The ACA Forum
Issue 3, February 2019
Happy New Year!
In this month's issue, we will focus on overcoming obstacles in coaching. We will take a closer look at how to identify the need of the teacher we are coaching and consider how this affects action planning. We will also feature a coach who has used strategies learned in ACA to overcome obstacles that she has encountered in coaching.
Mind the Gap
On page 67 of The 21st Century Mentor's Handbook, which you received in FCS and learned more about in Clinical Educator, Paula Rutherford describes the ASK Construct - which stands for attitude, skills, and knowledge. Rutherford states that "what appears to be an attitude problem can in fact be a lack of knowledge or lack of skillfulness in using acquired knowledge." As a coach, it is important to "diagnose the behaviors" and determine the root cause of the "challenges, concerns, or problems and intervene accordingly."
In ACA, you were introduced to Elena Aguilar's Asset Based Coaching: Focusing on Strengths. Additionally, she describes identifying learner needs as Mind the Gap. This tool allows you to explore the "gap" that a teacher may have, and consider strategies you can use to help the teacher close the gap.
Aguilar states that teachers may have the following gaps:
- Skill
- Knowledge
- Capacity
- Will
- Cultural Competence
- Emotional Intelligence
For more information on Mind the Gap, and to read Elena Aguilar's article, click here.
In the next issue, we will dive further into the cultural competence gap, inequities, and biases.
Coach Spotlight
This month, we are featuring Kristin Abel, the Reading Coach at Lake Whitney Elementary School. She completed ACA in the 2017-2018 school year.
What is an obstacle you have encountered when coaching a teacher?
A first grade teacher came to me with some concerns with her students and classroom behavior. She was struggling with her expectations for how her students behave in her classroom. After many conversations where she wanted to work on every area, we finally narrowed our focus on morning procedures (how students enter the classroom, unpack, basic expectations for the morning arrival). I collected data during one morning and stayed for 25 minutes. Using the data, I created a data display and shared it with the teacher. The coaching conversations after the teacher received the data display were tough. She wanted me to “fix” the problem and she struggled with self-reflecting. She kept asking me what I would do to “fix” the issues. I met with this teacher three times to review the data because she would become so overwhelmed with the expectations she had set for herself. We worked slowly through the data and had multiple conversations so that together we could help her with coming up with a plan for her students that she felt confident about implementing.
What strategy did you use to overcome the obstacle?
I think the biggest strategy I used with this teacher was having meaningful coaching conversations with a focus on probing questions. Before each meeting with this teacher I reviewed her data to make sure I was prepared to ask questions that would encourage the teacher to think reflectively and to focus on the data that was collected. This was huge for when she was able to self-reflect and focus on the data at hand because then we were able to move to create an action plan.
How did you support the teacher through what you learned in ACA?
The entire Lastinger Coaching Cycle was incredibly helpful and I refer to this chart consistently in my job. Another helpful thing that I learned during the ACA process is that I must be prepared for my teachers. It is imperative to know the data and understand the teacher’s perspective so that I can be truly helpful.
What was your most impactful learning in ACA?
The most impactful thing for me in ACA was the data collection and creating a data display. If these two things are not in place then there is no information that can be used to create an action plan with the teacher. The data drives the conversations and keeps the team on track.
What tips do you have for other coaches?
Building a relationship is key with teachers! Allowing your teachers to see that you are also learning as an educator is a great way to build trust with your colleagues.
What is something you would like to continue to work toward in terms of your coaching?
There is always room for improvement as a coach and I feel that an area that I will continue to work on improving on is the initial interview with a teacher. My goal is to do some brief observations in the teacher’s classroom- no data collecting- so I can gather general information about the teacher. This will then allow me to be a better listener when we begin to discuss what data will be collected. In the interview, I want to be able to focus on data that will be helpful for the teacher when I am in his/her room.
Thank you, Kristin!
Do you have an equity dilemma you have encountered as a coach? We would like to feature you for our next Coach Spotlight. Please email Claire Steele for more information.
Coaching Tips - Action Planning
A crucial part of the coaching conversation is the action planning portion. During this time, the coach helps the teacher set appropriate goals that will refine/improve instructional practice. The action steps must be specific and realistic, while linking teacher practice to student outcomes and student learning. In order to determine the next steps, the coach and teacher must refer to the data. The coaching conversation should always include questions such as:
- "Given what we have talked about today, what insights have you gained about your teaching?"
- "What do you want to continue to do?"
- "What practices might you add or modify?"
As a coach, be sure to know what the teacher is taking away from the conversation. The action planning time allows the teacher and coach to identify resources or strategies that can be used to help implement the steps moving forward.
As you support the teacher in making specific commitments about what to do next, keep their "gap" in mind. Knowing the needs of the teacher will ensure that you are providing them with the appropriate resources and strategies to help their instructional practice and the impact on students.
After reading the Mind the Gap article, please reflect on the following questions and submit your responses in this Google Form (you must be signed into your OCPS account):
- What is something that resonated with you as you read the article?
- In developing your action plan, what would you like to keep in mind when working with a teacher who may seem resistant?
Reference: 2018 University of Florida Lastinger Center for Learning
Thank you for reading this issue. We value your feedback!
Kwani Woods
Professional Learning Department
Email: kwani.woods@ocps.net
Location: 445 West Amelia Street, Orlando, FL, USA
Twitter: @kwani_woods
Claire Steele
Professional Learning Department
Email: claire.steele@ocps.net
Location: 445 West Amelia Street, Orlando, FL, USA
Twitter: @clairesteele24