FALL FASD LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE Florida Association for Staff

FALL FASD LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE Florida Association for Staff Development The Florida Department of Education Bureau of School Improvement Presented By: Lena Anderson & Katie Moeller 1

Participant Outcomes Participants will understand: • the difference between “active” coaching and “passive” coaching; • what makes an effective coach; • using documents for monitoring (to assess the impact of coaching); • “scaling up” coaching to promote effective instruction on a school wide basis; and • how using coaches to increase student achievement is effective when the coach is highly knowledgeable, 2

Peer Coaching AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION: Rigorous peer coaching makes a difference in schools. WHY? 3

Coaching Cycle Feedback Observe Classroom Instruction Observe New Strategies Model Debrief Plan 4

Principal’s Role in Supporting Coaches Principals’ support successful coaching by: √ introducing the coaching cycle to the faculty √ setting expectations of involvement for the faculty √ prioritizing the use of time by planning ahead with the coach regarding WHO needs coaching √ aligning the coach’s activities with the School Improvement Plan √ using a monitoring calendar for unannounced walk throughs √keeping data on implementation and sharing it with the faculty √ encouraging the “celebration” of successes along the way. 5

The Coach’s Role • Assist teachers in effectively analyzing and using data; • Help teachers plan high quality instruction • Model and demonstrate • Provide collegial feedback • Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) • Support the use of effective, research-based instructional materials • Take an “active” role in school improvement 6

Job #1: Getting Into Classrooms • Only 50% or less of the coaches’ time is spent in the classroom with teachers and students. • How do we insure the coach has the time to coach within the classroom setting? • Why is this so important? 7

ACTIVE ROLE Establishes a schedule for in-classroom coaching; PASSIVE ROLE Coach waits to be “invited” into classrooms; Keeps a log of coaching activities Keeps little documentation about and asks principal to sign; the use of time; Works with the principal to establish priorities for the use of coaching time. The use of time is left to the coach’s sole discretion. Regularly shares the coach’s monitoring notebook with principal; No documentation of the coaching process is provided or shared; Accepts resistance as normal and Afraid of resistance and seeks to knows to work closely with avoid resistant teachers; sees resistant teachers; resistant teachers as the “principal’s problem”. Analyzes data and student work Coaching and professional with teachers to assist in planning development experiences are not 8 instruction and professional tied to data and student work.

ACTIVE ROLE PASSIVE ROLE Provides explicit explanations, and demonstrations of effective instruction on a regularly scheduled basis (cooperative learning, higher order questioning, varied instructional strategies, effective vocabulary instruction, etc. ). Little if any classroom modeling and demonstration are provided; prefers to be a ‘walkthrough’ expert and primarily observes classroom teachers. Demonstrates superior questioning strategies for teachers as a lever for school wide change; Demonstrates limited understanding of why questioning strategies are a critical component in teaching. Builds capacity at the school by broadening leadership beyond the principal and the coach; The principal and the coach provide most of the school’s leadership; Helps teachers to globalize their Focuses upon ‘fixing’ broken learning to all contexts so lessons; professional learning becomes 9

Roles in the Coaching Process District’s Role…. Principal’s Role… Coach’s Role…. Teacher’s Role… 10

COACHING LOGS Why should administrators insist on coaching logs and meet weekly with their coaches? 11

A Sample Coaching Log School: __________________ Coach: Activity Service Performe s Provide d d To How? Period of Startin Ending Additional the Day g Date Comments (MS/HS) Date Modeled Ms. Vocabula Sunshin ry e Instructio n Preconferenc 5 th e, Modeling in period Classroom, Debriefing 9/5/08 Follow up: assist teacher w/ additional strategies 12

MONITORING THE COACH’S EFFECT What tools do you use to know the effect of your coach on the teaching in your building? We do NOT get what we expect…. we will get what we INSPECT. What we pay attention to happens! 13

An Example of Monitoring Reading Teach Perio # of Lev er d Studen el ts Brown 1 16 5 Time Text Level 7: 458: 36 Crucial Moment in Denmark Green e 1 17 7 7: 458: 36 Street Stories Foote 4 23 5 10: 3011: 21 Hometowns 14

Focused Walkthrough Observation Teacher: ______ Class/Grade: _____ Date: ____ Time: Subject: ____ What I Observed Today: __Objective/Benchmark posted __Teacher Lesson Plan Visible/In Use Classroom Management __Students Arranged in Cooperative Groups Complexity ? s __Teacher Modeling Skills/Strategies Accomplishments Reminder/Tips Word Wall __Maximized Time for Learning ___Motivation/Specific Feedback Comments: ___Active Teaching ___Good ___ Moderate/High ___ Interactive Action Items 15

Leadership Team (Literacy, Math, Rt. I…) • Create reading/writing initiatives for the entire school • Set reading/writing goals for the school • Analyze data and write school wide action plans • Plan for the school wide professional development needs in reading and writing • Provide feedback to the coach 16

Gap Closing Schools “Teachers in gap-closing schools use assessments more often, use data more frequently and work collaboratively to analyze and act upon the data. ” Rick Du. Four 17

Training Activities • Pair up with a partner and start a conversation about a real issue that is currently on your mind. During the conversation, the listener should practice effective communication skills highlighted in the videos. After three minutes of discussion, switch roles and have the other partner practice the skills. After the second round of discussion, debrief with each other about the

Scenario Practice your skills with the following scenario. You are coaching a teacher whose instruction is constantly interrupted by students without their materials (“Teacher, I don’t have a pencil, …Teacher, I don’t know where my book is…. ”). Since instructional time is a precious resource, have a coaching conversation about this topic.

Scenario You are coaching a teacher who does not understand differentiated instruction. His/her classroom is always taught whole group, lecture style. Have a coaching conversation to begin to help this teacher; practice the skills you learned from the videos.

Data Coaches • Coaching teachers/teams to use data to “drive” instruction • Helping create data walls/data boards • Supporting teachers in how to analyze and evaluate data • Helping develop a data literate faculty VIDEO SNIPPET 21

Coaching for Engaging Comprehension Strategies QUESTION: How do coaches assist teachers in developing engaging comprehension strategies in any classroom, regardless of academic content? 22

Characteristics of Engaging Comprehension Strategies • They help students see a connection between effort and outcome; • They capitalize on students’ needs for active learning; • They make learning interesting and meaningful; • They make connections between the classroom world and the lifeworlds of students • They exploit situational interest. Source: William G. Brozo, Professor of Literacy, George Mason University 23

Feedback Why is it so important? “Feedback only leads to learning gains when it includes guidance about how to improve. Typically, teachers are told what they need to do to improve instruction. Teachers are less likely to be shown what the improvement looks like and the steps needed to make that improvement. ” 24

Coaching Conversations Coaching conversations are: • different from daily conversation; • when the coach listens intently; • when the coach listens to: o what the person is saying and feeling; o understand the teacher’s point of view o what inspires or excites the teacher This leads to POWERFUL QUESTIONS. 25

Powerful Questions Higher-level questions for getting people to dig deeper and challenge themselves: • How is that serving you? • What might you be doing to contribute to this problem? • Why is that happening? • What would you say the problem is all about? 26

Different Angles To coach a person to see a problem from a different angle or point of view try: • How can I best coach you in this situation? • What would be the best question to ask you right now to help you think clearly about this situation? • What is the lesson here? • What do you need to do now? 27

Making Connections Reading Writing Predicting Prewriting Attending Drafting Confirming Revising Self. Correcting Proofreading Editing Responding Publishing Reflecting, Evaluating Science History/ Social Studies Math Art 28

How to Bring Our Schools Out of the 20 th Century Time Magazine 12/18/07 “Kids need to learn how to leap across disciplines because that is how breakthroughs now come about. It’s interdisciplinary combinations – design and technology, mathematics and art – that produce YOUTUBE and MYSPACE. ” “Jobs in the new economy-the ones that won’t get outsourced or automated-put an enormous premium on creative and innovative skills, seeing patterns where other people see only chaos…. . kids 29

Coach’s Role in Supporting Formative Assessment in the School • What can you observe about how the teacher gives attention to the learning styles of individual students? Does the teacher use more than one approach or technique to explain concepts? • Does the teacher give students time to hesitate, make mistakes, reflect, self-correct, enter into dialogue? • Does the teacher use praise/criticism? If so, are comments aimed at a specific task or at the students’ ability? • Do students give each other feedback? 30

The Research • Instruction • Systematic, Intentional, Explicit, Robust • Steps in instruction (Skill or strategy) • I do it. (Model skill or strategy. ) • We do it. (Guide performance of strategy. ) • You do it. (Check understanding. ) 31

• Does the teacher use feed forward techniques (i. e. give students a preview of what they will be learning and how it fits into the larger context of the course)? • Use “scaffolding techniques” ie. , providing as much or as little help as the student appears to need? • Does the teacher provide non-evaluative descriptions of the features of a students’ work? 32

Analyzing Coaching Dialogues • two column note taking • observed behavior – 1 column • analyzing the behavior- 1 column • a coach’s monitoring notebook Teaching Behavior Why? Asks students Engaging what they prior know about knowledge photosynthes is 33

Leading Action Research 1. Identify an area of focus or problem. 2. Write an area-of-focus statement or problem statement. 3. Define the variable factors that might affect the outcome. 4. Determine research questions. 5. Describe the intervention/methods and innovations. 6. Identify/describe the roles of key members of the action planning research team. 7. Describe negotiations that need to be covered. 8. Develop a timeline. 9. Describe the resources needed. 10. Develop data collection plans. 11. Carry out the action research. 12. Analyze and interpret the data/results. 13. Make sound recommendations based on the results. 14. Develop action plans and interventions based on the 34 results. (Young, 2000)

Building Professional Learning Communities • Groups of educators, administrators, stakeholders collectively examining and improving their professional practice; • Membership determined by the focus; • Data-informed • Standards driven • Focused on instruction, equity and results. 35

Professional Learning Communities • • Expand the knowledge of participants; Encourage innovation and excellence; Promote positive cultural change; Encourages continual growth and learning; • The use of protocols assists in facilitating PLCs 36

Collaborative Analysis of Student Learning “Collaborative inquiry around individual student cases can and does transform teacher and student learning. …collaboration does not happen automatically. Many schools have not developed a culture in which teachers and leaders can safely take risks—by sharing less successful students’ work, for example-and engage in dialogue about assumptions, beliefs and practices. Schools need to develop effective norms for the groups, and these groups need to learn how to paraphrase, probe, and question as they engage in professional discussions (Costa & Garmstron, 2002). These skills help teachers and organizations move beyond a “culture” of polite conversation” to deep analysis of teaching and learning (Little, Gearhart, Curry, & Kafka, 2003). ” Source: Looking At Student Work by Georgea M Langer and Amy B. Colton Educational Leadership, February 2005 37

Adult Learning Theory and PLCs Understanding what motivates adults to grow and learn enhances professional development. PLCs are grounded in adult learning theory and evidences several characteristics important to adult learners. 38

RESISTANCE How do administrators manage resistance? 39

Coaching Reluctant Adults • Resisters can be an invaluable resource. • LISTEN to resisters…. you will find unseen pitfalls in your plans. • INVOLVE resisters in the improvement of the school. • It is a mistake to avoid reluctant adults. 40

What a Coach Must Do…. “The most effective change processes are incremental-they break down big problems into small, doable steps and get a person to say ‘yes’ numerous times, not just once. They plan for small wins that form the basis for a consistent pattern of winning that appeals to people’s desire to belong to a successful venture. ” -James Kouzes & Barry Posner, Encouraging the Heart: A Leader’s Guide to Rewarding and Recognizing Others 41

FORMS DOCUMENTING THE PROCESS 42

A Coach’s Monitoring Notebook • Purpose: staying organized, modeling, information easily accessible • Will demonstrate teachers’ growth across time • Tabbed notebook- section for each teacher • Action plans, dialogue notes, schedules, 43

Group Action Plan Date: ______ Site: _________ 1. Topic for Exploration: 2. Our Questions: 44

Record of Learning Name: ____ Site: _____ Date: ____ Notes: Learning: 45

ACTION PLAN Name: ____ Date: ____ What is your current challenge in literacy instruction? What is/are your question/questions? What do you know about that area and what are you trying? What support do you need? Source: Literacy Coaching, Developing Effective Teachers through 46

Reflective Process and Feedback 47

The Reflective Process Describe Reconstruct Reflection Analyze Challenge 48

Questions to Support Reflective Thought What is it I know? What is it I think I know? What do I want to learn? What is the support I need? Source: The Reflective Practioner: How Professionals Think in Action by Donald A. Schon. 49

Feedback • “Feedback only leads to learning gains when it includes guidance about how to improve. • Typically, teachers are told what they need to do to improve instruction. • Teachers are less likely to be shown what the improvement looks like and the steps needed to make that improvement. ” 50

Principles of Learning • Effort produces achievement • Learning is active; it is about making connections • We learn with and through others • Learning takes time 51

Impact on Practice No Measurable Impact on Practice Explain Theory + Show an example of good practice + Teacher practices the new approach 52

Improving Professional Outcomes Professional Development Outcomes in Terms of Estimated Percent of Participants Professional Development Elements Theory + Demonstratio ns + Practice 10% 30% Skill Transfe r to Level Practic e 5% 0% 20% 0% 60% Knowled ge Level 5% 53

TIME 54

TIME The use of a coach’s time is one of school’s most valuable assets for improvement and building capacity. What are your ideas for ensuring the most effective use of your time as a coach? • Develop a master schedule for coaching • Have a master list of all the language arts/reading classes by time, teacher, period, etc. • Keep a log and have the principal sign off on 55 it.

Experienced Coaches Have Learned: • Time matters. • Involve everyone. • Pay attention to the change process. • Keep the information flowing. • You have to take risks. 56

“Scaling Up Instructional Coaching” • School Leadership –protecting time, roles, establishing priorities • Working through teams – group coaching • Lesson Study • Establishing a standards based school culture • Creating and sustaining teacher expertise building wide – no “islands of 57 excellence”

Active participation in the collective development of other teachers is a critical competency of modern teaching. -Michael Fullan 58

EXTRA SLIDES / OPTIONAL SLIDES 59