Coaching and Supervision: Darkening the Dotted Line Kim St. Martin, Ph.D. Caryn Ward, Ph.D. November, 2016

Outcomes Distinguishing between “coach” and “leader as supervisor” roles Steps to prevent confusion between both roles Steps to repair confusion between both roles

Defining Key Terms Educational Supervision: identifies work duties of administrators to ensure the educational institution operates efficiently, effectively, and within the legal requirements Educational Leadership: work with teachers to improve the educational processes in districts / schools Above and beyond management and administrative tasks (e.g. supervision)

Defining Key Terms (cont.) Coaching: Regular, embedded professional development designed to help teachers and staff use the innovation as intended. Effective Innovation: A set of defined practices used in schools to achieve outcomes that have been proven to produce desired results

1.0 Unpacking the “Coach” and “Leader as Supervisor” Roles Functions (purpose) of roles are different

Coaching Role Coach functions: Develop knowledge, skills, and abilities of teachers / practitioners Encourage reflection and accurate self-reporting using data Provide personal support Time coaches spend on each of the three areas depends on how new the learning is for the recipient(s) of coaching

Critical Features of Coaching Multiple methods of coaching including: Observation* Prompting Modeling Teaching Consultation Intensity (frequency X duration) of coaching based on competency of the coachee (use of fidelity data Feedback Communication

Supervisor functions: Supervisor Role Supervisor functions: Leadership Problem-solving Decision making

Principal Leadership Research Literature review identified the following critical features of leadership: Distributive leadership Establishing priorities and defining goals Aligning existing resources to priorities Coordinating the instructional program

Principal Leadership Research (cont.) Leading teacher learning (defined as ensuring high quality PD is accessible to teachers / staff) Acquiring and applying important knowledge of what leaders are leading staff’s use Solving complex problems Addressing personnel issues while maintaining trust

Activity Read the summary from the Leadership White Paper. Agree, disagree / why? “When looking at the purpose of coaching and the methods coaches will use, aspects of the leadership role related to effective innovations are not synonymous with the coaching role.”

Alignment to Leadership Critical Features Coach vs. Supervisor Supervision functions: Leadership Alignment to Leadership Critical Features Distributive leadership Establishing priorities and defining goals Leading teacher learning (defined as ensuring high quality PD is accessible to teachers / staff) Acquiring and applying important knowledge of what leaders are leading staff’s use

Alignment to Leadership Critical Features: Coach vs. Supervisor Supervision Functions: Problem-solving Decision making Alignment to Leadership Critical Features: Aligning existing resources to priorities Coordinating the instructional program Solving complex problems Addressing personnel issues while maintaining trust

Activity Fold a piece of paper in half (length wise) One side: Coach; One side: Supervisor Reflect on your current position. Under coach, identify the name of your Coach and list what supports you have received. Under supervisor, Identify the name of your Supervisor and list what supports you have received. How are the supports similar and/or different? Share your reflections with a partner.

2.0 Preventing Confusion Between Roles

Prevention Strategies Use a high-quality selection process Create a formative assessment to be used to assess background knowledge for the sole purpose of developing a plan to strengthen staff’s skills to successfully use an innovation Work with the district to develop a coaching system to ensure staff are supported based on individualized needs – will tease out shortly

Prevention Strategies (cont.) Always create support plans for staff (new or existing) that are starting to learn how to effectively use an innovation

Support Plan Components Individuals (team) that will be “go-to” people to support identified staff Professional learning needs Mechanism to develop individual Timeline Things to do in preparation for learning Known dates to add to calendar Possibilities for dates based on identified learning needs

All of the prevention strategies will increase the likelihood individuals are supported by specific people best equipped to develop the specified knowledge, skills and abilities. This is all before an evaluation is conducted.

Leader’s Role in Prevention Supporting use of high quality selection process (e.g., reviewing interview protocols to ensure opportunities for skill assessments) Ask to review data from selection process and help to identify areas to be targeted in training Work with team to develop a system to support coaching which will require problem solving, allocation of resources, and decision making.

Coaching System: Definition Coaching System: includes essential guidelines and procedures for how to support staff in their use of effective innovations Outlines roles and responsibilities for: Coach Recipients of coaching

Unpacking “Selected Staff” Selected staff means: Staff that are either already working within the district / school or are newly hired to work within the district / school Focus is on staff that have been selected to use the components of Effective Innovations”

Unpacking “Selected Staff” (cont.) Examples: School leadership team members New teachers Current teaching staff in their use of a new effective innovation used to support the core curriculum Title / interventionists supporting groups or individual students with academic supports Social workers, counselors supporting groups or individual students with behavior supports

Coaching System Components Identifies the following: Coaching service delivery expectations Coach roles and responsibilities that can be embedded into job descriptions Selection guidelines and procedures District decisions (time, incentives, decision-making authority, etc.) Supervision and accountability structures

Elephant: No Coaches or Coaching System Short term solution: Think about a specific group of staff you want to focus on (e.g., title teachers, paraeducators, new teachers to the building or grade level) List out the major bodies of work the group / staff must know how to do to be successful in their role Develop a formative assessment outlining specific questions or application activities

No Coaches or Coaching System (cont.) Short term solution (cont.): Outline the people in comparable roles that would have “nailed” the formative assessment Outline what you would like those individuals to do to deepen the groups / staff knowledge Outline independent learning for the groups / staff since the reality is to learn something really well requires a combination of instructional methods (independent study, observations of others, co-planning, co-teaching / facilitation, product development)

No Coaches or Coaching System (cont.) Short term solution (cont.): Outline the supports in a table with timelines, people responsible, and links to any important info Outline how you will check in with the people receiving the supports and the people providing the supports

Example Staff Support Plan

Leader Benefits to Individualized Plans Realistic expectations Clarity about what the focus is of learning, who is responsible for aspects of the learning, and when the learning is expected to occur Leadership evaluation should focus on the focus of learning (where possible) Transparency

Staff Benefits Realistic expectations Clarity Transparency Keeps the coaching functions and supervision functions separate

Activity What are the facilitators and barriers to developing individualized plans? Be prepared to report out.

3.0 Steps for Repairing

Repairing Strategies Implement the short term solution listed in the previous slides Provide a disclosure of confidentiality, including how when, and what information used for supervision – this is especially important since the support plan process is new and coaching / supervisor roles were muddied

Repairing Strategies (cont.) Be transparent and explicit which role are you functioning within Coachee ask for it be identified Coach brings in colored cards noting which when conducting observations Prioritizing coaching for budgeting Data to indicate need for coaching

Activity What are the facilitators and barriers to developing individualized plans? Be prepared to report out.

Thank You Kim St. Martin, Ph.D. MIBLSI Assistant Director kstmartin@miblsimtss.org Caryn Ward, Ph.D. NIRN Associate Director caryn.ward@unc.edu