Instructional Coaching Essentials

1. Instructional Coaching Essentials Presented by: Education Transformation Office (ETO)

2. Clock Buddies • Insert picture

3. Effective coaches have to care deeply about teachers and students, and they also clearly have to communicate to others that they care. Each one of you holds the “KEY” to success.

4. Norms • Silence cell phones, please no text messaging or internet use • Participate and share • Listen with an open mind • Ask questions • Work toward solutions • Use time effectively

5. Group Objectives: • Have a thorough understanding of coaching responsibilities • Develops a sense of instructional urgency school wide • Develop coaching calendar based on school needs • Understand the purpose and components of an effective log. • Become more comfortable with organization of the “Record of Services” binder.

6. Agenda At-a-Glance

7. Role of the Coach, Way of Work and Setting Expectations of an Instructional Coach

8. Who is an Effective Instructional Coach? • An educator who has: • been a successful teacher in their subject area; • a proven track record of student achievement; • the ability to mentor, inspire and motivate adults; • a vision and is willing to change and adapt to the needs of the students and teachers; • pedagogical knowledge, content expertise interpersonal capabilities.

9. What is an Instructional Coach?

10. an on-site professional developer who partners with educators to identify and assist with implementation of proven teaching methods

11. An Instructional Coach… The Instructional Coach: Provides initial and ongoing professional development for classroom teachers via Professional Learning Communities (PLC’s) such as: study groups, Lesson Study and daily follow up support. Plans, develops and/or prepares Professional Development, lessons for modeling, coaching sessions, etc… Assists teachers in analyzing data and then modelseffective instructional strategies that target students’ needs.

12. An Instructional Coach… The Instructional Coach: The constant in all of these activities is that they lead to better instructional practices and higher student achievement… Co-teaches in classrooms to increase instructional density to meet the needs of all learners. Mentors teachers in classrooms which includes observing and providing feedback. Collaborates with teachers regarding lesson planning, grouping for instruction, intervention strategies, and other topics related to reading.

13. Expectations of the Coach Keeps a log of their work and develops a strategic weekly coaching log with the school’s leadership team Keeps a “Record of Services Binder” documenting all support services

14. Instructional Coaches are not expected to… be assigned as a regular classroom teacher; perform administrative functions that would confuse his/her role for teachers; spend a large portion of time administering or coordinating assessments, as these tasks prohibit the coach from impacting classroom instruction and therefore student achievement; model in a class where the classroom teacher is NOT an active participant.

17. Successes & Challenges • Take a few minutes and share with your group: • the successes you have experienced • the challenges you have faced • the solutions you have implemented or suggested solutions • As a table group, write some of those thoughts on chart paper.

18. Way of Work for Instructional Coaches • Work with teachers to plan, implement and to reflect on literacy instruction using the Florida Continuous Improvement Model (FCIM) • Model best practices in professional development sessions • Meets regularly with the leadership team to analyze data and assists the team in developing strategic action plans and content based initiatives for the year to improve student achievement. • Assist teachers in interpreting formative and summative assessments

19. Way of Work for Instructional Coaches cont. Work with teachers to ensure that research based programs and strategies are implemented with fidelity Provide daily coaching and mentoring support to all content and/or reading teachers including ESOL and ESE Implement/Facilitate the Lesson Study process Attend bi-weekly professional development to aid in increasing knowledge in best practice strategies for content area instruction

20. Bi-weekly Coaches meetings will include… • powerful, proven practices • interventions & enrichments • coaching continuum • data analysis • job-embedded professional development • effective dialogue • reflections • networking • Lesson Study

21. Classroom Walk Through What is it? An observation technique that allows the observer to record “snapshot” information on the effective elements of a classroom including instructional strategies, standard-based objectives, aligned instructional materials, level of cognitive interaction, classroom displays and resources, student engagement, and more.

22. Classroom Walk Through continues… Why do it? The classroom walk through provides a powerful tool for instructional leaders to gather information for the purposes of coaching, program planning, and professional development. The visit is to also help teachers improve their instruction and identify the best teaching practices at your school.

23. Use of a Coach’s time • How do we ensure the coach’s time is used for maximum benefit? • What do you believe are the most important ways coaches spend their time?

24. Appointment Time What do you consider to be direct instructional support of teachers? What percentage of the coaches’ time will be spent providing direct support?

25. What percentage of the coaches’ time will be spent providing direct support? Eighty percent of your time should be spent providing direct, instructional support to classroom teachers.

26. Coaches’ RecommendedTime Allocation Percent DistributionWhat portion of the coaches’ time will be spent in each of these roles? Consider Time Allocations

27. Coaching Continuum/Cycle

29. An effective Instructional Coach differentiates professional learning opportunities by thinking of coaching as a continuum.

30. CONTINUUM OF COACHING Interactive coaching Intraactive coaching Increased external scaffolding Decreased external scaffolding Subject-centered pedagogy Solution-seeking andragogy Transformation may occur when teachers or his or her coaches are provided opportunities to observe, co-teach, confer, study, research, and reflect on practices based on behavioral evidence. adapted fromK. S. Froelich & E. A. Puig, 2010, p. 128 The Literacy Leadership Team: Sustaining and Expanding Success Note: The term observation lesson has been used to replace demonstration lesson to denote the opportunity being provided versus a model lesson to emulate.

31. CONTINUUM OF COACHING Interactive coaching Intraactive coaching Facilitate a workshopor session to improve learning and instruction Provide an observation lesson to improve learning and instruction Co-teach with a host teacher in an observation classroom to improve learning and instruction Confer, observe, and debrief to improve learning and instruction Facilitate a study group or literacy leadership team to investigate adaptive challenges to improve learning and instruction Facilitate action research to seek resources after reflection to improve learning and instruction Increased external scaffolding Decreased external scaffolding Subject-centered pedagogy Solution-seeking andragogy Transformation may occur when teachers or his or her coaches are provided opportunities to observe, co-teach, confer, study, research, and reflect on practices based on behavioral evidence. adapted fromK. S. Froelich & E. A. Puig, 2010, p. 128 The Literacy Leadership Team: Sustaining and Expanding Success Note: The term observation lesson has been used to replace demonstration lesson to denote the opportunity being provided versus a model lesson to emulate.

32. Gradual Release of the Coaching Model

33. How will an Instructional Coach know when to shift on a continuum?

34. USING THE CONTINUUM • Think of a real school scenario. • Share with an “elbow-partner.” • Consider a coaching point based on the scenario. • Where on the continuum of coaching would you start and why? • Be ready to share with whole group.

35. Opportunities for Coaching • Differentiation is key! • Allow participants choice based on their own personal needs • Workshop • Observation Lesson • Co-teaching • Confer, Observe, Debrief • Study Group • Action Research

36. Opportunities for Coaching

37. Continuum of Coaching Facilitate a Workshop Professional development should reflect the needs of the school. Often, successful professional development is conducted by “in house” presenters. Faculty perception of “professional development” should be changed from something that the teacher “has” to attend to something they “get” to attend. Facilitate a Workshop

38. Continuum of Coaching Observation lesson An observation lesson alone will not have much impact on learning unless it includes time to debrief. Co-teaching Conversation is the key. Observation Lesson Co-Teaching

39. Demonstrating vs. Co-teaching Observation lesson Coach meets with the teacher prior to lesson Teacher is an observer during the lesson Coach and teacher debrief and discuss Co-teaching lesson Coach meets with the teacher prior to lesson Teacher leads the lesson alongside the coach Coach and teacher discuss the lesson and plan the next together

40. Action Research Action Research Collaborative Research in practice Research seeking resources after reflection Goal is to improve teacher instruction and delivery Goal is to improve student achievement

41. Continuum of Coaching Study Groups A study group is a small group of individuals who meet on a frequent and regular basis to explore the interests of the group based on the strengths and needs of the students. Study Group

42. Coaching Continuum… Confer, Observe, Debrief

43. Coaching Cycle

44. Suggested Cycle at-a-glance

45. Calendars/Coaching Logs • Prioritizing Support • Teacher needs may be identified: • when analyzing data • from administrative walkthroughs • classroom visits • teacher request • Developing Calendars • consider time allocations • Coaching Cycle • what your week will look like • testing Calendar • holidays/Special Events • Modifying (be flexible)

46. Developing Calendars • Meet with the administration, discuss observations from walkthroughs. • Prioritize teachers based on observation and data points • Begin support with new teachers first. • Consider the coaching cycle and continuum while developing calendar. • Red Flags appear if only one part of the cycle is present.

47. Calendar to Logs • The calendar should be the starting point to strategically plan the work that will occur on a week by week basis • The Log is an actual record of the work that occurred. • The log becomes a reflection piece for the coach and a guide to move to next steps.

48. Calendar/Log Template INSERT BLANK TEMPLATE This will be used as a calendar and then expanded as a log of your work completed during the week.

49. Sample Calendar - Modified Sample Calendar INSERT TEMPLATE with CALENDAR FILLED

50. Completed Log (Sample) • Insert template with calendar and log completed