1. Learning-Focused Interactions Communication Styles
CCLM: 2011–2012

2. Overview Communication Styles Continuum of Interaction; Three Stances
Coaching Skills in a Learning Focused Interaction

3. Goals To become aware of your communication style
To list coaching skills that support a learning-focused interaction

4. Communication Style Friend: Share stories, secure relationship
Expert: Give information, tell opinion
Boss: Set expectation, impart advice
Parent: Protect & shield, offer guidance
Other: (Explain this style)
I can’t believe how fast time flies. It seems like we just started school and I felt so motivated. I am already overwhelmed. Just in two weeks, I realize I have 25 kids with 25 different levels of understanding in math. I am doing my first unit on fractions and I don’t even know where to begin with differentiation or whole group instruction.

5. Pie Graph Representation
Create a pie graph showing the proportions of the communication styles that you use. Include “other” if appropriate.

6. Self Reflection Questions
How do I see myself?
How do I want to see myself?
How do I think others see me?
How do I see others?
How do I want others to see me?

7. Who we believe we are at any given moment will drive our…
Perceptions
Behaviors
Interactions
How is being an expert simultaneously a liability and an asset?

8. Learning-Focused Interactions
Operate along a continuum of interaction to support learning for their colleagues.
Consult: Shares information
Collaborate: Shared analyses, problem solving, reflection, decision-making
Coach: Supports a colleagues thinking, problem solving and goal clarification.
Consult: Here is what I pay attention to in situations like this; here is why that is important, and here are some ways to do it. (What, Why, and How)
Offers a menu (three ideas) , shares an idea bank (created proactively), providing a model,
Collaborate: brainstorming together, co planning, study buddies, “WE”
Coach: Maintain a non judgmental stance, Inquiries about successes and concerns, reflects on goals. Purpose is to increase expertise in planning, reflecting on practice, and instructional decision making.
Many strategies can be aligned to ech stance on the continuum. For example, let’s say you were looking at students work.
A consultative stance you might point out what is noticed or recognized in the student work
From a collaborative stance you might brainstorm strategies that would most likely produce qualities in student work
As a coach you might ask your colleague to find similar examples in other student’s work, or determine some cause effect relationships regarding student performance.

9. Learning-Focused Interactions
Cues and Cautions (pg. 29)
Intentions (pg. 28)
What does it mean to continually anticipate, monitor, and flex our stance across the continuum of interaction?

10. Coaching Conversation
Make observations during this conversation.
What does it look like?
What does it sound like?

11. Why Coach?
Why are you interested in learning skills to support learning focused interactions? coaching skills?
What skills are needed to facilitate conversations that promote thinking?
What are your strengths/challenges in facilitating a conversation with your colleagues?

12. What Coaching Is…
There is no one single coaching model for any relationship or even for any one session, and the coaching strategies may blend into one another. However, there are some common practices and characteristics to the relationship.