“To coach means to convey a valued colleague from where he or she is to
where he or she wants to be.”
- Garmston
Learning Outcomes…
• to explore how leaders can be
effective change managers in
classrooms
• unpack the practical steps leaders
might take to work alongside teachers in
their classrooms in the role of coach
Leadership Structure
Underlying Principles
• the only person’s behaviour you
can change is your own
• there is no greater gift you can
give someone than to allow them
to talk their way to understanding
How I changed my
behaviour…
• became like the teacher I used to
be
• began meeting with all teachers
every 5-6 weeks
• gave myself the goal of visiting at
least 3 teachers’ classrooms a day
Knowing what I know
now this is what I’d do…
• let the teachers and kids know how
and why I was changing my practice
• stop beating myself up when things
don’t go according to the plan!
Buy a book…
First observation…
Spend time in each class and
make a list of positives and
negatives for each teacher.
Schedule appointments
for all teachers…
“This is a chance to talk
about how it is going
and to find out how I
might help you with your
practice.”
First meeting…
So tell me how is it going?
How are you finding your class?
Positives and advice about practice
(Get them to go first and only fill in important gaps!!!)
Set a non-judgmental
observational focus …
What are you currently focussing on as
a teacher?
What data might I gather, when I am in
your room, to help you with this?
Ideas for nonjudgmental feedback…
Co-construct questions to ask kids:
Why are you doing this learning?
How will you know when you’ve
learnt it?
What are you expected to be doing?
Are you doing it?
How helpful do you find the
teacher’s instructions in knowing
what to do? Any advice?
What is the purpose of this
learning? Why is it important
for you to know this?
What are the expected
behaviours in this room at
this time?
What about noise level?
Ideas for nonjudgmental feedback…
‘Running records’ of what is happening
in class:
Q = question
R = response
E = explanation
I = instruction
P = paraphrase
Ideas for nonjudgmental feedback…
Telly charts:
Connecting /Disconnecting behaviours
Which students are called upon to answer
(position and frequency)?
Classroom Observations:
Date:
Time:
Learning Intention:
Timetable:
Actual:
Details of activity (if relevant)
Has it been effective?
Student Achievement
Has it been effective?
Changed teacher practice
Has it been effective?
Increased Leader Understanding
The Role of Coach
To coach means to convey a valued
colleague from where he or she is to
where he or she wants to be.
- Costa and Garmston
Unconsciously
Incompetent
Consciously
Incompetent
Consciously
Competent
Unconsciously
Competent
Coaching Tips
Source: Joan Dalton/David Anderson
Listening set asides
•Autobiographical listening
•Inquisitive listening
•Solution listening
And ‘not “But”
Another thought…
Help me understand what you
mean by…
It appears to me that…
The Language of Possibility
•What might…?
•How might…?
•Why might…?
Coaching Scaffolds
Source: Joan Dalton/David Anderson
Get
Paraphrase
Source: Bob
Garmston/
David Anderson
sten
ause
araphrase
nquire
Acknowledge/Clarify
Summarize/Organize
Shift level of abstraction
A mirror
A basket/box
An elevator/ladder
You’re concerned about…
You would like to see…
You’re feeling badly about…
You seem to have two goals
here…
On one hand we___and on the
other hand we___
Shifting up:
So you value…
So your goal is …
You believe that…
Shifting down:
So, might an example of that be…
A strategy might be..
A choice might be…
Coaching Scaffolds
Source: Glasser
Questions
What do you want?
What are you doing?
Is it working?
What kind of ?? person/teacher do you want to be?
Learning Outcomes…
• to explore how leaders can be
effective change managers in
classrooms
• unpack the practical steps leaders
might take to work alongside teachers in
their classrooms in the role of coach