1. Bringing the Vision to Life: Administrators & Coaches
Dr. Tory Hill, Katy ISD
Sharron Helmke, Clear Creek ISD

2. Job-Embedded Professional Learning (JEPL)
Trailblazers Action Research
Coaching
Reflective Friends
Data Teams
Common Assessment Development
Examining Student Work
Individual Professional Learning Plans
Lesson Studies
Mentoring
Portfolios
Professional Learning Communities
Study Groups/Book Studies
Tory
Talking a lot about coaching
Raising fear and anxiety
Important to let you know where this is heading
Where are headed
How to get ready for the change
Some decisions will need to be made now (e.g., common planning)
Getting ahead of the curve
Building teacher capacity action team

3. Think about the best teacher you’ve ever known…
What did the teacher’s classroom look and sound like-
What evidence of learning did you see or hear?
What was the classroom management like?
How was technology be used or managed?
How did the teacher facilitate retention and transfer of learning?
What other characteristics were, or were not, present?

4. Some studies show a 50-percentile point difference between three years of effective versus ineffective teachers (Marzano, 2004)

5. What can an effective principal / coach relationship accomplish?
Consider:
A suburban middle school in the greater Houston area:
Approximately 1,000 students
63% Economically disadvantaged
7% ELLs
31% At risk
15% mobility
11% special education enrollment

6. Year 1 of Instructional Coaching 2010/11
Failed to make AYP
2009/10
Sp Ed reading passing rate at 67% (TAKS)
Year 1 of Instructional Coaching
2010/11
Sp Ed reading passing rate at 83% (TAKS)
Year 2 of Coaching
2011/12
Sp Ed reading passing rate at 88% (TAKS equivalency for STAAR M)

7. Remediation Numbers-Reading
STAAR 2012
62 Students
STAAR 2013
27 Students

8. Principals and Student Achievement
Classroom Teaching
Conditions
Culture
Capacity
Student Achievement
Capacity

9. Coaching Goals Principal’s vision The Coaching Sweet Spot Campus needs
Content and instructional strategies
Teachers and teams
The Coaching Sweet Spot

10. How do you maximize a coach’s impact?
Hint: You wouldn’t ask this guy to make copies.

11. Guard Your Coaches’ Time
To provide ongoing, job-embedded professional development for teachers, coaches need to spend time with teachers engaged in activities such as
observing
modeling
conferencing
co-teaching
leading book study groups (Casey, 2006; IRA 2004)

12. of their time working directly
To be Effective in Building Teacher Capacity
Most effective…
Least effective…
50%
of their time working directly
with teachers
28%
of their time working
with teachers
Organizing book rooms, coordinating and administering assessments, district-level meetings
(Casey, 2006) (Bean et al. 2007), Knight 2006)

13. The Roles of Coaches Data Coach Resource Provider Mentor
Curriculum Specialist
Instructional Specialist
Classroom Supporter
Learning Facilitator
School Leader
Change Catalyst
Learner
Killion identified 10 distinct roles that coaches fill. Each requires unique skills and poses specific challenges. Coaches need support in all of these roles. Perhaps more importantly is that trying to fill all of these rolls diffuses the impact of coaches. The more specific the job description (“improving math and reading scores” vs. “supporting teachers”), the greater the impact on student outcomes. It is necessary to pay attention to the expectations held for, and by, coaches for the roles they will fill; to jointly set priorities; and to insist that time usage be scheduled in advance..
Killion, J. (2009), Coaches’ Roles, Responsibilities, and Reach

14. Modes of Job Embedded PL for Coaches
Out side of the classroom
PowerPoint
Video observations
Study text used by students
Book studies
Role play / scenarios
During class
modeling
Co-teaching
Lean-in coaching
Video taping and review
With teachers
Pre and post observation conferences
Setting goals
Conversations
With PLCs
Studying student work / calibration
Studying teacher created examples
Assessment writing
Data discussions
Planning instruction
Goal setting
We must understand and remember that coaching takes many forms and that many opportunities for coaching present themselves. To consider “coaching” as being synonymous with modeling or with the observation/conference cycle is too narrow a view and will miss many opportunities. A strong coach has a variety of coaching tools and techniques at her disposal and understand that her choice depends upon the adult learner, not her preference. It’s no different than teaching—one size doesn’t fit all. We must differentiate for the task and for the person. The bottom line is always student outcomes. Coaching methods that don’t result in improved student results are ineffective (akin to “I taught it, but they didn’t learn it” from the classroom teacher).
We need to create opportunities to allow teachers to practice new behaviors in safe environments, not in their classrooms. Trying something for the first time in front of students is a high risk behavior. We should avoid setting teachers up for that. We also need to consider the appropriateness of a high vs. low risk behavior for us as coaches. We risk our reputation if we choose a high risk behavior and fail.

16. Who should my coach work with?

17. Individual Teachers
Campus Improvement
Collaboration

18. Principals actively support coaches by:
Creating structures that allow time and access to teachers
Assisting coaches in understanding goals, priorities, and campus culture
Arranging for the coach to lead campus PL and engaging in some of the coach-lead activities
Actively referring to the coach as an important resource
Encouraging teachers to seek instructional advice from the coach
Viewing the coach as a partner in instructional improvement
Utilizing shared leadership that empowers teachers and coaches to explore alternatives
Some studies have found the principal leadership can be the deciding factor in the successful implementation of a coaching program.
(Matsumura, L., Garnier, H. & Resnick, L, 2010; Knight, J. 2006)

19. How to help a coach fail
Do not introduce them or explain their role to the faculty
Make working with the coach mandatory
Speak negatively of coaching
Imply that coaches were placed on campus because of low or failing scores
Do not include the coach in important campus groups, relevant committees, or social events
Refuse to intervene on matters that require directives
Fail to allow confidentiality between coaches and teachers
Require coaches to use the same observation or evaluation instruments used by administrators
(Matsumura, L., Garnier, H. & Resnick, L, 2010)

20. Course Lead Coach Dept Chair Defining role and responsibilities
Expectation of
inclusion,
communication, and
collaboration

21. What it is not: The Role of the Coach does not include…
Evaluating teachers Providing information that would be used for evaluation Serving as substitute teacher Serving as principal designee Taking primary responsibility for the instruction of an assigned group of students Developing or preparing school or district budgets Disciplining students in an administrative capacity Serving as the primary instructional leader for the campus Expertise upon entry

22. Description of activity Non Goal Related Activities
Time spent
Description of activity
outcome
Non Goal Related Activities
Time spent
Why or For whom?
Outcome observed
How was your most productive time spent this week? What on-going outcomes will be looking for, and over what time frame?

23. Effective Collaboration Between Instructional Coaches and Principals Wren & Vallejo
Not about “fixing the teachers”
Constant Collaboration between coach and principal
Shared responsibility for PL
Balance fidelity of implementation and building capacity
Principal must support the coach in words and actions
Coach must be a full member of the school community
Coaching is a full time job

24. Dr. Tory Hill Assistant Superintendent, Katy ISD Torychill@katyisd
Dr. Tory Hill Assistant Superintendent, Katy ISD Sharron Helmke Coordinator of Instructional Coaching, Clear Creek ISD