Blended Coaching to Support School & System Leaders Ontario Ministry of Education Toronto October 19, 2007

1. Blended Coaching to Support School & System Leaders Ontario Ministry of Education Toronto October 19, 2007 Gary Bloom New Teacher Center at University of California Santa Cruz gsbloom@ucsc.edu

2. NTC’s Leadership Development Programs Teacher Development

3. What is it like to be a beginning principal?

5. Discussion Questions • What is it like to be a beginning principal? • How are things different for other system leaders?

6. There is a consensus around the need for rigorous programs to prepare and support new school leaders The majority of educational administration programs range from inadequate to appalling. Arthur Levine, 2005 There is an unquestionable connection between the principal’s ability to lead learning and the support they themselves receive in their everyday work. Mentoring supplies the necessary support as effective job-embedded professional development. Vincent L. Ferrandino, 2004

7. Ontario Leadership Competencies and Practices • Which of these can you teach in a classroom v. learn in the real world? • How can this learning be supported by a coach? • The principal is able to… think… inspire…model…demonstrate… engage • The principal demonstrates… commitment… belief… acceptance… • The principal knows about… EVERYTHING!

8. A typical phone message..

9. Some Thoughts on Adult Learners • Adults want to be the origin of their own learning and should have some control over the what, who, how, why, when of their learning. • Adults come to the learning process with self-direction and a wide range of previous knowledge, interests, and competencies. • Adults will resist activities they see as an attack on their competence. Speck & Knipe, Professional Development; Why Can’t We Get it Right In Our Schools?

10. Key Components of a Program to Support New School and System Leaders • Professional leadership coaching • Formative assessment system including • Standards-based goal setting • Ongoing monitoring and adjustment • Summative assessment informed by evidence • Seminar content designed to meet novice needs and complemented by coaching

11. Direct Coaching to Novice Administrators: The NTC Experience • One-One • 4-8 hours each month • Coach and candidate carefully matched • Based on unique needs of client

12. Let’s Watch Karen and Robert Why might we call this a coaching conversation?

13. A Note on Definitions: • In Ontario, the term “mentoring” is used to describe a developmental, long-term relationship with an emphasis on enhancing overall effectiveness in a role. In California, we call this “coaching.” • In California, we make a distinction between the role of “coach” and “mentor.”

14. What is Coaching? • The coach is a different observer of the client and the context. • To coach is to support a client in clarifying and pursuing goals. • The relationship is based on trust and permission. • Problems are valued as learning opportunities. • The coach is fully present for the client. • The coach’s fundamental commitment is to student success, and the coach will appropriately push the client to that end.

15. What Coaching is Not • Coaching is not training. • Coaching is not therapy. • Coaching is not supervision, but effective supervisors coach, a lot.

16. Blended Coaching

17. INSTRUCTIONAL Ways of Doing “How can we challenge our gifted students?” “What do I do with all of this student data?” FACILITATIVE Ways of Being “I get uptight every time I have to meet with gifted parents.” “Can we really close the achievement gap?” Comparing Instructional and Facilitative Coaching: Each Primarily Addresses:

18. INSTRUCTIONAL Knowledge and Skills Proven models for differentiation in middle school classrooms Templates for the presentation and analysis of student data FACILITATIVE Dispositions and Internal Capacity A passionate belief in the school’s obligation to every student Self-reflection and ongoing learning through the process of leading school improvement Comparing Instructional and Facilitative Coaching Each Supports the Development of:

19. A Particular Coaching Challenge: Coaching for Systems Change • Address systemic issues, not the first problem that is on a coachee’s mind • The “getting naked with strangers” example • Developing habits of mind

20. A Particular Coaching Challenge: Transformational Coaching • Addressing a coachee’s way of being, beliefs, emotional intelligence, cultural proficiency • Triple-loop learning • The “He’s old enough to be my father” example

21. Individualized Coaching • Based on professional standards • Driven by needs of the novice/experienced administrator • May include observation and feedback around classroom visits, an evaluation conference, faculty meetings, leadership team meetings, parent meetings, and other key school events

22. Requirements for Coaches • Successful site leadership experience • Evidence of coaching/mentoring competence • Completion of CLASS foundational training • Participation in ongoing community of practice • Commitment to becoming CLASS certified

23. Effective site leadership Leadership standards Adult learning What is coaching? Entering the coaching relationship Listening Cultural proficiency Facilitative coaching Instructional coaching Blended coaching Giving feedback Emotional intelligence Transformational coaching Coaching for systems change Blended Coaching Training Key Components

24. Ongoing Professional Development for Leadership Coaches • Shared inquiry/problem solving • Blended coaching practice • Developing new coaching knowledge and skills • Staying current on K-12 issues • Certification as leadership coaches • Maintaining a Professional Learning Community

25. Leadership Institute • Monthly 3.5-hour seminars • Focus: nuts and bolts of the first years • Becoming a successful instructional leader • Networking with other novices • Tools and resources • Making the most of coaching

26. Culture and Climate Time Management and Delegation Meeting Facilitation Communication and Decision Making Supervision: Formative Assessment Evaluation: Summative Assessment Using Data Professional Learning Communities Recruitment, Staffing and Working with New Teachers Vision and Leadership Style Leadership Institute Modules

28. Collaborative Coaching Log

29. Online Pre-assessment

30. Standards-Based Individual Development Plan

31. Ongoing Assessment

32. Results: Perceived Value to Beginning Principals • Quality of novice support on a 1-10 scale New Teacher Center at UCSC Research Division, 2004

33. UNSUPPORTED Reactive, problem- driven Receive limited feedback Engage in little reflection Receive sporadic assistance SUPPORTED Focus on instructional issues Engage in deliberate planning Receive feedback and engage in reflective conversations Receive consistent assistance Results: Case study comparisons of supported v. unsupported principals

34. Results: Supported principals demonstrate significant growth • TO • Vision-driven • Instructional focus • Independence • Coach in background • Analytical • FROM • Problem-driven • Management focus • Dependence • Coach in foreground • Reactive

35. Retaining New Principals • 88% of participants are still in administration five years after the program. • 75% of participants state that coaching was influential in their decision to remain in administration.

36. Some Lessons Learned: • Coaching leaders isn’t easy, and isn’t about telling our own “war stories.” • Coaching school leaders requires the courage to raise difficult issues. • Coaches should be carefully selected. • Coaches generally should have experience in the role and context of their coachees.

37. More Lessons Learned • Coaches should be trained, monitored, and receive ongoing professional development. • Coaches should be compensated and must have time to do the work. • Programs should be aligned with professional standards and operated with clear protocols.

39. How Would You Support This Principal?

40. Interactive Session….

41. Successes and Challenges? Interview a neighbor using… • Paraphrasing • Clarifying • Interpreting

42. Observing Blended Coaching in Action…

43. Emotional Intelligence Challenges

44. EI Challenges Faced by New School Leaders • Making the transition from “one of us” to “one of them”

45. EI Challenges Faced by New School Leaders • Becoming a supervisor of adults

46. EI Challenges Faced by New School Leaders • Living under the spotlight

47. EI Challenges Faced by New School Leaders • Letting go of emotional responses to problems

48. EI Challenges Faced by New School Leaders • Letting go of perfectionism and control

49. EI Challenges Faced by New School Leaders • Accepting that the job is never finished

50. EI Challenges Faced by New School Leaders • Taking care of oneself