20 Thoughts on Instructional Coaching

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Thursday and Friday I attended an incredible training by Steve Barkley. If you haven't heard of him, get to know him. If you have heard of him and haven't attended one of his sessions then get going and attend one. As a coach, this is one of those must attend events.

What I learned is forever going to change how I look at the coaching process and teaching, in general. I know this is true and, from talking to the other coaches in attendance, I know others felt the same.

 Here are 20 things mentioned in these two days that caused me to stop and ponder:

1. How can your teachers trust each other if they've never been in each others' classrooms?
2. Are your teachers a franchise or are they a team?
3. Department Heads should be the model classroom.   
4. When using rubrics have the "top" line be created by the students.
5. Students cause student achievement. Teachers do not cause student achievement. Therefore, coaches need to focus on students when they observe.  
6. You can't teach a student math. You teach a student how to learn math.
7. Teachers should use their inclusion teachers to model expected behaviors, thinking, and discussions.
8. Schools should do Emotional Walkthroughs. On a 1 - 5 scale what is the emotional level of each classroom?
9. When you walk through your school, how many Wow!'s to you get?
10. If students complete the exact work assigned they should get a "C." Go Beyond that for a "B" and go above B-work for an "A."
11. A student's major work shouldn't be graded until the end of semester or year and students should have multiple opportunities to revise/edit.
12. Students should be exposed to more book options. One teacher put 5 books on each of 20 tables at beginning of the school year. Students rotated, table to table, and scored the books based upon interest. At the end of one class period they had seen 100 books and should have seen a few that met with their satisfaction.
13. The hardest part of teaching is when the students aren't there.
14. Coaches, you have been hired by your school to change kid's behaviors.
15. Homework should never be the same for the entire class.
16. Teachers should have a 3 year commitment to kids: Spend time with them the year before they come to you. Spend time with all of the students on your grade level. Then spend time with them the year after you have them to see how they are doing.
17. We tend to do vertical alignment without the students.
18. Instructional coaches should be evaluated on the teacher growth during the year.
19. We were hired to bring discomfort to our school. We want a culture where our teachers are comfortable with discomfort.
20. The biggest coaching mistake is to let teachers know what the coach is thinking before the coach knows what the teacher is thinking.

Where Do I Find Project Ideas?

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I'm just not a creative person.  I never had a big imagination.  I can never think of great ideas.  How do you come up with these project ideas?

I hear this all of the time from people new to PBL.  They really think that there will be a dearth of ideas and they will struggle when it comes to planning a PBL unit.  In fact, when you have standards that you are trying to plan from there will be ideas.

Standards are the key.  Until you have taught at least one school year with standards based PBL then I do not recommend creating a project followed by adding standards to it.  And, even then, the majority of your PBL units should be standards based.

There are several reasons I could list for this but the main two reasons are, first,  that by starting with the standards teachers guarantee that they have thought about the curriculum and, second, this is where the ideas are going to come from.

Teachers have been creating problems in mathematics, labs in science, writing themes in English, and the same type of things in every other course since we have had teachers.  The idea here is that teachers are good about taking standards and creating tasks for students to do in the classroom.  With PBL, teachers take that up a notch and they add an inquiry based atmosphere to the classroom.  That's really all it is to this stuff.

For example, I had to teach parallel lines with a transversal in geometry class.  I just happened to see an article about the rice business in South Texas and the canals that are used.  Suddenly I envisioned parallel canals with crossing canals.  So to take that to the next step I had the students design barges to carry rice through the canal system.  They got to be creative and design barges and these barges had to be able to turn a certain number of degrees so they could navigate from any canal to any other canal.

Another example: my co-teacher and I had seen where a teacher had created pieces of art with her algebra classes using basic algebraic functions.  We had to teach the idea of functions and suddenly we had a project where students had to take parent functions and create artwork.

In each of these examples there was a need to teach certain standards and the project idea came from that requirement.  Here is a post I wrote a year ago that talks about getting started.  It is one of a four part series on jumping into PBL for the new year.  Feel free to read that series if you are thinking about getting started in this process.   You can do it and, with the standards as your guide, you will have project ideas to work from.

Trials and Tribulations of a First Year Instructional Coach

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I am about to start my third month as an instructional coach and I have got to take charge of my calendar.

Does that statement resonate with you?  Did you have a certain vision of what it meant to be a coach and now you're wondering if you were under the influence when you had those thoughts?

I will (attempt to) reflect, positively, on my first 9 weeks as the Instructional Coach (IC) for Decker Middle School.  There is nothing worse than reading a whiny, ranting, rambling, mess of a post by someone and you won't get that here (I hope).

So what has gone wrong and how could I have made the experience more favorable?  Let's start with new technology/programs.  As an IC I am expected to be able to help our teachers create common assessments and analyze the results so that our students can be successful learners.  In that sentence there are three components: Creating the test; Grading the test; and, Analyzing the data from the test.

This year we are using a new test creator.  We are creating the answer documents in a new system that helps collect the data.  We are using a new way of scanning the answer documents that puts the data into the system for analysis.  And, we are using the (new) system's data reports to help make decisions about where students were successful and where they have not demonstrated success.

All of this new stuff  is creating an increase in anxiety with our teachers - and with their IC.  I have not done a good job making this transition better and I have made the mistake of letting them see my frustrations.  I want to be a loud voice for our teachers.  I need to let those in decision making positions know how stressed our teachers are and that one thing that might help is the knowledge, and commitment, that we will NOT add another new required technology into the equation for next year.

Another area of frustration is our use of data driven decisions.  The process we are using is new to everyone and, again, this is adding to the frustration levels.   We are using a Power Standards Protocol to select standards that give us the biggest bang for the buck.  Then we create the test and analyze it and this analysis is spiralled into our next power standards protocol.  The tests are given after each unit and each unit is 3 weeks in length.

This cyclical process is, therefore, repeated every three weeks.  Pick the standards, make the test, analyze the results, reteach where needed, pick the standards, make the test, analyze the results, reteach where needed,...  And, at the end of every 9 weeks we set aside a day, we call Meeting of the Minds, where the teachers take the day to plan as much of the Power Standards Protocol, the tests, and any other formative assessments they can plan for the upcoming 9 weeks.

Although I have stayed on top of this,  I could have done a better job in keeping our teachers informed, a better job of visiting them and helping them with the process, and a better job of recognizing their frustrations.  If I had purposefully gone to the teachers I could have alleviated a lot of their anxieties.   I will do a better job with this as we progress.

So where do I go from here?  Calendars are a good thing.  I really should use them.  At least that's what I hear.  All new coaches should be be told this over and over again.  Mentors for coaches should help them set these up.  Then, administrators and coaches should get together and come to an agreement that both of their calendars will be sacred.  Or, at least, as sacred as is possible in this profession.  Let your teachers know when you are available for "a quick conversation." Let them know when you will be in their classrooms.

No matter what "new" things come your way, these times with your teachers are important.  They are important for your knowledge of how things are going within the school.  They are important for improving the instruction going on within the classroom walls.  And, they are most important for the success of your students.  When the coaches and administrators are on the same page as the teachers and when the teachers are using the latest and most affective strategies, then our students will be successful and that is why we are coaches.

My small change that will, hopefully, make a difference is being available and visible. And that will happen through the use of a dedicated (and shared) calendar.  To be honest this feels like a huge change for me.  But I will deal with it because it is just that important for my teachers.

What if Education Were Like Golf?

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Watching the PGA Championship  I started thinking about how we expect every student to be the best at everything.  If they aren't making "straight A's" then we, as parents and teachers, have let them down.  But what about golfers?  Do they get straight A's in every facet of their game?  Let's just look at the "Top 10" in the world -  Luke Donald, Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Lee Westwood, Webb Simpson, Bubba Watson, Adam Scott, Jason Dufner, Matt Kuchar, and Justin Rose.

   Where do they stand in the rankings of 4 categories: Driving Distance, Driving Accuracy, Greens In Regulation, and Putting?  In other words teeing off, getting to the green, and then getting it into the cup.  Kind of like our students at school.  They may be great in their Spanish class but where do they sit in Math, English, Science, and Social Studies?

   In Driving Distance Bubba Watson is first but Tiger is 37th and Matt Kucher 107th!  Of course hitting it long doesn't help if you aren't in the fairway; let's look at Driving Accuracy.  Well Luke Donald is 18th, Justin Rose is 30th, and Bubba Watson is 127th.  Bubba can hit it a ton but he doesn't always get it in the fairway.

   OK, so you don't hit it long or you may not hit the fairway when you do hit it long.  The important thing is that you get to the green in as few swings as possible so that you can still get a par.  They assume 2 putts on every green so that means getting to the green in 2 shots less than the par for that hole and we call it Greens in Regulation.  Since there are 18 holes on a course the best you can do is get to all 18 holes in regulation.  Let's see how our stars do.

   As expected our guys do pretty well with this stat.  Bubba is #1 and Justin Rose is #2.  Poor Adam Scott is 43rd best at this statistic though.  So if he doesn't get to the green as well as the others he must be one heck of a putter.  Wrong.  Adam is 166th in total putting.  Yet, overall, he is 7th in the world.

   What if you had a student who was a whiz at math (top 10!) but was 73rd best of all of  your English students?  Would he stand out as an incredible student?  Or would you assume "he doesn't try" or you just can't "reach him."  And what if he were 25th in Science and 43rd in History?  Where would that have him in relation to his peers?  If there were less than 300 in his class then he might be outside of the top 10%.  That's because we rank our students much differently than we do our golfers.

   Golf rankings, usually, go by earnings.  Win a tournament with a big purse and you can do worse in a tournament with a small purse.  Then just add up all of that money, cumulatively, and see where you sit amongst your peers.  But in education we average their scores.  What would this do to our golfers if we had to take the four categories I chose and we averaged their rankings?

   Our new rankings, in order: Tiger (27th), Jason (48th), Matt & Justin (52nd), Luke (68th),  Webb (72nd), Bubba & Lee (75th),  Rory (77th), and Adam (91st).  So looking at their grades for these "key" statistics we find that they really are just middle of the pack kind of golfers.  What makes them so great then?  Well, on one or two weekends each year these guys can put it all together and beat everybody else at the game of golf.

    Are we willing to let our students have one or two great test grades during the school year and then let them just be average?  What if we took the time to recognize students who outdid their "average" grade each week?  What if we took the time to recognize students who are pretty darn good writers or artists or loved the unit on amoebas?  Would that take away from what we already do or could it spark a drive in one of our students to be the best at some aspect of "their game?"

    Take the time to get to know your students.  Be mindful of how they are doing academically and take the time to let them know when you notice they have done well in another class.  Ask the artistic ones to help you set up or decorate your room.  Ask that whiz in math to help you analyze your class statistics (without the names next to the grades of course).  Let them be the "best" at the part of school they are good at and they might just start working on the rest of their game.  And everything just might come together for that student on your Academic Championship (state standardized test) and they might just win.

Read more here: http://www.macon.com/2012/08/06/2125414/matthew-up-4-in-world-rankings.html#storylink=cpy

Getting Organized For Change

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     Last week I confirmed what I had known (kind of) for almost a month: I am to be the Instructional Coach for PBL at Decker Middle School in Manor TX -  GO Ravens!

     Decker M.S. will now be associated with the New Tech Network.  We will be transitioning at the 6th Grade level.  And we will add a grade level each year.  Decker M.S. receives students from a few different feeders but our main feeder school, Decker Elementary School, is already doing PBL at the 5th grade level and that means a large number of our students will be familiar with the process of having class in a PBL environment.

     So, where do I start with this job?   The most wonderful thing about taking this position is the fact that I will have the New Tech Network behind me.  It is comforting to know that these incredible people who have all kinds of experience with PBL will be there when I need assistance.  And so I contacted the person who oversees the middle school level schools in the nation to say hi and let her know that I will be taking this position.  The fact that we know each other and I won't be reporting to an unknown entity sure helps.

     Once I get below the NTN level, I need open communication lines with people in the district who I can contact in a time of need.  The main person here is a person I call my friend.  She's someone I have known for about 5 years and she is someone I can count on to not only help me but to also push me to do great things.  (She has really evil eyes when you are screwing up and I don't EVER want to see those things pointing at me!)

    I have been able to attend a couple of PD's with our 6th grade teachers and I was pleasantly surprised to see that there is another person in the system that I can count on.  She is with the New Tech Network and she is working with the district as we bring PBL to scale.  I had met her before and knew her name but during these training sessions I was able to spend some time with her observing PBL classrooms at our feeder elementary school.  She is another incredible source.

     When you take on a job of this scope it helps to have people in a position of authority on your side.  I met with the Superintendent and he is the one that encouraged me to take the job and he encouraged the principal to take a leap of faith and take me on without knowing me.  When the principal and I met, finally, we were both pleasantly surprised at how we both could feel that we would be a great pair and were totally focused on making the learning environment for "his babies"  the best that we could make it.

     The final piece to this puzzle is the teachers who I will be working with.   The neat thing about them is that I was able to see them in action as they participated in a 4 day workshop on PBL held at our school the week before I met with my new principal.  They were active in the workshop and they stayed late to ask questions.  I knew, slightly, a couple of them from previous years and when it became apparent that I was about to join them they made me feel right at home.  We are going to be an awesome team!

     And so I leave Manor New Technology High School (MNTHS) after 4 years.  I taught Geometry by myself, I taught in a co-taught Algebra/Geometry class, and I taught two years of Project Lead the Way (PLTW) classes: Introduction to Engineering Design and Digital Electronics.  I learned a ton about Project Based Learning and how to teach in a PBL environment.

     I know that MNTHS will be regrouping as they go into their 6th year of existence and I know that they will thrive with a new focus on taking what they are doing to "the next level." I hope that in three years my students, who have been with Decker M.S., come to MNTHS with such awesome collaboration and work ethic skills that it gives MNTHS another kick forward towards awesomeness.  Then I will feel that I have demonstrated to the MNTHS teachers and to myself that I really do know the art of teaching PBL.

     Look for posts this summer on how we are creating this PBL middle school from an existing traditional middle school.  I'll talk about what obstacles I faced, how I was able to overcome the obstacles, what training sessions I attended and what training sessions I had our teachers attend, and how we created a school culture worthy of being called a New Tech school.

What I Look For In A Coach

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As I was applying for an instructional coach position a few months ago, I decided I would think about what I look for in a good coach.  When I didn't get the position I started questioning my ability to meet my own list of what it takes to be a good coach.

First on my list is teaching experience in a number of different environments.  This might be different schools, different grade levels, different ability levels, different subject areas, and a few more.

I would add to that list that there needs to be a significant number of years in the teaching profession but, time alone, is not an automatic qualifier (or dis- qualifier).  Some people are just darn good at connecting with other adults and the ability to connect trumps years of service.

Next on my list is the ability to be receptive to change.  I am reminded of those teachers I was working with in the early 90's who couldn't see how computers would be used in the classroom.  I not only had my own computer (since 1985) but I was mad that I couldn't afford the latest Apple IIe when I started teaching in 1992.   Good coaches must be able to recognize the latest "thing" that is coming to the world of education and must be ready to use their imagination as to how this can be used in the classroom.

In today's world that would mean the use of technology and the use of social media.  Good coaches should be listening to what educators are saying about how they are using technologies in their classrooms.  They should be knowledgeable in how 1:1 programs are being implemented.  They should be actively trying the latest apps and software so they are able to ask questions and make recommendations.  And, they should understand that social media means more than just Facebook and Twitter.

I would be remiss if I didn't comment on the use of Twitter though, since I find it so valuable in my own teaching world.  Coaches these days should be active on chats such as #educoach and #edchat or #ntchat (new teacher chat).  If they are an elementary coach they should be involved in one of the many chats geared at those grade levels or just #elemchat. If they are high school then they are probably course specific and they should be following chats such as #mathchat or #finedchat.  And if they are something like a PBL coach then there's #pblchat.

These chats will give answers to questions at all levels of teacher ability and will allow coaches a chance to ask others how they might handle a question that has been posed to them.   Then there are the hundreds of educators who are on at every hour of the day who might be able to answer questions on any range of topics.  Finally, with twitter, there are many teachers using twitter in the classroom and coaches need to understand how this is being done in these other schools.

Education coaches need to be pros.  As THE professional/expert in a certain area coaches must be willing to find answers and that means reading blog posts by knowledgeable educators and it means paying attention to sites like Edutopia, Discovery Education, The Buck Institute and even the Huffington Post (with an open mind).  They need to be aware of trends and fads and should be listening to what students are doing and saying about their education.

The bottom line is that coaches need to be multi-dimensional.  They need to be willing to work long hours when needed and they need to know when to say "I'm off the clock."  They must be receptive to change while recognizing those things that are tried and true (and are still VERY relevant.)   They need to know when to give a hug and when to (metaphorically) slap someone in the face.

I'll never know why I didn't get the coaching position I applied for but now I know that I need to become even better at all of these things I just listed.  And when I do I will become an even more valuable member of my school and my students will be the benefactors of my hard work.