What kind of coach do you need?
No, we are not talking about that kind of coach. We are discussing an instructional coach. You know, the coach that helps you begin to be an innovator. Are you a little lost? Here, let me bring you up to speed. All educators are somewhere on the spectrum of effective teaching levels. Educators take a self-assessment to determine a current teaching level, and this will allow "a coach to pinpoint specific components of a teacher’s knowledge and skill and give helpful feedback" (Marzano & Simms, 2012, p. 155). The model of effective teaching places educators at differing levels based upon the educator's self-assessment. “This self-rating provides an initial snapshot of a teacher’s strengths and weaknesses" (Marzano & Simms, 2012, p. 155). It might be a little hard to grasp at first, but it is kind of like a baseball diamond. Please permit me a baseball analogy.
There are five levels in the effective teaching model, and these fit very well in a baseball analogy. The five levels are; Not Using 0, Beginning 1, Developing 2, Applying 3, and Innovating 4 (Marzano & Simms, 2012). When a batter is stepping up to the plate to receive their baseball pitch, this corresponds to the Not Using level. The educator/batter does not yet possess any skills and must attempt a teaching strategy. The coach and educator must select growth-goals and discuss research, theory, and teaching strategies. When the batter/educator reaches first base, this would be the Beginning level. Again, a coach would take this opportunity to discuss teaching theory and research to assist the educator in attempting teaching strategies. The coach directs the educator toward reaching their growth goals by correcting any teaching strategy errors. With the second base/Developing, the educator begins to develop the knowledge they have received. Third base/Applying, the coach will assist the educator by directing the educator’s focus on teaching strategies to elicit the desired student reaction from a teaching strategy. With the score at home plate or Innovating, the educator can incorporate multiple strategies within a teaching session and perform the teaching strategies well. We all want to score a home run, and with the proper coaching, it is possible. The video below provides a teacher perspective of using the Marzano evaluation model.
All this hard work between the educator and the instructional coach is to enhance positive student outcomes. Digital learning strategies and instructional coaching must intertwine. One technique I found fascinating was the bug-in-ear (BIE) method of coaching for educators. “BIE coaching provides real-time, immediate feedback and support, while an adult works with a student or group of students” (Rosenberg et al., 2020, p. 410). The BIE utilization will allow instructional coaches to assist educators in the classroom without disruption, help them develop new skills, and learn new teaching strategies. There should be no question that “real-time coaching has been firmly established as an effective tool in helping educators learn how to implement evidence-based practices” (Rosenberg et al., 2020, p. 429). The video below discusses the importance of real-time instructional coaching.
I believe the weaving of new technology and instructional coaching will yield positive outcomes. Using BIE will allow educators to incorporate new technologies and strategies with an instructional coach’s assistance monitoring the teacher’s progress in real-time. Honestly, there has never been a better time to be an instructional coach.
References
CT3 (2016, February 19). How Teachers Feel about Real Time Teacher Coaching (RTTC) [Video File]. Youtube. https://youtu.be/xdqsKXXnD_M
LearningSciencesInt (2012, January 25). Rebecca Shultz - Teachers view of the Marzano Teacher Evaluation Model [Video File]. Youtube. https://youtu.be/yyrPsBQEFWA
Marzano, R.J. & Simms, J.A. (2012). Coaching classroom instruction. Marzano Research Laboratory: Bloomington, IN.
Rosenberg, N. E., Artman-Meeker, K., Kelly, E., & Yang, X. (2020). The Effects of a Bug-in-Ear Coaching Package on Implementation of Incidental Teaching by Paraprofessionals in a K-12 School. Journal of Behavioral Education, 29(2), 409. https://doi-org.ezproxy.montevallo.edu/10.1007/s10864-020-09379-1
