage to that growth, either personal or reached a turning point in their careers. journey onward by seeking to clarify, professional, means transcending one’s They have decided to journey to the learn from, and adapt their current current mental model to discover a summit, to embrace a transformative mental model. more dimensional, intelligent, and approach to coaching, one that embodies What lies at the summit of their enlightened one (Popova, 2014a). She the heart, head, and hand. What’s in successful climb is the joy of becoming describes “the excruciating growing their packs — and what will be in their more than they were at the start of the pains of evolving or completely packs — will determine how challenging journey and shedding or adapting the abandoning our former, more inferior the trek toward the summit will be and mental models that limit their growth beliefs as we integrate new knowledge whether they make it to the top. and impact. and insight into our comprehension of Often coaches’ packs are so full of Reaching the summit empowers how life works. their existing mental models, they have coaches not only to experience their “That discomfort, in fact, can be little room to adjust the contents. Along own transformative learning, but also so intolerable,” she emphasizes, “that the way, though, the successful ones to facilitate for others transformative we often go to great lengths to disguise will offload unnecessary or outdated learning that prompts and sustains or deny our changing beliefs by paying mental models and expand and add permanent change in how they think, less attention to information that newly adapted or acquired mental act, and speak. contradicts our present convictions and models. more to that which confirms them.” To do this, they answer these REFERENCES Describing the origins of this questions: Gilbert, D. (2014 March). The behavior, she explains, “Once forced • Who am I as a coach? psychology of your future self. TED2014. to figure out who we want to be in • What is implicit and explicit Available at www.ted.com/talks/dan_ life, most of us are so anxious about in my decisions, actions, and gilbert_you_are_always_changing. planting that stake of being that we words? Popova, M. (2014a). The backfire bury the alive, active process of our • What am I learning about effect: Why we have such a hard time becoming” (Popova, 2014b). myself, my practice, and my changing our minds. Available at www. Or, as Daniel Gilbert, a Harvard impact on my clients and the brainpickings.org/2014/05/13/backfire- psychologist, in his 2014 TEDTalk environment in which I work? effect-mcraney. The Future of Your Current Self says, • How much available space is in Popova, M. (2014b). Being vs. “Human beings are works in progress my pack to add what I learn as becoming: John Steinbeck on creative that mistakenly think they’re finished.” I climb? integrity, the art of changing your At this very moment, he proposes, • How can I move beyond being mind, the humanistic duty of the artist. no one is what he has the potential to once I reach the summit and Available at www.brainpickings. become. keep searching for my next org/2014/12/15/john-steinbeck- Many teachers who step into becoming? integrity-lettuceberg. coaching cease to become. This makes To become and transform, coaches Rao, S. (2006). Are you ready to sense temporarily. They may experience commit to the heart work of being succeed? Unconventional strategies to dissonance when they move into the vulnerable, appreciating dissonance that achieving personal mastery in business role of coach and grieve the loss of their occurs with the change, and providing and life. New York, NY: Hyperion. own classroom, students, and identity emotional support for one another. Audiobook. as a teacher. To cope with dissonance, They engage in the head work of critical Schon, D. (1987). Educating the they double down on their comfortable analysis and reflection to make sense reflective practitioner.San Francisco, mental models. of each experience. And they welcome CA: Jossey-Bass. Alternatively, coaches may struggle the hand work, the labor of moving Senge, P. (1990). The fifth with becoming because they are so learning into practice in multiple short discipline: The art & practice of the enthusiastic about having “arrived” experiments that lead to more sustained learning organization. New York, NY: at their new role. Causing further practices. Doubleday. entrenchment of mental models, To climb onward, coaches • coach preparation programs often acknowledge the internal or external Joellen Killion (joellen.killion@ inadequately address the necessary dangers that lie along the way — for learningforward.org) is a senior transition in mental models, preferring example, when a school board asks if advisor to Learning Forward. ■ skill development over cultivation of a results realized from coaching are worth coaching mental model. the investment or when teacher or
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STUDENTS ON THE MARGINS HOW INSTRUCTIONAL COACHING CAN INCREASE ENGAGEMENT AND ACHIEVEMENT
BY JIM KNIGHT
y friend and mentor “The results,” Deshler told me, move students away from the margins Don Deshler has “were gut-wrenching. Students who and into the heart of schools, coaching directed more than were at risk lived on the margins, even needs to address student engagement, 200 studies in his in the hallways and cafeteria. I saw the in addition to and as part of student career and, in the loneliness in the kids’ eyes. It made me achievement. Both are important, and Mprocess, significantly shaped how we question how much I had missed about both should be central to any effective understand and respond to students the experiences kids have in school. I instructional coaching program. who are at risk for failure. wondered if we’d had blinders on about One study in particular changed the what students needed because we didn’t WHY ENGAGEMENT MATTERS way Deshler thought about his research. really see that school was such a lonely Engagement is an essential part of a To see the school experience through experience for far too many students.” meaningful life, no less so for students students’ eyes, he and his fellow What Deshler learned by observing than for adults. Students who are in researchers at the University of Kansas students is similar to what I have healthy relationships are engaged by Center for Research on Learning each learned as I have been studying their friends and family. Students observed one student for a full school instructional coaching for more than who are productive learners engage in day. 20 years. If we are to help teachers learning activities. Most important,
28 The Learning Professional | www.learningforward.org December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 COACHING FOR ENGAGEMENT
Kind Measures Teaching strategies by my colleagues and me (e.g. Knight, Behavioral • Time on task • Behavioral expectations 2018) suggests that effective coaches use • Instructional time • Positive reinforcements a coaching cycle process that involves • Responses to questions • Corrections three stages: identify, learn, and • Disruptions improve. During the identify stage, Cognitive • Experience sampling • Thinking prompts instructional coaches partner with • Interviews • Effective questions • Responses to questions • Authentic learning teachers to identify a clear picture of - Correct • Student voice the current reality in the classroom - Quality • Guiding questions (including how engaged students are), - Level • Formative assessment a goal, and a strategy that teachers can use to try and hit the goal. Social- • Weekly exit tickets • Understanding emotional To help teachers get a clear picture Emotional • Interviews connection of their practice, coaches often video • Student voice • Listening record lessons and share the video with • Compassion teachers. This is especially helpful for • Collaborative power vs. coercive engagement because it allows teachers power to examine students’ actions and • One-to-one interactions with reactions. students Coaches and teachers then create For more information on measures, see Knight (2018). goals that we refer to as PEERS For more information on teaching strategies, see Knight (2013). goals: powerful, easy to implement, emotionally compelling for teachers, reachable (involving a measurable students who stay in school do so to have a positive impact on student outcome and an identified strategy because they are engaged, as research learning and student well-being teachers can use to attempt to hit their clearly shows (CDC, 2009; Finn, (Knight, 2018). Effective instructional goal), and student-focused. 1993; Finn & Rock, 1997; Knesting, coaches see coaching as a partnership During the learn stage, coaches 2008). Therefore, all of us who work to or professional conversation between get teachers ready to implement a new improve schools must make sure that equals within which collaborating strategy by describing the strategy students are engaged. teachers make the decisions about what precisely but provisionally. That is, Coaches should play a role in happens in their classroom. coaches explain the strategy while building student engagement because Coaching, according to van also encouraging teachers to make they influence what teachers do and Nieuwerburgh (2017), is “a managed adjustments to meet the unique needs therefore what students experience. conversation between two people” (p. 5) of their students. Indeed, one peer-reviewed study we during which coaches artfully use specific Coaches also often provide some conducted found that instructional skills, such as purposeful listening, kind of model so that teachers can see coaching had a significant impact on powerful questions, paraphrasing, and the strategy being implemented, either student engagement, with an effect size summarizing to empower people to by the coach, another teacher, or on of 1.02 (Knight, Hock, Skrtic, Bradley, “unlock … [their] potential to maximize video. & Knight, 2018). their own performance” (Whitmore, Finally, during the improve stage, 2017, pp.12-13). teachers try out the strategies and INSTRUCTIONAL COACHING Effective instructional coaching coaches and teachers make adaptations Instructional coaches partner involves not only strategic knowledge, together until the original goal, or a with teachers to improve teaching but an intentional process. Research modified goal, is met.
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MEASURING ENGAGEMENT Instructional coaches who partner EXPERIENCE SAMPLING FORM with teachers to set student engagement goals and monitor progress toward Date: ______those goals must be able to describe and Instructions: Each time you hear the bell, please rate how engaging the measure engagement and be familiar learning activity is in which you are involved. You are only to rate whether or not with strategies to improve it. the learning activity is engaging for you. Researchers have identified three major categories of engagement: Noncompliant Compliant Engaged behavioral, cognitive, and social- emotional. (See the table on p. 29.) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Here are ways to measure each category and provide teaching strategies teachers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 can use as they strive to empower students to hit engagement goals. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 BEHAVIORAL ENGAGEMENT: On-task behavior 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 When students are behaviorally Source: engaged, they are doing what they are Knight, 2013. Copyright 2013 by Corwin. All rights reserved. supposed to be doing — that is, they are on task. The advantage of behavioral engagement is that it is objective and the teacher’s questions. COGNITIVE ENGAGEMENT: measurable. For example, you can see if Improving behavioral Authentic engagement students are doing the think, pair, share engagement. Three strategies are most When students are cognitively collaboration you asked them to do. frequently mentioned in the literature engaged, they are experiencing the Unfortunately, it doesn’t measure for increasing behavioral engagement: thinking their teacher intended them whether students are actually learning. expectations, reinforcement, and to experience from an activity. Schlecty However, that does not mean that corrections. (2011) makes a useful distinction behavioral engagement is a useless Expectations clarify how between what he refers to as authentic measure. When many students are off students are expected to behave engagement and strategic compliance. task, getting them on task is often a during all activities and transitions. When students are strategically necessary starting point. Reinforcements — teachers compliant, they are doing something Measuring behavioral communicating that they see students for a strategic reason rather than to engagement. Coaches can use at acting appropriately — are essential learn. In contrast, when students least four simple measures to assess since teacher attention is an important are authentically engaged, they find behavioral engagement and obtain motivator for student behavior. meaning and value in learning tasks and information they can share with Finally, fluent corrections are are attentive, committed, and persistent teachers: essential because when inappropriate to complete them. • Time on task: Measure whether behavior is not corrected, it frequently Measuring cognitive engagement. students appear to be doing the grows and spreads in a classroom. Since cognitive engagement mostly task that is set before them; Coaches may choose to work with occurs “inside” the student rather than • Instructional time: Subtract teachers on using one or more of outside, we have found that the best transition time from the total these strategy types to address off-task data come from asking students to length of a lesson; behavior. communicate their opinion about their • Student disruptions: Count engagement in learning activities. the number of times students This may involve the coach interrupt the teacher’s TO LEARN MORE interviewing students, asking students instruction or other students’ For more information on to respond to exit tickets, or using what learning; and the research supporting the we refer to as experience sampling, • Number of questions: Count claims in this article, visit which prompts students to report their the number of student instructionalcoaching.com/ level of engagement at different times responses and the number of research. during a lesson on a form such as the different students responding to one above.
30 The Learning Professional | www.learningforward.org December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 Students on the margins
ASSESSING HOPE: ELEMENTARY An example of a simple survey for Date: ______elementary students is shown in the assessment form at left. (More detailed How sure are you that you will learn in class this week? questions are appropriate for older (circle one of the following emojis) students and can be found in Knight (2013).) Also, coaches can interview students about their experiences in school and share the results with teachers. Formal surveys, such as the Gallup student success survey, may provide a What can I do to help you learn? more global understanding of student ______engagement or establish benchmarks. Teachers can assess students’ emotional ______engagement through interactive journals ______in which students and teachers write ______back and forth to each other each week. Improving emotional ______engagement. All of the strategies ______to increase behavioral and cognitive engagement should also have a positive ______impact on emotional engagement. In ______addition, coaches can help teachers ______enhance their relationships with students. ______For example, teachers can video Source: Knight, 2013. Copyright 2013 by Corwin. All rights reserved. record their lessons and review them with the coach to reflect on whether they demonstrate empathy and how Improving cognitive engagement. engagement is a prerequisite for all they manage such variables as power in When students are learning, they learning. That is, if a student feels alone, the classroom. Collaborative power is are likely to be cognitively engaged. afraid, or hopeless, we need to address more likely to build connections than Increasing cognitive engagement, like those challenges before he or she can coercive power. increasing achievement, usually involves engage deeply in academic learning. Teachers can demonstrate at least three teaching strategies that Measuring emotional collaborative power by giving students coaches can support teachers to use: a engagement. As with cognitive their full attention, avoiding sarcasm or clear description of learning outcomes, engagement, we need to ask students power tripping, affirming all students, formative assessment, and feedback. about their emotions to understand communicating respect, and so forth. Other strategies include thinking them. One way to do this is to have Additionally, teachers can increase the prompts, effective questions, authentic students complete a weekly informal number of positive interactions they learning, and student voice. assessment about their emotional state initiate with students and monitor how and ask what could be done to make they connect emotionally with their EMOTIONAL ENGAGEMENT: their experiences more positive. students. Connectedness, belonging, and Coaches and teachers can work Other strategies coaches can work physical and psychological safety together to use these informal on with teachers include: building When students are emotionally assessments of students’ positive connections by learning about students’ engaged, they feel they belong in emotions, relationships, safety, or unique interests and activities through their school, they are physically and hopes to establish and monitor progress surveys and informal conversations; psychologically safe, their experiences toward a goal. For example, using conflict resolution approaches such in school are positive and meaningful, surveys, coach-teacher pairs can set as restorative justice or collaborative they have friends, and they have hope. goals such as “at least 90% of my problem-solving; and involving students According to many of the educators students will report each week that they more directly in decisions about what my colleagues and I meet, emotional feel able to learn in my classroom.” and how they learn.
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Simply listening to students’ voices To meet all the needs of Washington, DC: National Center for has been shown to significantly increase Education Statistics. student success (Quaglia & Corso, all students and bring Finn, J.D. & Rock, D.A. (1997). 2014) but this is more complicated all students in from the Academic success among students at than it sounds and is an area ripe for risk of school failure. Journal of Applied coaching support. margins, coaches need Psychology, 82(2), 221-234. to partner with teachers Knesting, K. (2008). Students at BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER risk for school dropout: Supporting The impact cycle provides the to address engagement their persistence. Preventing School structure for coaching conversations because engagement and Failure: Alternative Education for and the engagement definitions, Children and Youth, 52(4), 3-10. measures, and teaching strategies achievement go hand in Knight, J. (2013). High-impact provide tools for cycles that hand. instruction: A framework for great dramatically increase student teaching. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin. engagement. adaptations, including changing the Knight, J. (2018). The impact cycle: goal, the way a goal is measured, the What instructional coaches should do to Identify way a strategy is taught, or the strategy foster powerful improvements in teaching. After the coach and teacher identify itself. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin. a clear picture of reality, they can For example, teachers may start Knight, D., Hock, M., Skrtic, set goals based on the measures of measuring authentic engagement T.M., Bradley, B.A., & Knight, J. engagement described in this article. by assessing how many students are (2018). Evaluation of video-based Following this, they can discuss which correctly answering questions and then instructional coaching for middle strategies to use to lead students to hit switch to experience sampling to gain school teachers: Evidence from a their goal. a better understanding of whether multiple-baseline study. The Educational For most coaches, creating an students are engaged during a lesson. Forum, 76, 50-51. instructional playbook prepares them Throughout the three stages, it Knight, J., Hoffman, A., Harris, to support teachers and communicate is important to understand that each M., & Thomas, S. (in press).The their explanations more clearly. An cycle is different. The best coaches, like instructional playbook: The missing link instructional playbook contains artists, use the right tools at the right for translating research into practice. checklists and other tools coaches create times. Lawrence, KS: One Fine Bird Press. to help them understand and describe Quaglia, R. & Corso, M.J. (2014). the high-impact teaching strategies they Engagement and achievement Student voice: The instrument of change. most frequently share with teachers A focus on engagement should Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin. (Knight, Hoffman, Harris, & Thomas, not turn us away from the importance Schlechty, P. (2011). Engaging in press). of coaching to increase achievement. students: The next level of working on Everyone wants students to flourish work. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Learn academically, and coaching has to have van Nieuwerburgh, C. (2017). An During the learn stage, the coach an unmistakably positive impact on introduction to coaching skills: A practical and teacher collaborate to identify student learning. guide (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: how the teacher will implement the However, to meet all the needs Sage Publications. new strategy. Coaches usually provide of all students and bring all students Whitmore, J. (2017). Coaching an opportunity for teachers to see the in from the margins, coaches need for performance: The principles and practices in use by modeling them to partner with teachers to address practice of coaching and leadership (5th in the teacher’s classroom, sharing a engagement because engagement and ed.). Boston, MA: Nicholas Brealey video, or covering a class so the teacher achievement go hand in hand. Publishing. can visit another teacher who uses the • strategy to be learned. REFERENCES Jim Knight (jim@ Centers for Disease Control and instructionalcoaching.com) is a senior Improve Prevention. (2009). Fostering school partner at the Instructional Coaching When teachers implement a connectedness. Available at www.cdc. Group and a senior research associate strategy, they usually don’t get gov/healthyyouth/protective/pdf/ at the University of Kansas Center for the results they were hoping for connectedness_administrators.pdf. Research on Learning. ■ immediately. The coach and teacher Finn, J.D. (1993). School usually have to explore various engagement and students at risk.
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Robert Pianta is dean of the Curry School of Education, founding director of the Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning, and professor of psychology at the University of Virginia.
In March 2019, Learning Forward’s Stephanie Hirsh interviewed Robert Pianta, who A WINDOW developed the evidence-based MyTeachingPartner 1:1 Video INTO Coaching program (MTP). MTP is one of the few coaching models that meets the evidence TEACHING requirements of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), based on WITH EVIDENCE-BASED COACHING, TEACHERS OBSERVE AND studies of its effectiveness and REFLECT ON STUDENT INTERACTIONS efficacy. Rigorous research included in the What Works Clearinghouse BY ELIZABETH FOSTER with teachers in grades pre-K-12 has shown that MTP improves teacher Stephanie Hirsh: Your coaching his or her interactions with students. practice and increases student work is based on a framework called These are clustered in three broad engagement, peer relationships, the Classroom Assessment Scoring kinds of supports students need. First, System, or CLASS. What is CLASS, the emotional supports: Do teachers and achievement. and what should we know about it? create a safe and comfortable place for Here are excerpts from that learning, and are teachers attentive to interview. Questions and answers Robert Pianta: CLASS is simply a individual children’s emotional needs? have been edited for clarity and method we developed for an observer Second, how do teachers organize the to spend time in a teacher’s classroom classroom: Does it run like a pretty brevity. to capture and record the elements of well-oiled machine, and are kids
December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 www.learningforward.org | The Learning Professional 33 FOCUS COACHING engaged and busy? Third, what are own observation and analytic skills. As teachers doing to extend children’s TO LEARN MORE a teacher, you learn how to describe thinking and learning: Are they paying your practice while also acquiring a More information about the attention to concepts and providing set of tools to identify circumstances coaching model is available at kids with rich feedback on their teachstone.com/k12-video- under which you’re doing a pretty good learning? coaching. job or not such a good job. And at These three big-bucket areas are the end of the day, it all rolls together described further in detailed dimensions to help teachers build a compass to that an observer will assign a rating to help them navigate through a daily from 1 to 7. So if I was in a classroom, Hirsh: Can you talk about set of thousands and thousands of I’d watch for 15 or 20 minutes, I’d take MyTeachingPartner, the video interactions with kids. notes, and then I’d assign a rating from coaching program that is based on 1 to 7 on each dimension based on CLASS and has enough evidence Hirsh: What you are describing aligns what I saw in the teacher’s behavior. to be listed in the What Works with Learning Forward’s Standards People who use CLASS are trained Clearinghouse? for Professional Learning, and I’d to use CLASS. This is important. If like to hear more about how you you and I are both in a classroom, we Pianta: MyTeachingPartner is a think this is different than a lot of the should both be able to use CLASS structured coaching model designed to professional learning that teachers consistently and reliably. improve interactions in the classroom, experience. CLASS is used in pre-K and with using CLASS as the language and lens high school teachers and everyone for those interactions. The coach is Pianta: I think it’s different for a couple in between. The system is modified trained to observe those interactions of reasons. First, it’s very focused, based on where you are working, but effectively, and then the coach and the targeted directly and individually on the overall approach doesn’t change at teacher engage in a series of about 10 a teacher’s classroom and practices in all. We take the approach that good coaching cycles over the course of the that classroom. It is connected to the teaching is good teaching is good year. ways in which teachers get professional teaching. If I am a coach and you are the meaning, which is in their interactions teacher, we will agree on what features with students. Teachers want to feel Hirsh: Research has documented of interactions to work on — maybe more effective and know that they’re the impact of the CLASS system on qualities of emotional engagement or being more effective. improved teacher practice and student your instruction. Then you will send Teachers access the website at outcomes. What does the research say? the video to me via the MTP website. a time that’s convenient. It is all I will pull out three short clips. Each handled through the internet so the Pianta: We could see and describe clip is going to be 30 to 60 seconds teacher doesn’t have to leave their interactions all day long, but it’s long and gets posted to an internal classroom. You are not sitting in a really important to demonstrate that website. The first clip is going to be an generic 45-minute workshop that is not what we are seeing when we improve example of you effectively interacting relevant to you as an individual teacher these interactions actually matters with kids on that particular dimension nor to your practice in your classroom. for student learning. We now have we want to look at. We think that this It’s embedded and ongoing over the over 300 studies in which we’ve done first clip is really important because course of the year so not only will you CLASS observations throughout the teachers need to see themselves and have the opportunity to develop these year, and students have been assessed feel themselves being effective. The skills but you’re going to develop a on their learning at the beginning of second clip is one where you’re a little relationship with the coach. We find the year and at the end of the year. less effective, and the third clip is one that that relationship with the coach is In the majority of those studies, the where we talk about how the dimension a pretty important component. Imagine results demonstrate that there is an connects to instruction and student all the things we learn as adults. We association between teachers who learning, attention, or engagement. connect with coaches, and it usually score higher on the quality of their You’ll examine and comment on your is individual, ongoing, targeted, and interactions in classrooms and students behaviors as well. includes feedback that is meaningful. who are learning more than students These experiences over the year in classrooms with teachers who scored result in direct feedback about your Hirsh: That means that federal Title lower. This tells us that what we’re interactions with students. You are II dollars can be used to pay for this paying attention to what matters for also learning a language and a lexicon program because MTP meets the student learning. for interactions and developing your federal definition for professional
34 The Learning Professional | www.learningforward.org December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 A window into teaching
learning and it is recognized in the teachers don’t always have the system that is organized for training What Works Clearinghouse. opportunity for meaningful feedback teachers and coaches, so this is feasible conversations, but that when they do, and everyone knows what to expect. Pianta: We have research that looks coaches are critical to that dialogue. We also need to be frank with at the coaching model as well as a Can you talk about how you develop districts about cost. This does take some college course that we’ve developed. coaches to foster this kind of effort and expense in training up front, We randomize groups of teachers to relationship? but if you do invest, the likelihood receive the coaching or not receive of that investment translating into the coaching, or receive the course Pianta: I’m really glad you brought increased teacher effectiveness and or not. We then compare them and that up because we have learned a lot increased student effectiveness is much compare the outcomes of the students about coaches. As a field, we see all higher. they teach. We now have more than sorts of coaching, but when I ask what It is also important to spread the half a dozen randomized control specific model is being employed, word to teachers. I think the best trials — some fairly large with several rarely do people describe more than resource we have is the teachers who hundred teachers across the country a generic approach. So I think it’s have already participated and their — demonstrating that teachers who significant that our coaches are trained stories. Over and over again, teachers received any one of those professional in this structured model to support the who have participated say that this was development supports are actually teacher and implement the model with the most meaningful, the most effective, teaching more effectively at the end of a high degree of fidelity. We approach and the most engaging professional the year than the teachers who did not coaching in a focused and organized development they have had. Teachers receive those supports. way so that we know we can replicate are professionals, and they care that that coaching experience for teachers the time and energy they spend on Hirsh: How do you get teachers anywhere. professional development has merit. comfortable with watching We didn’t know this at first. We themselves on video? invented this initially to provide a Hirsh: We know it is important that support platform through the internet teachers have access to high-quality Pianta: That’s a little bit of a trick. We so coaches wouldn’t have to travel. instructional materials so that they have now run more than 2,000 teachers But what that did was enable the continue to develop their own through this experience, and very few coaches’ supervisors to be able to look content knowledge. Can you talk a of them will say I’m too uncomfortable at the prompts and the way that they little bit about how MTP can help watching myself to continue. And some were clipping video, so they could address that challenge? of those videos are not the easiest videos actually see the coach implement the for a teacher to watch, so great credit to intervention. (All of our coaches have Pianta: There is no question that those teachers. their own coach who is looking at the teachers, in particular secondary A couple of things are important kind of feedback that that coach is teachers, need to be content experts. here. First, the coach and the teacher providing teachers and monitors for a If you are teaching chemistry, you’ve connect and engage beforehand so they high degree of fidelity.) got to know the chemistry. But if can ease their way into the relationship you ask kids about their experience, as we provide the teacher with all Hirsh: This is an evidence-based they typically will tell you that their sorts of information about MTP. It is model that more leaders and teachers attention, motivation to learn, and also the case that the coach does not would surely be interested in if they effort is far more predicated on how have a supervisory relationship with knew about it. What do you want you’re teaching the chemistry than on the teacher. This is not that kind of them to know? the chemistry itself. connection. All of the information in We have good evidence that if you and related to the videos stays within Pianta: School district leaders need to work on how teachers are teaching the the coaching relationship. And it is know this works and that it works in content, you can activate the classroom really important that the video clips places that look like your district with environment for better content always start with a section that we call kids that look like your kids. I think learning. We did a study a couple “Nice Work,” where the teacher is we have stronger evidence than almost of years ago of MyTeachingPartner hearing and seeing herself lauded for any other coaching model. We know across four content areas, middle the appropriate interaction and the this works for showing results on state and high school. What we found effective interactions with a student. standards tests as well as assessments of was that students were more engaged student engagement or motivation. Hirsh: We know all too well that They should know that there is a Continued on p. 40
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ACCENTUATE THE POSITIVE
VIDEO CAN MOTIVATE TEACHERS TO IMPROVE THEIR SKILLS
BY JODY A. FLOWERS
or many of us, the role the term coach takes on a pejorative often spreads across teachers’ faces as of a coach is ubiquitous connotation because only struggling if they just woke up from a recurring throughout our childhood teachers are assigned a coach. But when nightmare. into our adolescent years. done right, coaching improves teaching Why are we hesitant to capture our From the time we participated and students’ achievement by leading professional interactions with students Fin youth soccer, Little League, dance teachers to focus on the skills that on video? Outside of the classroom, we classes, or music lessons, coaches address social, behavioral, and academic willingly have our personal interactions were there to guide us. Coaches build needs. videoed, watched, and rewatched. We relationships, encourage us, demonstrate One of the benefits of coaching is turn to YouTube to post and watch techniques, provide motivation — all the opportunity to see oneself through step-by-step tutorials on repairing a to heighten our efforts and expand our another’s eyes and reflect. A growing heating element in the dryer; we post skills. Many times, it is these special trend enables this process by leveraging our marriage proposals and our child’s people who inspire us to teach. one of today’s most popular forms of game-winning hit on Facebook; we Yet when educators enter the communication: digital videos and Skype with grandchildren. classroom, this kind of guidance and on-demand video training. But when Professionals in other fields support often vanishes. Or worse, you mention video observation, fear frequently analyze themselves on
36 The Learning Professional | www.learningforward.org December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 video. Professional athletes spend hours honing their skills through video Coach sends analysis; attorneys video themselves summary and practicing opening arguments or action plan. coaching clients; plumbers, mechanics, and electricians video their craft to demonstrate their work. It could be Teacher records argued that teachers’ interactions have classroom more long-term impact than any other 1 video. professional skill, yet video observation and reflection is not yet the norm in 5 schools. Teacher and coach MyTeachingPartner™ When we do video coaching conference. correctly, reflection becomes the driving (MTP) Coaching factor and continuous improvement becomes second nature. As a result, 2 teacher-student interactions become more intentional, and the quality 4 of teaching and learning improves (Gregory, Ruzek, Hafen, Mikami, 3 Coach reviews Allen, & Pianta, 2017). Teacher reviews video, selects I have witnessed this as a district video and responds clips, and writes coach in a research project on scaling to prompts. prompts. up effective video coaching. The lessons my colleagues and I are learning are beneficial not only for our teachers and their students, but hopefully for others beyond our districts. social success (Allen et al., 2013; of video is essential to the purpose and THE VIDEO COACHING MODEL Hamre, Piana, Mashburn, & Downer, practice of coaching. As educators, we My work with video coaching 2007; Mashburn et al., 2008). can’t really know what our interactions began when my school district, Teachstone Training, which with students look like until we actually Waco ISD in central Texas, qualified trains educators to use the see them. for a grant funded by the U.S. MyTeachingPartner coaching model, MTP-S is a strengths-based Department of Education to study a teamed up with Learning Forward and coaching model. Coaches focus on research-based coaching model called the American Institutes for Research to what teachers are doing well and how MyTeachingPartner-Secondary 1:1 support a cohort of secondary English they can build on it. This builds trust Video Coaching (MTP-S). language arts and math teachers in and buy-in to the coaching process. The model is based on the CLASS using the coaching model in secondary As teachers view themselves in positive instructional framework developed by schools. They are researching what moments, it ignites the fire for teachers Robert C. Pianta, Bridget K. Hamre, it takes to scale the coaching model, to stay motivated, reflect deeply, and, and colleagues at the University which has been shown to be effective in most importantly, become self-reliant of Virginia. CLASS focuses on other contexts (Allen, Pianta, Gregory, observers of their work. interactions between teachers and Mikami, & Lun, 2011; Gregory et al., students in three areas — emotional 2017; Hamre et al., 2010). THE VIDEO COACHING PROCESS support, classroom organization, and Because of the emphasis in the Waco ISD is one of three districts instructional support — and rigorous MyTeachingPartner coaching model participating in the first cohort of the studies have shown that teachers’ (and in the CLASS framework on research project, along with Lansing ratings on these dimensions are strong which it is based) on interactions Public Schools in Michigan and Louisa predictors of students’ academic and between teachers and students, the use County Public Schools in central
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Virginia. Once our district joined observed interactions, and a prompt participating, their initial concern was the study, teachers volunteered to that directs the teacher to reflect on the not about having coaches observe their participate. actions and dialogue within the clip. practice, but about having to hear their By random selection, half were The coach sends these to the teacher own voices. placed in a control group, in which within two days of the videoed lesson. One teacher said after his first cycle, they videoed themselves during one “That’s what my students have to listen class in the fall and one in the spring STEP 3: Teacher responds. to each day? Oh my.” But after the but received no coaching through After viewing the one-minute clips, third cycle, that same teacher reflected the MTP-S model. The other half the teacher submits a written response on how critical it was to see and hear were placed in the treatment group to the prompts, and the coach plans a what his students are seeing each day and participated in 1:1 coaching conference with the teacher. so he could better understand how peer throughout the year, kicked off dialoging and back-and-forth exchanges by professional learning sessions STEP 4: Teacher and coach meet. play a vital role in the effective pacing introducing the CLASS language During a 30-minute conference of his lessons. and MyTeachingPartner coaching that can take place in person or On average, it takes three to four model. As the coach for our district, through video chat, the teacher and cycles for the camera to “disappear” for I also engaged in regular professional coach review the clips and the teacher’s the teachers and students. It helps that learning and coaching with staff from responses to the reflection prompts, teachers focus on three very short (one- Teachstone. discuss an approach to maintaining and minute) clips and that coaches help To begin each program year, duplicating these positive interactions them view the clips through a carefully teachers set goals they would like in a sustainable way, and plan the focus crafted lens focused on the CLASS to achieve during the professional of the next cycle. dimensions. As one teacher said, “It’s learning process. In keeping with watching yourself so you can plan the Implementation standard in the STEP 5: Coach develops an action through the eyes of your students.” Standards for Professional Learning plan. (Learning Forward, 2011), the coach The coach writes a summary of the STRENGTH-BASED and teacher commit to continuous conference and produces an action plan OBSERVATIONS improvement based on constructive that includes viewing exemplar videos, Another challenge is that it can be feedback and reflection. Each teacher a short reading assignment, and specific difficult for teachers to understand a engages in eight to 10 coaching cycles. actions to practice before videoing strengths-based approach to coaching. Each cycle consists of five steps and again. These types of coaching interactions takes place over a two-week period. This 2 week cycle of teacher-coach and their effectiveness float in the wake interactions repeats itself throughout of many teachers’ previous experiences STEP 1: Teacher videos a lesson. the school year. During the first year with observations. The teacher chooses a class on of the grant, most treatment teachers Many observations teachers have which he or she will focus throughout completed nine to 10 two-week received come from a place rooted in the year, and videos and uploads a feedback cycles with their MTP coach. check marks, required walk-throughs, lesson of his or her choosing every two and supervisory requirements. Many weeks, with the intention of discussing OVERCOMING THE BLINKING of these interactions typically end with the coach whether and how his or LIGHT with “what could you have done her interactions with students embody To make setup easy and differently” paralysis, causing them to the interactions captured by the the comfortable, teachers receive an iPad become numb to any strengths that CLASS framework. to video the class and access to a may be observed. The process can be Teachstone app to upload the video to demotivating. STEP 2: Coach observes. a private Teachstone dashboard used by In contrast, the video component The teacher and coach decide which the teacher and the coach. As with any allows coaches to highlight positive CLASS dimensions to focus on, and the digital device and process, technological examples of teacher-student MTP-S coach watches the full video, issues can arise, but they are usually interactions. Trust develops as the selecting three one-minute clips that easy to deal with. teachers see a trend in the clips and best capture the teacher’s observable The main challenge with video reflective prompts created by their interactions with the dimensions coaching is overcoming the coach’s coach. When teachers reflect on their chosen for that cycle.The coach writes and teacher’s discomfort with hearing specific words and actions that result in a summary of the dimension observed and seeing themselves on video. When favorable student reactions, the process in the clip, a brief description of the we first approached teachers about becomes easier to duplicate.
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Since each cycle is specific to OVERVIEW OF CLASS DOMAINS AND DIMENSIONS research-based CLASS dimensions, the results quickly increase the buy-in Emotional support Classroom Instructional support from teachers and the students. By organization the third cycle, teachers in our district • Positive climate • Behavior • Instructional had become comfortable with the • Teacher sensitivity management learning formats framework and confident that no • Regard for student • Productivity • Content surprises or evaluative “buts” were perspectives • Negative climate understanding lurking behind the coach’s feedback. • Analysis and inquiry During end-of-year cycle • Quality of feedback
conferences, treatment teachers made Dimensions • Instructional comments about the strengths-based dialogue approach and how it solidified their Student engagement commitment to the coaching process. For example, one said, “I knew each time we reflected on the videos, I was feedback within a teacher conference. Authenticity becomes the signpost of going to hear positive feedback, not Role-play helps expose and reshape conferences. Acceptance permeates advice.” Another said, “The questions poor habits of phrase to avoid the relationships among coaches and from my coach were open-ended, mimicking evaluative conferences. teachers and teachers and students. and I felt like I could reflect without Phrases like “What would you have judgment or correction.” done differently?” become “What is CHANGING CLASSROOM something new you want to try next EXPERIENCES PREPARATION AND SUPPORT time?” The results of this video coaching FOR COACHES Positive, generic compliments like model scale-up study will be available To ensure the coaching process “good job” or “way to go” become in two to three years. In the meantime, is effective and smooth, each coach more specific with relevant details our anecdotal experience is that video works closely with a Teachstone expert, like “I noticed that you ask students coaching allows teachers to become engaging in biweekly video chats with to prove their answers to get students more aware of the factors that impact the expert and other coaches. Designed to return to the text,” highlighting relationships, safety, and learning that to mimic the same processes used in strategies that went well and can be should take place in a classroom. the coach-teacher relationship — what duplicated easily. The MyTeachingPartner coaching psychologists sometimes call parallel In addition, coaches begin to hear model allows coaches and teachers to process — coaches see and practice the balance of talk between coach and work together to change experiences the skill sets needed to successfully teacher. Conversations involve active in the classroom. Those experiences, maintain fidelity of the framework listening that results in feedback loops even small ones, can change a student’s in a safe, nonthreating atmosphere. — there’s equity in the discussion. trajectory. Think of the student who This includes building trust, listening These practices spill over to the teacher is afraid to ask a question because actively, encouraging teachers to conferences, then into the classroom her teacher doesn’t realize his tone problem solve, and providing feedback, with students. of voice is harsh, or the one who not advice. Another parallel process used disengages from school and drops out Professional learning for the coach throughout the coaching model because he thinks none of the adults begins with becoming grounded is videoing and discussing clips. care about what he’s interested in. in the CLASS framework, reading MyTeachingPartner coaches video and With video coaching, we can see those relevant literature on the many facets share their work with their Teachstone unintentional messages we send and of instructional coaching, and viewing coach specialist just as teachers do with change them so that we can change and reflecting on video clips that their coaches. This not only improves students’ futures. demonstrate the cycle steps of focus. coaches’ skills but models the process The coaches reflect together, developing they are using with teachers. REFERENCES and sharing their ideas and building The impact of parallel processes Allen, J.P., Pianta, R.C., Gregory, capacity to duplicate collaboration with spreads as the cycles continue. Coaches A., Mikami, A.Y., & Lun, J. (2011). teachers. find themselves talking less and listening An interaction-based approach to During regular calls, coaches read more. Teachers reflect and discover enhancing secondary school instruction and act out scenarios so they can wisdom and answers on their own, and student achievement. Science, practice the arc of conversations and instead of passively waiting for advice. 333(6045), 1034-1037.
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Allen, J., Gregory, A., Mikami, J.T. (2007). Building a science of Standards for Professional Learning. A., Lun, J., Hamre, B., & Pianta, classrooms: Application of the CLASS Oxford, OH: Author. R. (2013). Observations of effective framework in over 4,000 US early Mashburn, A.J., Pianta, R.C., teacher-student interactions in childhood and elementary classrooms. Hamre, B.K., Downer, J.T., Barbarin, secondary school classrooms: Predicting Foundation for Childhood Development, O.A., Bryant, D., ... & Howes, C. student achievement with the classroom 30, 2008. (2008). Measures of classroom quality assessment scoring system — secondary. Hamre, B.K., Justice, L.M., in prekindergarten and children’s School Psychology Review, 42(1), 76. Pianta, R.C., Kilday, C., Sweeney, development of academic, language, Gregory, A., Ruzek, E., Hafen, B., Downer, J.T., & Leach, A. and social skills. Child Development, C.A., Mikami, A.Y, Allen, J.P., & (2010). Implementation fidelity of 79(3), 732-749. Pianta, R.C. (2017). My Teaching MyTeachingPartner literacy and • Partner-Secondary: A Video-Based language activities: Association with Jody A. Flowers (jody.flowers@ Coaching Model, Theory Into Practice, preschoolers’ language and literacy wacoisd.org) is MTP-S district coach 56(1), 8-45. growth. Early Childhood Research in Waco (Texas) Independent School Hamre, B.K., Pianta, R.C., Quarterly, 25, 329-347. District. ■ Mashburn, A.J., & Downer, Learning Forward. (2011).
How coaching takes root
Continued from p.23 frameworks. Implementation science, ncsi-library.wested.org/resources/60. and coaching. Journal of Educational 10(1), 53. Steiner, L., Hassel, E., & Hassel, Administration, 52(5), 682-704. Pierce, J.D. (2015). Teacher- B. (2008). School turnaround leaders: Kraft, M.A., Blazar, D., & coach alliance as a critical component Competencies for success. Chapel Hill, Hogan, D. (2018). The effect of of coaching: Effects of feedback and NC: Public Impact. teacher coaching on instruction and analysis on teacher practice. Doctoral • achievement: A meta-analysis of the dissertation, University of Washington. Jennifer D. Pierce (jpierce@air. causal evidence. Review of Educational Pierce, J. (2018). Support models: org) and Melissa Irby (mirby@air. Research, 88(4), 547-588. Matrix and discussion guide for K-12th org) are senior technical assistance National Center for Education grade systems. San Francisco, CA: consultants at American Institutes Statistics. (2017). Characteristics of WestEd. for Research. Melissa Weber-Mayrer public elementary and secondary schools in Pierce, J. (2019). Creating the (melissa.weber-mayrer@education. the United States: Results from the 2015- foundation: Coaching with alliance- ohio.gov) is director of the Office 2016 national teacher and principal building strategies. Manuscript of Approaches to Teaching and survey. NCES Number: 2017071. submitted for publication. Professional Learning at the Ohio Available at nces.ed.gov/surveys/ntps/ Pierce, J. & Ferguson, A. (n.d.). Department of Education and a tables/Table_5_042617_fl_school.asp. Implementation guide for effective member of Learning Forward’s What Nilsen, P. (2015). Making sense of coaching of teachers. National Center Matters Now Network. ■ implementation theories, models and for Systemic Improvement. Available at
A window into teaching Continued from p. 35 Hirsh: What else do you want people kinds of teachers. To do that, we want and motivated, the quality of teacher to know about this work? more teachers to have the opportunity interactions increased considerably, to experience the kind of improvement and the students’ scores on state tests Pianta: We have a lot of examples of and growth that MyTeachingPartner went up by 10 percentile points. And ways in which these tools have helped can support so that they in turn can we didn’t do anything with teachers’ create life-changing teachers. We can support every student. content, we just helped them learn how all think of a teacher who empowered • to engage students in ways that made us and affected us. We need to think Elizabeth Foster (elizabeth. the content more meaningful — make about all the children who haven’t had [email protected]) is vice the content more conceptual, create a those kind of teachers in their lives, president of research & standards at more active classroom, and attend to and what could happen if they all had Learning Forward. ■ student perspectives. the opportunity to experience those
40 The Learning Professional | www.learningforward.org December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 FOCUS COACHING
TOOLBOX FOR SEL COACHING BUILDS TEACHERS’ SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL STRATEGIES
BY LAURA STICKLE, REBECCA BAILEY, GRETCHEN BRION-MEISELS, AND STEPHANIE M. JONES
s research on the benefits Yet, as with any type of Teachers report limited training and of social and emotional instructional intervention, SEL confidence in supporting students’ learning (SEL) continues materials and lessons are only part of social and emotional development to grow, schools across the equation. Fully realizing robust (Reinke, Stormont, Herman, Puri, & the country are using SEL implementation and optimizing Goel, 2011; Walter, Gouze, & Lim, Aformal SEL curricula to boost students’ students’ social and emotional 2006), with 82% of teachers saying skills. Such curricula have benefits for development require that school leaders they need additional professional students’ social, emotional, behavioral, support teachers to understand, model, learning on the topic (Bridgeland, and academic outcomes, and the and implement high-quality SEL Bruce, & Hariharan, 2013). effects can last for up to three years practices in an ongoing way. In a nationally representative post-intervention (Durlak, Weissberg, Unfortunately, however, survey, half of pre-K-12 principals Dymnicki, Taylor, & Schellinger, professional learning related to both agreed with this desire for additional 2011; Mahoney, Durlak, & Weissberg, children’s and teachers’ SEL skills is teacher professional learning on SEL 2018; Sklad, Diekstra, Ritter, Ben, & often not given enough time, care, or (DePaoli, Atwell, & Bridgeland, 2017). Gravesteijn, 2012). attention (Schonert-Reichl et al., 2016). But school leaders’ capacity to provide
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professional learning on the topic is understandably limited. TEACHERS’ SEL GOALS FOR OVERALL PERCEIVED Coaching is a promising STUDENTS BY SEL DOMAIN EFFECTIVENESS OF SEL KERNELS approach to filling this gap. Building on a growing number of coaching 7% 14% 9% 17% approaches, the EASEL Lab at the Harvard Graduate School of Education recently developed an SEL coaching 10% model and partnered with an urban elementary school on the East Coast to pilot it as one component of a 66% schoolwide approach to SEL. 77% This pilot study found that participating teachers increased their ■ Executive function/behavioral ■ Ineffective use of SEL practices and found the regulation ■ Somewhat effective strategies effective. It also underscored ■ Emotional processes ■ Very effective the need for school policies and ■ Interpersonal skills structures to enable coaching. ■ Mindset
OUR SEL COACHING APPROACH OVERALL LEVEL OF IMPROVEMENT ON MONTHLY SEL GOALS The coaching approach we 70% developed was a hybrid of two 60% 68% categories of SEL coaching available in schools today: models that support the 50% delivery of formal SEL programming 40% and models that provide coaching 30% to support teachers’ own social- 20% 28% emotional competence. Although we have long known about the benefits of 10% instructional coaching, research on SEL 0% 2% 2% coaching is scant. Here is an overview Students have Some Significant of what is known about each approach. regressed No improvement improvement improvement Several SEL programs offer coaching or consultation from their staff as part of their teacher training and others have found that teachers Emotional intelligence training package. A recent report looking at who are coached have higher confidence also appears to improve teacher well- 25 leading elementary school SEL and increased motivation to use the being and reduce work-related stress programs found that many offer this program (Ashworth, Demkowicz, (Vasely, Saklofske, & Nortstokke, type of support (Jones et al., 2017). Lendrum, & Frearson, 2018). 2014). Teachers who engaged in Characteristics of the coaching vary Coaching models focused on phone coaching through a mindfulness (e.g. number and length of sessions, teachers’ own social and emotional program called Cultivating Awareness face-to-face vs. remote coaching, cost), development offer general support — and Resilience in Education reported an but the models share a goal of providing unrelated to specific SEL curricula — increased use of mindful practices and teachers with support to implement to boost teachers’ social and emotional more resilient attitudes toward stressors student-focused SEL lessons and skills and overall well-being. A recent (DeWeese et al., 2017). curricula with fidelity. study of a train-the-trainer model Working closely with our pilot Although not much is known about grounded in emotional intelligence school’s counselor and social worker, the efficacy of supports these programs theory suggested that coaches helped we designed the coaching model to offer, some preliminary research has teachers become more aware of their incorporate both of these aspects: emerged. One study found that a emotions, understand the connections building teachers’ social-emotional high-quality coaching relationship between emotions and behaviors, and competence and providing support can contribute to teachers’ fidelity of apply this learning to the classroom to implement short, targeted SEL program implementation (Wehby, (Patti, Holzer, Brackett, & Stern, strategies we refer to as SEL kernels of Maggin, Partin, & Robertson, 2011), 2015). practice (Jones, Bailey, Brush, & Kahn,
42 The Learning Professional | www.learningforward.org December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 Toolbox for SEL
2017). Kernels are practices teachers Each month, teachers set one or effectiveness than teachers who used the can use flexibly throughout the school two SEL goals for either themselves strategies only sporadically or forgot to day, typically in 10 minutes or less, so or their students. Teachers selected use them. that SEL is implemented in a deeper, student-focused SEL goals 71% of the End-of-year interview data revealed more ongoing way than with a once-a- time and teacher-focused goals 29% of a set of consistent themes about the week curricular program. the time. impact of coaching on teachers’ work The principal, school counselor, As shown in the pie chart with students. Teachers said that and social worker selected five teachers “Teachers’ SEL goals for students by the most impactful goals were those to take part in our SEL coaching, and SEL domain” on p. 42, student-focused linked to creating a positive classroom all teachers agreed to participate. Every SEL goals targeted executive function/ environment, such as maintaining and month between November 2016 and behavioral regulation skills 66% of the exhibiting a positive mindset, positively March 2017, an SEL coach from the time. Within this domain, teachers narrating students’ behaviors when EASEL Lab conducted one classroom chose goals focused on helping students they were on-task and demonstrating visit and observation. pay attention, follow classroom rules, exemplary behavior, and using positive Observations took place during and exhibit appropriate classroom reinforcement strategies, such as academic instructional blocks. behavior. celebrations, to acknowledge student The coach focused primarily on Teachers chose goals targeting success. understanding the classroom interpersonal skills, such as prosocial They also acknowledged how their environment and observing interactions behavior and teamwork, 17% of the students’ SEL skills had grown over between teachers and students. Each time, while identifying goals focusing the year. Teachers commented that month, the coach met with teachers on emotional processes, including students began to adopt SEL language before and after the observations to emotional regulation and empathy/ and use SEL strategies independently, discuss progress, reflect on their social perspective-taking, 10% of the time. such as using nonverbal signals to and emotional skills, help teachers Teachers selected goals targeting help their friends refocus, taking identify SEL goals, and select SEL mindset 7% of the time. deep breaths to focus and regroup, kernels to use over the course of the There was less variation in teacher- treating each other with kindness, and next month. focused goals. The most frequently using additional focus strategies when After each visit, the coach sent a identified teacher-focused goal was needed. Teachers also commented follow-up email to the teachers, school “trying to be positive,” followed by that conversations with the coach were counselor, and social worker with “limiting frustration” and “moving with beneficial and provided them with an observation notes, as well as any SEL efficiency.” SEL toolbox. kernels selected by teachers during the When asked about students’ overall visit. level of improvement on monthly SEL A HOLISTIC APPROACH Throughout this period, the EASEL goals (see the bar chart “Overall level of Data from our study underscore Lab collected data to document the improvement on monthly SEL goals”on that SEL coaching cannot succeed process and teachers’ progress from p. 42), teachers reported that 70% of in a vacuum. Teachers reported a set month to month. Specifically, we the time, they saw either significant of schoolwide factors, policies, and documented teachers’ SEL goals and improvement or some improvement, practices that must be in place to classroom challenges, teachers’ use with the majority of these reports optimize it. of SEL kernels and perceptions of indicating some improvement. First, teachers said that the their effectiveness, and the coach’s Throughout the coaching period, academic pressures at school often observations. teachers were asked to rate the SEL felt in conflict with the school’s stated In addition, the EASEL Lab kernels as ineffective, somewhat approach to SEL. One symptom conducted interviews with all coaching effective, or very effective (see the pie of this may have been that teachers participants and the school’s counselor chart “Overall percieved effectiveness overwhelmingly selected strategies and social worker in April 2017 to of SEL kernels” on p. 42). Teachers targeting executive functioning/ better understand their experiences with reported that kernels were very effective behavior regulation skills. the SEL coaching model. 14% of the time, somewhat effective Although these skills are important, 77% of the time, and ineffective 9% of at times we found teachers using SEL WHAT DID WE LEARN? the time. strategies in service of developmentally Our data indicate that teachers The data also revealed that teachers inappropriate goals (e.g. ensuring all found SEL coaching beneficial for both who consistently used kernels and students were completely silent with their students’ and their own social and actively worked on reaching their SEL their hands folded for extended periods emotional growth. goals reported higher rates of perceived of time or focusing on self-control
December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 www.learningforward.org | The Learning Professional 43 FOCUS COACHING exclusively to help students prepare for SEL strategies they saw in classrooms emotional learning: A meta-analysis of end-of-year testing). through text groups and weekly email. school-based universal interventions. In these cases, school leaders’ Teachers reported that this support Child Development, 82, 405-432. insistence on strict codes of behavior improved their SEL implementation Jones, S.M., Bailey, R., Brush, prevented teachers from establishing and helped school staff be more K., & Kahn, J. (2017). Kernels of positive and consistent SEL practices. If mindful of how they interacted with practice for SEL: Low-cost, low-burden organizational priorities do not shift to one another. This internal capacity strategies. New York, NY: The Wallace include social and emotional well-being is important because schools do not Foundation. — a process that requires dismantling always have the time or resources to Jones, S.M., Brush, K., Bailey, some of the more compliance-based implement an SEL coaching model. R., Brion-Meisels, G., McIntyre, rituals — then trying to add an SEL School and district leaders play J., Kahn, J., … Stickle, L. (2017). approach may be challenging for an essential role in building capacity Navigating SEL from the inside out: teachers and could send damaging through policies, structures, and Looking inside & across 25 leading SEL mixed messages to students. support. Ultimately, SEL functions programs: A practical resource for schools Second, teachers indicated that through building strong relationships and OST providers (Elementary School they could have benefitted from more among all adults and employing Focus). New York, NY: The Wallace comprehensive professional learning ongoing support and feedback. We Foundation. on SEL in addition to coaching. Some encourage school leaders to create and Mahoney, J.L., Durlak, J.A., & of the newer teachers said they didn’t prioritize policies and practices that Weissberg, R.P. (2018). An update on realize that SEL skills needed to be support coaching as one component of social and emotional learning outcome explicitly taught and that they needed their school’s overall approach to SEL. research. Phi Delta Kappan, 100(4), to talk with students about these skills. 18-23. One teacher initially believed SEL skills REFERENCES Patti, J., Holzer, A.A., Brackett, would naturally transfer to students as a Ashworth, E., Demkowicz, M.A., & Stern, R. (2015). Twenty- result of her modeling. O., Lendrum, A., & Frearson, K. first-century professional development Veteran teachers also talked about (2018). Coaching models of school- for educators: A coaching approach struggles to incorporate SEL strategies based prevention and promotion grounded in emotional intelligence. effectively. One teacher said she created programmes: A qualitative exploration Coaching: An International Journal of a desk for students to calm down, but of UK teachers’ perceptions. School Theory, Research and Practice, (2),8 96- acknowledged that she sent students Mental Health, 10, 287-300. 119. there as a punishment when they Bridgeland, J., Bruce, M., & Reinke, W.M., Stormont, M., misbehaved, thus sending the message Hariharan, A. (2013). The missing Herman, K.C., Puri, R., & Goel, N. that the desk was functionally a time- piece: A national survey on how social (2011). Supporting children’s mental out chair and undermining its purpose and emotional learning can empower health in schools: Teacher perceptions to support the development of students’ children and transform schools. of needs, roles, and barriers. School self-regulation skills. Washington, DC: Civic Enterprises. Psychology Quarterly, 26(1), 1-13. This lack of consistency — DePaoli, J.L., Atwell, M.N., Schonert-Reichl, K.A., Kitil, J., sometimes using SEL strategies as & Bridgeland, J. (2017). Ready to LeRose, M., Sipl, M., Sweiss, L., Teja, designed, other times using them in lead: A national principal survey on Z., & Sauve, J. (2016). Social and ways that contradict or undermine how social and emotional learning can emotional learning and teacher education: social and emotional development — prepare children and transform schools. What do we know and where do we go was a common thread in our data. It Washington, DC: Civic Enterprises. from here? White paper prepared for highlights the importance of systemic DeWeese, A.R., Jennings, P.A., HopeLab, Redwood City, CA. professional learning on SEL for Brown, J.L., Doyle, S.L., Davis, Sklad, M., Diekstra, R., Ritter, teachers and administrators. R.T., Rasheed, D.S., … Greenberg, M., Ben, J., & Gravesteijn, C. (2012). On the positive side, teachers M.T. (2017). Coding semistructured Effectiveness of school-based universal appreciated the in-house support from interviews: Examining coaching social, emotional, and behavioral the school counselor and social worker. calls within the CARE for Teachers programs: Do they enhance students’ While the external coach visited the Program. SAGE Research Methods Cases development in the area of skill, school each month, the counselor Part 2. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. behavior, and adjustment? Psychology in and social worker visited more often, Durlak, J.A., Weissberg, R.P., the Schools, 49(9), 892-909. participated in team meetings, created Dymnicki, A.B., Taylor, R.D., & Vasely, A.K., Saklofske, D.H., & SEL lesson plans for teachers to use Schellinger, K. (2011). The impact Nortstokke, D.W. (2014). EI training every morning, and featured exemplar of enhancing students’ social and Continued on p. 49
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COACHING FOR EQUITY DISRUPT AND TRANSFORM PRACTICES THAT REVEAL IMPLICIT AND EXPLICIT BIASES BY TONIKIAA ORANGE, JO ANN ISKEN, AMBER GREEN, NANCY PARACHINI, AND ANNAMARIE FRANCOIS
arissa, an African managing the class. When the whole Marissa does not want to dismantle American female class is assigned a task, some students what she is doing since the other teacher, has been are vocally disruptive, and she is unsure students seem to be engaged and teaching chemistry how to engage them. In particular, learning. for two years in an Marissa is concerned about three When Marissa’s instructional Methnically diverse, urban public school African American male students who coach, who has 15 years of teaching that serves 96% Latinx students and tend to group together, seem to be experience, observes the classroom, 4% African American students. disengaged, and often shout and cause she skillfully provides strategies for Marissa is having difficulty disruptions in class. overall classroom management and
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HOW THE RECIPROCAL LEARNING PARTNERSHIPS FOR EQUITY FRAMEWORK CONNECTS TO THE STANDARDS FOR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
Learning Communities Outcomes Learning Designs
The Reciprocal Learning Partnerships The Reciprocal Learning Partnerships for The Reciprocal Learning Partnerships for Equity framework reframes the Equity framework has an explicit focus for Equity framework reflects a learning coaching model from coach/mentee on equity that links teacher practice model that requires active engagement to a learning partnership and situates to student learning with an implicit and deep understanding of teaching discussions of equity in a community understanding of an expectation for the practice leading to construction of a where collective responsibility emerges success of all students. new personal understanding of student in the co-construction of equity motivation. action. Participatory inquiry initiates a cycle of continuous inquiry, action, implementation, and reflection.
instructional delivery. But she offers biases, and in our work supporting the equity gap, which results, in large part, little about how to support the three development of teachers in becoming from both implicit and explicit biases African American boys who are coaches, we saw these practices that educators carry into the classroom disengaged in the work. Marissa is perpetuated in their coaching. We and perpetuate in their practice. left to struggle with one of her most began to question the effectiveness Structures, cultures, and pedagogy in pressing challenges on her own. of conventional coaching models in schools are often culturally oppressive moving the needle toward identifying and exacerbate inequalities. MISSED OPPORTUNITIES and tackling issues of equity. Yet these kinds of critical In our work observing coaches Having observed 128 coach-mentee conversations and self-reflection are and teachers, we have seen this type of partnerships and more than 1,100 seldom found in conventional coaching scenario again and again. Despite many coach-mentee interactions over a four- models. As critiques of coaching models productive conversations, noticeably year period in the UCLA IMPACT have pointed out, it is not enough absent is any real conversation about Urban Teacher Residency program, to share best practices for teaching how the lived experiences and identities we identified an urgent need for both linguistically, culturally, and ethnically of teachers and students influence the coach and mentee to come to a diverse students. decisions about pedagogical moves and coaching conversation ready to counter There is a need to develop the student engagement. bias, refute deficit thinking, and combat attitudes, knowledge, skills, and Without the intentional racial stereotypes. dispositions necessary to think deeply examination of how cultural identities We developed a coaching about and work effectively with diverse and personal bias impact beliefs about framework with an explicit focus on student populations. Indeed, this has teaching and learning, coaches and equity to provide a high-powered lens to been and remains a major policy issue in teachers miss important opportunities zoom in on a practice and deconstruct teacher preparation (Darling-Hammond for reflection and improvement. it for the purpose of disrupting and & Berry, 2006; Horsford, Grosland, & In the scenario above, this led transforming inequitable practices. Gunn, 2011; Milner, 2003). to Marissa and her coach missing the underlying root cause of the THE NEED FOR EQUITY RETHINKING COACHING disengagement and disruptive behavior Historically, students of color Many conventional coaching of the African American students. and students from low socioeconomic models include an expert “other” Attention to equity would lead to a backgrounds in urban communities teacher who is guiding, modeling, significantly different analysis and have been judged to be deficient, lacking or transmitting expertise to novice potentially different solutions. social capital, or simply not as intelligent teachers. But as much expertise as a From the outset of our as their more advantaged peers (Howard, coach may have, he or she may be observations, the replication of 2003; Oakes, 1985; Oakes, Ormeseth, unconsciously guiding mentees through uninterrogated and sometimes deficit- Bell, & Camp, 1990). suggestions or reflective questions that focused practices was a serious concern. Differences in academic outcomes marginalize students of color and low- As we saw teachers engage in multiple across race and class have typically been income students. coaching cycles, we continued to see described as an achievement gap, but We asked ourselves: Could listening expression of both explicit and implicit what we are really dealing with is an to the narratives of the less-experienced
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teacher, who comes to the partnership voice in the coaching conversation. Our teaching practices and, therefore, with new and relevant knowledge of goal was to build a coaching framework influence a coaching conversation. pedagogy and theories of action around in which both partners viewed the Using this framework, teachers equity, serve as a catalyst for thinking conversation as an opportunity for identify, name, and take action toward about challenging and transforming co-constructing an action to challenge eliminating inequitable practices in established practice? Could the resulting an inequitable practice and invent a classrooms. The process of participatory interchange centering on equity new solution. This required a shift to a inquiry, which lies at the center of contribute to the learning of both more egalitarian and equity-grounded the framework, engages educators in participants in the conversation? partnership focused on relationships continual critical reflection, questioning We began to reimagine coaching and reciprocity. their beliefs, and ideals, while conversations to consider how an acknowledging each other’s agency individual’s identity and positionality EQUITY-CENTERED FRAMEWORK and co-creating new knowledge and come into a conversation between two As a result of these questions transformative actions. or more people who have different and reflections, we have developed Engaging in participatory inquiry levels of rank and experience. What a new equity-centered framework requires coach and mentee to establish would happen if the newer teacher was for coaching, Reciprocal Learning and maintain four conditions for a young, female person of color and Partnerships for Equity. This is not introspective inquiry into their own her coach was an older white woman? a series of prescribed steps, but an practices: developing relational trust, What if the young teacher’s coach was open-ended framework to encourage engaging in reciprocity, examining a highly successful and experienced conversation and reflection. identity and positionality, and African American male administrator? The framework creates a space to developing an equity stance. Here We aimed to establish conditions consider how an individual’s identity are descriptions of those conditions for teachers and mentees from different and positionality may unconsciously and questions that can help frame backgrounds to each have a recognized lead to unexamined bias in selecting conversations about them.
Instructional Coaches Academy
E ective coaches impact student outcomes Give your coaches the skills Learning Forward’s Instructional Coaches Academy provides comprehensive they need to excel.
learning and ongoing guidance for coaches and the leaders who support For more information, visit them. We give coaches the knowledge and skills they need to support great consulting.learningforward.org teaching and learning. or contact Tom Manning at [email protected]. Develop your coaches by developing skills in: • Building relationships • Leading data-driven conversations • Leading professional learning • Conducting classroom observations • Coaching individuals and teams • Applying a cycle of continuous improvement
December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 www.learningforward.org | The Learning Professional 47 FOCUS COACHING
Relational trust is rooted in Relational trust personal exchanges, personal regard, LEARN MORE responsibility, and personal integrity. It allows people to be open and vulnerable For more information, contact the Culture and Equity Project at so that change can occur. Questions: Reciprocity Identity / positionality What does learning together mean for UCLA Center X by visiting www. us? How are we continually working on culturallyresponsive.org. building our relational trust? PARTICIPATORY Identity is how we acknowledge
Reciprocity INQUIRY ourselves. It is formed by relationships, equity issue and co-construct an equity Equity experiences, cultural upbringing, action action where both have responsibility to etc. One’s positionality is shaped by Critical move on that action with the intent to social relationships and the way we see reflection disrupt or dismantle practices that lead and understand ourselves in various to inequitable outcomes for students. contexts. It dictates how we interact The following are examples of questions with one another and navigate different that could guide their conversation: Equity action communities. Question: Given who we • Equity issue: What equity are, how do we understand the equity issues showed up in my issues? 1. Engage in reciprocal dialogue, classroom? Which one should Reciprocity is the act of sharing a two-way exchange of ideas we tackle in this conversation? and receiving information, resources, and knowledge in which • Relational trust: How are and skills between two people with the each person challenges and we building our relational expectation of fair exchange. Education explores his or her worldview trust, and how is our identity partners participate equally in co- with shared norms and open, and positionality showing up constructing new understandings and authentic communication. and being addressed to begin have equal responsibility for shared 2. Practice critical reflection, a reciprocal conversation to outcomes.Conversations focus on “we,” an examination and awareness disrupt the equity issue(s) not “I.” Questions: What knowledge and of our perspectives and biases, identified? skills do we both bring to the relationship? along with the subsequent • Reciprocity: What knowledge What will we each contribute to the challenging of our assumptions or understanding do we each work? through repeated cycling bring to the table to address this Equity stance means intentionally between action, dialogue, and equity issue? noticing and disrupting the conscious reflection. • Co-construction of equity and unconscious structures that 3. Create an equity action, the action: Given our conversation, perpetuate inequities in classrooms process by which inquiry moves what equity action will we co- and schools. Question: How are we to action and contributes to construct to support teaching challenging assumptions and deficit improved outcomes for diverse and learning in the classroom? notions that are embedded and students. Action is directly • Evidence: What will be our reproduced in our decisions about linked to empowering and evidence of success or progress classroom practices? changing the lived experiences in changing this condition for The Reciprocal Learning of diverse students and those students? Partnerships for Equity framework is most marginalized in classrooms A Reciprocal Learning Partnerships a powerful way to engage in coaching and schools. for Equity conversation may begin with conversations because it intentionally examining the fact that the students uncovers and addresses issues of bias, APPLY AN EQUITY LENS were engaged, but not in the way the identity, and race that have powerful Approaching a conversation teacher expected or intended. implications for teaching and learning. through the lens of Reciprocal Learning A deeper discussion through the The framework builds collective Partnerships for Equity would require participatory inquiry process might efficacy and enables coach and mentee Marissa and her coach to be mindful reveal that the African American to center themselves as co-learners in and intentional about their identity and students were the only ones struggling reciprocal dialogues. The participatory positionality entering the conversation or had a disproportionate number of inquiry process provides a framework as well as be specific on how they are discipline referrals. Critical reflection for the coaching conversation. The building relational trust. would lead to an examination of beliefs coach and mentee: They would explicitly identify an and teaching practices and how they
48 The Learning Professional | www.learningforward.org December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 Coaching for equity impact student behavior, such as how Systems whose stated mission 21(4), 582- 606. current grading practices — which Howard, T. (2003). Culturally is a focus on equitable benefit some students and marginalize relevant pedagogy: Ingredients for others — manifest in student outcomes for all students critical teacher reflection. Theory into engagement. must implement a coaching Practice, 42(3), 195-202. The co-constructed equity action Milner, H.R. (2003). Reflection, could be to design alternative grading model that is intentional about racial competence, and critical practices to re-engage students by achieving those outcomes. pedagogy: How do we prepare decreasing student failure. Marissa and pre-service teachers to pose tough her coach could also talk about the explore unconscious equity issues questions? Race Ethnicity and Education, ways in which the African American underlying practice, ultimately leading 6(2), 193-208. students are engaging and how to to a decrease in disproportional Oakes, J. (1985). Keeping track: build participation structures into the consequences for students that result How schools structure inequality. New lesson that will engage them in other from inequitable practices in classrooms. Haven, CT: Yale University Press. ways. Overall, the equity conversation We hope to see more outcomes Oakes, J., Ormseth, T., Bell, is about this question: Why are the like those in Marissa’s classrooms: R.M., & Camp, P. (1990). Multiplying African American boys being seen as As a result of her work with her inequalities: The effects of race, social discipline problems? partner teacher, Marissa developed class, and tracking on opportunities to new participation protocols that learn mathematics and science. Santa EVALUATING EFFECTIVENESS show promise in bridging her African Monica, CA: The RAND Corporation. We have used the framework American students to the content and • in partnerships between novice and their peers using more relevant and Tonikiaa Orange (orange@gseis. veteran teachers, as well as with culturally responsive ways. ucla.edu) is director of the Culture school-level teams, teacher leaders, and Systems whose stated mission is and Equity Project, Jo Ann Isken school leaders and teachers working a focus on equitable outcomes for all ([email protected]) is director together. We have observed increased students must implement a coaching of the UCLA IMPACT Urban ability for coach and mentee (the model that is intentional about Teacher Residency program, and learning partners) to reveal and discuss achieving those outcomes. Amber Green (ambermgreen@g. inequitable practices. ucla.edu) is UCLA IMPACT Other qualitative indicators of REFERENCES program coordinator at the Center the framework’s effectiveness include Darling-Hammond, L. & Berry, for Powerful Public Schools. Nancy increasing teacher agency and efficacy, B. (2006). Highly qualified teachers Parachini ([email protected]) is increasing engagement of all students, for all. Educational Leadership 64(3), director of the Principal Leadership and developing the ability of coach 14-20. Institute at UCLA. Annamarie and mentee to co-construct new ways Horsford, S., Grosland, T., & Francois ([email protected]) is to address equity in every coaching Gunn, K.M. (2011). Pedagogy of the executive director of UCLA Center conversation. personal and professional: Toward X at the UCLA Graduate School Long-term, the goal is for teachers a framework for culturally relevant of Education and Information to internalize the inquiry process to leadership. Journal of School Leadership, Studies. ■
Toolbox for SEL
Continued from p. 44 & Robertson, R. (2011). The impact Graduate School of Education. and pre-service teacher wellbeing. of working alliance, social validity, and Gretchen Brion-Meisels (gretchen_ Personality and Individual Differences, teacher burnout on implementation [email protected]) is 65, 81-85. fidelity of the good behavior game. lecturer on education and Stephanie Walter, H.J., Gouze, K., & School Mental Health, 4, 22-33. M. Jones (stephanie_m_jones@gse. Lim, K.G. (2006). Teachers’ beliefs • harvard.edu) is Gerald S. Lesser about mental health needs in inner Laura Stickle (laura_stickle@gse. Professor in Early Childhood city elementary schools. Journal of the harvard.edu) is project coordinator Development and director of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent and Rebecca Bailey (rebecca_bailey@ EASEL Lab at the Harvard Graduate Psychiatry, 45(1), 61-68. gse.harvard.edu) is assistant director School of Education. ■ Wehby, J., Maggin, D., Partin, T., at the EASEL Lab at the Harvard
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Photo by DANIEL RARELA/Child360 Child360 Program Coach Claudia Velasco (left) models how the classroom teacher might ask open-ended questions with a young student.
BY NOELLE V. BANUELOS, MARIEL K. DOERFEL, AND RACHAEL E. STOFFEL
BRIGHT or nearly 15 years, Child360 (formerly Los Angeles Universal Preschool) has offered coaching services to AND early childhood education EARLY Fproviders who serve children up to age 5 in public centers and family- COACHING INCREASES THE QUALITY based childcare homes. These coaching OF EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS services give educators the support they need to ensure their programs are places where children are happy and healthy, and where a love for learning is born. Coaching at the preschool
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oaches reported observing Cthat teachers improved instructional and behavioral strategies during the year. The following are examples of coaches’ comments during focus groups:
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES • “By increasing their ‘why’ level substantially improves teacher relationships, setting goals, maintaining questions, the teachers engaged instruction (Kraft, Blazar, & Hogan, continuous support (through modeling the children further by having 2018), which in turn produces higher- teaching strategies, providing feedback quality environments and practices that on observed practices, sharing resources, them analyze and reason their lead to better outcomes for children checking in via phone and email, etc.), comments and ideas more (see Pianta, Barnett, Burchinal, & and engaging in thoughtful reflection. deeply.” Thornburg, 2009). With this in mind, Each of these components is Child360’s coaching model integrates associated with its own set of activities • “The teacher was able to ask research-based practices that promote designed to support coaches in helping children open-ended questions teacher competency, confidence, and teachers reach their goals. during small group. She was professional growth. Child360’s relationship-based also able to prep the questions Coaching and professional learning approach is based on four theories and are crucial for developing early frameworks: ahead of time and write them on educators’ skills, but are less commonly • Appreciative inquiry, which sticky notes for the assistants to experienced by teachers in the early asks questions and focuses ask as well.” childhood education environment than on strengths (Cooperrider & by K-12 teachers. Whitney, 2005); • “Increased use of visuals to To evaluate its practices, Child360 • Process consultation, support children to know what examined the effectiveness of its which focuses on building to do, success with connecting coaching model during the 2017-18 relationships through concepts to children’s program year. Overall, teachers who questioning and asking, “What received coaching improved their changes would be helpful in experiences, and teaching practices, and their programs saw a given situation?” (Schein, concepts in the context of increases in quality ratings from Quality 1999); children’s play and hands-on Start LA, a tiered quality rating system • Servant leadership, which experiences.” that parents can use to make decisions encourages leaders to serve about where to enroll their children. others first to help them achieve individual goals while BEHAVIORAL STRATEGIES WHAT IS CHILD360’S COACHING supporting organizational goals MODEL AND WHAT SETS IT (Autry, 2001); and • “I was able to work with APART? • The Quality Counts California [teacher name] on supporting The central tenet of Child360’s Rating Matrix, which provides students with aggressive coaching model is that the cultivation seven elements of quality behaviors by coming up of positive and effective relationships that can be used to shape between coaches and teachers classroom-level goals (California with strategies to use in her strengthens early childhood education Department of Education, classroom. These strategies also programs. 2017). included helping the teacher This focus on relationships drives To guide the coaching process, practice mindfulness to remain the four ongoing components of the teachers work with their coach at the coaching model: building coach-teacher beginning of the school year to co- calm.”
December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 www.learningforward.org | The Learning Professional 51 FOCUS COACHING construct a quality improvement plan, Research suggests that proportional distributions of the most with at least two specific goals they aim when coaches receive the recent overall tier ratings and site types, to achieve by the end of the year. to account for potential variations in Based on this plan, coaches support and mentoring coaching activities between school support teachers to use research-based they need, the quality of district sites and family child care instructional strategies, including coaching they deliver is homes. asking children open-ended questions, We drew a sample of 200 sites from modeling the use of rich language and significantly higher. that pool, using proportional sampling vocabulary, and teaching concepts in of tier and school type. Once we multiple ways to make them accessible Child360 supervisors leverage both selected these 200 sites, we randomly to more children. supervision and support to guide their selected a single classroom from each As one coach described it, she coaches. site, resulting in a final study sample of focused on encouraging the teaching They provide guidance via three 200 classrooms. team to ask “why” questions of primary activities: shadow assessments We collected both quantitative and children: “By increasing their ‘why’ during two classroom visits per year; qualitative data to learn how coaches questions, the teachers engaged the reviews of site case notes; and periodic implement the coaching model through children further by having them analyze check-ins, which can be formal or their activities, how these activities help and reason their comments and ideas informal. teachers achieve their goals, and how more deeply.” During the shadow assessment coaching affected program quality. Coaches conduct site visits every process, a supervisor accompanies Here’s what we learned. two to four weeks, based on the the coach on a site visit, observing individual needs and scheduling the coach’s interactions with Teachers mastered their goals. availability of each site. Informal check- teachers, checking for appropriate When surveyed, 59% of coaches ins over phone or email may also occur implementation of coaching strategies, reported that they achieved more than between site visits. and then debriefing and reflecting with half of the goals they had co-created coaches about their strengths and areas with their teachers before the end of HOW DO CHILD360 SUPERVISORS for improvement. the program year. Teachers reported WORK WITH COACHES? To guide this process, Child360 on their own goal achievement using For our coaching model to be developed a rubric that contains specific a reflection form provided to them effective, Child360 requires coaches criteria aligned with the coaching at the end of the year. Lead teachers to have six core competencies that are model’s core competencies. Feedback from 74% of the sampled classrooms aligned with our foundational theories from supervisors on the rubric has been (N=147) reported partial achievement and core values: resourcefulness, very positive, with supervisors reporting or mastery of at least one of their professionalism, building relationships, that it led to more formal and specific quality improvement plan goals during facilitation of learning, clear debriefing conversations. the coaching process. communication, and reflective practice. These goals were most often related Coach supervisors employed HOW EFFECTIVE IS THE CHILD360 to language and questioning with by Child360 to manage and direct COACHING MODEL? children, behavioral management, coaching teams support all coaches. To understand the effects of our classroom management, and Research suggests that when coaches coaching model, we surveyed teachers instructional strategies. For example, receive the support and mentoring at 200 of the 540 sites we served in one teacher said, “My transitions they need, the quality of coaching the 2017-18 program year. These have improved, and I know how to they deliver is significantly higher. included both school district sites and implement learning during transition These supervisors are often former family childcare homes, and included times.” coaches themselves, with a personal a mixture of quality tier ratings at Another said, “Through the coach’s understanding of common experiences baseline. guidance, I became more aware of the and challenges. Before sample selection, we importance of teaching with intention Isner et al. (2011) described removed some sites from the potential during my interactions with the effective supervision as a balance pool. Many family childcare homes children and using every activity or of traditional supervision activities were already involved in an evaluation play time as a learning opportunity to (such as structured observation and related to coaching. We removed sites teach children not only the learning documentation) and support activities, from a large urban school district due objectives of a week, but also other including feedback and opportunities to union challenges and concerns. The concepts such as numbers/counting, for reflection. remaining pool of 340 sites contained colors, vocabulary, and social skills.”
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Programs receiving coaching increased sites (48%) increased their rating for REFERENCES their ratings. lead teacher qualifications; similarly, Autry, J.A. (2001). The servant Ratings of programs are generated 47% of sites increased their ratings for leader: How to build a creative team, by a regional quality rating and director qualifications. develop great morale, and improve improvement system, Quality Start bottom-line performance. Roseville, CA: LA, which assesses and rates early Support led to positive outcomes. Prima. childhood programs using California Qualitative data from focus groups California Department of state standards for quality care and indicated that coaches appreciated Education. (2017). Quality Counts education. the support, feedback, and reflection California Rating Matrix. Available at Its five-star rating system provides opportunities their supervisors www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/rt/californiaqris. families a snapshot of a program’s provided. asp. overall performance and the quality of This support likely enabled Cooperrider, D. & Whitney, D. its environment. them to provide coaching that led to (2005). Appreciative inquiry: A positive Once assessed, sites receive a tier improvements in teaching and program revolution in change. San Francisco, CA: rating from 1 to 5. In a separate effort quality. Berrett-Koehler. from the survey of 200 classrooms On a survey, 94% of 46 coaches Isner, T.K., Tout, K., Zaslow, M., described above, we investigated the tier described their supervisors as Soli, M., Quinn, K., Rothenberg, L., ratings for 292 sites across the Child360 approachable and “always available.” & Burkhauser, M. (2011). Coaching network, looking at changes from the The majority of coaches (90%) reported in early care and education programs and 2014-15 (or 2015-16) program year to they had opportunities to collaborate quality rating and improvement systems the 2017-18 program year. and reflect in many forms, including (QRIS): Identifying promising features. During this two- to three-year span, team meetings and informal peer Washington, DC: Child Trends. 40% of sites (116 sites) increased their support. Kraft, M.A., Blazar, D., & ratings. Over half of the sites overall Hogan, D. (2018). The effect of (51%) remained at the same rating WHAT ARE RESEARCH-BASED teacher coaching on instruction and since the previous assessment year. RECOMMENDATIONS achievement: A meta-analysis of the Only 9% of sites saw decreased ratings FOR COACHING PROGRAMS? causal evidence. Review of Educational during this time. The increases by tier Classrooms in our Child360 Research, 88(4), 547-588. rating were: network demonstrated successful Pianta, R.C., Barnett, W.S., • Tier 2 sites at baseline: 64 of 91 implementation of coaching activities, Burchinal, M., & Thornburg, K.R. sites increased to a tier 3 or 4 positive outcomes for teaching (2009). The effects of preschool rating. professionals, and increased quality education: What we know, how public • Tier 3 sites at baseline: 42 of 88 ratings for the children in their care. policy is or is not aligned with the sites increased to a tier 4 or 5 Our results demonstrate that evidence base, and what we need to rating. when teachers receive guidance from know. Psychological Science in the Public • Tier 4 sites at baseline: 10 of professional coaches, they can achieve Interest, 10(2), 49-88. 112 sites increased to a tier 5 their goals and provide a high-quality Schein, E.S. (1999). Process rating. classroom environment, ensuring that consultation revisited: Building the The ratings elements that showed every hour children spend at school is helping relationship. Reading, MA: the greatest changes were child meaningful, enriching, and stimulating. Addison-Wesley. observation, teacher qualifications, Based on our experience and • and director qualifications. The child research findings, we recommend Noelle V. Banuelos (nbanuelos@ observation element measures teachers’ that other coaching initiatives fulfill child360.org) is a research and usage of child assessments (e.g., the their potential by using tools and evaluation consultant, Mariel K. Desired Results Developmental Profile) resources tied to teachers’, coaches’, Doerfel ([email protected]) to track child progress and inform and supervisors’ goals, and by creating is a research analyst, and Rachael curriculum development, and 54% focused opportunities for coaches E. Stoffel ([email protected]) is of sites increased their ratings on this to reflect, share information, and a marketing and communications element. strategize. specialist at Child360 in Los Angeles, The lead teacher qualifications These systems and supports can California. ■ element and the director qualifications help create consistency to ensure that all element both include achievement teachers receive the same high-quality of degrees, permits, and professional coaching and support for their early development hours. Almost half of all education practices.
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Coaches from Fort Wayne Community Schools in Indiana work together in small-group learning communities during professional learning hosted by the district. From left: Kathy Gordon, Lisa Kelly, Jenny Relue, Rhian Crider Ferhl, Jana Laborde, and Faith Wise. THE POWER OF COACHING FORT WAYNE’S MODEL SHOWS WHAT AN INTENTIONAL LEARNING SYSTEM CAN ACCOMPLISH
BY KAY PSENCIK, VALERIE MITRANI, AND RAMONA COLEMAN
ffective coaches make time doesn’t happen automatically. It takes community than those who aren’t. for their own learning. As intentional design and support at Unfortunately, many coaches don’t they systematically engage the district and school levels. When have access to this kind of support in professional learning, district leaders keep a vigilant, strong or meaningful professional learning. they develop and deepen focus on the content and quality of For example, 86% of schools have Etheir knowledge in areas including the professional learning, coaches develop teacher leader roles, but only 32% Standards for Professional Learning common vocabulary and skills, which offer specialized teacher leadership (Learning Forward, 2011), adult supports equity for all students (Hirsh, training (Valdez & Broin, 2015). learning principles, and research-based Psencik, & Brown, 2018). Coaches Even in districts that offer professional instructional practices. who are well-supported tend to be learning for coaches, what coaches This ongoing learning process more engaged in their own learning often experience is one-time training
54 The Learning Professional | www.learningforward.org December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 improvement approach in schools and departments. And she was clear that the approach was not intended to be top-down but instead a way to build leadership capacity at all levels to sustain learning throughout the and curriculum sharing rather than organization. tools and ongoing conversations about The cabinet’s first focus was improvement. to explore effective strategies for Fort Wayne Community Schools, HOW FORT WAYNE BUILT the largest school district in Indiana, A LEARNING SYSTEM implementing the Standards for breaks that mold. A model of a Professional Learning (Learning districtwide learning system, Fort eginning in 2001, Fort Wayne Forward, 2011). This meant making Wayne illustrates the central role of BCommunity Schools participated a shift from one-time professional coaching in a systemic professional in a Wallace Foundation grant to development to ongoing, embedded, learning approach and what effective prepare and support school leaders. community-based professional support for coaching looks like. We Through this work, district leaders have worked with coaches throughout learning. The cabinet team established saw the vital role of leadership the district for many years and have definitions of leadership and seen firsthand how supporting coaches development in transforming their professional learning to guide the supports the entire system. schools. work of implementing the standards. Recognizing the need While the district focused on CORNERSTONES FOR IMPROVING for continued development, professional learning as the approach INSTRUCTION superintendent Wendy Robinson to achieving its goals, Robinson In 2014, Fort Wayne Community established a partnership with Schools set a goal to engage everyone realized that the district wasn’t Learning Forward in 2014 to rethink in the district in excellent professional supporting instructional coaches learning as the foundation for professional learning and redefine enough to ensure their success in all all significant implementation of how her district leadership team schools. She challenged her cabinet innovations. would become the model of learning leadership team to explore the most Deeply committed to learning for that she wanted to see throughout the powerful ways to engage instructional all, district leaders began with learning district. coaches in ongoing professional communities for academic services, The district established a learning interventionists, and instructional learning and create a coaching community of district cabinet leaders, coaches as the start of a ripple effect framework and a professional learning to reach all leaders and educators (see made up of chief officers and directors plan to support them. sidebar at right). from all aspects of the organization: Learning Forward senior They knew that instructional finance, human capital management, consultants and the district leadership coaches were cornerstones for social and emotional health, special team created a broad system for improving instructional practices, education, and academic services. learning throughout the district providing coherence in district Robinson stressed to them and expectations for curriculum, and that included principals, coaches, everyone in the district the importance building readiness to learn, and and teachers. The district’s model therefore for achieving equity. They of professional learning because, as is featured in the book Becoming designed a system of support that she said, they could not lead what a Learning System (Hirsh, Psencik, would focus on coaches learning from they did not understand. Robinson & Brown, 2018). Today, learning each other and experts in the field. considered it critical to engage central communities flourish throughout Two years ago, the district hired an office leaders, including instructional the district, from school professional external evaluator to assess the impact and noninstructional staff, from the of the systemwide professional learning learning communities of principals onset so that leaders had knowledge work. Those findings showed major to the finance and human resources positive shifts emerging in the district, of and capacity for a continuous departments.
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and coaches were a big part of these Coaches practice the district’s reflect on progress. improvements (RTI International, coaching cycle and support each other Peer support is important to this 2018). in solving issues arising in their schools, process. Coaches support each other Here we describe lessons learned such as what to do when a team is not in reflection and practice by coaching about the roles that coaches play and working well or how best to introduce each other on challenging issues in how the district supports them to new curriculum units or instructional their schools or designing a challenging thrive and make excellent teaching and practices to their teachers. coaching session together. They observe learning possible. each other coach. They share strategies Ongoing professional learning with each other. Instructional coaches have clearly strengthens coaching skills and As instructional coaches work defined roles and responsibilities. instructional expertise. together, they feel a sense of One of the first steps that ensured Coaches, like teachers and community with their peers. They coaching success in the district was principals, increase their effectiveness develop a strong sense of collective to establish a clear vision of what when they are engaged in ongoing, responsibility not only for the learning instructional coaches do and how long-term, sustained professional of their peer coaches, but also for they support and are supported by learning throughout their careers. Fort teachers in their collective buildings. others. In Fort Wayne, everyone from Wayne leaders acknowledge the power the superintendent and principals of supporting coaches with ongoing THE CYCLE OF CONTINUOUS to teachers understands the roles of professional learning. Superintendent IMPROVEMENT instructional coaches. Wendy Robinson insists that all coaches Engaging coaches in their own Fort Wayne’s instructional are present for their learning sessions cycle of continuous improvement is coaches are not just curriculum and and engage in their own learning essential for the success of coaches and instructional specialists or resource communities. the school as a whole. This cycle of providers, although these are essential She and other district leaders setting adult learning goals, designing roles. Nor are they assistant principals are clear with new coaches about learning strategies, implementing those or teacher substitutes. the expected skills they will develop strategies, monitoring progress, and Focused on student and adult over time, and they are committed assessing the impact of their learning on learning in their buildings, instructional to ensuring the resources, including teacher learning aligns with the cycle coaches are skilled in processes and funding and time, to implement that of continuous improvement that is at systems that lead those they serve to support throughout coaches’ careers. the heart of effective learning teams and learn and increase their effectiveness Fort Wayne’s process begins with systems (Hirsh & Crow, 2017). so significantly that student learning effective onboarding of prospective Fort Wayne established a self- increases as well. These skilled coaches and new coaches and continues with assessment and goal-setting process to empower teachers to take ownership for professional learning communities help all coaches focus on their specific their own learning and responsibility for all school-based instructional learning needs. The self-assessment not for their students’ outcomes. coaches. The content for these only caused instructional coaches to Understanding this important role, learning communities focuses on the think deeply about their role and their district-level directors and principals instructional core, standards students learning needs but also painted a clear ensure that coaches coach. They also are to master, and district curriculum picture of what the district expected ensure that coaches engage in their and instructional materials, all to ensure from coaches. own professional learning. They do excellent instructional practices. One of the challenges for Fort not derail coaches’ efforts with other Wayne and many other districts responsibilities. Coaches practice coaching regularly. is to monitor the effectiveness of Furthermore, district leaders No one gets better at something just instructional coaching on shifts in articulate to staff that instructional by reading and talking about it. They teacher practice and, ultimately, student coaches’ role is to ensure all innovations may develop deeper understanding, achievement. Coaching is effective over are implemented with fidelity through but they must practice to increase their time, as coaches build relationships, coaching rather than directives. effectiveness. Effective practice increases engender confidence in others, Coaches come together as a community effectiveness in coaching. and develop their own competence to develop competence in coaching, Fort Wayne’s coaches reflect (Psencik, 2011). deeper understanding of adult learners, constantly on their practice and That makes it difficult to assess and common strategies all might use make adjustments to improve. They impact at a discrete point in time. And in facilitating professional learning and continuously set regular goals for because a major aspect of coaching coaching. themselves, learn through practice, and is building trusting relationships,
56 The Learning Professional | www.learningforward.org December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 The power of coaching
and because good coaches approaches that positively are deeply respectful of impact their teaching and all classroom teachers, student learning. When introducing evaluative everyone understands the assessment into the process can essential skills of instructional pose risks to the relationships. coaches and values the roles they play, coaches serve their KEY FINDINGS FROM THE purpose well. RTI STUDY Fort Wayne Community An evaluation study of Schools offers an inspiring — Fort Wayne’s districtwide and still growing — example of professional learning system the power of coaching within found that the district is an intentional professional “on track to building the learning system. desired capacity of system leaders to implement effective REFERENCES professional learning” and Hirsh, S. & Crow, T. that teachers report this (2017). Becoming a learning work is making a positive team: A guide to a teacher-led impact on their practice (RTI cycle of continuous improvement. International, 2018). Oxford, OH: Learning The results also show: Forward. • Nearly all coaches and Hirsh, S., Psencik, K., & principals reported Brown, F. (2018). Becoming a feeling confident or Eva Trout, left, and Angie Everly-Anderson analyze learning learning system. Oxford, OH: very confident using designs for coaching teachers in developing reliable student Learning Forward. assessment strategies. the cycle of continuous Learning Forward. improvement to make (2011). Standards for changes to professional interviews and surveys, is that the Professional Learning. Oxford, learning (95% coaches, 97% Standards for Professional Learning are OH: Author. principals). The majority agreed taking root in Fort Wayne. This appears Psencik, K. (2011). The coach’s or strongly agreed that they to be having an impact. craft: Powerful practices to support understood how to use the Coaches say professional learning school leaders. Oxford, OH: Learning district’s theory of change and has positively impacted their practice Forward. logic model to develop school and built their capacity to support RTI International. (2018, June). improvement plans (96% teacher professional learning. Likewise, FWCS analysis of impact of professional coaches, 97% principals). teachers remarked on the knowledge learning. Berkeley, CA: Author. • Coaches and principals reported level of their coaches and described in Valdez, M. & Broin, A. (2015). using more data to determine depth how their coaches participated in Untapped: Transforming teacher teachers’ professional learning the process of designing school-based leadership to help students succeed. New needs (93% coaches, 100% curriculum with them. York, NY: New Leaders. principals). The majority of teachers (83%) • • Nearly all coaches and report using data more effectively to Kay Psencik (kay.psencik@ principals (93% coaches, determine whether they are meeting learningforward.org) and Valerie 100% principals) either agreed student needs as a result of professional Mitrani (valerie.mitrani@gmail. or strongly agreed that they learning and coaching. Furthermore, com) are senior consultants at understand better how to design principals and coaches say that district Learning Forward. Ramona Coleman teacher learning opportunities leaders are using a systematic approach ([email protected]) using adult learning principles to improve teaching and learning, is director of professional learning and how to provide learning which assists coaches and principals in at Fort Wayne Community Schools opportunities over time to ensuring equity across the district. in Indiana and a Learning Forward ensure new concepts become Coaching is a powerful professional Academy coach. ■ rooted in practice. learning process for facilitating others A major finding, according to to make changes in their instructional
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A DASHBOARD VIEW OF COACHING
DIGITAL LOG ZOOMS IN ON COACHES’ DAILY ACTIVITIES
BY LAUREN B. GOLDENBERG, VIOLET WANTA, AND ANDREW FLETCHER
arly literacy is the foundation collaboration with principals and refining teacher practice. of academic success and teachers, focus on research-aligned While coaches typically share their predicts outcomes far beyond reading instruction and are at the heart planned schedules with supervisors and elementary school. So when of Universal Literacy’s approach to keep detailed narrative records about only 30% of 3rd graders increasing the percentage of children coaching cycles, these do not necessarily Ein New York City public schools reading at grade level by the end of reflect a day-to-day account of their scored proficient on the state test in grade 2. work. Moreover, aggregating narrative 2014, district leaders began targeting Early in the initiative, we — a coaching reports would yield little improvements in literacy instruction in central office administrator and a small useful or actionable information. grades K-2. internal evaluation team — realized To address the gap, we began a In 2016, the New York City we needed a mechanism to capture at collaboration between the early literacy Department of Education rolled out a scale what these instructional coaches team and the district’s research office to major investment in early literacy called do with teachers on a daily basis. It was develop and implement what became Universal Literacy. The district placed imperative to find a way for coaches known as the digital daily coaching log. nearly 500 reading coaches in almost to discuss and report on their work 700 schools to provide job-embedded and to ensure use of what Kane and THE DIGITAL DAILY coaching for K-2 teachers. Rosenquist (2019) call “potentially COACHING LOG Coaches, who report to the district’s productive coaching activities” — those Coaches complete the online digital early literacy office and work in close that research shows are likely to lead to daily coaching log every day they are in
58 The Learning Professional | www.learningforward.org December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 AN EXAMPLE OF HOW ONE COACH USES THE LOG
oward the end of an eight- Tweek coaching cycle, the reading coach worked with a 1st- grade teacher on implementing targeted word-work within guided reading groups. A small group of students sat on a rug in the front schools. The log captures information areas of focus as well as the coaching of the room, practicing “tapping” about how coaches spend their time — moves they employed, e.g. visiting out the individual sounds in words for example, coaching teachers, working and debriefing, modeling, or side- with school building leaders, and by-side coaching. The coaches — all like “red” and “ham” while sorting providing professional learning sessions. former district teachers who have been the cards into two columns (short This is important because the ways extensively trained by the district’s early a and short e). coaches understand the focus of their literacy team — focus on and record work and allocate their time across tasks instructional practices and principles Using side-by-side coaching, varies, despite strong research evidence outlined by the National Reading Panel the reading coach provided quiet about the importance of spending time (2000). working with teachers (Elish-Piper & While the specific instructional instructions to help the teacher L’Allier, 2011; L’Allier, Elish-Piper, & focus varies from classroom to get the most out of her time with Bean, 2010). classroom, based on schools’ chosen this small group of students. Depending on the school they work curricular materials as well as teachers’ in — the leadership, the culture, and goals for their coaching cycles, the At the end of her day, the the needs — or their own preferences, practices are always research-based. reading coach completed the coaches might prioritize working with Because the district’s central office students, collecting and analyzing data, endorses curricular materials and digital daily coaching log. When gathering and organizing instructional provides incentives for adoption, she recorded her work with the resources, and administrative activities but does not dictate use of particular over coaching teachers in classrooms materials, coaches are prepared to use 1st-grade teacher, she noted the (Bean, Draper, Hall, Vandermolen, research-based practices that apply reading content (e.g. phonemic & Zigmond, 2010; Deussen, Coskie, across curricula. awareness, phonics); research- Robinson, & Autio, 2007). For instance, coaches are able The discrepancy between to work with teachers on how to based pedagogical practices expectations of coaches and the reality effectively implement phonics lessons, (guided reading, centers/stations), of their work has surfaced in several regardless of the specific curriculum, studies of coaching (e.g. Bean et al., so they can tailor their support to align and instructional coaching 2010; Kane & Rosenquist, 2019). In with the materials teachers use. As an activities (side-by-side coaching). one study of Reading First, coaches example, some coach-teacher pairs focus At a later date, she might were explicitly asked to spend 60% on implementation of the curricular to 80% of their time in the classroom materials used in their classrooms such use the log’s data dashboard with teachers or working with teachers as the supplemental phonics program to reflect on her work across all directly on their instruction, but while Fundations. coaches dedicated long hours to their 1st-grade teachers in terms of jobs, they spent on average only 28% DESIGNING THE LOG reading content and pedagogical of their time working with teachers From the beginning of the design (Deussen et al., 2007). process, we have aimed for the log to practices, as well as noting how In the digital daily coaching log, be what Yeager and colleagues (2013) much she has worked with each coaches select the individual teachers or call a “measure for improvement,” a teacher. groups they worked with and then note practical tool that is a regular part of the reading content and pedagogical coaches’ work flow and results in usable
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COACH DASHBOARD VIEW: HOW DO YOU SPEND YOUR TIME EACH PERIOD? Before school 15% 80% 5% Period 1 52% 45% 3% Period 2 64% 33% 4% Period 3 61% 36% 3% Period 4 49% 46% 5% Period 5 52% 43% 5% Period 6 47% 46% 7% Period 7 35% 57% 8% Period 8 28% 64% 8% Period 9 11% 89% After school 27% 66% 7% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% Work with teachers Other coaching activities Noncoaching activities
information. Our goals were for the log We created the digital daily all classrooms occurs within the same to be user-friendly and the dashboard coaching log to do two 90-minute block of time. actionable. We iterated on the design, Still, some coaches are managing to testing each version and remaining things: track the everyday work with teachers more than others. attentive to how the log fit into and activities of reading coaches In the 2018-19 school year, log reports reflected coaches’ daily work. show that coaches reported spending Each year, we undergo a and collect data to inform between 14% and 76% of their time in revision process to ensure the log is practice and policy. schools with teachers. representative of coaches’ day-to-day activities, aligned with the initiative’s OTHER USES OF THE LOG evolving policies and language, and as school building leaders as well as with During professional learning streamlined as possible. The current their instructional supervisors. (Log sessions, coaches have time to explore version of the log consists almost data aren’t used to evaluate coach and reflect on other aspects of their log exclusively of check-off items and performance.) To facilitate discussion data using data protocols. For instance, typically takes less than 10 minutes to about how much time coaches spend in one session they considered whether complete. with teachers, the dashboard view in the they were using instructional coaching One of the lessons we learned figure above visually shows coaches how moves strategically and focusing on the after the first year was that coaches much time they spend with teachers by right foundational reading skills, based and program leadership needed more period. on student assessment data. They also ready access to their data. Our goal was This view allows coaches to investigated the breadth and depth of to promote continuous improvement consider whether there are additional their coaching across the K-2 classroom among coaches by providing them times during the day they can use teachers in a school. with data they can use to reflect on and for classroom coaching. Inspired by The log also promotes improvement adjust their practice, but the first survey economic nudge theory (Thaler & at scale by providing a common tool required the evaluation team to Sunstein, 2008), we refer to this view as language among coaches, their process raw data and create spreadsheets a “research nudge.” supervisors, and central office staff — a for each coach. Over our initiative’s first three benefit we did not anticipate. It gives In the second year, we switched to a years of implementation, the average coaches a mechanism to codify their survey tool that had built-in dashboard time coaches spend with teachers has complex work in ways that allow them functionality, streamlining the process consistently hovered at around 40% to reflect on how they can improve of getting data in the hands of coaches of their time in schools. Several factors their coaching work at a building level. and leadership. constrain the total amount of time At the same time, it affords coach coaches can be in classrooms — for supervisors and program leaders an MEASURING COACHING TIME example, coaches work a longer day aggregate view across coaches and Coaches use data reports for than the classroom teachers, and, in schools, letting them consider variations conversations about their work with some schools, reading instruction in to better support coaches and help
60 The Learning Professional | www.learningforward.org December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 A dashboard view of coaching
advocate for systemic change in reading how much coaching teachers receive Foorman, B., Beyler, N., instruction, curricular materials (e.g. and student achievement. Borradaile, K., Coyne, M., Denton, the use of a supplemental phonics C.A., Dimino, J., … & Wissel, program where needed), and fidelity in REFLECTIONS S. (2016). Foundational skills to the use of reading assessments. We created the digital daily support reading for understanding For example, at coach professional coaching log to do two things: track the in kindergarten through 3rd grade learning sessions, the district’s early everyday activities of reading coaches (NCEE 2016-4008). Washington, literacy director referenced average and collect data to inform practice DC: National Center for Education time spent on each coaching move to and policy. From the outset, it has Evaluation and Regional Assistance, encourage more active strategies such been important to recognize what the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. as modeling, co-teaching, and side-by- log can and cannot accomplish to set Department of Education. side coaching. He also cited the data expectations and avoid pitfalls. Kane, B.D. & Rosenquist, coaches reported on their foundational Coaches record their time, and we B. (2019). Relationships between literacy skills foci — the five pillars hope that because the data aren’t used instructional coaches’ time use and described by the National Reading for individual accountability, coaches district- and school-level policies and Panel and the Institute for Education are as honest as possible. We are also expectations. American Educational Sciences (NRP, 2000; Foorman et al., clear that the log does not capture the Research Journal, 56(5), 1718-1768. 2016), plus writing — to emphasize quality of coaching interactions. With L’Allier, S., Elish‐Piper, L., & the importance of phonological and these caveats, we have found the log Bean, R.M. (2010). What matters phonemic awareness. to be a valuable tool with immense for elementary literacy coaching? Log implementation uncovered promise. Guiding principles for instructional tacit assumptions about the initiative’s We encourage districts involved improvement and student achievement. theory of action, as well as coaches’ in instructional coaching, particularly The Reading Teacher, 63(7), 544-554. assumptions about professional learning those grappling with creating coherence National Reading Panel. (2000). and school capacity building. For at scale, to implement a similar strategy. Teaching children to read: An evidence- instance, deciding which teachers to Using an off-the-shelf survey tool and based assessment of the scientific research list in the log provoked discussions a collaboration between the instruction literature on reading and its implications about what high-leverage coaching and data teams, it is eminently for reading instruction: Reports of the looks like. Should long-term substitutes attainable. subgroups (NIH Publication No. 00- receive job-embedded coaching cycles? 4754). Washington, DC: National How about paraprofessionals? These REFERENCES Institute of Child Health and Human discussions led to policy decisions, Bean, R.M., Draper, J.A., Hall, Development. with room for variation in individual V., Vandermolen, J., & Zigmond, Thaler, R.H. & Sunstein, C.R. contexts. N. (2010). Coaches and coaching in (2008). Nudge: Improving decisions Although the main focus of the Reading First schools: A reality check. about health, wealth, and happiness. log is as a measure for improvement, The Elementary School Journal, 111(1), New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. the evaluation team also aggregates 87-114. Yeager, D., Bryk, A.S., Muhich, log data to create briefings for Deussen, T., Coskie, T., J., Hausman, H., & Morales, L. policymakers, inform program design Robinson, L., & Autio, E. (2007). (2013). Practical measurement. and development, and use for program “Coach” can mean many things: Five Stanford, CA: Carnegie Foundation for evaluation. categories of literacy coaches in Reading the Advancement of Teaching. Unlike school-level measures such First (Issues & Answers Report, REL • as standardized test scores, which are 2007-No. 005). Washington, DC: U.S. Lauren B. Goldenberg lagging indicators and often fail to Department of Education, Institute of ([email protected]) detect the early changes that may be Education Sciences, National Center is senior director of research & indicative of larger gains later on, coach for Education Evaluation and Regional evaluation, Violet Wanta (vwanta@ log data can be considered a leading Assistance, and Regional Educational schools.nyc.gov) is a senior research indicator, allowing us to identify the Laboratory Northwest. associate in the Research & Policy amount of coaching teachers receive. Elish-Piper, L. & L’Allier, S. K. Support Group, and Andrew Consequently, we can investigate (2011). Examining the relationship Fletcher ([email protected]. whether students of coached teachers between literacy coaching and student gov) is director of early literacy at make more gains on an outcome reading gains in grades K-3. The the New York City Department of measure of reading. For example, Elementary School Journal, 112(1), 83- Education. ■ we can explore relationships between 106.
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COACHING PROCESS STRENGTHENS STEPS MATH STUDENTS’ CONFIDENCE TO SELF-RELIANCE
BY SUE CHAPMAN AND MARY MITCHELL
ll teachers of mathematics a classroom are complex, making it learning outcomes (Huinker & Bill, want to know that our difficult to know which teaching moves 2017), and it is essential that we do so teaching is causing lead to specific student outcomes. to address issues of equity and access. students to develop deep When we try to link our teaching to According to the National Council and lasting understanding students’ learning, we may feel we of Teachers of Mathematics landmark Aof math concepts, fluency with are looking into a black box, a space publication Principles to Actions: mathematical procedures, competence containing countless elements that may Ensuring Mathematical Success for in solving problems, and a positive or may not positively affect student All, “The question is not whether all relationship with mathematics. achievement (Black & Wiliam, 2010). students can succeed in mathematics Unfortunately, the relationship Through deliberate reflection, but whether the adults organizing between teaching and learning is however, we can examine the influence mathematics learning opportunities can not always clear. The dynamics of of specific teaching practices on student alter traditional beliefs and practices to
62 The Learning Professional | www.learningforward.org December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 promote success for all” (2014, p. 61). FOCUSED REFLECTION: Focused reflection is teacher- A LAB APPROACH TO IMPROVING STUDENT LEARNING directed professional learning that uses PLAN FORWARD • What can students do now? ongoing formative assessment aligned • What do we want to see with research-based instructional them do more? practices and standards. It allows teachers to operate as researchers and LEARN TOGETHER • What are we going to try? hold ourselves accountable for what • What is our data collection Teaching process? Learning we are teaching and what students are • What measurable goal are learning. The table at right outlines we shooting for? the focused reflection theory of change (Killion, 2008), which includes four APPLY AND • What happened? stages of planning and reflection, each MEASURE • How do we know? guided by a set of core questions for REFLECT • What did we learn? reflection and discussion. • What are our next steps? The work of focused reflection is complex and best suited for collaborative settings, such as in tended to mostly observe and listen, brainstorming the specific verbal moves partnership with an instructional writing down the more vocal students’ they wanted to hear from students coach or in a professional learning explanations so they could report out as they worked in collaborative small community. during whole-class discussions if called groups, interactions that would indicate To illustrate how these steps on. mathematical self-reliance. Together play out, this article tells the story of Knowing that students’ confidence they developed this list of things they Lindsey, a composite of teachers we and willingness to make conjectures wanted students to be able to do, have worked with over the years, and and challenge others’ ideas is critical regardless of whether they were quiet the process she goes through, which is to the students’ success in school and and shy or more extroverted: representative of the process we strive life, Lindsey and her coach shared their • Offer mathematical conjectures, for when coaching teachers. concerns with Lindsey’s grade-level strategies, or ideas to the group; team and learned that other teachers • Explain their mathematical FOCUSED REFLECTION IN ACTION were noting the same patterns. thinking to the group; and With the help of her math coach, They decided to use focused • Question or challenge another Lindsey worked hard to build a culture reflection to investigate and address student’s mathematical of respectful discourse in her 5th-grade this issue. Here’s what happened as conjecture, strategy, or idea. math classroom and help students they applied the four phases of focused Lindsey agreed to gather some see themselves as mathematicians, reflection. baseline data about individual students’ regardless of background, special needs, proficiency with these behaviors to or interests. However, Lindsey and PHASE 1: PLAN FORWARD. help determine what support students her coach noticed that, when students The core questions that guide this might need. Because this data collection worked in collaborative small groups, phase are: What can students do now? would require focused listening, some students regularly took a more What do we want to see them do more? Lindsey would listen in on one small active and vocal role while others Lindsey and her coach started by group each day so that she would have
December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 www.learningforward.org | The Learning Professional 63 FOCUS COACHING
data on each student by the end of the SAMPLE OF STUDENT DATA COLLECTED IN LINDSEY’S CLASSROOM week (see the table at right). The data confirmed her hunches: Data collection 43% of students didn’t exhibit any of the targeted behaviors during the time Offer Explain their Question or mathematical mathematical challenge they were observed. A small portion conjectures, thinking to another of students initiated much of the strategies, or the group student's mathematical thinking within their ideas to the mathematical small groups. In the most extreme cases, group conjecture, more assertive students led other group strategy, or idea. members through a series of steps to find the solution to a problem, thereby Students/groups removing an opportunity for the less vocal or confident students to make Harold personal sense of the mathematics. Derek 3 In every group, there was at least one Robin 3 33 33 student who took a back seat to others in mathematical thinking. Stuart Oliver PHASE 2: LEARN TOGETHER. Tommy 3 The questions guiding this phase are: What are we going to try? What Tomeka is our data collection process? What Robbie 3 33 measurable goal are we shooting for? Andre 3 3 33 Lindsey and her coach began with some professional reading about equity-based instructional practices for their growth in mathematical learning disposition. Eighty-seven mathematics classrooms, then agreed to self-reliance. (See the table on percent of students exhibited one or implement the following instructional p. 65.) more of the targeted behaviors during practices: • Provide support for students to the observation period. While Lindsey • Review the mathematics tasks try out the identified behaviors was pleased with these results, she in use to make sure they were by establishing discussion continued working toward the goal of low-threshold, high-ceiling tasks protocols and a rotating group all students participating and becoming and that they supported the facilitator role for small-group self-reliant. In addition to continuing use of multiple approaches and work. Provide sentence frames the practices she had started, she added representations. to support conjecture-making, the following: • Be explicit with classes about strategy sharing, and respectful • Conferencing individually with the goal of helping all students questioning of another student’s each of the students who were learn to rely on their own idea. not yet exhibiting mathematical mathematical thinking and • Repeat the original data self-reliance to support them expect mathematics to make collection process once a month in setting manageable goals for sense. Explain why this ability until the goal was met. taking risks in collaborative is important both now and in Lindsey’s goal was that 100% of group settings. the future. Explain the three students would demonstrate one or • Providing a weekly guided specific behaviors that indicate more of the targeted behaviors during math lesson for students who mathematical self-reliance and each collaborative group lesson. were hesitant to share their post these on an anchor chart. mathematical thinking in Tell students that they would PHASE 3: APPLY AND MEASURE. collaborative groups to give receive feedback on their use of The third phase is an interactive them opportunities to practice these important learning moves. process of asking: What happened and this skill with teacher support. • Give students opportunities to how do we know? Encouraging students’ use of self-assess their mathematical After a month, Lindsey saw growth mathematical representations to self-reliance in terms of these in students’ mathematical self-reliance support their communication of three behaviors and monitor and their awareness of this important mathematical ideas.
64 The Learning Professional | www.learningforward.org December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 Steps to self-reliance
relating to the impact of what they do. SELF-ASSESSMENT OF MATHEMATICAL SELF-RELIANCE An appropriate mind frame combined Today, I ... with appropriate actions work together to achieve a positive learning effect” Offered mathematical Explained my Respectfully questioned (2012, p. 18). conjectures, strategies, mathematical thinking or challenged another or ideas to my group. to my group. student's idea. The thoughtful work of these educators also embodies the definition Yes No Yes No Yes No of professionalism as defined by the Tomorrow I will work on ... National Council of Teachers of Mathematics because the teachers “hold themselves and their colleagues accountable for the mathematical success of every student” (NCTM, 2014, p. 99). When we adopt a visible learning In the third month, Lindsey also delighted by the support that the mind frame and engage in focused assessed again (because focused more confident students began showing reflection on teaching and learning, we reflection is an iterative process) and to reluctant students and the sense of are able to acknowledge our ability and observed that all students exhibited one community that grew stronger in the responsibility to gauge and improve or more of the targeted mathematical classroom. our effectiveness as teachers, and we self-reliance behaviors, even though Lindsey’s insights through the empower ourselves and our students as some students were clearly not yet focused reflection process included learners and as mathematicians. comfortable with these moves. She had the power of teacher collaboration, met her goal. the importance of encouraging REFERENCES In analyzing the data, Lindsey and students to be agents in their own Black, P. & Wiliam, D. (2010, her coach noticed more examples of learning, the value of identifying September). Inside the black box: students explaining their mathematical data to monitor students’ growth Raising standards through classroom thinking than either of the other related to mathematical practices and assessment. Phi Delta Kappan, 92(1), targeted behaviors. This is perhaps dispositions, and the use of this data to 81-90. a natural first step toward building guide instructional work. Hattie, J. (2012). Visible learning mathematical self-reliance, but it She and her coach decided to for teachers: Maximizing impact on made them aware of the opportunity spend the rest of the month observing learning. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin. to provide some focused support students and thinking about a next goal Huinker, D. & Bill, V. (2017). for the skills of question asking and to help them grow as mathematicians. Taking action: Implementing effective conjecturing. They also planned to meet again in a mathematics teaching practices. Reston, couple of weeks to plan a new focused VA: National Council of Teachers of PHASE 4: REFLECT. reflection project. Mathematics. Reflection occurs throughout the Killion, J. (2008). Assessing impact: process, but in the fourth phase it THE IMPORTANCE OF FOCUSED Evaluating staff development.Thousand focuses on driving next steps, using the REFLECTION Oaks, CA: Corwin. questions: What did we learn? What are Researcher John Hattie refers to the National Council of Teachers of our next steps? kind of work these teachers did — the Mathematics. (2014). Principles to Overall, Lindsey and her coach hard work of looking at the impact actions: Ensuring mathematical success for were pleased with students’ growth. of their teaching on student learning all. Reston, VA: Author. Students’ reliance on their own — as visible learning. As he puts it, • thinking had begun spilling over into “Fundamentally, the most powerful Sue Chapman (chapmans@ other classroom routines, with more way of thinking about a teacher’s role uhcl.edu) is an adjunct instructor students participating in whole-class is for teachers to see themselves as at the University of Houston-Clear discussions than ever before. evaluators of their effects on students” Lake and a professional learning The students’ literacy teachers (2012, p. 18). consultant at Math Solutions. Mary reported that the students’ newfound Key to doing this work, he writes, Mitchell (mmitchell@mathsolutions. confidence was also making a difference is teachers’ mindsets: “It matters what org) is a lead instructional designer at in how students approached their teachers do — but what matters most Math Solutions. ■ reading and writing work. Lindsey was is having an appropriate mind frame
December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 www.learningforward.org | The Learning Professional 65 FOCUS COACHING
ONE-ON-ONE VIDEO COACHING BRIDGING SUPPORTS RURAL TEACHERS THE DISTANCE BY CYNTHIA D. CARSON, CYNTHIA CALLARD, RYAN GILLESPIE, JEFFREY CHOPPIN, AND JULIE M. AMADOR
oaching is an increasingly Knight & van Nieuwerburgh, 2012). the National Science Foundation. popular and promising It can show teachers a clear picture of We designed this model, which method of professional their instructional practices and provide was grounded in the Standards for learning, but unfortunately, documented, objective evidence of Professional Learning (Learning many teachers do not have teacher moves and student responses Forward, 2011), to provide rural Caccess to high-quality coaching due to that are often different than what mathematics teachers one-on-one video geographic and financial constraints. teachers subjectively perceive. coaching with expert mathematics Technology offers an opportunity to Recognizing the potential of coaches. We have found that the increase access to coaching, especially technology for coaching in the rural model, which is being implemented for educators in isolated rural areas. areas where we work, we developed in New York and Arizona, has been Research shows video is useful in an online coaching model in a joint feasible and well-received by teachers, teacher education and professional venture between the University even offering some benefits not possible learning to focus on moments of of Rochester (New York) and the with traditional coaching. practice (Gaudin & Chalies, 2015; University of Idaho, with funding from For example, one participating
66 The Learning Professional | www.learningforward.org December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 HOW LEARNING FORWARD’S STANDARDS GUIDED OUR WORK teacher said, “I get observed all the time … [but this] was a much better way of he Standards for Professional Learning (Learning Forward, 2011) guided the having me focus on what I’m doing in Tdevelopment of the online video coaching model, especially the following the classroom.” standards:
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS Learning Communities Because our model took place in an online space, coaches had to be cognizant As we began this work, we of, and explicitly work toward developing, safe, collaborative relationships. We based our online model on previous developed norms of collaboration and relational trust by encouraging coaches experiences with content-focused and teachers to meet informally online before their first coaching cycle. coaching (West & Staub, 2003), This initial meeting helped the teacher and coach get to know each other which uses these coaching cycle steps: by inquiring about each other’s background, the background of the students in a prelesson co-planning discussion, the class, the curriculum, and their goals for their coaching work. In subsequent a co-taught lesson, and a post-lesson coaching meetings, coaches continued to be explicit about their focus on the reflection discussion focused on teacher’s goals for improving instructional practices and worked together to observations of student learning and construct those goals. implications for future instruction. In addition, coaches frequently reminded teachers that they were there Throughout our design process, as nonevaluative support for the teacher to reflect on and improve his or her Learning Forward’s Standards for practice. Professional Learning (Learning Forward, 2011) supported our thinking Resources as we transitioned our face-to-face Because many rural districts are strapped for personnel funding, we made coaching model to fully online. (See sure that the components of the online video coaching sessions could take place sidebar at right.) during teachers’ planning time or outside of their school day so that we did not Translating this model to an draw on district resources for substitutes. online environment meant overcoming We used Zoom and Google, as no-cost platforms, for communicating and some obvious challenges, such as the sharing documents. And because time is a precious resource, especially in rural inability to co-teach. To address these communities where many teachers often hold responsibilities in addition to challenges, we determined which parts teaching, we prioritized schedule flexibility with asynchronous meetings and of the coaching cycle were best suited video viewings. for synchronous or asynchronous Learning Designs communication. We grounded our coaching model in research about online and video Hrastinski (2008) has identified that coaching and face-to-face coaching (e.g. West & Staub, 2003). We capitalized asynchronous activities allow for deeper on the asynchronous nature of the online model to incorporate feedback and reflection on complex concepts and reflection, which coaching research shows are essential. allow participants to work at times that are more convenient for their personal Implementation schedules. Synchronous activities, on the The ultimate goal of the model is to support continuous improvement to allow other hand, lend themselves to building “educators to move along a continuum from novice to expert through application relationships, planning tasks, and more of their professional learning” (Learning Forward, 2011, p. 44). The coaching committed and motivated interactions provided is job-embedded, long-term, and allows for follow-up and new cycles to due to quicker response times. These build on past ones. considerations led us to develop our Outcomes online video coaching model (see There is a constant focus on both student and teacher learning outcomes. diagram on p. 69). Throughout the three phases of the model (planning, implementation, and TECHNOLOGY OVERCOMES reflection), discussions and practices emphasize student learning of mathematical CHALLENGES ideas represented in national and state standards. To get to these outcomes, the teacher and coach co-construct detailed goals for the teacher’s knowledge and Selecting the right technology tools practices. helped us make high-quality, standards-
December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 www.learningforward.org | The Learning Professional 67 Leadership Development
Learning Forward supports organizations in implementing sustained, standards-based professional learning grounded in a cycle of continuous improvement.
Learning Forward supports: We help transform your system • DISTRICT LEADERS to promote continuous improvement into a true learning system in teaching and learning. through onsite, customized support for your school or district. • SCHOOL LEADERS to ensure that educators are working in learning communities engaged in ongoing cycles of For more information, visit continuous improvement. consulting.learningforward.org • TEACHER LEADERS to form learning teams that engage or contact Tom Manning at [email protected] in a cycle of learning that includes analyzing data, setting learning goals, and implementing new instructional strategies. Bridging the distance
Teacher ONLINE VIDEO COACHING MODEL annotates a section of the video for coach Teacher Teacher to watch Prelesson completes implements Post-lesson conference (co- lesson planning lesson and conference planned) document video-records (debrief) Coach ■ Synchronous events ■ Asynchronous events annotates section of video
IMAGES OF ONLINE POST-LESSON CONFERENCE based professional learning possible in the online environment. We addressed the challenge of sharing materials by using Google folders, where teachers could post lesson plans and other materials before the prelesson discussion and the coach could review them. For the prelesson discussion, we used a videoconferencing software, Zoom, that allowed coach and teacher to see each other as they talked (see screen shot at right) and share screens if they wanted to simultaneously view documents in synchronous sessions. The prelesson discussion involved coach and teacher engaging in lesson design and task selection focused Coaches Cynthia Callard and Ryan Gillespie work together using Zoom to review comments on identifying and unpacking the from a video coaching session. mathematics; anticipating likely student strategies, conceptions, and the coach and teacher independently the video and annotations, provided misconceptions; and planning for viewed the video and recorded evidence to support a discussion opportunities for student engagement. annotations at noteworthy moments. focused on student learning. During the discussion, the Google Video afforded teachers and coaches We found that the specific, detailed folder and files allowed the coach the opportunity to pause, review, and comments of the annotation feature and teacher to collaboratively design rewatch segments of the lesson, and of the software helped coaches and the lesson by viewing and editing the a feature of the Swivl library allows teachers prepare for the conversations documents synchronously. coach and teacher to pause the video and served as a catalyst for many rich In the third phase of the coaching and type a comment or question about coaching conversations. model, the teacher video recorded the these noteworthy moments in the Of course, the online nature of planned lesson using a Swivl robot lesson. This annotation feature also the coaching came with challenges as with a paired iPad application. We allowed the viewer to navigate the video well as benefits. Some teachers were synched the Swivl robot with a marker easily because the user can click on an uncomfortable being videotaped. It was that recorded the audio as the robot annotation to be taken directly to that often difficult to hear students or see rotated and pivoted to follow the segment of the video. their work in the videos. In addition, marker (usually worn by the teacher) The final component of the the asynchronous nature of the around the room. Additional markers coaching cycle — the debriefing coaching meant a lack of opportunities could be used to audio record students discussion — occurred synchronously, for real-time feedback or modifications as well. When the recording ended, the after the teacher and coach had each in practices during the lesson, which video automatically uploaded to a Swivl viewed and annotated the video. But we had used in previous coaching, library that both coach and teacher before the discussion, the teacher and challenged us to find new ways of could access when convenient. uploaded student work to the shared providing the feedback and engaging Before the post-lesson discussion, Google folder, which, combined with teachers in reflection.
December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 www.learningforward.org | The Learning Professional 69 FOCUS COACHING
LOOKING FORWARD their ability to support teachers. mathematics lessons. Portsmouth, NH: Our goal is to expand our online Heinemann. coaching program to reach more REFERENCES • teachers in rural settings, as well as Gaudin, C. & Chaliès, S. (2015). Cynthia D. Carson (ccarson@ urban and suburban districts. We Video viewing in teacher education and warner.rochester.edu) is academic believe that online coaching can be professional development: A literature program coordinator and Cynthia effective in supporting teacher change review. Educational Research Review, 16, Callard (ccallard@warner. and provides access for teachers to 41-67. rochester.edu) is professor and reflect on their practice in new and Hrastinski, S. (2008). executive director of the Center different ways. Asynchronous and synchronous for Professional Development & The success of this model, with a e-learning. Educause quarterly, 31(4), Education Reform in Rochester, New focus on synchronous opportunities, 51-55. York. Ryan Gillespie (rgillespie@ raises the bar for the professional Knight, J. & van Nieuwerburgh, cdaschools.org) is an instructional learning community to continue C. (2012). Instructional coaching: coach at Coeur d’Alene School seeking new and innovative ways to A focus on practice. Coaching: An District in Idaho. Jeffrey Choppin improve access for teachers to high- International Journal of Theory, Research ([email protected]) is quality professional development. and Practice, 5(2), 100-112. professor of mathematics education By removing geographic barriers, Learning Forward. (2011). in the Warner School of Education at increasing flexibility in scheduling, Standards for Professional Learning: the University of Rochester in New and providing one-on-one support for Quick reference guide. Journal of Staff York. Julie M. Amador (amador@ teachers with content specialists from a Development, 32(4), 41-44. uidaho.edu) is associate professor distance, this model demonstrates new West, L. & Staub, F.C. (2003). of mathematics education at the ways to partner with districts to increase Content-focused coaching: Transforming University of Idaho. ■
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Mem ers he premier collection of professional learning ideas and resources for increasing educator learning and improving student achievement. on ooks, we inars, learningforward.org store and online courses.
70 The Learning Professional | www.learningforward.org December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 CLASSICSLearning Forward
THE POWER OF LISTENING WELL As Learning Forward celebrates its 50th anniversary, we’re digging into our archives to bring you articles that have had a major impact on the field along with commentary from current Learning Forward staff and consultants. The esteemed contributors whose work we’ve selected have built a foundation of knowledge that undergirds all of our work. We encourage you to revisit their insights to stay grounded even as you push forward.
IN THIS ISSUE, Cindy Harrison, Learning Forward senior consultant and former president of the board of trustees, revisits an article by Robert J. Garmston in the Spring 2008 issue of JSD.
s co-founders of what is now the Learning Forward Coaches Academy, Joellen Killion and I “Ahave worked with districts around the U.S. to enhance the skills of instructional coaches. We have used Bob Garmston’s work on conversation skills because it emphasizes both the emotional and cognitive aspects of coaching. “This particular article, published in 2008, focuses on paraphrasing skills, which are really pivotal to coaches’ conversations with teachers and leaders. Paraphrasing takes a surprisingly nuanced skill set. Understanding how and when to use different kinds of paraphrasing is essential for a coach to move the learner’s thinking forward. “Learning about each kind of paraphrasing and being able to use each type is one of the targeted outcomes of the Coaches Academy. Participating coaches report that
Cindy Harrison this module is one that has a great impact on the actions they take in their coaching work. Based on their feedback and our own experience, we believe every coach — and other education leaders — should read this article to hone their listening skills and deepen their communication.”
— “Raise the level of conversation by using paraphrasing as a listening skill,” p. 72
December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 www.learningforward.org | The Learning Professional 71 CLASSICS
RAISE THE LEVEL OF CONVERSATION BY USING PARAPHRASING AS A LISTENING SKILL
BY ROBERT J. GARMSTON
since feeling is first we know that the expression and Decisions are often informed by who pays any attention recognition of feelings is a major factor gut reasoning and feelings. Too often I to the syntax of things in conversational competence. This have seen a group member temporarily will never wholly kiss you … column explores the importance of overcome with sadness or discomfort, — E.E. Cummings expressing feeling and thinking. and the group tries to either comfort the person (“It’s all right, dear”) or ’ve just left Rome, and though THINKING AND FEELING withdraw. Both of these responses I spoke through a translator, I Meetings facilitate reflecting, signal that the group prefers that am very clear that emotion was planning, problem solving, members bring only parts of themselves being expressed in the room. constructing, and building community. to a meeting and that expressing Just as E.E. Cummings knew None of us are cognitive machines, emotion makes others uncomfortable. Ithat feeling is integral to relationships, processing only logic and analysis. A more respectful response, and one
72 The Learning Professional | www.learningforward.org December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 SHIFT LEVELS OF THE CONVERSATION
COMMENT SHIFT UP SHIFT DOWN
This class is making me crazy: no respect, Value: Discipline is very important to So a choice for you might be to make no order, no following directions. you. some rules about raising hands, taking turns, being courteous, etc.
If they won’t study, they won’t learn, yet Belief: You believe that learning So it’s puzzling that Aldo doesn’t seem some kids don’t do homework and still requires effort, yet for some kids, this to study, yet he excels on tests. test well. doesn’t seem to be so.
Some of our group meetings are Goal: What you want is a productive You want people on time, prepared, and unfocused and a waste of time. team. on topic. more useful to the group, is to accept well is hard work. In both the Cognitive of listening responses in a conversation. feelings with an acknowledging Coaching and Adaptive Schools work, Listening includes verbal behaviors paraphrase. Paraphrasing encourages however, we have learned that it can (OK, yeah, I got it), nonverbal elaboration, which ultimately moves the become easier in two ways. behaviors (eye contact, mirroring, group’s work into cognitive domains in physical referencing,) asking questions, which content can be addressed. Turn “I” into “you.” or probing for specificity. Listening is Drop the “I” at the beginning balanced with putting one’s own ideas PARAPHRASING of a paraphrasing statement and use and feelings on the table. Mention paraphrasing to some, and “you” instead. This eliminates the need All good paraphrases reflect both they experience a sense of uneasiness. to remember and use a nonessential thinking and feeling. Reflected feelings Sometimes, participants feel uneasy beginning to a paraphrase. An “I” in do not always need to be in words but because they have been on the receiving the paraphrase subtly shifts the message instead can by communicated by tone end of ineffective paraphrasing. In so that it becomes about you and not of voice, facial expression, or posture. addition, paraphrasing has generally about the person to whom you are been treated as a language skill, when it responding. “I” also signals that your THREE TYPES OF PARAPHRASE is a listening skill. statement is an interpretation of what Why paraphrase? In my work Phrases such as “I think I hear was said, further distancing yourself with groups, whenever members you saying …” may become robotic from the speaker. start spontaneously paraphrasing one with repetition, conveying a sense of another, I know a watershed in group inauthenticity. Improve your listening skills. development has occurred. Listening and then paraphrasing Paraphrases are never the majority Speakers know they have been heard or that you have attempted to Reprinted from JSD, Spring 2008, Vol. 29, No. 2. understand them. Paraphrases help you check your understanding of the
December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 www.learningforward.org | The Learning Professional 73 CLASSICS speaker’s meaning, and occasionally paraphrases can clarify a speaker’s GROUNDING ACTIVITY thinking. Paraphrases are categorized into three types, each with its own Form groups of six to eight. distinctive structure and purpose: • Members take turns talking. • Acknowledge and clarify; • When one member talks, all others are • Summarize and organize; and silent. • Shift discourse to a higher or • After everyone has talked, the first person lower logical level. to talk summarizes what was said.
Acknowledge and clarify. Post on a flip chart what you would like This form of paraphrase serves members to talk about. as a mirror to the speaker, reflecting • My name is ... what has been understood. When My relationship to this topic is ... a paraphrase misstates the speaker’s • meaning, the speaker often elaborates, • My expectations are ... making necessary corrections. In this • How I feel about being here is ... way, both parties are clear about the When all groups are finished, the facilitator calls on the first person in each communication. group to give a summary statement to the full assembly. Listening is direct, and stems are simple. “You are thinking …”; “You are • During a grounding, everyone needs to have uninterrupted time to talk and wondering …”; “We (a group member know that they are understood. Groundings, therefore, should be timed speaking for the group) are considering based on the needs of the group, not governed by the clock. …”; “In other words ...”.
Summarize and organize. lunchroom, on the playground — but from the speaker. To shift up in logic Sometimes a paraphrase clarifies the theme remained the same: Someone level to a more general term, search a speaker’s thinking: The speaker did something hurtful to someone else. for a category that would include the understands what she or he said as A teacher listening to this conversation concept you heard. Stop listening for if hearing it for the first time. This is said, “Our students do not show much details or themes. Listen for what you especially true for speakers who think respect for each other.” Suddenly the believe to be the unexpressed meaning aloud or for communications that conversation shifted to the more useful under the words. are complex. To do this, the listener topic of respect — what would it look Because you will be making stops listening for details and listens like, and how can we teach it? inferences as you use this form of for themes or patterns instead. This is A paraphrase can also ground paraphrasing, proceed with exploratory an achievable focus when a speaker is concepts when they get too abstract. A language and an approachable voice. covering many details. participant might say, “The problem The table on p. 73 contains examples of The summarize-and-organize here is communication.” If a facilitator such paraphrases. paraphrase metaphorically puts ideas responds with, “So you would like into baskets or containers. members to include each other on BEYOND PARAPHRASING “We seem to be struggling with the memos they send,” she has turned Other strategies address both three themes: where to _____, how to an abstraction — communication — the thinking and feeling aspects of _____, and who should _____.” into a specific behavior she knew was collaborative work. Groundings, used at “On the one hand, we _____ and important to group members. This is the beginning of meetings to value each on the other, we _____.” likely to shift the conversation to other voice in the room, can cover both. (See behavioral manifestations of good example above.) This activity also gives Shift logical levels of the conversation. communication. participants opportunities to practice Group members may have difficulty To develop an appreciation of effective listening and paraphrasing detecting meaning when the speaker differing logic levels of discourse, think behaviors. is either exceptionally abstract or of an escalator. First floor, Ford, second exclusively concrete. Recently, a group floor, car, third floor, transportation. REFERENCE of primary teachers was telling war To shift down to a more specific level, Cummings, E.E. (1994). One stories about children’s behavior. The search for a word or concept that would hundred selected poems. New York, NY: settings varied — on the bus, in the be subsumed in the term you heard Grove/Atlantic. ■
74 The Learning Professional | www.learningforward.org December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 TDiscuss. Collaborate.O Facilitate.OLS COACHES’ VALUABLE ROLES oaches play many valuable roles Cin improving teaching, including what Joellen Killion and Cindy Harrison call classroom supporter. In this role, coaches work side by side with teachers in their classrooms, demonstrating instructional practices and supporting implementation in other ways.
This tool, from the second edition of Taking the Lead (Learning Forward, 2017), helps coaches plan a demonstration lesson and debrief with teachers. It includes specific reflection questions and prompts coaches can use to make the insights teachers gain actionable.
December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 www.learningforward.org | The Learning Professional 75 TOOLS
COACH AS CLASSROOM SUPPORTER PROTOCOL GUIDES COACHES CONDUCTING DEMONSTRATION LESSONS
chool and district-based coaches have multifaceted roles. To ensure their work is strategic Sand meaningful, rather than surface level, school leaders must decide what specific roles and responsibilities should be the focus of their work. Joellen Killion and Cindy Harrison’s 2017 book, Taking the Lead, describes a range of potential roles for coaches, including resource provider, instructional specialist, curriculum specialist, mentor, and classroom supporter. They write that the role of classroom supporter “may have the greatest potential to make a dramatic impact on student learning” (Killion & Harrison, 2017, p. 65). In this role, coaches work side by side with This tool focuses on the first pacing and curriculum maps, student teachers while students are present phase of that: modeling through data, and other locally relevant to implement new practices and demonstration lessons. Coaches documents to set goals that are improve instruction. can use the first page of the tool to relevant and target instructional This role has three components: guide their planning and conduct the practices that are aligned to district modeling or demonstrating teaching lesson. The second page is a debrief and school goals and student needs. practices, co-teaching, and observing protocol that can be used to facilitate and reflecting on practice. When a reflective conversation between REFERENCE coaches are supporting teachers in coach and teacher, either orally or in Killion, J. & Harrison, C. using new instructional practices, writing, to ensure transfer of learning (2017). Taking the lead: New roles they can use these components to practice. for teachers and school-based coaches to facilitate a gradual release of Coaches and teachers are (2nd ed.). Oxford, OH: Learning responsibility from coach to teacher encouraged to use the tool in Forward. (see table below). combination with content standards, Gradual release of responsibility CLASSROOM SUPPORTER OPTIONS
When the teacher is ... The coach serves as a ...
Acquiring new content or Consultant/ knowledgeable other by modeling/ instructional practices demonstrating the new content or instructional u practice in the classroom with students
Ready to implement new content Partner/collaborator by co-teaching with the teacher in and/or practices with support u the classroom with students Ready to implement new content Mediator of reflective self-analysis and/or practices independently u Source: Killion & Harrison, 2017, p. 66.
76 The Learning Professional | www.learningforward.org December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 TOOLS
LESSON PLANNING MODEL
Step 1 • Discuss with teacher. • Identify from among a set of possibilities. Determine what specific skill, knowledge, • Follow an established plan. attitude, or behavior you want to showcase. • Choose from among predetermined options.
Step 2 • Make it visible. • Make it BIG. Plan how you will amplify what you will • Make it obvious. demonstrate in your teaching.
Step 3 • Share the lesson plan. • Co-develop the lesson plan. Preview the lesson with the teacher.
Step 4 • Help the teacher know what to look for. • Encourage the teacher to watch the students more than you, Assign the teacher the role of observer with a unless that is inappropriate. You want the teacher to see the data template. interaction between what he or she does and what students do. • Give the teacher a visit-preparation template or create one with the teacher.
Step 5 • Ask the teacher to share what he or she observed. • Ask the teacher for data about the impact of the lesson on Debrief the visit. students. • Ask the teacher to identify the process, sequence, or strategy used in the teaching. • Encourage the teacher to identify the reasons, the process, sequence, or strategy is successful with students. • Ask the teacher to identify a generalization about the use of the process, sequence, or strategy.
TIPS • All demonstration lessons are equal work for you and the teacher observing. • The purpose of the demonstration is learning. Amplify learning in the debriefing. • One or two demonstrations are great. Three demonstrations are too many. If you practice gradual release, you accelerate the teacher’s learning.
December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 www.learningforward.org | The Learning Professional 77 TOOLS
DEMONSTRATION/MODEL LESSON DEBRIEF FORM
How did this demonstration or model lesson help you? ______
What did you see that was effective? ______
What did you see that was ineffective? ______
What piece(s) would you use in your classroom? ______
What would you change or modify? ______
What pieces of this lesson need further clarification? ______
What is one suggestion for improvement of this lesson? ______
How can I support you in the future? ______
Source: Killion, J. & Harrison, C. (2017). Taking the lead: New roles for teachers and school-based coaches (2nd ed.). Oxford, OH: Learning Forward.
78 The Learning Professional | www.learningforward.org December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 UPConnect. Belong. Support.DATES
A WORLDWIDE COMMUNITY ttendees come from across the globe to participate in ALearning Forward's Annual Conference, representing eight countries and 57 states and provinces in the U.S. and Canada. How will you join the conversation? Learn more at conference.learningforward.org.
December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 www.learningforward.org | The Learning Professional 79 UPDATES
REMEMBERING SHIRLEY HORD t is with sadness that we report EMPOWERING that our friend and colleague, Shirley IHord, died in October at the age TEACHERS of 90. Hord was known to many as a prolific writer, scholar, and researcher, TO LEAD and she had an immeasurable impact on Learning Forward and the field of LEARNING professional learning. Hord spent much of her career eacher-led professional learning as a driver for strategic improvement associated with was the focus of a panel discussion Learning Forward co-hosted in the University October in Washington, D.C. of Texas and the TThe Learning Policy Institute, the American Federation of Teachers, and Southwest Education the National Education Association co-sponsored the event, which was inspired Development by new research described in this issue’s Research Review article on p. 16 about Laboratory (SEDL). Shirley Hord California’s Instructional Leadership Corps (ILC) and the value its teachers Her work focused placed on learning from their colleagues. on implementing change in schools, Panelists from states and districts, ILC, the sponsor organizations, and professional learning communities, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards provided insight into professionalization, and professional specific strategies, including teachers using feedback and analysis to educate development standards. colleagues on content and pedagogy and intentional use of thought partners to She was involved with Learning assist with addressing real-time instructional issues. Forward for nearly 30 years, as a Nikki Mouton, Learning Forward’s senior vice president of business lead faculty member for the second development, consulting, and content, encouraged leaders to view professional graduating class of the Academy, as the learning as more than a workshop or inservice and research advisor on several editions of acknowledge it as a foundational driver for change and the Standards for Professional Learning, improved results. She also emphasized the need for a strategic overseeing the development of the approach and alignment across a district or organization so Standards Assessment Inventory, and that professional learning doesn’t get stuck in “silos.” Instead, chairing the evaluation committee of she said, members of the organization should be working in the Learning Forward Foundation. “swim lanes — everybody has their role to play, but they’re Upon her retirement from SEDL, all in the same pool of learning. They’re learning some of the Hord was named Learning Forward’s same concepts, and the outcomes are all related.” Nikki Mouton scholar laureate. Since 2012, Learning Lily Eskelsen Garcia, president of the National Education Forward has presented the Shirley Association, said that professional learning shouldn’t be Hord Learning Team Award in her limited to teachers, adding the need to include “the learning community, honor (co-presented with Corwin), an the support staff, the bus drivers. It’s everyone who has an impact on those annual recognition of a learning team of students.” educators implementing a teacher-led Panelists also addressed the importance of active engagement by leaders cycle of continuous improvement that at all levels in professional learning and the conditions, contexts, policies, and transforms teaching. funding needed to leverage the momentum for continued progress. Randi Stephanie Hirsh, former executive Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, pointed director of Learning Forward, said, “She out the importance of policy in improving professional learning. She said, helped each one of us who had the “Policy won’t work without people believing in it. We have to examine how honor of collaborating with her become we actually align values with policy, focusing on collaboration in professional deeper thinkers, better communicators, development and creating teacher agency.” and deliberate planners. She was our Access the presentation video and related resources from this panel at guiding star.” learningpolicyinstitute.org/event/empowering-teacher-learning.
80 The Learning Professional | www.learningforward.org December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 Host committee project benefits the Little Bit Foundation
ach year, the local host committee Eof the Learning Forward Annual Conference selects a philanthropic project and invites the entire Learning Through the 1 2 3 Forward community to contribute. The READ! program, project benefits a community in need located in the area of the conference’s students are able to host city or state. This year, the St. access appropriate Louis 2019 Host Committee has selected the Little Bit Foundation. texts for at-home The Little Bit Foundation is a reading. nonprofit organization committed to breaking down barriers to learning for students living in poverty through partnerships and programs that serve the needs of the whole child. The foundation’s goal is to empower students to achieve their academic goals and dreams for the future, while leaving an imprint of love and hope on young lives for whom a little bit means a lot. The goal and the work of the organization align with Learning Forward’s vision of equity and Foundation provides academic Forward conference, participants can excellence in teaching and learning. enrichment supports that focus on stop by the St. Louis Hospitality Table Since 2001, the Little Bit literacy and STEM. Through the 1 to learn more about the Little Bit Foundation has partnered with St. 2 3 READ! program, students are Foundation and make donations. Every Louis area schools and community able to access appropriate texts for little bit can help our collective goal organizations to provide after-school at-home reading. Through the mySci of achieving equity and excellence for meals for students, access to medical Do partnership with Washington every child. screenings and mental health support, University and Maryville University, Learn more about the and instruction in personal and dental students engage in project-based STEM Little Bit Foundation at www. hygiene care. learning. thelittlebitfoundation.org. In addition, the Little Bit Throughout the 2019 Learning
2019 ANNUAL CONFERENCE FEATURED SOCIAL MEDIA POST UPDATE Nancy Routson, NBCT @Nancy Routson - Oct 10 We’ve added six networking sessions Follow us Every student, every classroom, every day. Proud to be supporting to our conference lineup. Attendees #TitleIIA on Capitol Hill today with my @APSlearns team. Thanks for on social having us, @LearningForward !! #LFAcademy21 @ERowdenAPS can sign up to meet others in similar media. @CateCoburn @ssarber roles, share successful strategies, discuss Share your challenges, and consider how to best insights and advance student success in your role. feedback Networking sessions are available for: about The • Superintendents; Learning • Principals and assistant principals; Professional • District and central office professional by using learning leaders; #Learn Coaches and teacher leaders; FwdTLP. • • Urban district leaders; and • State and provincial education agencies.
December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 www.learningforward.org | The Learning Professional 81 UPDATES
WEBINAR: ANALYZING ASSIGNMENTS FOR RIGOR AND EQUITY
Learning Forward recently hosted a to share examples of memorable webinar with Tanji Reed Marshall of assignments from their own school the Education Trust about why and years. Most participants shared how to analyze assignments for rigor examples of projects or sustained and equity. learning experiences that required deep Assignments are important because thinking about complex topics. they shape students’ thinking and skill- Marshall then shared a guide for building, affect teachers’ instruction, analyzing the rigor of assignments, convey teacher expectations of their which can be used for individual students, and influence how students assignments or analyzing assignments interact with the curriculum. As over time, and demonstrated how Marshall reminded participants, two different lessons would fare in the “Students can do no better than the analysis. assignments they are given.” The webinar ended with a discussion Research from the Education Trust Tanji Reed Marshall about using assignments as a vehicle for reveal that, nearly two decades after thinking about equity. many states adopted more highly college and careers. If you missed it, you can access the rigorous standards, students continue The webinar began with a review archived webinar at learningforward. to be given assignments far below the of this research across content areas. org/learning-opportunities/webinars/ rigor demanded to be successful in Marshall also asked participants webinar-archive.
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82 The Learning Professional | www.learningforward.org December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 Advancing equity through professional learning
earning Forward hosted a Capitol LHill briefing on advancing equity through professional learning in October. Panelists from across the United States shared their powerful Title II stories and data. Denise Glyn Borders, Learning Forward president/CEO, kicked off the event by framing the equity problem facing states and districts: Teacher shortages are rampant, with a national attrition level of 9% to 10% annually. Teachers leave the profession because they do not feel supported. And, not surprisingly, teacher shortages disproportionately impact schools with high percentages of students living in poverty. Principal retention is also at issue, especially in the highest-need schools. Research has shown that professional learning makes a positive impact on principal retention. Principal Photo by MELINDA GEORGE/Learning Forward effectiveness has a multiplying effect: Leigh Wall, president of the Learning Forward board of trustees, meets with Jon Bernstein, Schools that lack strong leadership have president of Bernstein Strategy Group, at a Capitol Hill event on advancing equity. high rates of teacher attrition. Schools, districts, and states across algebra 1 before the 9th grade, size reduction teachers for the country are using Title II funds at which point the pass rate is the district’s five highest-need to address this inequitable access to very low. The result of this Title schools. For the first time since professional learning and making great II investment was that 90% of 2005, all of Suffolk’s schools are progress as a result. the students in the first cohort fully accredited. Panelists reported that: met or exceeded expectations on • In Santa Fe Independent • Norman Public Schools in the PARRC Assessment. School District in Texas, Oklahoma is using Title II • The state of Missourifocused where 10 people were killed in funding, in part, to tackle its state allocation on leader a school shooting in May 2018, high rates of teacher attrition. professional learning known teachers and principals received The district is focused on new as the Missouri Leadership coaching to help students teacher retention and has Development System. Already who face trauma, resulting in hired new teacher specialists to the state is seeing 10% higher increased math and reading observe and coach new teachers. retention rates amongst scores, particularly among The result has been a 25% drop participating principals. students from traditionally in the number of new teachers • Suffolk Public Schools in underserved areas. that need to be hired in this Virginia invested Title II Learning Forward encourages all most recent year. dollars in coaches and class educators to be advocates. Watch the • South Brunswick, New Jersey, video of the Capitol Hill briefing, is spending its Title II funds to use our new data compilation tool to provide specialized professional Video, slides, and data summaries capture and begin to shape your story, learning to middle school math from the briefing are available at and share your data summary with teachers to prepare them for Learning Forward so we can herald learningforward.org/advocacy. a new cohort of students who your high-quality professional learning would otherwise not have taken story as well.
December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 www.learningforward.org | The Learning Professional 83 AT A GLANCE INSTRUCTIONAL COACHING: BY THE NUMBERS
ACCORDING TO THE MOST RECENT NATIONAL DATA (2015-16 SCHOOL YEAR):
66% of schools had sta with specialist or coaching 41% 37% 28% 10% assignments reading coaches general instructional math coaches science coaches coaches
READING COACHES ARE MOST COMMON IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, WHILE MATH AND SCIENCE COACHES ARE MORE COMMON IN MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS.
SUBJECT 50 50 50
40 40 40 44% 30 30 30 Reading 37% 33% 20 27% 20 29% 20 30% 10 10 10 16% Math 8% 13%
Science ELEMENTARY MIDDLE SCHOOL HIGH SCHOOL % OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS WITH COACHES IN EACH CONTENT AREA
schools with COACHING IS MOST city and large schools many low-income suburban schools PREVALENT IN: students
ACCORDING TO A NATIONAL STUDY OF PRINCIPALS AND TEACHERS:
24% weekly or multiple times per week
COACHING 33% TIME IS 35% 25% 40% monthly or multiple times 49% per month DEDICATED new struggling all other receive teachers teachers teachers coaching 16% TO: regular but less than monthly 27% a few sessions, not on a regular schedule
1 nces.ed.gov/surveys/ntps/tables/Table_5_042617_ _school.asp 2 k12education.gatesfoundation.org/download/?Num=2336& lename=Gates-PDMarketResearch-Dec5.pdf
84 The Learning Professional | www.learningforward.org December 2019 | Vol. 40 No. 6 THROUGH THE LENS OF LEARNING FORWARD’S STANDARDS FOR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
LEARNING FORWARD’S any of the articles in this issue of The Learning Professionaldemonstrate Learning Forward’s STANDARDS FOR MStandards for Professional Learning in action. Use this tool to deepen your understanding of PROFESSIONAL LEARNING the standards and strategies for implementing them. Ways you might use this tool include: Professional learning that • Discuss the questions in a professional learning community; increases educator effectiveness • Share one or more articles from the issue with your staff and facilitate a conversation; and and results for all students ... • Do a self-assessment of what you have learned from this issue.
Learning Communities STANDARD: DATA TO CONSIDER … occurs within learning The authors point out that typical documentation — IN ACTION • communities committed to coaches’ planned schedules and narrative description of continuous improvement, “A dashboard view of coaching” coaching cycles — “do not necessarily reflect a day-to-day collective responsibility, and goal (p. 58) shows how early literacy account of their work.” How do coaches in your school or coaches in New York City are alignment. district record and measure their work with teachers? using a digital log to record ______how they spend their time. Each Leadership ______day, they record with whom ______… requires skillful leaders who they work, for how long, and ______develop capacity, advocate, with which standards-aligned and create support systems for goals and practices. Viewing Many coaches get pulled away from time in classrooms to their data and discussing it with • professional learning. help with other tasks. How can you use data to ensure that supervisors helps them assess coaches can maintain focus on their primary role? their work, plan, and improve. Resources ______… requires prioritizing, ______monitoring, and coordinating ______resources for educator learning. ______
Data … uses a variety of sources and STANDARD: LEARNING TO CONSIDER types of student, educator, and DESIGNS As you reflect on this issue’s articles, what beliefs or system data to plan, assess, and • perspectives are you considering that you have not evaluate professional learning. IN ACTION explored previously? Beliefs and assumptions have ______Learning Designs an important but sometimes ______… integrates theories, research, unexamined effect on the way ______and models of human learning coaches and other learning ______to achieve its intended professionals approach their ______outcomes. work. In this issue, authors encourage coaches to examine • Do you tend to approach your work from the mental Implementation their mental models (p. 24), reflect on equity (pp. 10 and model that Killion (p. 24) calls the heart, the head, or the … applies research on change 45), and attend to student hand? How can you expand your perspective and better and sustains support for engagement (p. 28), among incorporate the three, as she recommends? implementation of professional other topics. ______learning for long-term change. ______Outcomes ______… aligns its outcomes with ______educator performance and student curriculum standards.
Learn more about Learning Forward’s Standards for Professional Learning at www.learningforward.org/standards-for-professional-learning.
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