With
2019 just a few days away, thoughts turn to resolutions or goals for the new
year. January is a good time to help teachers pause and ponder their
professional goals. Asking questions can
support reflection and encourage next steps in pursuing improvement efforts. The series of questions below supports teachers’
self-initiated resolutions.
“What changes
have you made to your practices so far this year?”
This
question asks the teacher to mine her memory for successes, recognizing
improvements that have already been made.
“How might
these changes have affected student learning?”
This
question moves the focus from teacher to learners, appropriately calling for
evidence.
“How have
these changes affected you?”
Asking
this question encourages the teacher to consider which practices are
sustainable.
“Where do you
want students to be by the end of the year?”
This
forward-thinking question asks teachers to take past successes and project
their outcomes into the future.
“What might
you have to do to get your students there?”
Building
on the previous question, teachers are asked to brainstorm additional
approaches that may be needed.
Make
opportunities to meet one-on-one with teachers in January. When you ask questions that encourage teachers
to take stock of where they are and think about their goals, you help them recognize
and prepare for success as the new year gets underway.
This week, you
might want to take a look at:
Offers of wisdom from fictional
characters that can inspire students’ New Year’s goal-setting:
Asking
students to self-assess their engagement:
A
podcast on mentoring new teachers to have effective guided-reading groups:
Using
design thinking in coaching:
Supports
for student-led discussions:
That’s it for
this week. Happy Coaching!
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