Coaching to Transform Teaching

What is Coaching?

"Coaching is not a quick fix, but it can be a real fix - a powerful way to help teachers and students be more successful."

-Jill Jackson, Jackson Consulting

Coaching is a process that engages the essential trio: Principal, Teacher, and Coach in supporting instructional change. The trio focuses on instructional practice that will impact student achievement. The coach is the teacher’s and principal’s tool to make it all happen.

TOGETHER WE WILL IDENTIFY THE INSTRUCTIONAL FOCUS AND HOW WE'LL WORK TOGETHER TO PLAN INSTRUCTION. WE WILL IMPLEMENT ONE OR MORE OF THE COACHING MODELS, AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THE INSTRUCTIONAL FOCUS

A coach is one who helps teachers to recognize what they know and can do, assists teachers as they strengthen their ability to make more effective use of what they know and do, and supports teachers as they learn more and do more. Cathy Toll, Literacy Coaches Survival Guide

Why Coaching?

Effective teaching comes down to four things:

Classroom management
Student engagement
Lesson planning and preparation
Lesson delivery

When teachers refine their skills in these areas, student achievement improves. Coaching is the process by which principals, teachers, and coaches work together to develop, implement, and support these critical features of instruction.

Steps in the Coaching Process

Step 1

Pre-conversation with coach and teacher
Follow-up on the professional learning
Establish a clear focus for coaching tied to the professional learning
Select the coaching model together
Establish the who, what, when, where, and how

Step 2

Collect data
Carry out the coaching model in the classroom
Collect data during the session

Step 3

Prompt reflection
Talk about the classroom session
Review the data and reflect on the meaning
Provide recommendations
Plan for next time

Ways to coach: models for coaching

Demonstration Coaching004

Coach demonstrates lesson while teacher watches
Meet for mutual reflection on lesson and determine teacher’s next steps

Observation

Coach observes educator teaching pre-selected lesson with
pre-determined focus
Meet for mutual reflection on lesson and next steps

Side-by-side

Both coach and teacher study and prepare for a pre-determined lesson
Teacher assumes lead role, with coach assisting via demonstration, correction and/or reinforcement of specific aspects of the lesson
Meet for mutual reflection on lesson and next steps