Coaching Practices Strengths and Needs Assessment Coach’s Name: _________________________ Date: ________________ Instructions: Each of the statements below relate to effective coaching practices for supporting teachers’ learning. Read each question and consider how often you do this practice using the 1 to 5 rankings. Once you have completed the rankings, consider if you would like to do this practice more. Identify the top 5 coaching practices you would like to use more with teachers. Use the notes section to write your initial ideas about what might help you use this practice. How Often? Coaching Practice Never Seldom Some times Usually Always Change needed? Priority (Top 5) Notes 1. My teachers and I share an understanding of the goals of coaching. 1 2 3 4 5 Yes No 2. I foster an environment in which teachers will feel comfortable trying new things, reflecting on their teaching, and receiving feedback. 1 2 3 4 5 Yes No 3. I individualize my coaching practices/strategies to each teacher to reflect their unique strengths, needs, and desired outcomes for coaching. 1 2 3 4 5 Yes No 4. I work with teachers to identify and assess their strengths and areas for learning and growth based on multiple sources of data on their teaching practices before planning for coaching. 1 2 3 4 5 Yes No 5. I work with teachers to develop and maintain a strengthbased effective coaching plan that includes goals 1 2 3 4 5 Yes No 1
Transcript
Coaching Practices Strengths and Needs Assessment
Coach’s Name: _________________________ Date: ________________ Instructions: Each of the statements below relate to effective coaching practices for supporting teachers’ learning. Read each question and consider how often you do this practice using the 1 to 5 rankings. Once you have completed the rankings, consider if you would like to do this practice more. Identify the top 5 coaching practices you would like to use more with teachers. Use the notes section to write your initial ideas about what might help you use this practice. How Often? Coaching Practice
Never Seldom Some-‐times
Usually Always Change needed?
Priority (Top 5)
Notes
1. My teachers and I share an understanding of the goals of coaching.
1 2 3 4 5 Yes No
2. I foster an environment in which teachers will feel comfortable trying new things, reflecting on their teaching, and receiving feedback.
1 2 3 4 5 Yes No
3. I individualize my coaching practices/strategies to each teacher to reflect their unique strengths, needs, and desired outcomes for coaching.
1 2 3 4 5 Yes No
4. I work with teachers to identify and assess their strengths and areas for learning and growth based on multiple sources of data on their teaching practices before planning for coaching.
1 2 3 4 5 Yes No
5. I work with teachers to develop and maintain a strength-‐based effective coaching plan that includes goals
1 2 3 4 5 Yes No
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Coaching Practices Strengths and Needs Assessment
How Often? Coaching Practice
Never Seldom Some-‐times
Usually Always Change needed?
Priority (Top 5)
Notes
based on the strengths and needs identified through the assessment.
6. I support teachers in prioritizing goals for improvement/refinement of teaching practices and prioritizing actions taken to reach goals.
1 2 3 4 5 Yes No
7. I write goals with teachers that are observable, measureable, and can be completed within a specified amount of time.
1 2 3 4 5 Yes No
8. I develop action plans with teachers that provide step-‐by-‐step procedures for meeting the teacher’s goal.
1 2 3 4 5 Yes No
9. During observations of teachers, I focus on specific teaching practices which are predetermined during a meeting with the teacher.
1 2 3 4 5 Yes No
10. During observations of teachers, I gather data on the teacher’s use of practices or child behaviors related to teacher use of practices.
1 2 3 4 5 Yes No
11. I feel comfortable using support strategies (e.g., modeling practices, providing cues, role playing) to help teachers use teaching practices. My
1 2 3 4 5 Yes No
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Coaching Practices Strengths and Needs Assessment
How Often? Coaching Practice
Never Seldom Some-‐times
Usually Always Change needed?
Priority (Top 5)
Notes
coaches and I have developed an agreement about supportive strategies so that I feel comfortable modeling practices etc.
12. I support teachers’ ongoing reflection to determine progress on goals and implementation of teaching practices.
1 2 3 4 5 Yes No
13. I provide supportive feedback to teachers about their practice implementation.
1 2 3 4 5 Yes No
14. I provide constructive feedback to teachers about their practice implementation that supports refining or implementing practice better.
1 2 3 4 5 Yes No
15. I maintain professionalism by being on time, organized and prepared for each coaching session.
1 2 3 4 5 Yes No
16. I model openness to learning and taking risks. 1 2 3 4 5 Yes No
17. I engage in continual self-‐reflection of my professional practices and how my practices influence the teachers’ performance and outcomes.
1 2 3 4 5 Yes No
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Coaching Practices Strengths and Needs Assessment
How Often? Coaching Practice
Never Seldom Some-‐times
Usually Always Change needed?
Priority (Top 5)
Notes
18. I seek out knowledge of the cultures and populations within the communities I am working and integrate this into my practice.
1 2 3 4 5 Yes No
19. I am aware that certain behaviors and types of communication among unfamiliar cultures can lead to misinterpretation and misunderstanding.
1 2 3 4 5 Yes No
21. I ask questions that provide information and stimulate thinking in support of the teacher’s learning and goals.
1 2 3 4 5 Yes No
22. I communicate effectively during coaching sessions and use language that has the greatest positive impact on the teacher.
• Clear and articulate in communicating coaching objectives, providing feedback and making recommendations
• Use reframing to offer the teacher another perspective
1 2 3 4 5 Yes No
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Collaborative Partnership Scenarios
1. Tanya is a beginning teacher. This is her first year in the classroom after receiving a BA in Child Development from an online college. She is from the community and knows many of the children who will be in her class. She is very nervous about helping the children reach their school readiness goals. Tanya is also hesitant about participating in coaching and having someone come into her classroom and observe her teaching during her first year. However, her center manager told her that she and the other new teachers are required to participate as part of their professional development plan for the year.
2. Ms. Fran has recently moved from teaching the older preschool class to being a teacher in one of the toddler classrooms. To begin her day with the toddlers, she insists they all join in circle time each morning even though she spends much of her time helping them sit on their bottoms. She says she believes this will help the toddlers be ready for the transition to preschool.
3. Lexi is in her eighteenth year of teaching in Head Start and has seen many coaching initiatives come and go, so is reluctant to accept a new one. She is not interested in having a coach because she feels confident in her ability to help the children in her class reach their school readiness goals. However, her most recent child assessment scores indicated that her class overall was performing below the average for the grantee.
4. Kenya doesn’t understand or trust the coaching process because her coach is
also her supervisor. She fears her supervisor/coach will focus on what she’s doing wrong and that her career is threatened. Her CLASS scores for Instructional Support were well below the national average.
5. Ms. Vivien has two infants ages enrolled in her family child care program –
Jeremy, a five-month-old, and Idalia, an eight-month-old. Idalia has begun to move about on her tummy and show interest in Jeremy. Idalia pushes herself close to Jeremy, reaches out, swipes his face, hits, and grabs him. To protect Jeremy, Ms. Vivien chooses to “discipline” Idalia by placing her in an infant seat and giving her toys. Idalia spends her time in the infant seat crying and throwing the toys.
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Tips for Coaches: Collaborative Partnerships
1. Get to know the teacher.
Showing interest in the teacher and the classroom is an important way to build the collaborative partnership. Think about:
• What is the teacher’s schedule? Coaching should fit into the teacher’s schedule, not be an inconvenience. For example, one teacher said she preferred to meet at lunchtime because she needed to leave immediately after school to be home when her children got out of school.
• What is the teacher’s classroom style? It’s good to observe prior to beginning coaching to become familiar with how the teacher interacts with the children, how her classroom is organized, etc. Be sure to let the teacher know if and when you plan to visit/ Be clear that this visit is not to evaluate. Rather, it is for you to become acclimated to her classroom.
• What is the teacher’s coaching history? Has this teacher had a coach before? If so, how was that experience? What worked well? What would have made it better? As we’ve discussed, there are many types of coaches and many methods for coaching, so be sure to clearly explain what your role as coach will be and how Practice-Based Coaching differs from past coaching experiences the teacher may have had.
• What is going on in the teacher’s life outside of work? Learn about personal “stories” (new babies, family events, etc.). Tell the teacher about yourself and ask about her. This develops connections and helps you better understand one another. Finding common ground is the basis for all relationships. Trust starts with knowing the other person and caring about who they are as a person--not just their work.
2. Connect to other PD experiences. Coaching is one type of professional development. It should fit within and support other less intensive professional development experiences. For example, coaching often follows an in-service or workshop event. This helps the teacher understand the principles from the workshop and apply them in her classroom. For example, if the teacher attends a workshop or NCQTL 15-Minute In-Service on the scientific method for preschoolers, the coach can reflect on that content with the teacher and point out ways he/she has observed the teacher implementing some of the practices.
3. Establish yourself as a resource. Your expertise and experience is a valuable resource to teachers. Some ways to do this are modeling (with permission in advance), brainstorming solutions to problems, and sharing experiences and ideas.
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Tips for Coaches: Collaborative Partnerships
4. Jump in and help. Washing paint cups or tying shoes can go a long way with a teacher. Remember, though, you are a guest in a teacher’s classroom. Acknowledge that by offering your help before jumping in. Taking charge and modeling appropriate practice without discussing it in advance may not be welcome and could make the teacher feel undermined. Tying a shoe, setting out materials or playing with children during center time is a great way to help out.
5. Let teachers know they are appreciated. Teaching can be a tough job. A simple “thank you” can make a teacher feel good. Recognize their effort and their strengths. Look for opportunities to acknowledge the important work teachers do for children and families. Do what you say you will. Come prepared and on time.
.
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Practice-‐Based Coaching: A Guide to Shared Goal Setting and Action Planning
Practice-‐Based Coaching– May 2012 – Draft Version 1.0
In practice-‐based coaching, goal setting is a reflective process. Goal setting refers to a process in which a teacher and coach select a teaching practice(s) and identify which aspect of the practice(s) will be the focus for coaching. Starting with a clearly stated goal can help teachers and coaches understand the specific behaviors to focus on and guide the coaching process. These goals are specific, observable, and achievable. Time frames are included in the action plan. This document outlines the process for generating a shared goal and action plan, and provides examples of different types of a goals a coach and coachee might consider based on the coachees’ knowledge and skill level.
Generating a Shared Goal and Action Plan
1. Decide on a goal and write a goal statement—The goal statement should be specific (i.e., describe what actions and
behaviors the teacher will take to support child learning), observable (i.e., the teacher’s actions can be counted, timed, or described), and achievable (i.e., the goal can be achieved within 2 to 6 weeks). There are several examples of goals that are specific, observable, and achievable. Goals can be designed for the teacher to (a) learn more about a practice and try it out, (b) implement a practice more often, (c), implement a practice with higher quality, or (d) to implement a practice differently.
2. Determine the criteria for deciding when the goal has been achieved—A criterion statement is composed of specific elements to help teachers determine when they have achieved their goals. A good criterion statement includes information about the regularity and quality with which a teacher implements a practice (e.g., I review my visual schedule every day at circle time for 2 consecutive weeks). When a teacher can say he/she has achieved a goal by meeting the specified criterion, it might be time to consider a new goal and action plan.
3. Write down the action steps needed to achieve the goal—Action steps outline what the teacher and coach must do to achieve a goal over time. Action steps should be broken down so that each action step can be achieved within one week (e.g., I will read about making visual schedules, I will take pictures for my visual schedule, I will print and laminate my visual schedule, I will post my visual schedule, I will review my visual schedule each day at circle time).
4. Identify and write down which resources are needed to complete the action step—After determining which action steps are necessary to achieve the goal, the coach and coachee discuss what resources are needed to complete each action step (e.g., literature to inform the implementation of the practice, materials to use in the classroom, materials to make visual supports). The coach and coachee will want to think about who will be responsible for locating the resources needed to complete each action step.
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Practice-‐Based Coaching: A Guide to Shared Goal Setting and Action Planning
Practice-‐Based Coaching– May 2012 – Draft Version 1.0
5. Write down the timeline for completing each action step—The coach and coachee should specify a time frame for completing each action step. At every coaching visit, the coach and coachee will review the action plan to determine whether changes need to be made to the timelines written on the action plan.
Examples of Different Types of Goals Based on Coachees’ Knowledge and Skill with Teaching Practice(s)
Learn more and try it out Do it more often Do it better Do it differently You want to learn more about the practice or different ways to use the practice and then try using it in the classroom.
You use this practice sometimes but would like to do more within or across
classroom activities
You know about this practice but you think you could do it
better or use it more efficiently
You use this practice but want to try out a different
way of using it
Let’s look at a few example goals for the teaching practice about visual schedules:
Teacher(s) provides a visual schedule and use it to help children understand what is currently happening in class and what will happen throughout the day.
Example Goals: I will identify two resources and read about how to make visual schedules for specific classroom activities and routines, and I will make 4 schedules, and I will teach children to use the schedules to complete center activities and tasks.
Learn more and try it out
I will use visual schedules to remind children of planned activities and routines during morning circle, before centers, after lunch, and before we go outside. Do it more often
I will go over the daily schedule at the beginning of the day and briefly review the schedule at least four times during the day to show the children what we are about to do and what we will do next so children will know what to expect.
Do it better
My visual schedule has pictures and words but it is fixed. , I will make a visual schedule of daily classroom activities that can be changed as needed so that activities can be removed or turned over when they are finished.
Do it differently
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Practice-‐Based Self-‐Coaching Field Test – May 2012 – Draft Version 1.0
Let’s look at a few example goals for the teaching practice about scaffolding: Teacher(s) varies the level of support children receive during classroom activities and tasks based on their individual abilities (i.e., scaffolds learning)?
Example Goals: I will identify and read three sources to learn about strategies for individualizing instruction and support for children during whole class activities. After reading I will try out at least four strategies during storybook reading.
Learn more and try it out
I will use post-‐it note reminders to vary the types of questions I ask when we are reading a storybook as a class. I will ask at least five different types of questions during each story.
Do it more often
I will plan activities and prepare materials so that children have tasks that they can complete with minimal adult physical assistance during small group activities.
Do it better
I will use natural supports and peer supports to help children participate in small group activities instead of scheduling adult support during more difficult activities. Do it differently
Let’s look at a few example goals for the teaching practice about children’s active engagement:
Teacher(s) structures activities so that children are actively engaged, ensuring that children always have something productive to do (e.g., providing an alternative activity for children who complete a task early).
Example Goals: I will identify three sources and read about ways to keep children engaged throughout the day and I will try four strategies during small group time and circle time for ten class days.
Learn more and try it out
I will plan extension activities for small group time so that children are engaged for the entire time for each day for two weeks. Do it more often
I will plan and implement choice time activities so that there are multiple choices that meet children’s interests and ability levels every day for two weeks. Do it better
I will divide the group into two small groups for story time and have both adults in the classroom lead a group using my lesson plan that includes questions and ideas for engagement.
Do it differently
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Practice-‐Based Self-‐Coaching Field Test – May 2012 – Draft Version 1.0
Let’s look at a few example goals for the teaching practice about interacting with children in play and learning activities: Teacher(s) uses zoning practices or moves around the classroom to interact and engage with children in play and learning activities, including daily routines to support active engagement of all children in activities.
Example Goals: I will read about zoning practices and try out 3 new ideas during choice time and transitions for two weeks.
Learn more and try it out
I will monitor to make sure that all adults are engaging with the children for each activity by checking at 15-‐minute intervals.
Do it more often
I will use a planning board to make sure all adults are assigned to an area of the classroom during choice time and transitions and at the beginning of each day we will discuss ways to engage children during those times.
Do it better
I will discuss with Nathan’s aide how she can extend her responsibilities beyond support for Nathan to engage other children with him; and I will then check in with her daily to discuss how it is going and to brainstorm ideas.
Do it differently
Let’s look at a few example goals for the teaching practice about planning activities:
Teacher(s) plans activities where children can predict (e.g., what will happen next), observe (e.g., compare similarities and differences), and experiment (e.g., try out different ideas).
Example Goals: I will identify and read three sources that provide activities that help children predict, observe, and experiment and I will plan and implement one activity for each process.
Learn more and try it out
I will plan and implement small group activities in which children predict, observe, or experiment – two of each type of activity.
Do it more often
I will plan and implement five science and/or construction activities that allow children to experiment. Do it better
During story time, I will select appropriate books that lend themselves to the processes of predicting, observing, and experimenting and then ask children questions that invite them to predict or observe using details from the story every day for two weeks.
Do it differently
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Practice-‐Based Self-‐Coaching Field Test – May 2012 – Draft Version 1.0
Let’s look at a few example goals for the teacher practice about peer interactions: Teacher(s) uses strategies that promote peer interactions.
Example Goals: I will identify and read three sources to learn about activities to promote peer interactions and I will plan and implement two strategies in the classroom.
Learn more and try it out
I will make sure that my classroom contains at least 7 social toys or activities for use during choice time.
Do it more often
I will create 8 buddy bins that each contain a social play activity and will divide the children into small groups of two or three to play with the bins for 15 minutes twice a week for one month. Do it better
I will use a buddy system in which children are paired with a partner for the first 15 minutes of choice time.
Do it differently
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Action Plan (Sample B)
Coaching to Support School Readiness – August 2012 – Draft Version 2.0
Adapted from: Snyder, P., Hemmeter, M. L., Sandall, S., McLean, M., Rakap, S., Emery, A. K., McLaughlin, T., & Embedded Instruction for Early Learning Project. (2009). Coaching preschool teachers to use embedded instruction practices [Manual and Coaching Protocols]. Unpublished guide. College of Education, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
Teaching Practice Action Plan
The goal I will work on in my classroom:
Steps to achieve this goal: Resources needed: Timeline:
Review Date:__________
I know I achieved this goal because:
I am making progress toward this goal and will keep implementing my action plan
I need to change my plan to achieve this goal by revising the goal or changing the action steps
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Case Example Overview
Coaching to Support School Readiness -‐ April 2012 -‐ Draft Version 1.0
Supporting Tanya to Use Effective Teaching Practices to Support Children’s School Readiness Outcomes
This year, Tanya, a Head Start teacher, is taking part in a professional development initiative to support the use of teaching practices that help teachers create engaging interactions and classroom environments that will support all children’s learning. The professional development initiative includes a series of trainings about teaching practices that support children’s learning and practice-‐based coaching in the classroom. Tanya and her coach, Sandra, filled out a needs assessment to decide which practices Tanya might want to focus on first. To get started, they selected a teaching practice Tanya identified as being one she was not doing often but she wanted to use regularly. They wrote a goal and developed an action plan to help guide both of them in improving this practice. Sandra spent two weeks coaching Tanya on this goal. As part of the coaching process, Sandra came to Tanya’s classroom to observe an activity in which Tanya and Sandra planned for opportunities to work on the teaching practice. Sandra also collected data on how many times Tanya used this teaching practice. After an observation session, Tanya and Sandra would meet to reflect about how it went and Sandra would provide feedback about what Tanya and her team might also want to try or do differently. After the third debrief meeting, Tanya felt that she had achieved her goal and Sandra agreed. To figure out what to focus on next, Tanya and Sandra reviewed the needs assessment document from three weeks ago. There were several teaching practices that Tanya had indicated she wanted to work on and were top priorities. Work with a partner and let’s help Tanya and Sandra with their next action plan.
1. Review the current action plan and needs assessment information, including Tanya’s notes about her priority practices.
2. Decide which practice you think they should target.
3. Write a goal for that practice to guide coaching.
4. Write an action plan for your goal. Include action steps and resources that might be
needed to support the action steps.
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Case Example Needs Assessment
Coaching to Support School Readiness – April 2012 – Draft Version 1.0
Teacher Name: _____ Tanya Robinson ______ Date: __ September_ 201X__ Instructions: Each of the questions below relate to effective teaching practices for supporting children’s learning. Read each question and consider how often you do this teaching practice using the 1 to 5 rankings. Once you have completed the rankings, consider if you would like to do this teaching practice more. Identify the top 5 teaching practices you would like more support and help to use in the classroom. Use the notes section to write your initial ideas about what might help you use this practice.
1. Do you prepare for teaching and instructional activities in advance and have materials ready and accessible?
1 2 3 4 5 Yes No
2. Do you use classroom rules to help clarify expectations (what children should do) for specific activities?
1 2 3 4 5 Yes No 3
I created classroom rules with the children at the beginning of the year and have them posted but I could refer to the rules more often
3. Do you plan the classroom schedule to provide a balanced set of activities and routines?
1 2 3 4 5 Yes No 4
It has been easier to do our large group and work activities first and then play outside in the afternoon but the children seem to get really fidgety by the end of circle and during small groups
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Case Example Needs Assessment
Coaching to Support School Readiness – April 2012 – Draft Version 1.0
How Often Do You Use this Practice?
Teaching Practice Never Seldom
Some-‐times Usually Always
Change needed?
Priority (Top 5)
Notes
4. Do you provide a visual schedule and use it to help children understand what is currently happening in class and what will happen throughout the day?
1 2 3 4 5 Yes No
Engaging Interactions & Environments: Social and Emotional Support
5. Are your interactions with children responsive and supportive?
1 2 3 4 5 Yes No
6. Do you identify children’s interests and use them to guide interactions and activities with children?
1 2 3 4 5 Yes No
7. Are you moving around the classroom to interact and engage with children in play and learning activities, including daily routines?
1 2 3 4 5 Yes No 2
I usually assign my team to specific children to work with so I might not interact with each child in a day
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Case Example Needs Assessment
Coaching to Support School Readiness – April 2012 – Draft Version 1.0
8. Do you use strategies that promote peer interactions including sharing, cooperation, and play?
1 2 3 4 5 Yes No 1
I’m not sure how to promote peer interaction. When I have tried it usually ends up with children demanding my attention. I need more information about the strategies I might use
Engaging Interactions & Environments: Instructional Interactions and Materials
9. Do you arrange classroom activities and materials so that children can practice and learn new skills (e.g., offer limited work materials so children need to share, put high interest materials out of reach so children need to ask, “forget” a key idea so children can “remind” them)?
1 2 3 4 5 Yes No
10. Are you offering children opportunities to make “choices” within activities? 1 2 3 4 5 Yes No 5
I usually assign children to the centers & activities or let them know which materials to use
11. Are you providing opportunities for children to actively engage, respond, talk, and make meaningful contributions during activities?
1 2 3 4 5 Yes No
12. Do you use descriptive feedback so children know exactly what is expected and what they are doing well?
1 2 3 4 5 Yes No
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Case Example Needs Assessment
Coaching to Support School Readiness – April 2012 – Draft Version 1.0
13. Do you vary the level of support children receive during classroom activities and tasks based on their individual abilities?
1 2 3 4 5 Yes No *
I need to learn more about this practice before focusing on it
14. Are you modeling more complex language, problem-‐solving skills, and exploration and reasoning skills to expand children’s experiences?
1 2 3 4 5 Yes No
Research-‐Based Curricula and Teaching Practices
15. Do you use intentional and systematic instructional procedures to support children’s learning during ongoing activities, routines, and transitions?
1 2 3 4 5 Yes No *
I need to learn more about this practice before focusing on it
16. Do you plan high quality appropriate learning targets for children and use them to guide teaching throughout the day?
1 2 3 4 5 Yes No
17. Do you observe and record children’s skills and progress during naturally occurring activities (i.e., activity-‐focused assessment) and use this information to inform planning, teaching, and decision-‐making?
1 2 3 4 5 Yes No
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Observation Log Teacher:
Coach:
Date:
Time spent preparing: Time spent in observation:
Time for reflection and feedback: Time spent in follow up:
Focus:
What I observed:
What I want to share:
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Coaching Components and Reflection Sheet
Coaching Components Yes No N/A Notes
Reflection
1. I encouraged the teacher to consider her actions by asking reflective questions.
Feedback
2. I reviewed the current action plan goal.
3. I shared data on the relevant action plan goal. 4. I provided supportive feedback on teacher’s
use of strategies related to the relevant action plan goal.
5. Feedback was positive and highlighted teacher’s strengths.
6. I provided constructive feedback which were non-judgmental and included suggestions for improvement related to the relevant action plan goals.
Planned Actions 7. I directed teacher to examples or materials that
might help the teacher address the relevant action plan goal.
Scheduling 8. Together, the teacher and I determined
days/times to conduct next observations.
9. Together, the teacher and I determined days/times to conduct next coaching session.
Checking In 10. I asked the teacher if he or she had any
questions or concerns.
11. I answered any questions.
Notes
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Focused Observation Vignette
Carleen has been a lead teacher for three years. This is her first experience having a coach. Along with the other classrooms in her center, she is working on putting teaching practices into place that will help prevent challenging behaviors, making it easier to target school readiness goals. Through the needs assessment process, she and her coach identified classroom management and transitions as areas she struggled with. Along with her coach, she recently set a goal and worked through an action plan to implement positively stated classroom rules. Her current action plan focuses on transitions. Before coaching on this action plan began, the children would come up at the same time to choose an area, causing conflicts between children and a general sense of chaos. This is your first focused observation after you both developed this action plan.
Teaching Practice Action Plan
Teaching practice I want to use: Manage transitions effectively to increase child engagement and decrease challenging behaviors throughout the day.
What will it look like when I use this teaching practice (Goal): I will remind children of the expectations of the upcoming transition and will give positive feedback when children are engaged in transitions appropriately at least twice during each transition.
Steps to achieve this goal-‐-‐ Resources needed:
1. Remind children of the steps and expectations of each transition. Write out matrix of expectations with classroom team at next team meeting.
2. Make sure I notice when children are engaging in transition appropriately and give a positive feedback.
Decide on way to track feedback given (tally on white board, golf counter, clicker counter, marbles in jar or pocket)
3. Provide visuals for children that need more support during transitions. Transition steps on ring and wrist keychain (coach will bring – Carleen print out visuals), Center photos and necklaces (Carleen assemble)
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Sample of Email Feedback
Hi Barbara,
Thanks for welcoming me into your room this week. I could tell how excited the kids were about next week’s trip to the farm!
Based on your action plan, we’re focusing on increasing peer interactions in the dramatic play area. One of the important elements of your action plan is to use challenging behavior as a chance to teach new skills. Like we talked about, I heard you do this masterfully this week. A new child was upset and you used that as an opportunity. First, you calmly expressed/modeled your own feelings. Then you taught the child to use her words. I also heard you recognize children for being "team players" and ask them to be safe. Great way to tie in your classroom expectations throughout the year!
Our goal for coaching is really to use strategies that will help all kids develop social skills that will help them in school and life. You captured a few minutes of video this week, and we talked about it at the meeting. I edited a short clip that I'm attaching here. We talked about how the boys in the video played near each other but alone for a very long time while all adults were busy in other parts of the room. This would have been a perfect opportunity for an adult to encourage interactive play. Before our meeting next week, we said we would each take a few minutes to watch the boys play in the video. What do you notice about their play? Why is it important to notice that the two boys play near each other but alone? How can we help move them to more interactive play?
We also wanted to focus on adult-‐child interactions during play. In the video, notice how they responded when one of you asked about the rooster. Watch towards the end of the clip and see how they begin to interact around the idea you gave them. With this in mind, how do you think we could help these boys increase interactive play? What do you think would happen if you joined the children in their play? What activities or play props might spark the boys to interact more? Some suggestions that have worked for others: joining children's play to model skills, suggesting play ideas (like you did in this clip), asking children what they will play together when they get to centers (priming the situation), and offering activities that require cooperation like building train tracks or cooking.
I found an article I thought you might like about the importance of play. I thought it was interesting; the rest of the world is finally catching on to what preschool teachers have known forever! The article gives some ideas for helping kids develop play skills and self-‐regulation. Here's the link: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=19212514
The next step you put in your action plan is to make sure there are at least 7 social toys available during choice time. I think it would be great for us to take some time to film children playing with a variety of those toys next week. Then we can talk about how it went. Does that sound good?
Could you please write back to let me know you got this message and that all is well? Thank you and see you next week!
Carmen
Supportive feedback
Constructive feedback with reflective questions and suggestions
