Coach and Principal Leadership

Jo RobinsonCopyright 2005

Reading First

Year I • Core reading program implementation• Administer, analyze and use assessment data to

make instructional and intervention decisions• 90 minute reading block• Coach’s role and principal/coach relationship • Reading Leadership Team• Managing emotions of change

Year 1

• Hanging on for dear life!• Figuring it all out; where is this going?• Doing everything for the first time –

“Not another new thing!”• Handling the first emotions of change• You want me to do WHAT?

Year 2 • Become fluent in core program delivery

• Maximize coaching • Maximize classroom management• Maximize engagement• Maximize extra related practice• Maximize motivation

• Become fluent at using data to make instructional decisions• Implement appropriate interventions• Continue professional development• Train and support new staff

Year 3 • ALL become fluent in core program delivery

• Maximize coaching• Maximize classroom management• Maximize engagement• Maximize extra related practice• Maximize motivation

• Become fluent and more sophisticated at using data to make instructional decisions

• Implement any additional needed interventions• Continue professional development for all• Train and support new staff• Refine your School Reading First Plan• Morph patrol

Coach as Change Agent

A leader is someone you will follow to a place you wouldn’t go by yourself.

Joel Barker

Time

Pes

sim

ism

DENIALShock, apathy, focus on the past, “If I wait this will go away.” Bargaining: “How can we stay the same?”

RESISTANCE TO LEAVING THE FAMILIARSelf doubt, blaming, anger, discord, feeling that previous efforts have been diminished or discounted

EXPLORATION AND MANAGEMENT OF CHANGE“Too many Ideas!” = Search for structure “ Too much to do!” = Attempts to manage the change, frustration, difficulty focusing

REFOCUSING/COLLABORATIONTeamwork, focus and planning, commitment to making changes effective, “I can see some things working!"

CONFIDENCETeamwork, focus and planning, commitment to making changes effective, feelings of accomplishment “We can do this!”

CYCLE OF CHANGE WHEN CHANGE IS MANDATED

Adapted from Maralyn E. Turner

Implementation Dip

Just because there are problemsdoesn’t mean you are on the wrong track.

X

X

X

X

X

Pockets of change All

Fits and starts Fluency

Awkwardness Routine

Early implementers All

Your job: Assist in creating theplan (or blueprint) for the reading delivery system.

Slow steady work

Los Penasquitos Elementary School in Poway, California

• Every student has the ability to achieve impressive academic success, and we have the power and influence to make it happen!

• No Excuses University - All students and staff begin discussing college in kindergarten

POWER

District Principal

Coach

CoachDistrict Principal

“I want to see……”

Strong Leadership Statements Like:

“Our data tells us that we need to make changes in how we deliver the core. Where should we start?”

“I’m here to work on …… When can we meet?”

Gentle pressure relentlessly applied

Vickie Phillips, Portland Public Schools

Principal Sets the Stage for Coaching

Why? To establish the principal as the instructional leaderTo clear the way for the coach

State your expectations of “coachees”:Why?

To establish the principal as the instructional leaderTo clear the way for the coach

State your expectations of “coachees”:• “I want to see you:

– showing a coachable spirit– working with the coach during your reading block– taking notes when observing if requested (tally)– applying the coach’s suggestions right away– teaching the way the coach has modeled”

• “Please do not do these things during demonstrations or coaching:– Leave the room– Work on your computer – Correct papers– Do your lesson plans– Help individual students”

• Please bring complaints about coaching to me not other staff

• The principal CANNOT stop anything he or she hasn’t witnessed.

• Doctor nurse

The TankThe Sniper

The GrenadeThe Know It All

The Think They Know It All

The Yes PersonThe No Person

The Maybe PersonThe Nothing Person

The Whiner

Dealing with People You Can’t Stand

What will bring more students to level in reading?

It’s not what you “expect”

it’s what you “inspect,”

that shows teachers what you really want.

“Whatever it takes”attitude!

Secrets of High Flying Schools Ed Leadership 5/4/05(National Center for Ed Accountability Study 300 schools)

DNA

ecide what you want

otice even approximations

ppreciate ASAP

D = Decide what you want:

Research based expectations Program fidelity

EngagementClassroom management

Use of dataRelentless intervention

N = Notice even approximations:

More engagement Attempts to use strategiesMore fluency boostingAsking higher level questions

A = Appreciate:

You statements in:“Walk behind”Brief notes

Ask about what you saw

“That looked to me like you were effectively using

extra ELL strategies with your Harcourt vocabulary. Tell me more about what you were doing.”

Ask if you can share with principalAsk if you can share without namingAsk to demonstrateAsk for visitations

Examples of Specific “You Statements” for Teachers

– “You modeled fluent reading after students read,

then asked them to re-read more fluently.”

– “You had all 3 groups working on reading tasks in 60

seconds.”

– “You made a BINGO game that provided the exact

sight word practice from this week’s lesson that

your low group needed.”

– You alternated between choral reading and individual

turns which allowed you to hear each child read.

Examples of Specific “You Statements” for Staff

– “You point to and touch the alphabet wall cards. That

gets the students to look up and reference them.”

– “You had high rates of engagement in reading tasks

during the phonemic awareness section.”

– “You had 3 small reading groups meet today.”

• No public praise unless a group is recognized

• Change the subject immediately so there is no need to say “Thank you.”

• Praise teachers in their absence (overheard praise)

• Ask if you can send others in to see what they do so well.

Appreciation and Acknowledgment for Adults

• Glows “You……” (personalized)

• Grows Students need……(neutrailzed)

• Keepers “You ……. “

• Polishers The next step is

he next target is

August

September October November December January February March April May June

Leadership                  

Instruction                    

 Assess- ment

                   

 Data Meetings

                   

Reading Trainings

                   

 Communi- cation

                   

 Reading Coach

                   

 

Annual Reading Improvement Planning Calendar for Year____

• The principal CANNOT stop anything he or she hasn’t witnessed.

• Doctor nurse

Principal Sets the Stage for Coaching

Why? To establish the principal as the instructional leaderTo clear the way for the coach

State your expectations of “coachees”:• When observing take notes if requested (tally)• Apply the coach’s suggestions right away• Please do not do these things during demonstrations or coaching:

– Leave the room– Work on your computer – Correct papers– Do your lesson plans– Help individual students

5 “Mores”

• More explicit/direct instruction

• More modeling

• More practice with…

• More feedback

• More time

Data Driven Coaching Decisions

Pockets of change All

Fits and starts Fluency

Awkwardness Routine

Early implementers All

Coaching Behavior Staff Member

Target Principal’s Job Task Done

Staff Meeting Trainings

Lead Grade Level Data Meetings

Grade Level Trainings

Plan with teachers

Observation with Collaborative Exploration

Demonstration/Modeling

Side-by-Side Teaching

Whisper Coaching

Week-Long Coaching

In-and-Out Coaching

Types of Coaching

1. Planning lessons with teachers2. Observing with collaborative

exploration3. Demonstrating or modeling4. Whisper coaching5. My Turn- Your Turn (Side by Side) 6. Week-Long Coaching 7. In and Out Coaching

1. Plan with teachers

Set lesson targets (Be specific and directive)Example target: Increased engagementSample planning:

– Select pieces of lesson that need more engagement– Highlight the objective– Give 2-3 ways to engage all, have teacher select two:

» Unison choral response» Precision partner work» Signaled response» Written response

– Give a verbal model of the selected engagement strategies– Add practice if needed– How will you determine if they have learned?

» Scan all mouths for response» Drop and listen to all partners» Check all written work

Who benefits from planning?Teachers who:

– Teach without looking at the Teachers’ Guide– Have slow transitions– Have slow pacing in small group– Seldom add practice beyond the Teachers’ Guide– “Wing it” during small groups each day– Seldom get all students engaged during whole group– Often do not provide appropriate independent work

during small groups

Topics I have found for planning

Faster transitions

Faster pacing in small group

Added practice on sounds, sight words, and blending in K and first grade

Planning for each small group each day

with practice before oral reading

Whole group - getting 100% engagement

Appropriate independent work during small groups

Group Tubs

red

blue

yellow

Pencil canClear markersYellow highlightersSight word flash cardsDecodable flash cardsDecodable Take HomesLeveled ReadersWritten tasksDictation templatesGraphic organizersTimerTemplates

in the living room

Pre-teach Expression Using Phrase cards

when you come home

both mom and dad

Follow up:I always walk through during reading on the days just after we have planned together to ask how the planning has worked.

Ask the principal to look for implementation of your joint planning.

“I’m here to work on …… When can we meet?”

TASKS

• Identify 2 teachers or 2 grade levels that need planning with you to bring more kids to level.

• Sentence starters:1. I selected………..teachers……..targets

2. To get staff to plan with me, I need to…….

3. The words I will say to the selected teachers to “invite” them to plan with me…

2. Demonstrating and Modeling

• Set date ahead of time

• Set observer target and expectations

(Be specific)Example:

Target: Increased engagement

Sample expectations:– List all engagement types you see me use– Tally the ratio of students engaged in each task– Tally the number of times I ask all students to read

Areas I have found for demonstration

Classroom management:-Signal for attention-Faster transitions, rotating groups, “tub planning”-Routines; pencils, bathroom, interrupting teacher,

DictationFaster pacing in small group Lines of practiceSignaled responses4 rereads on a decodable (Making it enjoyable!)Whole group - getting 100% engagement during:

reading of the anthology selectionanswering comprehension questions

Introduction of vocabulary words on the first dayReteaching when monitoring tells you they are not masteringDaily Oral Partner ReadingMore kinesthetic phonemic awareness

Practice to get good enough to demonstrate

• Teach one week of each grade level of the core program from start to selection test.

• Substitute for an excellent teacher who is willing to coach, plan with others, or create appropriate independent work to share with others.

• Attempt the excellent strategies you have seen in your best teachers’ rooms.

• Be an active learner. Ask questions of the other teachers at that level during the week.

Who benefits from demonstration?Teachers who:

– are visual learners.– have heard it but need to hear it again and see it in

practice– don’t believe it is possible with their kids. (They need to see kids succeeding.)– who think routines or practice are not fun for kids.

(They need to see kids enjoying the demonstration.)– Have another less effective teaching practice they

cling to

in the living room

Pre-teach Expression Using Phrase cards

when you come home

both mom and dad

in the living room

Pre-teach Expression Using Phrase cards

when you come home

both mom and dad

m s t c

Practice Lines

c s m t

t c m s

in the living room

Pre-teach Expression Using Phrase cards

when you come home

both mom and dad

(Same)

(Different)

Same and different 3 x 5 cards

Examples:

• Harcourt Kindergarten phonemic awareness

TASKS

• Identify 2 teachers that need demonstration to bring more kids to level.

• Sentence starters:1. I selected these teachers……

for demonstrations in these areas………..

2. To get staff to let me demonstrate, I need to…….

3. To get ready to demonstrate, I need to……

3. Observing with Collaborative Exploration (Cognitive Coaching Style)

• Observe “ I watch you.”

• Collaborative Exploration of Data. What did you get from students?

Did you get what you wanted?

Pathways to Success University of Kansas

3. Observing with Collaborative Exploration (Cognitive Coaching Style)

Ongoing collaboration How did the red group do today in expression? More modeling, observation, discussion, suggestions Each relationship is differentiated to fit the unique

needs of each teacher

After action review What was supposed to happen? What happened? What accounts for the difference? What will I do differently next time?

Pathways to Success University of Kansas

Who benefits from collaborative exploration?

Teachers who:– are quick to adopt effective strategies.– are analytical– Are data hungry and use data to inform

instruction– are self starters– are peak performers

TASKS

• Identify 2 teachers who are ready for collaborative exploration to bring more kids to level.

• Sentence starters:1. I selected these teachers……

for collaborative exploration………..

2. To get ready to coach this way, I need to…….

4. Whisper Coaching

• Sit right next to the teacher and teach• Teach/whisper T.W.T.W.T.W.T.W. ( using meta-cognition; thinking instructional decisions aloud to the teacher)

Pattern: I do. I explain. I do. I explain. I do. I explain.

What I am doing and whyWhat I am adjusting and why

What results I am seeing and what I will do about them

• When you think the teacher is ready say “Now you try it.”• May be in a regular voice not a whisper – talk over

When do you whisper coach?• If teachers are not making good decisions on their

feet and need to process again the reasons for effective strategies.

• When a clear target has been given to the teacher yet they don’t know why or how to get there.

• When explanations of the strategy and the reasons for it have already been given.

• For reading routines, procedures, templates Error correctionOral reading turnsBlending

• For pacing adjustments

TASKS

• Identify 2 teachers who are ready for whisper coaching to bring more kids to level.

• Sentence starters:1. I selected these teachers……

for whisper coaching………..

2. To get ready to coach this way, I need to…….

Examples:

• Lines of practice

• Error correction

5. My Turn-Your Turn CoachingSide-by-Side Coaching

• Sit right next to the teacher and teach

• Immediately hand off to teacher

• Give praise or feedback immediately

• Pattern: I do. You do. I give feedback. I do. You do. I give feedback.

C/T/C/T/C/T/C/T/C/T

When?

• When a clear target has been told to the teacher• When explanations for the strategy and the

reasons for it have already been given• After teachers have seen a clear demonstration• When teacher does not need the rationale for

the strategy• When teachers need feedback• When teacher is a slower implementer

Examples:

• I introduce one vocabulary word. You introduce the next one.

• I teach one line of the template. You do the next one.

• I get all students to read one page of the decodable with accuracy and phrasing. You get all students to read the next page with accuracy and phrasing.

tourists people who travel for fun or to learn

mesa hill with flat top and steep sides

How to Teach Vocabulary More Explicitly in Your Program

adapted from Isabel Beck

1. Select 3 words from the story’s vocabulary words for even more direct instruction

2. Preteach the vocabulary list as directed in the program as well as any words you know need to be taught.

3. For the 3 words selected do even more. Have children say the word.

4. Give a student friendly definition (Use kid’s words)

5. Give example and non-example choices

6. Ask the students for personal examples.

7. Ask the students to respond with actions.

8. Have student enter the words in a word log.

9. Have the students repeat the word again.

14. Catch kids using or noticing others use the selected words.

TASKS

• Identify 2 teachers who are ready for my turn/your turn coaching to bring more kids to level.

• Sentence starters:1. I selected these teachers……

for my turn/ your turn coaching………..

2. To get ready to coach this way, I need to…….

6.Week-Long Coaching

• Spend at least 5 consecutive reading blocks with one teacher or however long it takes to do one story, one sound, one week’s lesson.

• Plan the week’s lessons with the teacher ahead of time. Make the student mastery targets clear.(sound of /oo/, retell, /at/ family)

• Use a combination of demonstration, whisper coaching, side-by-side.

• Hand off to teacher as soon as possible.• Stay until the mastery test or comprehension

test is passed and student’s correct errors.

Examples:

• Kindergarten - Coaching all week through all parts of the core program, whole and small group. Assessing all students on the cumulative sounds and sight words taught so far.

• Second grade - Coaching all week through all parts of the core program, whole and small group. Assessing all students using the selection vocabulary and comprehension assessment provided by the program.

When?• When the principal tells the teacher she will be

coached for a week and gives her a clear target.• When clear targets, explanations of the

strategies and the reasons for them have been given but not implemented.

• When teachers are not moving from part to part of the daily lesson with a perky pace.

• When weekly student program data is poor.• When classroom management is an issue.

TASKS

• Identify 2 teachers who are ready for week-long coaching to bring more kids to level.

• Sentence starters:1. I selected these teachers……

for week-long coaching………..

2. To get ready to coach this way, I need to…….

7. In-and-Out Coaching

• Two people enter a reading class together and observe using a checklist.

• They exit and decide on “keepers” and “polishers” using the checklist.

• One returns to class to sub for the teacher.• The other talks with the teacher in the hall about

“keepers” and “polishers.”• If possible, the coach who is subbing tries to

model the “polisher” so that when the teacher returns she can see it in action.

When?• For those who have already received more

intense coaching - after whisper, side-by-side and/or week-long coaching.

• All you do for those who have not needed more intense coaching.

• To encourage, support, monitor, give feedback.

I do.

We do.

You do.

I do. (I demonstrate)

We do.(We alternate or teach together.

I give feedback.)

You do. (You teach alone.)

I do.

We do.

You do.

I drop in.

“I want to see……”

Principal tells.

I do.

We do.

You do.

I drop in.

Principal drops in.

Using the coaching form

• Meet with your regional coach and principal.

• Walk through all rooms during reading.• Decide together who would most benefit

from each form of coaching.• Make reasonable coaching targets for this

month.• Do the coaching and be prepared to

discuss results next month.

Coaching Behavior Staff Member

Target Principal’s Job Task Done

Staff Meeting Trainings

Lead Grade Level Data Meetings

Grade Level Trainings

Plan with teachers

Observation with Collaborative Exploration

Demonstration/Modeling

Side-by-Side Teaching

Whisper Coaching

Week-Long Coaching

In-and-Out Coaching

Slow steady work

Situations

1. All 3 Kindergarten teachers are brand new this year

2. Second grade takes full 90 minutes to do lesson maps leaving no time for small groups

3. Miss Smith has 92% of her 3rd grade at benchmark for 2 years in a row

4. Mr. Jones gets ½ his first grade reading the lesson maps

Situations

5. In front of you and the seated reading group, the teacher opens the cupboard to pull out a leveled reader for them to read.

6. A Kindergarten teacher is adding a schwa sound to many consonants (“puh”)

7. A first grade teacher keeps the others busy with Frank Schaffer blackline masters that are on sounds not year learned.

8. A third grade teacher has not system for turning in and correcting work, for sharpening pencils, for “what to do when done”