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Welcome to an introduction for the unit, apply coaching models and techniques to improve professional practice. I'm Tricia Fyfe, and during this video I will be taking you through a glimpse of the concepts we'll cover throughout this unit. Let's start by thinking about why there is a need for coaching. Reflection is such an important part of learning and growing, personally and professionally. Setting goals is also essential to growth and development.
Instructional coaches give teachers support through this process. Teachers have such a big job, and their role as educators is so critical, but they can't always do it on their own. More and more coaches are being used in settings to help teachers, support them, guide them. This unit will take you through lessons that will help you better understand how instructional coaching of all types can improve professional practice for teachers.
One objective of this unit is to analyze the sociocultural learning theory and its relevance to peer coaching. Lev Vygotsky was an influential figure in the development of this theory. In sociocultural learning theory, there are three focus areas-- the fact that learning comes from social interaction, the concept of the more knowledgeable other or any person that's more knowledgeable and experienced guiding one of less expertise, and, finally, the concept that within the zone of proximal development between novice and expert as far as learning is where optimal learning takes place.
The next objective of this unit is to evaluate various coaching models and techniques. Some of the models we will explore are mentioning new teachers. In this type of coaching, a novice teacher and experienced teacher are paired together. Peer coaching is a collaborative model. Teachers service coaches for each other, and it can be used to connect formal professional development and classroom instruction.
Cognitive coaching. The focus of this model is self-direction through reflection and conversation. And subject specific coaching. In the subject specific coaching, a single subject area is targeted and guided by standards around that content area. All of these models have advantages and disadvantages, and we will compare and contrast all four.
The third objective of this unit is to develop observation and feedback tools to utilize in peer-to-peer coaching. We'll discuss feedback models and types of feedback that are so helpful to use, such as informal feedback. This type of feedback includes feedback given to teachers outside of the classroom or in environments outside of observation, and it can include walkthroughs. It can be verbal or written.
Formal verbal feedback should be based on the observation and goals of coach and teacher for improvement. It's specific and substantial. Coaches can also use formal written feedback. Not only does formal written feedback include written feedback and thoughts from the observation itself, but it also should include information about the conference that took place after the observation.
The fourth objective of this unit is to implement different coaching models and learn and distinguish between the effects of various techniques used for observation and feedback. We will explore different data collection techniques by Smith and Garner. These tools help coaches provide feedback after the observation, tools like running transcripts, tally sheets, grants and dialogue recordings. We'll go back to best practices for coaches and teachers and determine the best fit for coaching and feedback models in various situations and case studies. We'll do this using examples and research.
The final objective of this unit is to reflect on how to provide coaching. We delve into Pappas' view on reflection, and Hatton and Smith's view on reflection. Guiding questions are used in Pappas' model for reflection. These guiding questions stem from Bloom's Taxonomy and can be used on both sides of the coaching relationship as coach or teacher. Hatton and Smith believe that written reflection is even more powerful than using what was observed in verbal communication, such as a conference.
To do this, we should use four strategies-- descriptive writing, descriptive reflection, dialogic reflection, and critical reflection. We will look at exactly what it means to be a reflective teacher. A reflective teacher goes back to instruction, questioning whether students met their intended goals and objectives. They also adjust to make improvements as needed and reflect throughout the entire process of teaching.
The objectives in this unit are connected throughout. When you fully understand how to analyze sociocultural learning theory and evaluate coaching models and techniques that are available, you will have what you need as far as understanding to develop your own observation and feedback tools and implement different coaching models. Once all four of these first objectives are fully understood, you will have the ability to reflect on coaching as a whole and the process of coaching. And all of these objectives lead to improvements for teachers and coaches.
The ideas presented in this unit can be applied to any environment where learning and coaching takes place. Some of these ideas are applicable to any environment or situation in which reflection is called for.
At the end of this unit, you will be able to answer the following five questions-- how can we analyze sociocultural learning theory and its relevance to peer coaching? How can we evaluate various coaching models and techniques? How can we develop observation and feedback tools to utilize in peer-to-peer coaching? How can you implement different coaching models, learn, and distinguish between the effects of various techniques using observation and feedback tools? And finally, how can we reflect on coaching?
Again, I want to welcome you to this unit, apply coaching models and techniques to improve professional practice. I would like to invite you to follow my video lessons throughout this unit as we learn in depth about different models for coaching and how these models will assist you in bettering yourself as a coach and teacher.
Overview
(00:00- 00:52) Introduction/Objectives
(00:53- 01:28) Objective 1
(01:29- 02:14) Objective 2
(02:15- 02:59) Objective 3
(03:00- 03:35) Objective 4
(03:36- 04:31) Objective 5
(04:32- 05:18) Connections Between Objectives
(05:19- 06:08) Reflection