Creating System-Wide Support for Learning Coaches with Joellen Killion Developed by ARPDC as a result of a grant from Alberta Education to support implementation

Building and Maintaining a Productive Teacher-Coach Relationships March 13, 2012 Joellen Killion Senior Advisor Learning Forward W 71st Place Arvada, CO

Outcomes Examine the characteristics of a productive teacher-coach relationship Acquire strategies coaches use to build and maintain a productive teacher-coach relationship 3

4 What terms would you use to describe productive relationships between teachers and coaches?

5 What benefits emerge when teacher-coach relationships are productive?

6 What are the side effects when the teacher-coach relationships are unproductive?

Productive Relationships Based on principles of partnership Built on partnership agreements

Partnership Principles The theory behind this approach Knight, J., Instructional Coaching 8

Principles shape our thoughts, words, and actions. Principles are underlying assumptions required in a system of thought and are often spoken of as laws for moral or ethical decision making. Hirsh & Killion

Principles The principles you live by create the world you live in; if you change the principles you live by, you will change your world. Blaine Lee, The Power Principle 10

Partnership Principles Equality Praxis Dialogue Choice Voice Reflection Reciprocity 11

Equality Partnership carries the intention to balance power between ourselves and those around us. --Peter Block 12

Equality What messages do coaches send teachers when they practice the principle of equality? 13

Apart from inquiry, apart from praxis, people cannot be truly human. Knowledge emerges... through invention and reinvention, through the restless, impatient, continuing, hopeful inquiry people pursue in the world, with the world, and with each other. --Paulo Friere 14 Praxis

Creative inquiry Continuous learning and exploration Action research 15

Dialogue A dialogue or conversation among individuals... based on mutual respect, equality, a willingness to listen and to risk one ’ s prejudices and opinions. --Richard J. Bernstein 16

Dialogue Engaging in respectful, energizing conversation Exchanging points of view versus being right Suspending judgments Listening authentically 17

Choice Offering people... more choice and control over what they do gives them the means to find purpose at work. Roland Barth 18

Choice What kinds of choices do coaches offer teachers? 19

There is a deep, innate, almost inexpressible yearning within each of us to find our voice in life. Stephen Covey (2004) The 8th Habit There is a deep, innate, almost inexpressible yearning within each of us to find our voice in life. Stephen Covey (2004) The 8th Habit 20

Create conversation that values divergent points of view Foster the generation of knowledge more than the acceptance of knowledge Make space for what really matters in teachers’ lives Listen authentically 21

Reflection Instead, she or he must think about what is taking place, what the options are and so on, in a critical, analytical way. In other words the teacher must engage in reflection... —John W. Brubacher, Charles W. Case, and Timothy G. Reagan 22 The teacher cannot rely on either instinct alone or on prepackaged sets of techniques.

Reflection On action In action For action 23

Reciprocity Tsze-Kung asked, "Is there one word which may serve as a rule of practice for all one's life?" The Master said, "Is not Reciprocity such a word? What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.” Confucius 24

Reciprocity A teacher learns from a coach as much as the coach learns from a teacher.... when each is open to learn. 25

Partnership Principles Discussion 10 minutes Move into assigned Collaboration Rooms. Discuss with your colleagues how the partnership principles contribute to building and maintaining productive teacher-coach relationships. Describe an example of one of the principles in action from your own work. 26

27 Partnership Agreements ① What are partnership agreements? ② Why are they important to coaches? ③ With whom do coaches form partnership agreements?

28 Partnership Agreements ④ What do coaches form partnership agreements about? ⑤ How do coaches form partnership agreements? ⑥ What follow-up is necessary after forming partnership agreements?

29 What are partnership agreements?  Mutual agreement between the coach and his/her client(s) that defines their working relationship  Include parameters, scope, expectations, responsibilities, roles, etc.  Can be renegotiated at any time when requested  May be written and signed

30 Why are they important to coaches?  Clarify roles and expectations  Avoid confusion or surprises  Establish parameters for safety and trust  Builds respect  Others:

31 Coaches ’ Clients Principals Individual teachers In-classroom work Out-of-classroom work Teams of teachers Resource staff Others?

32 What do coaches form partnership agreements about? Roles and responsibilities Clients--which teachers/grades/departme nts/teams Boundaries of work Support and resources needed for success Timelines Ways to assess effectiveness Guidelines Expectations Confidentiality Communication Procedures PRINCIPALS

33 What do coaches form partnership agreements about? Time Place Location Services requested Resources Responsibilities Expectations Data Confidentiality Follow-up TEACHERS

34 How do coaches form partnership agreements? In conversations guided by questions to ask clients By presenting a list of topics to clarify and discussing each By offering suggested agreements and checking clients’ understanding of and agreement with each

35 What follow-up is necessary after forming partnership agreement? Revisit periodically to check if they are working Ask for feedback on the agreements Ask is any are unduly difficult or not working and require renegotiation Revisit those that require reminders

Partnership Agreements Discussion 10 minutes Move into assigned Collaboration Rooms. Identify a situation in which you wish you had formed a partnership agreement and did not? What were the effects? What agreement would you request now as a result? 36

37 Which tool represents a strategy you will use that we discussed today? Explain the link.

Thank you! Next Sessions April pm May pm Please join us! 38