Coaching for Significant and Sustained Change in the Classroom - Tom Roy

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with associated rubrics. The strength is the inclusion of the rubric. The teacher and the coach can compare what occurs in the classroom with the descriptions in the rubrics. If they desire a change in a strategy, they can establish and implement a plan. As time and practice allow, the teacher can improve; he or she can then consult the rubric a second time to measure growth and celebrate change.

      Evaluation systems can also function as models of instruction. Every district’s evaluation documents define the elements, strategies, and skills that supervisors assess when evaluating teachers. These documents, then, are the de facto model of instruction. Teachers know what the district thinks is great teaching by referring to the evaluation documents. If the teacher rates highly on the criteria set forth in the evaluation documents, then she is a great teacher (according to the district). Coaches and their clients can use a review of the criteria set forth in the evaluation documents as a starting point. As with explicit models of instruction, schools can create their own evaluation documents or choose from existing ones. James Stronge (2018) and others have created evaluation tools that many districts use as their models of instruction. Educators can use these tools to assess performance before and after coaching; however, some evaluation tools are measurement-oriented and may require some modification to focus on growth (Marzano et al., 2014).

      Note that, while this book primarily draws examples from Marzano’s work (Marzano, 2007, 2012, 2017; Marzano & Simms, 2013; Marzano Resources, 2016b), the concepts covered apply to all models of instruction. Schools using Danielson (2013), Stronge (2018), a district-produced model of instruction, or any other can all employ coaching with equal success. Readers using other models need simply insert elements from that model to completely understand the points made.

      Coaching programs in schools should always include all teachers. Universal coaching simply means that all teachers are coached: not just new teachers, not just weak teachers, not just some teachers, all teachers. Having a coach work only with new teachers, or weak teachers, or any subset of the faculty sends the message that some teachers are fine as is and don’t need to change, while other teachers need to fix their instructional practices. It creates a division: we don’t need to improve as a faculty or as a profession, just some of you do. That is the wrong message every time.

      Making coaching universal sends the message that the faculty is a group of professionals working together in a school or district. Staff can improve their professional practice, and, working together, they will. Universal coaching engenders the mindset that we all strive to be the best that we can be and will work to do even better tomorrow.

      If coaching every teacher seems too expensive or too intrusive, we might respond, Which teachers should be expected to improve and which should not? All teachers, even strong or experienced teachers, can get better and expand their abilities. Concerns about limited resources are easily remedied through adjustments to a school’s coaching program. For example, the peer coaching model (which will be discussed in chapter 5, page 83) requires little expense, can be supported by an administrator or a coach, and provides a vehicle for every teacher to coach and be coached simultaneously. While universal coaching reduces the coach-to-teacher ratio, the improved sense of community and positive attitude about improvement more than make up for it.

      The final essential element of a strong coaching program is the use of the coaching cycle. This is a cycle of events between a teacher and a coach which leads to significant and sustained change. Many years of coaching experience inform this cycle—trial and error, reading, and discussions of success and failure with colleagues and clients. The cycle has five steps.

      1. Establishing a baseline of the teacher’s current instructional practice through observation or reflection

      2. Setting a goal for change by comparing the baseline with established norms within the school and in the literature

      3. Planning to implement the change in lessons and the classroom

      4. Practicing the new skill several times in the classroom

      5. Assessing and celebrating growth, whether the result was modest improvement or complete achievement of the goal

      Assuming that improving teaching and learning is an ongoing process, the cycle repeats throughout the school year and throughout the teacher’s professional career.

      The coaching cycle, supported by a model of instruction and universal coaching, is the foundation of the coaching model described in this book. Upcoming chapters will explore the coaching cycle in more detail, as well as individual strategies and schoolwide structures that support the use of the coaching cycle. This book seeks to help coaches and administrators build or modify coaching programs so that they are strong and effective in helping teachers improve their professional practice.

      Chapter 1 discussed change, why it is so hard to accomplish, and how coaching can be the vehicle for change in the classroom. This chapter also introduced models of instruction, universal coaching, and the coaching cycle. Coaching can create positive change in the teaching and learning environment and may be the best approach to getting better. Change is difficult, but coaching ensures progress for professionals as they acquire new skills to improve their teaching. Unlike other professional development formats, coaching provides situational practice and supports teachers as they add strategies to their repertoires that they will continue to use in their teaching. Chapter 2 will provide a detailed look at each of the steps in the coaching cycle.

      Chapter 2

      The Coaching Cycle

      When coaches work with teachers, there is a cycle of events that help the teachers add skills and strategies to their repertoires. This cycle is the foundation of coaching and the foundation of this book. The cycle is simple enough. It starts with assessing the teacher’s skill level across the spectrum of the district’s model of instruction (establishing a baseline). From this assessment, a specific element of instruction becomes the focus for improvement (setting a goal). The coach and the teacher plan specific actions and opportunities for the use of the strategy or skill in the classroom (planning). Time for using and practicing the skill in the classroom allows several—many—iterations of refinement (practicing). During the practice phase the coach can leave the teacher alone or provide many levels of support as needed. Finally, the coach and the teacher reassess the teaching and learning environment to determine progress toward or achievement of the goal (assessing and celebrating growth); this step also includes a celebration of the change. Figure 2.1 shows a graphic representation of the cycle.

      This chapter will first briefly describe each step to provide a concise overview of the entire cycle. We will then explore each step of the cycle in greater detail, including options on how to accomplish each step and key points to keep in mind.

      1 ESTABLISHING A BASELINE

      Firstly, the coach and the teacher should determine what practices the teacher is currently using. This is the teacher’s baseline performance. Given the extant model of instruction, each teacher has his or her own set of commonly used skills and strategies. Each teacher has skills that he or she is good at, some that are weak, and some that go unused. Different curricular applications may require a specific subset of all available skills and strategies. That said, all teachers and students benefit from the teacher having and judiciously selecting from a broad spectrum of skills and strategies. And so, determining weaknesses or

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