Planning and Executing Professionals Helping Professionals Through Supervision and Coaching

The Mastery of Teaching Strategies and Models Theory Demonstration Practice Feedback

What is Supervision/Coaching? Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Types of Coaching on the ASCD Tape Mirroring Collaborative Expert

Other Types of Coaching Technical Collegial Challenge

What Does Coaching (Supervising) Entail? Pre-Conference Observation and Data Gathering Post-Conference

Coaching (clinical supervision) … …is, at it’s most basic level, a set of nonjudgmental practices built around a Planning Conference, Lesson Observation, and a Reflecting Conference. Costa & Garmston, 1994

The Planning or Pre- Conference The Planning conference sets the stage for effective clinical supervision. (Acheson & Gall, p. 61)

The Planning or Pre- Conference …is organized around an agenda that calls for the identification of teacher concerns, possible solutions to these concerns, and observation techniques. (Acheson & Gall, p. 61)

Johari Window Known to Unknown to Self Self Known to Others Unknown to Others Arena Blindspot Private Unknown Arena

Benefits of Planning Conference Discussion of purpose and events of formal supervision Teacher shares components of the lesson and strategies to be used Supervisor gains understanding of the special contexts of the classroom

Remember… his/her agenda…not ours…

Remember, always This is the teacher’s classroom and it is unique…. AND (s)he knows more about it than you ever will….

G-E-O Triangle Goal Experienced Observed satisfaction competence realism

Topics of Planning Conference Objectives of the lesson Methods of presentation Learning expectations from students Special teaching needs Explicit concerns the teacher wants to examine/validate by means of data Teacher shares concerns about expected “bumps” in the lesson Expectations of the observer

Sometimes… Teachers know exactly what they want observed … And the coach’s job….

Problem Filter

But, Generally Speaking… Teacher concerns are more global than specific And the coach’s job….

Supervisory Problem #8 Determining What to Observe Global Issue Shows Up In The Classroom as ???????

Hints from… Borich (pp ; 31-35) Good & Brophy (pp )

Structuring the Pre-Observation Interview Grand Tour Questions - Typical “Tell me about a typical_____.” (Day, class period, lesson) “Tell me more about what students do when you _____.” This approach allows the teacher to generalize about his/her teaching so that you can uncover patterns of action After James Spradley & Phil Carspecken

Structuring the Pre-Observation Interview Grand Tour Questions - Specific “Tell me about what happened in ______ yesterday.” “You mentioned _______’s name several times. Tell me about what she does in your classroom.” Respondents will produce more details when describing a specific, concrete event. After James Spradley

Structuring the Pre-Observation Interview Example Questions “You said that _________ is a wild child. What does a wild child do?” (or) “Can you give me an example of things that a wild child does in class?” “You said that the kids are just not getting it. What gives you this impression?” Focuses the coach on specific behaviors or interaction patterns to observe. After James Spradley

Structuring the Pre-Observation Interview Contrast Questions “You said that theory is fine but this just won’t work in the real world. What are the differences between theory and what works in the real world?” Gives the teacher an opportunity to explain his/her practice in contrast to typical expectations. After James Spradley

How Long Does This Take? Remember? N W E S

Some Hints from Successful Coaching Teams Start slowly..it’s like any new skill Trust, trust, trust…”it’s a leap of faith” Don’t get caught up in a “throw down” lesson Maybe the first cycle can be just “drop in” and see….

Some Hints from Successful Coaching Teams Teachers often have multiple issues…the coach still needs to focus on one issue at a time Don’t get caught up with “X is good” – halos can’t cloud data gathering Oh, yes, “X is bad” comes in sometime….

And remember… Agreement on data to be collected must come from the teacher’s issues, not the coach’s ALWAYS…it’s a concern in search of an instrument, not an instrument in search of data If possible, let the teacher choose the data gathering device – or develop it together!

G-E-O Triangle Goal Experienced Observed satisfaction competence realism Try to have the teacher tell you what would satisfy her/him!

Finally… Always recall that you are not the principal’s “hit man”

Collecting Data Hints from Successful Coaching Teams Be like a “fly on the wall” (Remember the Heisenberg Effect) Kids should know why there is a “stranger” in the room Coaches refuse to be involved in the lesson Coaches don’t have to be there long! Observations tied to agreement in Pre-Conference

Agree on… Lesson to be observed, time, place Commit to it!

Neutiquam erro!