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
Hey Darren!
ReplyDeleteI also enjoy reading your posts! I especially liked the baseball analogy in this one. It was a great way to explain the steps of coaching. According to Rucker (2018), "Effective instructional coaching is the kind of sustained, collaborative, classroom-aligned professional learning that creates tangible outcomes in schools." It ultimately is all about the students. Marzano et al. (2013) stated that coaches should, "help the teacher monitor a strategy's effect on students and adjust instruction to achieve desired student responses and outcomes" (p. 153).
Comments by: Suzy Colley
ReplyDeletescolley@shelbyed.org
Hi Darren,
Thanks for using baseball to communicate the technology instructional coaching process. I think this helps educators understand the coaching cycle in a fun way! Coaches can assist teachers in two types of self-evaluation. The first broad scale self-audit, done at the beginning of the year, encompasses all teaching elements. Marzano states that “one of the first tasks in the coaching process is for the teacher (with the coach’s assistance and verification) to conduct a self audit across the 41 Elements of Effective Teaching” (Marzano, 2013, p. 24), after which, the teacher could set some growth goals for the year. The other self-evaluation is more specific: a pre-lesson technology coaching meeting. In Learning First, Technology Second in Practice, Kolb encourages coaches to “invite a classroom teacher to share a lesson they plan on teaching with technology” (Kolb, 2020, p. 193). Then, teachers are given the opportunity to self-assess before they teach their lesson, using Kolb’s Triple E coaching tool. This reveals to the educator if and to what degree the technology tool will engage the students, as well as, enhance and extend the learning goals.(2020, p. 193). The key is student learning and content mastery, while the technology utilized is simply a tool to reach these goals. Thank you Darren, for your insights!
References
Marzano, R. J., Simms, J. A., Roy, T., Heflebower, T., & Warrick, P. B. (2013). Coaching classroom instruction. Marzano Research.
Kolb, L. (2020). Learning first, technology second in practice. International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE).