1. Coaching Continuum/Cycle

2. Education Transformation Office
Dwight Jones Curriculum Support Specialist
Middle Science 6-8
Nikolai Vitti, Assistant Superintendent
Miami-Dade County Public Schools

3. Objectives
Understand the Coaching Continuum and how to implement it with classroom teachers.
Comprehend the Coaching Cycle

4. Essential Question
What factors impact your ability to carry out the coaching continuum?

5. Even though we have special hats that we have to wear each day…

6. Essential Question
What factors impact your ability to carry out the coaching continuum?

7. An effective Instructional Coach differentiates professional learning opportunities by thinking of coaching as a continuum.

8. CONTINUUM OF COACHING Interactive coaching Intraactive coaching
Increased external scaffolding
Decreased external scaffolding
Explanation of 1-6 and what constitutes each
The continuum of coaching examines the gradual release of teacher’s supported role to an independent reflective practitioner. Reading coaches scaffold teachers and target independence in this process.
Look at the frame of the Continuum of Coaching. Notice at the top that the coaching moves from being inter-active with increased scaffolding to intra-active with decreased scaffolding. The coach is moving the teachers to be self-reflective and engaged in their own coaching process as they analyze and reflect on instruction and the craft of teaching.
Do: Create their own Continuum of Coaching. Ask participants look at the blank continuum on the slide to mentally place their own coaching activities (listed in the activity from slide 9 and/or the activities from slide 10) along the continuum based on the level of scaffolding provided by the coach.
Provide 3 minutes for the participants to create continuum. Encourage talk among colleagues.
Discuss whole group the conversations and decisions that were made in the creation of their own personal continuum of coaching.
Facilitator note: There is no right or wrong answer(s) to this activity. The goal is to engage in discussion about the activities the coaches engage in daily and that the support provided is differentiated to meet the needs of the teachers and the coaching opportunity at that time.
Subject-centered pedagogy
Solution-seeking andragogy
Transformation may occur when teachers or his or her coaches are provided opportunities to observe, co-teach, confer, study, research, and reflect on practices based on behavioral evidence.
adapted from K. S. Froelich & E. A. Puig, 2010, p. 128
The Literacy Leadership Team:
Sustaining and Expanding Success
Note: The term observation lesson has been used to replace demonstration lesson to denote the opportunity being provided versus a model lesson to emulate.

9. CONTINUUM OF COACHING Interactive coaching Intraactive coaching
Facilitate a workshop or session to improve learning and instruction
Provide an observation lesson to improve learning and instruction
Co-teach with a host teacher in an observation classroom to improve learning and instruction
Confer, observe, and debrief to improve learning and instruction
Facilitate a study group or literacy leadership team to investigate adaptive challenges to improve learning and instruction
Facilitate action research to seek resources after reflection to improve learning and instruction
Increased external scaffolding
Decreased external scaffolding
If you have attended our trainings in the past, you are familiar with the Continuum of Coaching. One version of the Continuum of Coaching is found on the inside of the back cover of the Puig and Froelich text. An updated version is found on Page 128 of their The Literacy Leadership Team: Sustaining and Expanding Success book.
The Continuum of Coaching allows for differentiation in the coaching process. The entry points are decided on by the teacher and the coach. The activity that is selected should provide a learning experience for the teacher and allow for the teacher and the coach to be co-learners. It is important to consider that activities we engage in at the school site, demonstrate that we are a viable resource to the teachers and can support student achievement. On-site coaching is what supports the development of new skills in the classroom. We want to engage in the coaching activities that directly impact teaching and learning. While all pieces of the continuum are valuable, the observation and debrief are essential. When teachers apply knowledge in the context of teaching and are given an opportunity to debrief soon after implementation, they are more likely to make the practice their own.
The differentiated activities include:
Workshop
Observation lesson
Co-teach
Confer/Observe/Debrief
Study group or literacy leadership team
Collaborative action research
Idea for discussion: Ask the participants to share examples of how they differentiate their coaching using the Continuum of Coaching to guide.
Subject-centered pedagogy
Solution-seeking andragogy
Transformation may occur when teachers or his or her coaches are provided opportunities to observe, co-teach, confer, study, research, and reflect on practices based on behavioral evidence.
adapted from K. S. Froelich & E. A. Puig, 2010, p. 128
The Literacy Leadership Team:
Sustaining and Expanding Success
Note: The term observation lesson has been used to replace demonstration lesson to denote the opportunity being provided versus a model lesson to emulate.

10. Gradual Release of the Coaching Model
Preconference; Observation with feedback; Modeling/Debrief
Co-planning; Co-teaching; Collaboration
Action Research; Book Studies; Lesson Study
Instruction is modeled through demonstration lessons, observations, videos, and professional reading/discussion
Guided practice includes co-teaching, observation with feedback, reading/discussion, and planning sessions.
Independence includes sharing successes with colleagues, receiving coaching to support next steps, fine-tuning, assuming new leadership roles, and determining where to begin new learning.

11. How will an Instructional Coach know when to shift on a continuum?
Focus support in math, science in tested grades.

12. Essential Question
What factors impact your ability to carry out the coaching continuum?

13. Considerations for Entry Points
Years of experience teaching
Comfort level with change
Exhibits self-directed behaviors
Background knowledge of specific content
Knowledge of student strengths and needs
Routines and procedures effectively established
The same teacher can be at different points in the continuum depending on the context (share a concrete example). The continuum allows for teachers to participate in professional development based on their individual needs.
The considerations for entry points vary as you take into account the knowledge that you have of the teacher. The knowledge of the teacher drives the decisions for coaching activities.
Considerations can include:
Years of teaching experience.
Comfort level with change.
Exhibits self-directed behaviors. Self-reflective; analytical
Background knowledge of specific content.
Knowledge of student strengths and needs. Are the teachers collecting and using data?
Routines and procedures effectively establish. Whether or not they are established and effective is key in the coaches decision for a coaching activity.
This continuum is not intended to be viewed as a linear process. Once an entry point is determined and coaching activities are initiated a coach may determine that a teacher will go either direction on the continuum for further professional growth. For example, a coach may facilitate a study group on Isabel Beck’s Vocabulary book. From there, she may provide some observation lessons for a specific teacher. Then the teacher may try out the lesson in a co-teaching model. Or a coach may begin with confer, observe, debrief and then move to a study group based on the interaction with the teacher.

14. Think of a real school scenario. Share with an “elbow-partner.”
USING THE CONTINUUM
Think of a real school scenario.
Share with an “elbow-partner.”
Consider a coaching point based on the scenario.
Where on the continuum of coaching would you start and why?
Be ready to share with whole group.
Appointment

15. Opportunities for Coaching
Differentiation is key!
Allow participants choice based on their own personal needs
Workshop
Observation Lesson
Co-teaching
Confer, Observe, Debrief
Study Group
Action Research

16. Opportunities for Coaching
Facilitate a Workshop
Observation Lesson
Co-Teaching
Confer, Observe, Debrief
Study Group
Action Research
Variety is the spice of life… Differentiation is key! Facilitator:Discuss the varying entry points for coaching.
Allow participants choice based on their own personal needs Joyce and Showers research documented an implementation rate of 80-90% when feedback and coaching was provided along with theory, demonstrations, and practice. It is critical that on-site professional development is not a one shot effort. ( Discuss as a team to determine if we would like to share the Joyce and Showers) 16

17. Continuum of Coaching Facilitate a Workshop Facilitate a Workshop
Professional development should reflect the needs of the school.
Often, successful professional development is conducted by “in house” presenters.
Faculty perception of “professional development” should be changed from something that the teacher “has” to attend to something they “get” to attend.
Note to presenter: this slide and the following slides provide a brief overview of each entry point on the continuum.
Reading Leadership teams can help determine the needs of staff and students.
Take a minute and think about your own staff. What are the areas of expertise among staff members?
Remind participants that our goal is to engage teachers in quality professional development that can be differentiated and supports professional growth.
Facilitate a Workshop 17

18. Continuum of Coaching Co-Teaching Observation Lesson
An observation lesson alone will not have much impact on learning unless it includes time to debrief.
Co-teaching
Conversation is the key.
Co-Teaching
Observation Lesson
This is the introduction to the second and third entry point on the continuum. 18

19. Demonstrating vs. Co-teaching
Observation lesson
Coach meets with the teacher prior to lesson
Teacher is an observer during the lesson
Coach and teacher debrief and discuss
Co-teaching lesson
Coach meets with the teacher prior to lesson
Teacher leads the lesson alongside the coach
Coach and teacher discuss the lesson and plan the next together
Question to ask:
How would a teacher decide when to enter into a co-teaching lesson as opposed to an Observation lesson. The point is to discuss the continuum as a fluid model.
Observation lessons can help teachers experience a strategy outside their paradigm. “For some teachers, seeing is believing.” Before the lesson the coach and the teacher talk about the students’ and teacher’s understanding of the lesson and again after the demonstration on that day to debrief. To establish and active role for the teacher as an observer, perhaps provide note-taking during the lesson or designating a student for the teacher to observe. This puts the teacher in the role of researcher, providing material that can serve as a springboard for discussion about specific aspects of the lesson during the follow-up conversation with the coach.
In co-teaching the teacher leads the lesson alongside the coach. The coach and the teacher meet before the lesson to plan together how to focus on the students learning goals, what questions and materials best support these goals, and on which aspect of the lesson the teacher would most like feedback. The coach provides as little or as much support to the teacher during the lesson as needed. After co-teaching, the coach and the teacher discuss the lesson. 19

20. Action Research Action Research Collaborative Research in practice
Research seeking resources after reflection
Goal is to improve teacher instruction and delivery
Goal is to improve student achievement
Action Research
Action Group shares evidence
Research is the 6th piece of the coaching continuum. 20

21. Continuum of Coaching Study Group Study Groups
A study group is a small group of individuals who meet on a frequent and regular basis to explore the interests of the group based on the strengths and needs of the students.
Study Group
This slide introduces the fifth entry point on the continuum. 21

22. Confer, Observe, Debrief
Coaching Continuum…
Confer, Observe, Debrief

23. Coaching Cycle Pre-Conference Observation Plan/Model Lesson Co-Teach
Post-Conference

24. Suggested Cycle at-a-glance
Day
Task 1
Pre-Conference/Coach observes the teacher 2
Coach models the entire instructional block using required components 3
Coach and teacher co-teach 4
Coach observes the teacher again/Debriefing

25. Essential Question
What factors impact your ability to carry out the coaching continuum?