Critical Friends to Support ERWC Fidelity Kathleen D. Rowlands ERWC i3 Coaches

Broad Definition of Critical Friends Work A process thorough which professional educators work together: to reflect on current practices; to expand, refine, and build new skills; to share ideas and teach one another; to conduct classroom research; to solve workplace problems How to Plan and Implement a Peer Coaching Program Pam Robbins, 1991, ASCD p. 1

Coaching Purposes “To improve the instructional practices of teachers in order to increase student learning” (163); To develop teacher potential; and To support teachers. Professional Development: What Works Sally J. Zepeda 2008

Types of Coaching C ollegial coaching I nstructional coaching L iteracy coaching M entor coaching P eer coaching Professional Development: What Works --Sally J. Zepeda 2008

Critical Friends Do work that is analogous to that of peer coaching.

Taking Coaching to Scale Number of Districts: ? Number of Schools: ? Number of Teachers: ?

Two ERWC Coaching Models Critical Friends For colleagues in a building to use together for support, to improve instruction, and to address grant issues. Instructional Coaching For the Advisory Board member or the ERWC Professional Developer to use with individual teachers or a school.

Both ERWC Models Solid professional development models. CLEAR separation of coaching and evaluation. Focus on fidelity of implementation and student learning.

Bridging the Gaps What ERWC teachers know and can do…and what we need them to know and be able to do— with FIDELITY!.

CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE COACHING (BOTH MODELS)

4 C’s of Effective Coaching Collaboration Communication Consistency Clarity of Vision

Key Coaching Components Collaboration, NOT evaluation Trust Friendly, supportive, and interactive learning environment.

Tasks of the Coach Help with setting goals Encouraging action Acting as a sounding board Giving feedback Prompting Questioning

Effective Conferencing (separating the person from the practice) Common language Specific focus Hard evidence-objective data Interaction Predictability Reciprocity

CRITICAL FRIENDS WORK …is different…

Critical Friends Coaching Helps ensure the transfer of newly learned skills from an in- service learning opportunity into practice. “In-class training by a supportive partner who helps a teacher correctly apply skills learned in a workshop” (Joyce and Showers 1982, p. 5).

Critical Friends THINKING PARTNERS: we are thinking through and learning together as a team. Less formal than instructional coaching Teachers should select their own partners. There is a rule: peer coaches can get a divorce.

Some Characteristics of the Relationship Critical Friends partnerships are voluntary. Information shared within the relationship is strictly confidential. Each participant is responsible to complete any work that both have deemed beneficial.

Critical Friends Coaching Model “Inviting teacher” steers the coaching process: Observation focus; Form of data collection; Agreed upon guidelines for coach’s and mentee’s behavior; Discussion parameters; Date and time of observation.

Focus on the Practical Effective coaching partnerships focus on the practical, not the abstract. (“It’s About the Questions” p. 76)

Data Collection Focus “One of most difficult aspects of peer coaching, after conquering feelings of discomfort about teaching publically, is deciding on a focus for the observation” (29). Inviting teacher might start with a safe focus—something he or she is confident about and does well. Brainstorm menu of options Determining data collection method Essential that inviting teacher and coach talk about data collection instrument in detail so that data collected matches desired focus. Data collection must be manageable for the coach and relevant to the inviting teacher.

How To Be a Critical Friend As you watch: What is the relationship between the partners? What are your key take-aways?

USEFUL TOOLS

Coaching Tools 1.Observation and modeling Pre-observation conference, extended classroom observation, post-observation conference Discussions about teaching and learning…theirs and their students’ learning. 2.Questions to help them develop a habit of reflective practice. 3.Protocols: specific routines for observation, looking at student work, etc.

A Useful Model

Post-Conference Collaborative: characterized by a mutual discussion of the teaching observed. Critical Friend asks teacher to reflect on what happened as expected or planned and what happened differently. Inviting teacher analyzes what teaching or student behaviors contributed to outcomes. The teacher determines what changes to make when teaching the lesson again.

Post-Conference Mirroring: “Here are the data you asked me to collect. If you have any questions, please let me know.”

Post Conference Critical Friend asks the inviting teacher questions to promote reflection about the lesson. Questions; what happened as expected? What happened differently from expectations? How would the inviting teacher teach this lesson next time?

Good Questions

“It’s about the Questions” “A coaching relationship isn’t about providing a quick fix or a recipe for success. Rather the most powerful relationships focus on reflecting, exploring, analyzing, and digging deeper into good practice” (Ronald R. Bearwald, p. 74).