Are
you a first responder for the teachers you work with? Today more than ever, teachers benefit from having
a responsive coach. “Responsiveness” is
a term that is used across many industries and professions, and I think it’s
helpful to look at how this term is used in other situations.
In
computer science, “responsiveness” is the ability of an electronic device to
complete a task within a specified
period of time. Similarly,
within business organizations, it’s the ability to provide follow-up to peers’
requests for information or assistance without delay. Timeliness is
the key. I’ve been working on giving quick responses to emails and on fulfilling
obligations soon after I make the commitment.
Even if it’s a small thing, I think my quick responses give teachers the
assurance that I’m there for them. It’s one less thing for them to be wondering
about in their currently over-occupied brains.
In
machinery, responsiveness is the
ability of a machine or system to adjust
quickly to suddenly altered external conditions, as of speed, load, or temperature, and to
resume stable operation without undue delay.
When I read that definition, I thought how appropriate it is for our
current situation. We are helping teachers
make hoped for plans, but we are also talking with them about how they might
pivot as circumstances change – with a student, a lesson, or the format of
instruction.
In
customer service, responsiveness is the
quality of reacting both quickly
and positively. This emphasis on
positivity is a valuable consideration for coaching. The word “react” implies
an automatic or intuitive response, a reflexive move. Because we have to be
ready to respond positively in the moment, coaches must care for their own
mental and emotional states. If a coach
feels worried or overwhelmed, it’s unlikely that her automatic response will show
the needed positivity.
Now more than ever, teachers need coaches who
are first responders, who act quickly and positively, adjust flexibly, and observe
carefully to determine needs. Like firemen and healthcare workers,
instructional coaches need to be prepared for a wide array of potential situations
and uncertainty. Coaching is
profoundly relational work that requires responsiveness.
In education, responsive teaching
is the ability to observe students and turn instruction in the direction that
learners lead. It is stepping in and out
of a learning activity to support the learner’s individual needs and growing
independence. It involves careful
observation, figuring out where
a learner is going, and helping them to get there.* Responsive coaching also involves careful
observation – not just of a teacher teaching, but also observation of the
teacher as he plans and reflects. Responsive
coaching means figuring out where the teacher is going on his professional journey
and helping him get there. It means determining how much support would be
helpful and offering not too much and not too little. (Using the GIR Model can
help.)
This
week, you might want to take a look at:
A podcast describing 9 ways online teaching should be different:
Teaching high-frequency words authentically:
Helping
students find their voice:
6
beginning-of-school messages for students:
Using
language that parents understand:
That’s
it for this week. Happy Coaching!
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