Weekly Coaching Communication
Make it a great day -- every day!
19-23 September 2016
On the Standards Front . . .
Steve Ventura "Teacher Efficacy"
Again, this year, CPU teacher leaders and adminsitrators are attending the Leadership for Continuous Improvement (LCI) Series. Each year, Grant Wood has made the learning relevant to our current initiatives and TLC District Goals, and this year, we are learning from nationally renowned educational speakers.
Steve Ventura has returned to continue teaching us about effect size and using the work of John Hattie to help us employ best practices in our classrooms and in our collaborative structures; however, instead of just referencing Hattie, Nancy Frey and Douglas Fisher, we will be learning from them, as well.
This past week, Ventura taught us about "Teacher Efficacy." Basically, "efficacy," the noun, is the ability to produce an intended or desired result; if you have efficacy, you would be described as "efficacious," the adjective.
Teacher efficacy means the teachers' confidence in their ability to promote students' learning." Based on research, Ventura cites specific behaviors found to be related to a teacher's sense of efficacy. Teacher with a strong sense of efficacy:
- tend to exhibit greater levels of planning, organization and collaboration;
- are more open to new ideas and are more willing to experiments with new methods to better meet the needs of their students;
- are more persistent and resilient when things do not go smoothly;
- are less critical of students when the make errors; and
- are less inclined to refer a difficult student to special education (as cited in Ventura 14 Sept 2016).
Monday morning, Dilyn McNeill and I will be using the topic of teacher efficacy as a model for the paired fluency strategy. You will also be learning what it takes to be an efficacious teacher as the behaviors are integrated in our work with standards-based learning, growth mindset, and in our collaborative structures.
As you review the list of behaviors, with which ones do you feel a sense of efficacy (confidence in your ability to produce the intended result of moving students forward in their learning and achievement)? Which behaviors stretch you? Make a plan to become more efficacious.
Quick Clicks
Website & Tech (Tools to Use or Peruse)
Over 50 Great Chromebook Apps for Teachers
Suggested Reading
Education World presents "
Is Your School's Culture
Toxic or Positive?" 18 Sept., 2016.
Trending Tweets
Quotation of the Week ...
My anxiety increases at times when presented with certain tasks as an instructional coach, and I fear not so much the failure but letting down the staff. However, I am heeding Rockwell's advice and will make every effort to "fail responsibly." As we move forward in our initiatives and with our TLC District goals, especially SBL and collaborative structures, I encourage you to allow yourself to stretch and to welcome failure:
All failures aren’t the same.
4 components of responsible failure:
- Preparation.
- Good intentions.
- Considered decisions.
- Maximum effort that doesn’t succeed.
- Leaders who punish responsible failure never exceed the glory of the past.
- Leaders who tolerate irresponsible failure squander talent, resources, and opportunity.
- In praise of failure:
- If you aren’t failing once in awhile you’ve accepted the status quo. If you aren’t falling short, you aren’t reaching high enough.
- Honor your talent by stretching it. Occasional failure is inevitable for all who stretch themselves.
Rockwell, D. (11 Sept 2016). "10 dumb decisions that lead to foolish failure." Leadership Freak. Retrieved 12 September, 2016 from: https://leadershipfreak.wordpress.com/2016/09/11/10-dumb-decisions-that-lead-to-foolish-failure/
Coaching Schedule -- see Google Calendar for specific "Busy" times **schedule subject to change**
Monday, 19 September
- Full-day Professional Learning
Tuesday, 20 September
- How to Write Assessments training @GWAEA
Wednesday, 21 September
- SBL Council Meeting 7:30 AM
- 12:30-1:30 Libolt/Pope Weekly Meeting
- Serve Teachers & Students
- Research & Resources
Thursday, 22 September
- Triad Mtg w/ Libolt, Wooldridge, & Popenhagen
- Serve Teachers & Students
- Research & Resources
Friday, 16 Septembe
- SBL Parent Pamphlet Draft
- Serve Teachers & Students
- 12:00 IC Team Meeting @ High School
ARCHIVE LINKS
Click on the link to access 2015-16 prior weekly communications.
Pope's IC Weekly Communication Archive & Index 2016-17
Click on the link to access prior weekly communications.
IC/Principal Weekly Meeting Notes
Click on the link to view the Friday notes.
Contact Information
Center Point - Urbana CSD
Email: epopenhagen@cpuschools.org
Phone: 319-849-1102+91015
Twitter: @Epopenhagen