1. Coaching Principles and Practices
National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders. (2010, October) Coaching: Principles and Practices.
Adapted with permission from Myles, Moran, Downing, Ormsbee, & Smith

2. Identifying Components of an Effective Coach
Small Group Activity
Identifying Components of an Effective Coach
Think of a time in your life when you had an experience with a coach
Write down the qualities of the coach on a piece of paper
What were the positive qualities of the coach?
If the experience was not positive, what would have made the experience positive?

3. Qualities of an Effective Coach
Think of a time in your life when you had an experience with a coach
Write down the qualities of the coach on a piece of paper
What were the positive qualities of the coach?
If the experience was not positive, what would have made the experience positive?

4. Objectives Understand the role of coaching in technical assistance
Identify elements of successful coaching
Recognize effective communication behaviors
Identify and address barriers to coaching
Describe, practice, and critique the implementation of the coaching process

5. An Overview of Coaching

6. Coaching – Promising Practice
Coaching leads to improvement in
instructional capacity - increasing teachers’ ability to apply what they have learned to their work with students
instructional culture of the school
a focus on content which encourages the use of data to inform practice
The Annenberg Institute for School Reform, 2004
When applied and effectively supported, coaching enhances professional development by providing sustained, targeted supports.
Coaching leads to improvements in instructional capacity of an individual (applying what you learn with your own students) and instructional culture of the school (embedding supports for teachers within the building and district level; when supported by principals and districts, leads to changes in school quality).
Coaching focuses teachers and professionals on specific content needed (i.e. use of evidence-based practices or improving the classroom or program environments) and encourages the use of data to inform practice (i.e. using indicators to measure change in practices and to assess effectiveness of work).
Coaching is most effective when it is tailored to need identified by teachers or professionals; occurs in “natural” environments (classrooms or programs) using observation, experimentation and learning.

7. Training Outcomes Related to Training Components
Knowledge of Content
Skill
Implementation
Classroom
Application
Presentation/ Lecture
Plus
Demonstration in Training
Practice in Training
Plus Coaching/ Admin Support
Data Feedback
10% % 0%
30% % 0%
% of Participants who Demonstrate Knowledge, Demonstrate new Skills in a Training Setting,
and Use new Skills in the Classroom
60% % 5%
95% %
95%
Joyce & Showers, 2002

8. Underlying Assumptions
Practitioners have good skills but can increase their skills.
Practitioners establish new skills or refine existing skills through self evaluation.
Practices can change using data and observational feedback.
Coaching is a cyclical process.

9. What Coaching Is and Is Not
Collegial not competitive
Professional not social
Confidential not public
Specific not general
Assisting not evaluating
Dynamic not static
Coaching: What It Is and What It Is Not
The terms that describe the coaching relationship are (a) collegial, (b) professional, (c) confidential, (d) specific, (e) assisting, and (f) dynamic. The following discusses these elements.
Collegial. The coach and inviting partner relationship is a supportive one that leads to mentor-directed change in the case of mentor coaching and self-directed change in the case of peer coaching. In addition, coaching provides a second pair of eyes to measure teaching targets. The coach and inviting partner should not feel under pressure to perform or prove their skills. The relationship is collaborative and open.
Professional. Coaching time is a time for educational professionals to work to improve their craft. Pre- and postobservation conference times are focused around this task. Their interactions are limited to the topics appropriate for discussion between coaching partners. They do not use this time to develop personal relationships, but to upgrade competencies.
Confidential. The purpose of the NPDC on ASD is to provide states sustainable, outcomes-based professional development and technical assistance that optimize existing resources for effective delivery of services to children with ASD. One vehicle of support for states is the TA provider/model site teacher relationship. Thus the NPDC staff and TA providers work as a team to develop effective supports for schools. Throughout the time the NPDC works with states, TA providers consistently share their work with schools and school teams are encouraged to share their perspective on the coaching relationship. Information on the coaching process should not be shared outside of the team of the NPDC staff, TA provider, and inviting partner.
Specific. Educational professionals engage in coaching to change a behavior. They define behavior and its associated mastery and maintenance criteria operationally. They describe data collection techniques precisely. The more definitive the coaching-related conversations, the more likely that change will occur.
Assisting. In mentor coaching, the coach takes a direct role with the inviting partner in selecting a target, defining data collection procedures, and identifying next steps. Targets may be selected from a variety of sources, including information gathered using the Autism Program Environment Rating Scale (APERS) or the application of evidence-based practices (EBP) identified by the NPDC. Data collection procedures should match the target. For example, if the target is an EBP, data would be taken using the corresponding implementation checklist. During the postobservation conference, the coach may evaluate the inviting partner’s performance while encouraging the inviting partner’s self-evaluation. In peer coaching, the inviting partner guides the coaching process, selecting a target and mastery and maintenance criteria. The coach assists the teacher in quantifying the target and selecting an observation technique. The coach also provides nonevaluative feedback on teacher performance based on the observation data. In mentor coaching, the coach may take a more direct role in helping the inviting partner select a target, define data collection procedures, and identify next steps. Activities that occur within the peer coaching relationship are not used to evaluate the inviting partner’s performance.
Dynamic. Change characterizes the coaching process. Inviting partners continually refine their craft through selection of new coaching targets and practice. They attempt new skills to reach mastery and maintenance criteria established for targets. In addition, the impact of coaching is limited only by the participants. NPDC staff and technical assistance providers promote these qualities when working with a school team to develop supports for the implementation of EBP.

10. Elements of Successful Coaching Relationships
Includes:
Trust and mutual respect
Training
Willingness to change
Professional attitude
Reciprocity
Communication
Elements of Successful Coaching
The following items are essential to coaching success: (a) trust and mutual respect, (b) training, (c) willingness to change, and (d) professional attitude.
Trust and mutual respect. A reasonable level of trust is built, in part, by understanding which topics people are comfortable discussing and how to approach topics that may be somewhat sensitive. By understanding topic-comfort levels, coaches and inviting partners can more easily relate to each other. Trust between coaching pairs occurs as a result of respecting each other’s professional skills. Partners discuss goals and targets in a confidential and professional manner.
Trust and mutual respect are evident between the coach and inviting partner when they
develop and share a consistent terminology;
agree on location for pre- and postobservation conferences;
listen actively, reflectively, and empathetically;
express feelings honestly;
understand their partner’s level of concern and comfort; and
are open to exploring and understanding each other’s belief systems.
Training. Coaching partners need instruction on coaching, communication, targeting behaviors, and effective instructional techniques. An organization’s commitment to this training is imperative to create an environment that supports the effective implementation of coaching (Joyce & Showers, 2005). Training considerations include:
RELEVANCE –This professional development vehicle should allow educators to gain or perfect skills that are shown to positively impact student learning. That is, coaching content should be based on educator acquisition and use of EBP and overall program improvement.
LOCATION – Coaching training should be conducted at sites that facilitate professional growth, including homes, schools, or nearby college settings.
TIME – Coaching partners need time to practice under optimal conditions. The more practice opportunities provided, the more likely that coaching will become habit. Partners need time to observe and confer with each other. It is helpful to build time for coaching needs into typical work day routines.
CONTENT – Coaching partners should receive instruction on coaching, communication, targeting behaviors, data collection methods, and effective instructional techniques.
Willingness to change. Coaching is predicated on a willingness to change and take risks. Inviting partners must be willing to alter existing behaviors or add new techniques to their repertoires. Not only must they attempt new skills, but also they must work to ensure that these behaviors are mastered and maintained.
Professional attitude. Coaching pairs use coaching time to improve their craft. Preobservation and postobservation conference topics are relevant to changing behavior to influence learner outcomes; conferences do not focus on personal information. Coaching pairs react to each other on a professional level, actively listening and responding to coaching target issues.
Reciprocity
Develop and share consistent terminology
Agree on location for pre- and postconferences
Listen actively, reflectively, and empathetically
Express feelings honestly
Understand level of concern
Be open to each other’s belief system
Share roles as coaching partners

11. Coaching and Communication

12. Potential Barriers to Communication
Advising
Anticipating
Avoiding
Cross-Examining
Denying Others’ Reality
Diagnosing
Directing
Judging
Lecturing
Moralizing
Praising
Reassuring
Teasing

13. Open vs. Closed Questions
Open Question Starters
Closed Question Starters
Tell
How
Describe
What
Why
Are Do
Have
Should
Will
Would
Can
Open questions. Open questions are invitations to respond with an elaborated comment of a listener’s choice. They elicit responses beyond a yes or no or statement of fact. They do so by using wording to make it clear that the form of the reply is up to the respondent, who may offer a variety of answers without being constrained by the way the question is worded. Open questions are used between partners so that implementation of coaching targets can be fully explored, beginning with awareness, progressing to analysis, and the generation of ideas and actions (Rush et al., 2008). When questions take a form that encourages elaborated responses, it is more likely that varied methods for improving teacher performance will emerge from discussion between partners.
Open questions typically begin as follows:
Tell me about …
How do you …?
What did you …?
Questions are open if their wording does not constrain the form of the reply. Examples of open questions are the following:
Can you tell me about your experience with your management system?
How do you think the recording system is working?
Can you describe what happened when that behavior occurred earlier?
Questions are closed if their wording implies that only a short answer response is necessary. Questions that begin with are, do, have, should, will, would, or can invite only a yes or no in response. Those that begin with when, where, or who ask for a one or two-word reply. Examples of closed questions are the following:
Would they behave better if you used another management system?
Are you satisfied with the recording system? Do you want to change it?
When did that behavior occur earlier?
Open questions from coaches encourage inviting partners to reflect on their teaching experiences and to brainstorm possible solutions to instructional problems. A disadvantage is that it takes more time to deal with full reflective responses than to work with more direct yes/no or wh-questions. The additional time is an investment in increasing common understanding and establishing a more effective coaching process.
An inviting partner has asked a coach to observe a lesson to determine whether specific lesson parts are being omitted that might become appropriate coaching targets. The coach begins a conference with an open question as follows:
Tell me how you knew you used specific lesson parts?
Open questions are incompatible with closed questions

14. Components of Leveling Statements
You seem to be very concerned about this important topic, and rightfully so (acknowledgement of another’s claims as valid). I know that you have worked diligently on this issue (confirmation of another’s competence). Is there something we can do to address this issue (request for compromise or negotiation)?
Leveling is incompatible with submission or intimidation.
Leveling statements. Leveling means accepting one’s own and others’ feelings and competence as equally valid. Such statements defend speakers’ rights and personal space but they do so without abusing others’ rights or space. Leveling statements acknowledge that two parties may have legitimate and conflicting claims.
Leveling statements employ the following strategies:
acknowledgement of another’s claims as valid,
assumption of other party’s competence, and
desire for compromise or negotiation.
Leveling is an appropriate communication technique that can be used if coaching pairs have different opinions that are legitimate ideas or complaints. It is distinguished from submission or intimidation statements, both of which are to be avoided.
If a principal makes frequent announcements over an intercom unit into classrooms during lessons, a leveling response uses the three aforementioned strategies as follows:
I know you have to get information to teachers (acknowledgement of another’s claims as valid); you’re doing a good job of keeping us informed (assumption of other party’s competence). Can we ask that all the teachers agree on specific times for announcements to better control student attention? (desire for compromise or negotiation)
Leveling statements serve to clarify claims so parties can negotiate and compromise without one getting the better of the other. Leveling is likely to result in a win-win outcome. A limitation is that candor may surprise people and strike listeners as brusque.
An inviting partner and coach had agreed to use peer coaching in which the coach offers no advice. However, at one postobservation conference, the coach said that time was limited and began to list problems and recommendations. The inviting partner responded with a leveling statement as follows:
I see you need to get back to class, but I know if we took the time your questions could help me discover what I want to change. Let’s work as we agreed for 10 minutes, and then find the other 5 minutes at a time convenient for both of us.
The abruptness of a leveling statement can often be softened by adding inquiry. This allows the partner an opportunity to respond and adds a level of genuineness to the interaction Statements such as, “How does that sound to you? What do you think? are examples of inquiry.
In contrast to leveling, submissive statements deny a speaker’s needs or treat them as less important than the claims of someone else. Submissive communicators allow others to violate their rights, waste their time, or ignore their needs. Some submissive people express their needs in such a submissive or apologetic manner that they cancel their legitimate requests. A typical submissive act is to complain to someone other than the person responsible for an offending behavior.
A submissive response to the principal regarding intercom interruptions might be spoken to another teacher as follows:
I wish I could figure out how to work around those announcements.
Intimidating statements assume that one speaker’s claims are more legitimate than those of the other. Typical intimidating statements are uttered in a loud voice; they may interrupt or cut off discussion, or they may feature sarcasm.
An intimidating response to the principal’s intercom interruptions might be worded as follows:
Can’t you get organized to give teachers all your messages at the beginning of the day so you don’t interrupt our teaching?
Equally important to open questions and leveling statements are affective interaction skills. These verbal and nonverbal signals, communicated by the listener, indicate that the listener is attending to the speaker and values the content under discussion. Many listeners consider these simple tools to be intuitive and applicable to almost any conversation. Affective interaction skills including attention skills, such as orienting to the speaker, and response cues, including nodding, smiling, or using appropriate facial expressions (see Table 1).
Attention interaction skills might be observed in the following way:
As the inviting partner described how he would use the evidenced based practice, reinforcement, his classroom, the coach indicated that he was listening by orienting her body toward her inviting partner, nodding occasionally, and making brief comments, such as “I understand” or “Okay”.

15. Conventions for Communication
Nonverbal Skills
Attention cues
Response cues
Focus on content of verbal statements
Focus on the speaker’s feelings
Social Conventions
Turn-taking
Appropriate distance
Encouragers
See Table 1 in Manual on page 16

16. Coaching Participants
Inviting Partner (IP)
Coach

17. Inviting Partner
Focuses on self-improvement of instruction by enhancing or developing skills
Selects evidence-based practice (EBP) that will positively impact student performance

18. Coach Engages in focused conversation Observes the IP while working
Uses questioning and communication skills to empower the IP to reflect on practices
Helps IP to incorporate evidence based practices
Shares knowledge, expertise and guidance with the IP
Provides direction in
Targeting evidence-based practice for IP
Identifying data collection methods
Interpreting IP performance
Engages in focused conversation
Observes the IP while working
Uses questioning, relationship, and communication skills to empower the IP to reflect on practices
Helps IP to incorporate evidence based practices

19. Qualities of an Effective Coach
Competent in areas useful to the IP
Builds on the IP’s skills and knowledge
Focuses on the IP’s perspectives/interests
Support IP’s ideas objectively without immediate judgment
Collaborates to determine which evidence based practices guide the work with the student
Addresses aspects of the issues/concerns on coaching plan
Adapts to take advantage of a spontaneous learning situation
Creates a caring relationship in which
challenges are viewed as opportunities for growth
successes are celebrated
FLIPCHART of earlier activity on effective coaching

20. Mentor Peer Reflective Consultation
Types of Coaching
Mentor
Peer
Reflective Consultation

21. Mentor Coaching Coaching is one-way
Coach shares knowledge, expertise and guidance with the IP
Coach provides direction in
Defining the target behaviors
Targeting evidence-based practice for IP
Identifying data collection method
Interpreting IP performance
Mentor coaching. In mentor coaching, the coach shares knowledge and experience with the inviting partner to help him develop or improve skills. The coach offers guidance and suggestions taking an active role in defining target behaviors, as well as observational methods, with the inviting partner during the preobservation conference. The coach’s role is to follow, as closely as possible, the plan for observation that she and the inviting partner agreed to and to maintain a clear record of the observation in order to have a valuable post-observation discussion. During the postobservation conference, the coach not only interprets data collected during the observation, but also may provide direction on methods to further improve a coaching target or suggest a new target. Even though the mentor provides direction, the mentor/inviting partner relationship should not serve as a means of evaluating teacher performance. Mentor coach relationships in the NPDC on ASD model may come from technical assistance (TA) providers, state liaisons, or experts in the field.

22. Peer Coaching Coaching is reciprocal Each member coaches the other
Inviting partner’s role: selects and defines coaching target and data collection
Coach’s role
Is nonauthoritarian
Guides IP to identifying coaching targets
Offers nonjudgmental comments
Promotes reflection in the IP
Peer coaching. In peer coaching, the process is reciprocal; each member of the pair coaches the other, taking turns serving as the inviting partner and coach. The coach’s role is nonauthoritarian. A good coach serves as a guide introducing questions that allow the inviting partner to select and define a coaching target and data collection method during the preobservation conference. As in mentor coaching, the coach follows the observation protocol described in the preobservation conference. During the postobservation conference, the coach offers nonjudgmental comments, careful to avoid providing suggestions, to assist the inviting partner in reflecting on her skills. In the context of the NPDC on ASD project, peer coaching partnerships may be formed between a teacher and related service provider, general and special education teachers, or a teacher and transition services representative.

23. Reflective Consultation
Model for coaching relationship between NPDC & TA Support mentor/peer coach or technical assistance provider Occurs between coaching cycles
Provide directions to:
Training of a new coach
Challenging coaching situation
Provide opportunity for coach to reflect upon their own practice
Utilize questioning and reflective listening to develop an action plan to improve coaching practices
Reflective consultation. Reflective consultation is a variation on a coaching relationship that may be used by an administrator or supervisor in supporting a mentor or peer coach. This process utilizes many of the elements of peer to peer and mentor coaching, but may not include an onsite observation. A reflective consultation session provides a technical assistance provider or mentor coach the opportunity to reflect upon her experiences as a coach and gain insights for improving or changing aspects of her coaching practices. This may be particularly important when there are challenges in the coaching relationship or when a coach is newly learning coaching skills (Rush, Shelden, & Raab, 2008). Questioning, reflective listening, and an action plan are essential to this type of coaching support. These sessions would typically occur between a coaching sequence of preobservation, observation, and postobservation so that the coach can reflect upon what occurred during that sequence and address challenges that occurred. Within the NPDC, this type of reflective consultation may occur between the NPDC staff member supporting a technical assistance coach within a state. It is also an effective method for a supervising NPDC staff member to support staff who are engaged in assisting state teams in learning to implement peer to peer and mentor coaching practices within their training and technical assistance activities.

24. The Three Components of Coaching
Preobservation conference
Observation
Postobservation conference
The coaching process consists of three steps: preobservation conference, observation, and postobservation conference. This chapter describes each of these activities including (a) the inviting partner’s role, (b) the coach’s role, and (c) the coaching log.

25. Coaching Log
Coaching Log. The Coaching Log (see Appendix) serves as a record of the coaching relationship. This one-page document records all of the aspects of the preconference observation conference, observation, and postobservation conference. The log is completed by the coach and is maintained by the inviting partner as a confidential record of his progress toward coaching targets. The Coaching Log has been integrated into the NPDC Technical Assistance Contact Sheet and is designed to reflect NPDC materials and processes, including the Fidelity Implementation Checklists for the NPDC and the Goal Attainment Scale (GAS) established for targeted outcomes for participating learners.
The following sections of the Coaching Log are to be completed by the coach:
Inviting partner’s name; EBP, goal from the GAS or program improvement target; coach’s name
Area of concern
Observable behavior – adult and/or student
New or revisited target
Data collection method
Mastery and maintenance criterion for target behavior
Date, time and length of preobservation observation
Time of day for inviting partner and coach to meet
Communication skills use (i.e., open questions, leveling statements, focus on partner’s words, focus on partner’s feelings, nonverbal/verbal encouragers)
Date and time for observation
Date and time for postobservation conference

26. Preobservation Conference Inviting Partner’s Role
State the purpose
Negotiate coaching target
Reach consensus on concern
Agree on observable IP and student behavior
Negotiate data recording
Share agreement on criteria
Describe etiquette
Negotiate dates/times for observation and postobservation conference
Preobservation Conference
Once the form of coaching has been decided (e.g., mentor or peer coaching), coaching partners can hold the preobservation conference to establish the ground rules for the inviting partner and coach to follow during the observation. During this stage the coaching target and how the target is to be measured are identified. If mentor coaching is the preferred model, the coach will assume an active role in either defining the target behavior or guiding the inviting partner to identify a target. If peer coaching is used, the inviting partner defines the target that the coach will observe in the inviting partner’s classroom and how those behaviors are to be documented. Also, it is important that the inviting partner and coach identify where the coach will leave the data and coaching log so that the inviting partner can review them before the preobservation conference.
In both models, the inviting partner also describes in detail the lesson to be observed and classroom etiquette for the observer to follow. The coach offers clarifying statements to ensure that the targeted behavior is documented in a meaningful manner. That is, the targeted behavior is defined and an agreement is reached about how that behavior is to be recorded so that the information can be used to facilitate skill acquisition or refinement. Decisions made during the preobservation conference are recorded on the Coaching Log by the coach.
See table describing the responsibilities of the inviting partner (IP) and coach’s (C) role during a preobservation conference in the peer and mentor coaching models on page 20.

27. Preobservation Conference Coach’s Role
Complete coaching log
Guide selection of coaching target
Verify understanding through questioning
Introduce mastery and maintenance criteria
Identify and confirm the recording method
Clarify etiquette
Summarize the preboservation conference
Negotiate dates/times for observation and postobservation conference

29. Small Group Activity Pre-observation
Watch Video: The Coaching Process – Igloo Preobservation or PECS
ACTIVITY VI – Critiquing the Coaching Process
Purpose: For participants to practice observing and identifying the various elements of the coaching process.
When to use: After providing much of the content on coaching process.
Participants: Participants work in small groups.
Materials: Video of coaching process and handouts with list of the elements of the coaching process.
Process:
Provide handouts to participants.
Watch video.
Ask participants to jot down which elements were or were not present. Also, ask participants if present elements could be improved upon and how.
Review in large group.

30. Observation Inviting Partner’s Role: Etiquette
Provide a location for the coach to view the target behavior
Provide observation space
Create barrier-free access to data collection area
Provide and test recording materials and take sample data
Prepare students for coach’s arrival
Prepare plan to be implemented if a student talks to the coach
Begin lesson at agreed upon time
Do not signal or include coach in lesson
Observation
During the observation, each member of the coaching pair has specific responsibilities. First, both follow delineated rules of etiquette. The coach is then responsible for collecting the agreed-on data and completing the Observation portion of the Coaching Log.
Etiquette. Rules of common courtesy allow the coach to enter the classroom and record data without disrupting activities in the inviting partner’s classroom. Both the inviting partner and coach have specific agendas and predefined roles.
The inviting partner follows these rules of etiquette to help the coach in collecting data:
Provide a location for the coach to easily view the target behavior.
Ensure that adequate space is available.
Make sure the coach can access this area without disrupting the class.
Ensure that all recording materials are available and working.
Take sample data in that location to ensure that behavior can be recorded from there.
Prepare students for the coach’s arrival.
Prepare a plan to be implemented if a student talks to the coach.
Begin the lesson at the agreed-on time.
Do not attempt to signal or talk to the coach during the observation.
Do not include the coach in the lesson.
Signal the coach to leave if it becomes apparent that the lesson will not yield helpful information.
Of particular importance is preparing students for the coach’s arrival. Students need to know that the coach will be observing the inviting partner, not the students.
The coach follows these etiquette rules when observing in the inviting partner’s classroom:
Arrive and leave at the agreed upon time.
Observe from the location identified by the inviting partner.
Follow the agreed upon script if a student attempts to engage the coach.
Collect only agreed upon data, if engaging in peer coaching.
Do not attempt to signal or talk to the inviting coach during the observation.
Do not participate in the lesson.
Do not interrupt the observation with phone calls, texts or s.

31. Observation Coach’s Role
Etiquette
Activities
Arrive and leave at the agreed upon time
Follow the agreed upon script if a student attempts to engage coach
Do not signal or talk to the IP during observation
Do not participate in lesson
Collect data
Summarize data
Complete observation portion of the coaching log
Provide copy of data to IP before postobservation conference

32. Coaching Log

33. Postobservation Conference Inviting Partner’s Role
Review data and data summary collected during observation
Make self-evaluative statements based on the data
Suggest methods to enhance skills
Finalize action to improve performance
Negotiate date/time for next preobservation conference
Postobservation Conference
The postobservation conference serves as both ending and beginning points. It concludes the coaching session because it completes the cycle of preobservation conference, observation, and postobservation conference. This phase, however, also begins the action part of the coaching process because it is during this conference that the inviting partner develops a plan of action to improve future instruction. This plan will be implemented in the classroom and its effects measured during the next observation. The Coaching Log is completed during the postobservation conference.
Coaching partners discuss the data as professionals. If the mentoring model of coaching is used, the coach summarizes and interprets the data while soliciting self-evaluative statements from the inviting partner. In addition, coach offers feedback and suggestions. Evaluation of the inviting partner’s use of the EBP or other targeted skill may shape future coaching targets. In peer coaching, the coach delivers the data to the inviting partner and explains the information using effective communication methods, such as open questions and leveling statements without giving evaluative or interpretive statements. The coach follows the inviting partner’s lead in discussing the lesson, elicits self-evaluative statements with open questions, and prompts the inviting partner to develop a plan of action for the next coaching session. If the inviting partner wants suggestions about improving instruction, the coach guides the teacher toward answers by asking whether (a) the inviting partner has encountered a similar situation and, if so, how it was handled; or (b) the inviting partner may have resource material or a person available. The coach, without acting as an expert, leads the inviting partner to suggest ways to improve instruction.
When presenting the data to the inviting partner, the coach might say the following:
“You said that you were displeased about how often you provided reinforcement. Could you explain what you meant by that?”
“Tell me about a similar situation you’ve encountered? Tell me how you handled that situation?”
“I wonder if you recall any articles or reports by other teachers about ways to handle that specific situation?”
Table 3 on page 25 overviews the responsibilities of the inviting partner and coach during peer coaching and mentor coaching.

34. Postobservation Conference Coach’s Role
Present data, data summary, and notes
Solicit self-evaluative statements
Suggest/prompt IP to develop solutions
Suggest/prompt IP to develop a plan of action based on the data
Provide feedback on the IP’s performance
Invite discussion and sharing of ideas
Decide on future plans
Schedule next pre- observation conference/observation
Complete coaching log

35. Coaching Log
Coaching Log. The coach completes the following sections of the Coaching Log during the postobservation conference:
Date and time
Percentage of observed target behavior
Mastery criterion achievement if achieved
Future plans and notes
Length of postobservation conference
Time for next conference
Communication skills used (i.e., open questions, leveling statements, focus on partner’s words, focus on partner’s feelings, nonverbal/verbal encouragers)

36. Observation & Post-observation
Small Group Activity
Observation & Post-observation
Review “observation and post-observation” video – The Coaching Process Igloo or PECS
ACTIVITY III – Using the Coaching Log
Purpose: For participants to gain awareness of the coaching log elements and how to fill them in.
When to use: After discussion on coaching log.
Participants: All participants practice as individuals in a large group. Alternately, small groups, dyads, triads, etc. can work on one coaching log together.
Materials: Coaching log handouts pre-filled in for video; video of coach and inviting partner during pre-observation.
Process:
Hand out coaching logs that are pre-filled to some extent with important discussed information left blank.
Watch video.
After watching video instruct participants time to fill in the missing information on the coaching log.
Option: After giving participants a few minutes have participants work in small groups/dyads, triads filling in any gaps.
Debrief: Discuss in large group any questions participants have.
ACTIVITY V – Open/Closed Questions in Coaching Context
Purpose: For participants to recognize the impact of open ended questions.
When to use: During discussion of communication competencies of coaches.
Participants: All participants in large group.
Materials: Video of coaching preobservation conference or postobservation conference.
Watch video of coaching preobservation or postobservation.
Watch clips of video rich with questions.
Review with participants which questions elicited what level of information from inviting partner.
For examples of closed questions, ask participants to suggest alternate questions.
ACTIVITY VI – Critiquing the Coaching Process
Purpose: For participants to practice observing and identifying the various elements of the coaching process.
When to use: After providing much of the content on coaching process.
Participants: Participants work in small groups.
Materials: Video of coaching process and handouts with list of the elements of the coaching process.
Provide handouts to participants.
Ask participants to jot down which elements were or were not present. Also, ask participants if present elements could be improved upon and how.
Review in large group.

37. Overcoming Challenges: Administrative Support & Time
Provide release time to IP and coach
Provide recognition of coaches
Provide recognition of coaching as a school or district priority
Respect confidentiality of teams around the coaching process
Time
Investigate how other schools ensure time for coaching
Present to administrator a schedule for negotiation
Discuss with administrator non-teaching time for IP to meet with coach
Lack of administrator support. Coaching is unlikely to succeed unless district and building administrators recognize the importance of coaching as an effective professional development approach that has an impact on learner outcomes and provide support to educational professionals engaged in this process. Administrators can provide support in several ways, including (a) arranging joint planning or released time, as needed; (b) providing recognition of coaches in building meetings; and (c) respecting confidentiality maintained by the inviting partner and coach around the coaching process and targets. Without administrator support, teachers may view this type of staff development as one more nonteaching task. Without administrative support partners may not meet frequently enough to allow the inviting partner to practice new behaviors or partners may not engage in coaching at all. It is important for administrators to be aware of the potential barriers to coaching. Thus, it is necessary that coaches meet with administrators to discuss coaching and brainstorm methods to ensure its success.
Time. Coaching consists of three steps: the 15- to 20-minute pre- and postobservation conferences and observation that occurs on a scheduled basis. Inviting partners and mentors who engage in coaching must have scheduled time to accommodate these steps. In mentor coaching, the inviting partner must have available non-classroom time, such as planning or released time allocated by the principal, to participate in the pre- and postobservation conferences. Using the peer coaching model, the preobservation conference and postobservation conference require that coaching partners have time allocated away from the classroom. These conferences can occur during joint planning time, before school, after school, or during released time. The second coaching step, observation, requires that the coach have time during the school day to observe the inviting partner engaging in the targeted behavior. It is important that this scheduled time for coaching become a part of the coaching pair’s work routines. If coaching pairs do not use scheduled time, it is likely that other school activities may take precedence over this type of staff development.

38. Why Coaching? 10% 5% 0% 30% 20% 0% 60% 60% 5% 95% 95% 95%
Training Components
Training Outcomes
Knowledge of Content
Skill
Implementation
Classroom
Application
Presentation/ Lecture
Plus
Demonstration in Training
Practice in Training
Plus Coaching/ Admin Support
Data Feedback
10% % 0%
30% % 0%
% of Participants who Demonstrate Knowledge, Demonstrate new Skills in a Training Setting,
and Use new Skills in the Classroom
60% % 5%
95% %
95%
Joyce & Showers, 2002