Listening and Questioning: Essential Coaching Skills August 17, 2015 Heidi Brushert Laabs Kathy Myles The Wisconsin RtI Center (CFDA # ) acknowledges the support of the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction in the development of this PowerPoint and for the continued support of this federally-funded grant program. There are no copyright restrictions on this document; however, please credit the Wisconsin DPI and support of federal funds when copying all or part of this material.

Outcomes Be aware of the importance of listening as a skill for leadership and coaching Understand different levels of listening Assess your own listening skills Know the 5 kinds of questions used in coaching Become aware of the format of a coaching conversation Recognize examples of effective listening and questioning in a live coaching conversation Reflect on what you have learned and implications for your practice

Today’s Agenda 1.Introduction/Overview (12:30 – 12:45) 2.Listening (12:45 - 1:30) 3.Asking Questions (1:30 - 2:00) 4.The Coaching Format (2:00 – 2:15) 5.Live Coaching Demonstration (2:15-2:45) 6.Reflection (2:45 – 2:55) 7.Wrap-up (2:55 – 3:00

PBIS and RtI are all about improving student learning!!!!

In order to improve student learning, we must change and improve instruction and culture in our schools.

Identify new practices/structures to be implemented Provide professional development (training) Wait for implementation to happen Typical Process for Implementing Change

Train Implement Attack Abandon No change

Why Implement Coaching? Presentation of Theory + Lecture, cooperative learning Modeling + Modeling, video, simulation Practice & Feedback + Practice during learning session Coaching Where work occurs Understanding (Explain main concepts) 85% 90% Skill Attainment (Can demonstrate) 15% 18% 80% 90% Use with Fidelity (Uses the skill effectively and consistently) 5%-10% 10%-15% 80%-90%

What Does a Coach Do? A coach or coaching leader helps individuals or teams to… Develop a shared vision, beliefs and values Create and sustain a positive school culture Identify a goal or need for change based on data Identify possibilities and obstacles Develop a plan of action Commit to action for change CHANGE!!!

Coaching Skills, Habits and Dispositions Listening Questioning Self management Curiosity Building trust Encouraging reflective practice Giving feedback Creating partnerships Building a positive culture Facilitating systems change

Listening “Everything in coaching hinges on listening – especially listening with the client’s agenda in mind. Listening is the entry point for all coaching. In one sense, all the other contexts depend on listening at Levels 2 and 3. Listening, then, is the gateway through which all coaching passes.” Co-active Coaching, 2007.

Listening When was the last time you felt really, truly listened to? Who was listening to you? How did you know you were being listened to? What did this allow you to think, feel and do?

Now think of a time when you were sharing something and were not listened to. What was that like? How did you feel? What was the impact on the relationship between you and the listener?

Level 1 – Internal Listening (Whitworth, 1998) Our awareness is on ourselves – “What does this mean to me?” Strong desire for more information Purpose – meet the listener’s needs Informs us about ourselves and what’s going on around us

Level 2 – Focused Listening A sharp focus on the other person Not much awareness of the outside world; all awareness is on the client Energy and information come from the client and are reflected back on the client by the coach Empathy, clarification, collaboration “Mind chatter” disappears, coaching becomes spontaneous Information comes from tone, body language, pace, feelings, as well as words

Level 3 – Global Listening You and the client are at the center of the universe, receiving information from everywhere at once. Great access to intuition For many, this is a totally unfamiliar way of listening Most people need tons of practice!

Committed Listening (Cheliotes and Reilly, 2010) Verbal and non-verbal communication Value silence Listen without obligation to act Avoid unproductive patterns of listening

Unproductive Patterns of Listening Judgment or criticism Autobiographical listening Inquisitive listening Solution listening

Listening Skills Articulating Clarifying Acknowledging Meta-View

Listening Self Assessment Complete the self-assessment (Handout #1) Scoring – circle the timeframe you marked for each item; add each column; write the scores for each column; add to get the grand total. This gives you your Listening Score and rating. Identify your Strong Listening Qualities (#4s) and the Listening Qualities that you want to develop. List them on the Action Plan form.

What did you learn about yourself as a listener? What surprised you about your results? What are you going to do about it?

Quotes About Listening Read the quotes about listening on Handout #2. Which one resonates most with you and why? What does mean to your work as a coach/leader?

Coaching Skills, Habits and Dispositions Listening Questioning Self management Curiosity Building trust Encouraging reflective practice Giving feedback Creating partnerships Building a positive culture Facilitating systems change

Paraphrasing questions/statements Clarifying questions/statements Interpretive questions Mediational questions Coaching comments/statements The Language of Coaching

Paraphrasing In other words… What I think I’m hearing is… If I’m understanding correctly, you’re saying… Let me see if I have this right… What I think you’re saying is… Are you saying that…?

Would you tell me a little more about… I’m interested in hearing more about… Can you give me some specific examples of…? I’m curious to know more about… Please be more specific about… What else? Tell me how that’s different from… Clarifying

Interpretive Questions What could that mean? What might be behind that? What are you assuming? What might you not be seeing? What might be some possible reasons for…? How did it affect you when…? What’s most striking/interesting about that?

Mediational Questions What options do you see? What else? What outcomes do you anticipate? What obstacles might you run into? What criteria could you use to decide? What might happen if…? What feels best to you? What does your gut tell you?

Coaching Comments One thing to keep in mind is… Sometimes it’s helpful to… Would you like to know what others have done? May I make a suggestion? What I know about _____ is…

Read through the Handout #3 – “The Language of Coaching.” What did you notice about these questions? What are some characteristics of what you think are “good” coaching questions?

Open ended Invitational Specific Evoke possibilities Positively or neutrally biased Challenge assessments or assumptions Characteristics of Effective Questions

Questions in the Coaching Format Getting started Determining goals Identifying possibilities and obstacles Developing a plan Getting commitment to action

Collect and Use and UseData Develop Hypothesis Discuss and Select Solutions Develop and Implement Action Plan Evaluate and Revise Action Plan Problem Solving Meeting Foundations Team Initiated Problem Solving (TIPS) Model Identify Problems Newton, J. S., Todd, A. W., Algozzine, K., Horner, R. H., & Algozzine, B. (2009). The Team Initiated Problem Solving (TIPS) Training Manual. Educational and Community Supports, University of Oregon, unpublished training manual. 34

The Coaching Format and Process Getting started/”Join-up” Determining goals Identifying possibilities and obstacles Developing a plan Getting commitment to action

Review Handout #4 – “Questions in the Coaching Format.”

Live Coaching Demonstration Use Handout #5 to script questions and note observations What did you notice about the coaching format? Listening skills and behaviors? Questions? Coach and client?

Reflection What new ideas are you taking away from this session? How might what you learned impact your work in your school? What would you like to learn more about coaching and a coaching style of leadership?

Wisconsin RtI Center Leadership and Coaching Pilot cohorts Multiple cohorts sessions Teams – admin and teacher leaders Presentation, theory, modeling and demonstration, practice, feedback and reflection Minimum of 5 coaching sessions with enrolled client

Leadership and Coaching Training October – May Wausau Kenosha Oshkosh Oconomowoc

Heidi Laabs (262) Kathy Myles (262)