My Coaches' Couch: Taking the Pressure Off

Observing a teacher can be a useful coaching activity. But being observed puts a lot of pressure on the teacher. Novices, especially, may feel uncomfortable having a colleague in their class. We can take the pressure off by asking, “What would you like me to do?” when planning for our visit.

Our participation during a lesson can occur anywhere along the spectrum of co-teacher to fly-on-the-wall. Different stances are going to be more or less appropriate based on the relationship you have built, where you are in the coaching cycle, and the coaching goals you have established with the teacher. Here are some examples of roles you might take during an observation:

· Co-teacher: As you and the teacher plan together, include yourself as an instructional facilitator.

· Back-up: If the teacher requests it in advance, you can be ready to step in and co-facilitate. The teacher could invite you into the lesson if s/he gets stuck, or you could ask, “Can I join the conversation?”

· Equipment assistant: If there are lots of materials to be distributed or managed during a lesson, you could assist, helping transitions go more smoothly. An extra pair of hands is often welcome!

· Teaching aide: The teacher might identify (in advance or during the lesson) specific students who need individual support.

· Data gatherer: Whether it is for an upcoming RtI meeting or for future lesson planning, it can be helpful to have detailed data about specific students. As an extra pair of eyes, you can lean in to collect this data during the flow of the lesson.

· Instruction analyst: In this role, the coach looks for general patterns of participation. When are students engaged? How many? Who? Who answers questions? Who asks questions? What teacher questions prompt higher-level thinking? What are the dynamics during small groups? Depending on your coaching goals and the design of the lesson, you and the teacher might determine the focus of your analysis in advance.

· Spectator: By taking the role of bystander, you are able to see (mostly) how the classroom functions when you are not in the room. In this role, you try not to draw attention to yourself. Your observations might be general or guided by a pre-determined focus question.

When asking “What would you like me to do?” during an observation, it might be helpful to preface the conversation with a review of coaching goals and follow up with a few of the above options. “Would it be helpful for me to…….? Or …….? What do you think?”

Observing can occur throughout the coaching cycle. It’s the opposite of modeling, and can be paired with any of the other coaching moves. We might make recommendations about a lesson we are planning together that will be observed, or our recommendations might come based on the observed lesson. We might ask questions to prompt insightful lesson planning before an observed lesson or to prompt thoughtful reflection afterward. Our affirmations and praise, could similarly come before or after an observed lesson. So observation is a natural fit with the GIR model.

Giving the teacher some control over what you will be doing while you observe takes the pressure off of a situation that could otherwise feel uncomfortable. There is much to be gained through an observation – and the conversations leading up to and following it. Ensuring that the teacher has a say in what your interactions will look like can make the observation even more productive by lessening the teachers’ apprehension.