Coaching with Specificity

Brene Brown has memorably and succinctly said, “Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind.”* When we are clear, we are specific. We say what we mean and mean what we say. As a coach, the pathway to specificity is best trod with objectivity. When we offer fact-based feedback and leave the task of evaluation to teachers, we are fostering reflection. And that act of looking back to move forward better is the stuff growth is made of.
 
In last week’s post, we thought about the value of guiding teachers to specificity during our coaching conversations. This week, let’s turn the tables and think about how to be more specific ourselves.
 
During a reflective conference, if we’ve observed in the classroom, sharing observations that are objective and specific, rather than evaluative or general, is likely to reveal nuances of practice that enhance the learning experience. When we push beyond broad language and kindly give specifics about what we saw and heard, it calls teachers to respond. Our tone and demeaner in delivering the specifics, of course, makes all the difference in how the teacher will respond. To reduce defensiveness, we share observations with curiosity. “I’m wondering about something I noticed” might be our lead-in. Then, the specific examples we offer can clarify both the coach’s and the teacher’s understanding.
 
Notice the difference between these two examples of feedback:
 
“The opening activity had students really engaged!”
 
and
 
“Students gasped when the egg got sucked into the bottle. They said, “What?” and “How did that happen?”
 
Or these two:
 
“Some students were off-task.”
 
and
 
“In one of the small groups, two students watched while the other two did the activity.”
 
When statements are vague, it’s hard to know where to begin. If we can’t articulate the problem, we’ll probably have difficulty articulating solutions. But specificity sparks ideas – or at least questions that lead us to ideas. Now, we can wrap our heads around what the challenges are. Is it a planning issue? Is it a timing issue? Is it an ideas issue? Once we are specific, we are off and running!
 
Sometimes, a coach offers ambiguous feedback – maybe with an intention to cushion the message, offering information with what feels like sensitivity. However, we can deliver with care and clarity when we stick with specific facts, and avoid evaluation,
 
When a statement is vague, it’s hard to solve a problem or even to know what went right so that we can build on it. If a conversation is feeling really stuck, ask, “Have we described the situation in an ambiguous way?” and if so, ask, “How can we get more specific?” Instead of spinning in ambiguity, we can move forward through specificity.
 
 *https://brenebrown.com/articles/2018/10/15/clear-is-kind-unclear-is-unkind
 
This week, you might want to take a look at:

Slowing down the learning:
 
https://choiceliteracy.com/article/slowing-down/
 
 
My guest blog post about breaking down coaching barriers:
 
https://www.schoolstatus.com/blog/breaking-down-the-coaching-barriers
 
 
Supporting inclusion through SpEd and GenEd teacher collaboration:
 
https://www.edutopia.org/article/inclusive-classroom-support-strategies-teacher-collaboration
 
 
Printables with ideas for bringing calm and helping students re-regulate: (scroll down to the gray posters). (The first menu can be saved as an A2-sized PDF or printed.) Lots of other helpful, free resources on this page!
 
https://revelationsineducation.com/free-lesson-plans/
 
 
Mixing poetry and non-fiction in writer’s notebooks (April is National Poetry Month!):
 
http://www.sharingournotebooks.amylv.com/2018/01/dina-bolan-think-tank-of-ideas.html
 
That’s it for this week. Happy Coaching!
 
Want more coaching tips? Check out my book, Differentiated Mentoring & Coaching in Education: From Preservice Teacher to Expert Practitioner, available from Teachers College Press!  I’m so excited to share it with you! You can use the code: MAR2025 for 20% off. Click  here  and I’ll email you the free Book Group Study Guide that includes questions, prompts, and activities you can use as you share the book with colleagues.  I hope you’ll love this book as much as I loved making it for you!