Saturday, February 20, 2016

Coaching through Rose-Colored Glasses

There are some weeks when I have a very short amount of time to spend in classrooms, and recognizing the power of positive feedback, I want to be sure I notice something positive in each class. Especially at those times when things get busy and more extensive coaching work gets squeezed out of the schedule, I focus on finding something that is going well so that I can provide affirmation. Building on a strength provides a firm foundation for coaching.

So when I did quick walk-throughs recently, I was intentionally looking at the world through rose-colored glasses. The lens through which I was viewing instruction allowed me to find opportunities for affirmation. When I walked into a room, I stood quietly to the side. Sometimes I immediately noticed something I could affirm. So I made a quick exit, stepped into the hall, and used my phone to record an audio-memo to myself about what I wanted to applaud. Then I stepped into the next room and repeated the process. Sometimes I told myself, “Wait for it….wait for it….” And with a little patience and the right attitude, I found something encouraging in each classroom. Then I went to my computer, retrieved my memos, and sent a brief email to every teacher whose classroom I’d visited. Teachers responded quickly and positively. “I appreciate the affirmation!” one teacher replied.

When using the GIR coaching model, affirming is the dominant coaching move near the end of a successful coaching cycle. But that doesn’t mean that the end of a cycle is the only time it is used. Affirming becomes the dominant coaching move as the need for other types of coaching decreases, but effective coaches use affirming all along the way to maintain a positive climate for coaching.

So go ahead – make someone’s day!


This week, you might want to take a look at:

Ideas for finding another way into coaching:



Taking a conference approach to professional development by offering choice:



Talking during writer’s workshop:



Discussing fairness and kindness to close the achievement gap:



Ideas for vocabulary instruction across academic areas:



That’s it for this week. Happy Coaching!

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