The
Gradual Increase of responsibility model leads to ongoing collaboration. Not working yourself out of a job as a coach,
but changing the nature of the work you do from a vertical to a horizontal structure
of influence, with joint capacity for partnership and cooperation. When I first shared the study that resulted
in the GIR model, a scholar said the finding about coaching transforming into
collaboration was “scintillating.” I
found it normal and natural, which was actually my response to every aspect of
the GIR model. Once I recognized this
pattern, it just seemed like a “well….duh” explanation of what good coaches
do. But as simple as it is in concept,
in practice the GIR model is quite complex, and moving from coaching to
collaboration requires intentional planning and significant effort. That so many coaches accomplish this, day in
and day out, is to me the “scintillating” finding. 
Coaching
and collaborating share many attributes.
Coaching involves respect, encouragement, support, feedback, and
help. So does collaboration. But if coaching seems like a one-way street,
with encouragement, support, and feedback flowing from coach to teacher, in
collaboration, these attributes go both ways.
Collaboration is grounded in shared ownership. Colleagues give both candid feedback and
support freely to one another. We speak constructively
to one another, pushing our practice, helping us each reach our potential. She shares her thoughts about my teaching and
coaching (which are really one and the same).
I do, too. We help one another
see a clear path ahead – one that leads to improved instruction, deeper
learning. We grow together in our
practice to be our individual and collective BEST.
As
a coach, you give and give. That is your
job, and that is probably your nature. Hopefully, one of the things you are giving is
responsibility. And you should be giving
more and more and more of this to the teacher as you work through a coaching
cycle. In this way, a teacher’s
responsibility increases along with the increased experience, expertise, and
capacity she develops through your interactions. And so, there is a natural transition from
coaching to collaboration. I guess that
is scintillating after all.
This week, you might want to
take a look at:
Building coaching relationships:
The importance of student reflection on
writing:
Vocabulary in science instruction:
The teaching behind anchor charts:
7 Questions to ask about sources:
That’s it for this week. Happy Coaching!
No comments:
Post a Comment