Good
teaching requires an understanding of the kids, the content, and the pedagogy.
As coaches, we often work with teachers who have a solid grasp on the first two
elements – the kids and the content – but we are trying to support new thinking
about the pedagogy.
Our
focus on the pedagogy may begin with modelling a new approach or making
recommendations about how that approach can be applied. Once the teacher has
increased knowledge of the practice, how can we encourage thoughtful planning
and insightful reflection around its use? The GIR model suggests that asking
questions can support teachers’ internalization of these new practices.
For
example, if I’m working with a social studies teacher who wants to increase opportunities
for academic writing in her next unit, I might ask probing questions such as
the following to support her planning:
·
What
important concepts are you hoping your students will take away from the unit?
·
How
have you assessed students’ understanding of these concepts in the past?
·
What
types of writing might help you assess your students’ understanding of these
concepts?
·
What
support might your students need to be successful with these types of writing?
Questions
like these encourage thoughtful lesson design by backwards planning from the
big ideas that are hoped-for outcomes. In response, teachers draw on their knowledge
about the content and their students and apply it to their planning as the
implement the new pedagogical approach.
Asking
questions can also support reflection that leads to improved instruction. With
my social studies teacher friend, I’ll move beyond the generic “How did it go?”
and model asking the kinds of questions I ask myself after a lesson:
·
What
did students learn? How do I know?
·
Were
their times when students seemed lost? What did I do about it?
·
When
were students less attentive? Why? What needs to change?
·
When
were students most engaged? What caused it?
·
What
do I want to be sure to do during the next lesson?
When
a coach continues asking questions like these, she is modeling characteristics
of effective reflection. If a teacher hasn’t already developed these
attributes, she will internalize such questions over time and become more
self-reflective.
If
you’re a parent, you’ve likely been the recipient of brief responses if you
asked the general question, “How was your day?” when greeting your child after school.
Similarly, to get past the knee-jerk response (“Fine”) when we check in with
teachers, we’ll want to hone our questions. The questions we ask influence the
responses we get. This is an obvious, but important, connection. The questions we
ask as coaches help our teachers apply the knowledge they have of students and
content to new pedagogical approaches so that their planning and reflecting
result in improved instruction.
This week, you might want to
take a look at:
This handy, one-page description of Pearson
& Gallagher’s Gradual Release of Responsibility Model:
What to think about when arranging (or
rearranging) the classroom:
No matter what
grade-level you teach, it’s helpful to consider what college
Freshman know (or don’t know) about argumentative writing:
Spotlight on Literacy
Instruction:
The power of ambiguity in the math
classroom:
That’s it for this week. Happy
Coaching!
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