The GIR Conferencing Guide (below)
is a chance for you to prepare for the important conversations you have with
teachers. We know that planning is an
important part of teaching, and it’s an important part of coaching, too. Taking a few minutes to think through the
conversations you will have with teachers pays big dividends. Let’s walk through the conferencing plan step
by step. As we do so, think about
modification you might make so that it works well for you.
In the top left corner you’ll see
the (hopefully familiar) GIR model. I
include this on the form because many coaches have told me that this visual
reminder encourages them to continually think about giving teachers more
responsibility. As you plan the coaching
conversation you’ll be having, you might put an “X” on the squiggly line to
indicate where you are in the coaching cycle with that teacher. What kind of support will they be needing
most?
The focus of the coaching cycle is
best determined jointly with the teacher.
Zeroing in on a specific need that the teacher has identified ensures
buy-in and makes your coaching cycle more productive. You’ll likely have the same focus for 3 – 8
weeks.
Next on the page is a table with
suggestions for coaching moves. The list
is not exhaustive, but hopefully it will provide food for thought. As you move through a coaching cycle, you’ll
also want to move farther to the right in terms of the coaching moves that are
predominant. In planning and in
practice, there may be cross-over between the different coaching moves within
one week. For example, you’ll probably
ask reflective questions throughout the coaching cycle, but questioning will
likely become the dominant move only when the teacher needs fewer
recommendations.
The planning form also includes
space for you to jot reminders to yourself.
These might be points from previous conversations that you want to
follow up on, specific students you want to discuss, or even sensitive issues
you want to steer clear of. It should
only take a few minutes to complete a form like this one. You’ll feel more prepared, and you can have
the guide with you as a reference during the coaching conversation. There’s also space where you can write notes
during the coaching session.
Like the GIR model itself, the
conferencing guide is a tool that should be used flexibly to meet your own
needs and the needs of the teachers you work with. If you’ve used this form in the past, please
comment on this post about any adaptations you’ve made that have been helpful
to you. Your comments will be helpful to
other readers and also to me as I revise and share with other coaches.
Here
are a few ideas to take a look at this week:
Give yourself a treat by reading some popular children’s literature this
summer. You’ll also be more prepared to
have conversations about books with students at your school when fall rolls
around. Here are the top 10
most-circulated K-5 books (at one elementary school). You can also hit previous post to see the top
11 – 20 books in circulation.
Other books
(both professional and not) to add to your summer reading list:
Support
for making the six shifts of the Common Core Literacy Standards:
http://www.engageny.org/common-core-curriculum-assessments
https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos?categories=topics_common-core
For
those coaching friends who are still in school:
Read about the “Hail Mary” Pass – Taking Risks at the End of the School
Year:
That’s it for this week. Happy Coaching!
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