Affirming to Cultivate Growth

When we affirm, we choose what to cultivate. As coaches, we can notice and name the brilliant things teachers do. Affirming draws to consciousness things that otherwise might have slipped away. As we raise awareness about these certain things, we open the space for conversations. Here are two examples:
 
“You know what I heard you doing when you conferred with Liza? You asked open-ended questions to deeper her understanding.”
“I see you know about rhetorical reading. When you asked the class to look for the patterns Cisneros used in her description, you helped them to read like writers.”
 
When we affirm, it’s helpful to be explicit about both the practice and the purpose behind the practice. In the examples above, the practice is coupled with its outcome, what happened because you did this. These affirmations invite thoughtful rejoinders that sustain effective practices. By shining a spotlight on things the teacher does well, we build their confidence and encourage more of the same. What we focus on grows.
 
Overcoming negativity. When we draw attention to specific practices, we may uncover strengths that teachers have used but are unaware of. This can happen because of an inclination to focus on what isn’t working. Affirmation can counter this negativity bias. Focusing on weaknesses is relatively ineffective, but easy to do. In fact, our brains are hardwired for it. To survive in past generations, one had to be attuned to the negative and ready to respond to it (fight, flight, or freeze). Negative stimuli stick faster than positive experiences. But focusing on deficiencies reinforces unproductive neural pathways in our brains. This “negativity bias” still has benefits in some situations, but it can also cause a view that restricts our recognition of the good.
 
Both coaches and teacher are affected by negativity bias, but using affirmations intentionally can counter this bias. As a coach, you may need to purposefully set aside the tendency to see the negative and, instead, look for positive features to affirm. As you find practices to celebrate and share them with teachers, your affirmations can help teachers reframe their own experiences in a more positive light. Becoming more aware of instructional aspects that are going well shifts teachers away from their own negative biases. The resulting energy readies teachers to move forward productively. The practices cultivated through affirmation grow.

This week, you might want to take a look at:
 
This podcast about the magic of singing:
https://www.teachingchannel.com/blog/podcast-38
 
 
Using questions as a teaching tool:
 
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3776909/
 
 
Doing an emotional check-in with students:
 
https://www.teachingchannel.com/blog/social-emotional-states
 
 
Strengthening principal/coach partnerships:
 
https://blog.teachboost.com/5-things-coaches-and-principals-can-do-right-now-for-a-better-partnership
 
 
How to create a class website in 30 minutes or less – really!
 
http://theedublogger.com/2013/08/29/class-website/ 
 
 
That’s it for this week.  Happy Coaching!
 
Was this helpful?  Please share!
Want to know about new posts? Click “Follow” (bottom right)
Follow on Facebook at: facebook.com/mycoachescouch or Twitter @vscollet for more coaching and teaching tips!  You can also find me at VickiCollet.com