“Teachers
who have as reference only their own experience… require something
more than reflection to analyze and question their own practice.”
Halai, 2006, p.
704
 |
| I think it needs something more... |
In
previous weeks, I've talked about the overall model for Gradual
Increase of Responsibility when coaching. That model includes the
coaching phases of: modeling, recommending, questioning, affirming,
and praising. How do you know which coaching move is the best one to
support the teacher you are working with? Halai's quote, above,
gives us a clue. When a teacher needs something more than her own
experience in order to successfully meet student needs, modeling can
provide the “something more” that is needed. Whether recorded or
live, with students or without, modeling may be especially useful
early in a coaching cycle. The observed experiences that modeling
provides open doors for communication and support teachers as they
then use the strategies in their own instruction.
Another
way to provide “something more” for teachers is by making
recommendations. As teachers increase the tools in their
instructional toolbox and their comfort with using them, they may no
longer need modeling. When using the GIR model, coaches shift to the
practice of making recommendations as the coaching cycle moves
forward. In doing so, coaches take an expert stance. They
draw on research and experience, advocating for particular choices
and actions. In addition to taking into consideration the needs of
the student, coaches need to consider the knowledge and abilities of
the teacher in order for recommendations to be effective. This stage
of the coaching cycle requires credibility and trust, which coaches
have been working to build.
In
this consulting role, coaches encourage teachers to use appropriate
practices and attend to instructional goals that target the unique
needs of their learners. Coaches often make recommendations early in
the coaching cycle as teachers are determining goals for the cycle
and deciding what approaches to take. The coach may provide
information about instructional strategies; content or skills being
taught; the developmental processes of learning; or the standards,
curriculum, or resources being used (more about those next week).
Early
in the coaching cycle, if teachers are looking to the coach for
guidance, modeling and recommending can be useful coaching moves that
add “something more” to the teachers toolkit for student-centered
instruction.
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Wondering
what you might model or recommend? Check out these links about
instructional best practices:
Turn and Talk is the topic of this podcast with Harvey & Goudvis:
Find graphic organizers galore at:
Here's a student-friendly guide for annotating a text:
Happy Coaching!
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