We’re still in the early stages of the
school year, but for many of us, coaching has begun in earnest. We are ready to
support teachers and student-teachers in their quest to improve instruction. If
you’re a regular Coaches’ Couch reader, you’re familiar with the Gradual
Increase of Responsibility Model for coaching, with its stages of Modeling,
Recommending, Questioning, Affirming, and Praising – coaching moves that
gradual reduce the scaffolding provided. When change is underfoot, modeling
often takes the lead early in the process. For biggest impact, set
the stage for modeling before
a demonstration begins. Setting the stage includes getting background on what
will be modeled, choosing a learning target, and focusing the observation.
Although it’s not helpful to give a
blow-by-blow of what will happen during the observed lesson, teachers benefit when
they know in advance what they’ll be seeing. Provide context about where the
lesson fits within the scope of the curriculum, what the lesson objective is, and
why you have chosen specific instructional strategies. A little background
about the student population is useful, too. Also be sure to tell the teachers
where the action will be so they can position themselves appropriately in the
classroom.
Once teachers have an idea of what they’ll
be seeing, they can determine a learning target for themselves. I often provide
several broad possibilities related to what we’ve been thinking about together.
Then I nudge teachers to determine a specific focus question or wondering
related to that broader topic. If I’m working with a group, we chart each
individual’s question so that we can support each other with our inquiries.
Focusing the observation means helping
teachers set aside assumptions and view the lesson from an objective stance.
Encouraging observers to write down what they see and hear, devoid of
evaluative statements, will produce the best learning. Before setting foot in
the classroom, observers should set up a system for note-taking that will
encourage them to frequently shift their focus between teachers and students.
Whether you are modeling a lesson for
just one teacher or a larger group, setting the stage before observation will
help to make the experience a meaningful one. As you begin new initiatives or
introduce new strategies to teachers, modeling can provide a strong scaffold
for instructional change.
This
week, you might want to take a look at:
Why
adults observe children - a letter to the class:
Tips for teacher trainings:
Thoughts
for teachers about over-scaffolding:
Retelling
rubric for characters:
A
podcast about using non-fiction as read alouds:
That’s
it for this week. Happy Coaching!
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