Humble

Why can two coaches use exactly the same approaches and protocols and have different results?  I’ve been thinking a lot about this as I’ve observed coaches who have varying degrees of success.  In doing so, I’ve recognized that protocols and structures are important, but there are personal attributes that can make a difference between a successful coach and an unsuccessful one.  The good news is, these attributes can be cultivated.

One important attribute is humility.  How do you know if you’re humble enough?  At the risk of being too proud, I’ll tell you two stories about when my humility gained important attention and respect. 

Two summers ago, I had the chance to go to China and teach a children’s writing camp.  It was an awesome experience!  The children, of course, after they got over their surprise, treated me just like they would treat another teacher.  But for the adults, it was different.  I have to admit, I didn’t mind being treated like royalty!  Everyone wanted to make sure their international visitor was having a good experience.  Well, that was nice, but I tried not to let it go to my head.

One day, we did a really messy lesson where students earned frosting and decorations for their sugar cookies based on how descriptive their writing was.  We hurried to finish up before students left for the day, and afterwards there was quite a sticky mess!  There were four student teachers and one university professor (the hostess for my trip) who all began gathering and cleaning.  I grabbed some frosting covered trays, headed to the sink, and started scrubbing.  My back was to the others as I cleaned the trays, but I heard whispering and turned my head to see the student teachers tipping their heads together and murmuring to one another. Their professor had her phone out and was taking a picture – of me.  I wondered what was up and was a little self-conscious, but I turned back to the sink and kept scrubbing.

Later, when we met to debrief the day, the professor held up her phone with the photo of me.  She said to her student teachers, “This is what I want you to understand.  See how Vicki serves?”  The fact that I did not sit there and watch them clean up, but pitched in and helped, made them all more ready to learn as we continued our work together.

A similar experience occurred when I was working as a district literacy coordinator and was assigned to support teachers at a school that had just been labeled, “Turnaround,” meaning that if they didn’t turn things around, they’d be taken over.  Needless to say, it was a tense environment!  When I showed up for the first meeting, Ellen, the instructional coach, welcomed me from atop a folding chair, where she was putting up a bulletin board border. “What can I do to help?” I asked, knowing, like she did, that the superintendent would be making a “surprise” visit in about an hour.  Between the two of us, we quickly finished the bulletin board, stapling up statements of district and school goals to greet school visitors.  I noticed several teachers pause in their treks down the hall and look up at me, questioning.  Later, Mary Ellen told me, “You won a lot of trust that way.”  Rolling up my sleeves and stapling a few papers before the superintendent’s visit helped teachers feel that I was on their side, working with them, not on them.

The gist of being humble is how you position yourself.  Side by side works better than directing from above.  This is true both literally and metaphorically.  If I stand in front of the screen while teachers are sitting at the table, I’m not taking a humble stance.  If I hold my ideas above those of others, I might be a bit arrogant. 

Oh, yes – and don’t be too proud about your humility!  😊   Just when you think, “I’m there, I’m humble!” you may start to feel a bit too good about yourself for it to actually be true.  That’s why this is such a tricky attribute to maintain!

Coaches are often hired because they have extensive knowledge and experience. But the truly wise coach will recognize that keeping her ego in check is necessary for developing and sustaining coaching relationships.  It’s wonderful to be confident about what we bring to the table, but we must always acknowledge that others bring valid and valuable knowledge and experience, and coaching is a learning journey we undertake together.

Attributes like humility can make or break a coach’s work, even if she has all the right procedures in place.  I’m working to grow these attributes myself, and I hope sharing these ideas will support you on your own personal journey.

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

Supporting healthy reflection:

https://choiceliteracy.com/article/after-the-demonstration-modeling-healthy-sustainable-reflection/

The case for independent reading:

https://ccira.blog/2019/12/17/deliberate-practice-makes-the-reader/

Preserving teachers, preventing burnout:

https://smartbrief.com/original/2020/01/preserving-you-preventing-teacher-burnout?utm_source=brief

Why gamification is worth considering as an instructional approach:

https://edscoop.com/gamificiation-gamified-learning-benefits-benjamin-leskovansky/

Storifying social-emotional learning (the article specifies the EL classroom, but the ideas work all around):

https://www.middleweb.com/42141/how-to-integrate-sel-into-our-el-classrooms/

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I’m starting a new Facebook book group for my book, Collaborative Lesson Study.  For a free, downloadable Quickstart Guide to Lesson Study and an invitation to join the closed Facebook group, go here.  Each week between Jan. 27 and March 27 we’ll discuss one chapter (and I’ll add a quick video).  Read or comment as much or as little as you’d like.  

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That’s all for this week.  Happy Coaching!

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Making the Strange Familiar

Hue and Jinn are international doctoral students who, through what I would call a strange turn of events, were teaching a university Introduction to Education course.  Although neither of them had teaching experience, they had a lifetime apprenticeship in education as students in their own countries, Vietnam and China.  You might not be surprised to hear that the cultural expectations for instruction in these countries are quite different from those in the US.  Although this situation sounds like a recipe for disaster, it turned into a remarkable learning experience for Hue, Jinn, their students, and the fabulous coach who supported them during this experience.

There were certainly challenges for Hue and Jinn.  Because the educational norms in this new context were so different, Jinn said, “It was a culture shock all the time.”  When she described teaching in this new setting, she said, “It’s like walking out of your comfort zone.”  This situation created cognitive dissonance, a situation involving conflicting behaviors, attitudes, or beliefs.

Do the teachers you work with sometimes feel they are walking out of their comfort zone as they try new practices?  How does the support you provide as a coach help what feels strange to become familiar?

Hue said, “There are times when I think this is a problem, but it might not be so, and another area needs attention instead.”  Because her norms for what instruction should look and sound like differed from those in her new setting, she felt she was sometimes blind to things that needed changing.  How do you shine the light from a different angle to illuminate what really needs attention in classrooms where you coach?

Jennifer, who was coaching these teachers, used the tools of the GIR model as they worked together.  As they planned together, she made recommendations.  “Maybe we should print another copy of the assignment so that they have a physical copy as they listen,” she suggested.  Using the tentative maybe left the plan open for Jinn and Hue to consider.  

Jennifer modeled a lesson, and Hue said, “I watched you and it helped me…I observed your class and how you taught.”  Jinn noticed differences between Jennifer’s instruction and the experiences she’d had as a student in China.  She noticed how Jennifer encouraged student discussion and wanted to weave this into her own class.

During the debrief conversation, as they considered revisions for the lesson, Jennifer asked questions.  “How should we revise this activity to clarify?”  “Should we scrap the two questions?”  Her use of the word we signified their collaborative process and empowered Hue and Jinn as decision makers, even though they lacked experience in this context. 

Reviewing student work with Hue and Jinn after they had taught a lesson, Jennifer affirmed, “I think the feedback from the 2+2 shows me that how you structured this activity really worked!”  Her enthusiasm helped them gain confidence with strategies that were alien to their own previous learning experiences,

During the coaching cycle, Jennifer sometimes created cognitive dissonance for these two teachers.  She drew their attention to aspects of instruction that they hadn’t noticed because they had different assumptions about what should be happening in a classroom.  She made the familiar strange.

More importantly, Jennifer was able to make the strange familiar.  Modeling and thoughtful conversation helped Jinn and Hue gain confidence with new strategies.  Confusion turned to understanding as they resolved friction between their own previous experiences and the expectations in this new context.  Honest inquiry led to transformative learning for these two teachers.

How might making the familiar strange benefit the teachers you work with?  How could you make that happen?  Sometimes, getting out of the teacher mode and into the observer mode when a coach models is enough to shift perspectives.  Watching a video of themselves teach is another way to make the familiar strange.  What else might you try?

Once awareness increases, how can you make the strange familiar so that teachers’ confidence increases?  When teachers try a new practice or a different learning tool, a close look at student work can help them see the impact and create resolve for change.

Even though the situation with Hue and Jinn is strange (different from the teachers you are supporting), the coaching elements are familiar.  I hope that reading about their experiences demonstrates how making the strange familiar can lead to new insights, and I hope it heightens awareness of the benefits of these coaching tools.

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

Teaming with parents for social-emotional learning:

https://www.the74million.org/article/the-special-relationship-parents-and-teachers-are-critical-partners-in-the-work-of-social-emotional-learning/

Change is always voluntary:

https://cultureofcoaching.blogspot.com/2019/12/last-week-coach-emailed-me-with.html

How the easy-to-implement tradition of Writing Wednesdays built a community:

http://readwriteandreflect.blogspot.com/2019/10/writing-wednesdays-lunchtime-writing.html

More ways to use graphic organizers:

https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/graphic-organizer/

Coaching for increased classroom discussion (during math):

https://www.edutopia.org/article/strategy-boosting-student-engagement-math

That’s it for this week.  Happy Coaching!

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Agree to Disagree?

Today I had the interesting opportunity of watching three Japanese teachers argue about a lesson.  Although there were occasional smiles and nodding heads, there was also energetic debate.  This struck me, especially, since one of the things I’ve noticed during my first week in Japan is how respectful and quiet the culture is (you’re even asked to put your phone on “manners” mode in the subway).  But that didn’t stop a healthy disagreement when debriefing a lesson about subtraction.

During the lesson, third-grade students were asked to use the digits 1-4 and come up with the minimum difference in a two-digit subtraction equation.  The problem on the board looked like this:

And they had these number cards to use:

The teacher took an inductive approach, having students generate lots of possible equations and then looking at what they noticed.  Then they expanded the problem to three digits and had another go. 

During the debrief, the heated discussion was whether the strategy should have been more clearly articulated before moving on to the three-digit problem.  The coach and one teacher thought so; the teacher who had taught the lesson did not.  It reminded me of the many discussions about scaffolding I’ve had with teachers over the years.  (I side with the teacher gave students plenty of time to figure out the pattern on their own and with peers, rather than the ones who wanted to be sure everyone understood an algorithm before moving on.) 

This question about scaffolding seems to creep up in every content area.  How many hints do you give? How much do you model?  How explicit does the graphic organizer need to be?  Sometimes we feel like Goldilocks, searching for the “just right” solution.  And it could be that there is more than one just right.

In the debate amongst Japanese educators, it was interesting to hear one of the teachers say, “Well, maybe that was the right thing for this group of students.” He seemed to concede that, even though he was having a heated debate about the best way to do it, there was actually more than one best way.  And the argument stirred up some important justifications for their varied ideas.

I remember how the gray-bearded Russian professor who taught me Vygotsky’s theories would longingly describe the philosophical arguments that occurred among Vygotsky and his peers.  “No one here in the U.S. will argue like that with me,” he said.  “Not even my wife” (who happened to be another professor in the department).

Although there’s certainly plenty of argument occurring in the U.S., what seems to be lacking is civil discourse.  Maybe we could model this in our educational conversations. When we agree to respectfully disagree during team meetings and debrief conversations, our arguments might uncover important insights that will guide instruction.

Our culture doesn’t seem to be too good at this kind of disagreement. What do you think you could do to support healthy instructional discussions that don’t skirt around points of disagreement?  How could you create a conversational culture where it’s okay to express a divergent opinion?  Change doesn’t happen when everyone agrees with the status quo.  Supporting open conversation is important to instructional improvement.

p.s.  The answer to the above subtraction puzzle described above is the same no matter which four consecutive digits are used!

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

The ABC’s of feedback:

https://www.teachingchannel.org/blog/2014/09/04/the-a-b-cs-of-giving-feedback/ 

The importance of sharing correct examples (rather than having students spot the mistake):

https://choiceliteracy.com/article/the-importance-of-correct-examples/

Sharable articles on the research that should guide literacy instruction:

https://threeteacherstalk.com/2016/06/28/try-it-tuesday-cite-the-research-that-drives-your-practice/

5 Steps for Teacher Self-Care:

https://www.hmhco.com/blog/prioritizing-wellness-self-care-for-teachers

Maybe we could take some ideas from this business article about why we should disagree more at work:

https://hbr.org/2018/01/why-we-should-be-disagreeing-more-at-work

That’s it for this week.  Happy Coaching!

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Change and the High Wire

On August 7, 1974 at 7:15 a.m., Philippe Petit placed his foot on a high wire that ran between the Twin Towers in New York City.  With his left leg on the wire and his right leg anchored to the tower, he knew, “The first step – it’s a point of no return.”  Petit says he was unable to command his right leg to move. “I could not make that decision. It was too enormous.” Suddenly, “without asking me, my right leg went onto the cable,” he marvels. He began to walk.  “The minute I felt the cable was safe enough, then I started enjoying myself,” Petit recalls.

Thrill-seekers are accused of playing on the edge of what is safe. The risk is exhilarating, and the results can be breathtaking.  Although not a life-or-death situation, teachers may push the boundaries of what feels safe to them as they try new instructional approaches. During a coaching cycle, we may consider new perspectives and ideas as we study and plan,  Teachers consciously take risks as they try new practices and open themselves to being observed while doing so. This learning is risky business and can feel uncomfortable!

When we try something new, we experience a loss of control, a feeling of uncertainty.

Allie, a fifth-grade teacher, felt unsure about a small-group writing activity we had planned.  During the activity, each group would get an envelope with sentences. When organized, the sentences would form a cohesive paragraph.  Our plan was to provide no scaffolding – to let the inquiry process unfold.  This felt risky to Allie.  She thought students might fail.  She thought chaos might ensue.  She was unsure.  But she put both feet on the wire.

At first it was crazy.  Everyone seemed to be talking at once. Students arranged, argued, and rearranged the sentences.  In the end, each group had a paragraph they were pleased with, and they could justify their choices. The results were exhilarating!

Some of us naturally avoid risk, never wanting to step too close to the edge. Others enjoy the excitement of leaping into the unknown. Whether teachers have a natural aversion to risk or an affinity for adventure, coaches can provide assurance as “spotters” ready to assist when teachers are unsteady. Where do you think the teachers you are working with fall on this spectrum?  Where do they have control that leads to confidence?  What can they be certain about?  How can you help them feel safe to take the next step?

As we ask and then go about answering questions together during the collaborative coaching process, we can revel in the “tension that exists in that space that stands between how you wish things would be and how they are.”*

* Garcia, A., & O'Donnell-Allen, C. (2015). Pose, wobble, flow: A culturally proactive approach to literacy instruction. Teachers College Press, p. 34.

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p.s.  Speaking of stepping into the unknown….I’m at the airport now waiting to board a plane to Tokyo, where I’ll spend a month doing research about Lesson Study.  I don’t speak the language or know the culture.  This whole adventure feels risky!  I hope I have some exhilarating insights to report in the coming weeks.  But if you don’t hear from me, you’ll know I couldn’t figure out how to connect to the internet.  ϋ

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

5 Factors involved in building trust as a coach:

https://www.instructionalcoaching.com/trust-essential-part-coaching/

Getting started with culturally responsive teaching:

https://www.edutopia.org/article/getting-started-culturally-responsive-teaching

Suggestions for hosting memorable reading and writing events:

https://choiceliteracy.com/article/hosting-reading-and-writing-events/

Alternatives to lab reports (and a structure that could work in any context):

https://www.edutopia.org/article/get-creative-lab-report-alternatives

The importance of non-academic, social-emotional learning:

https://fs24.formsite.com/edweek/images/Spotlight-Social-Emotional-Learning-Sponsored.pdf

That’s it for this week.  Happy Coaching!

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