BRE PLC Reflection
Here and There
Introduction
Our very first PLC meeting was informative and fun! I appreciated the chance to observe and a classroom to practice actual coaching. Not too mention how yummy the snack mix was.
Needs Assessment Survey
I completed this with my principal based on the entire school. Most interesting is that my outlook on the "levels" was different. I tended to lean more towards the developing while she was more on the approaching side.
I want to now break this down by grade-level and have the teachers complete it and compare the thinking.
The CoF and Environmental Checklist
The CoF is a brand new observation piece for me. I love the idea of using it and observing the kids to take the pressure off the teachers. It is less intimidating to think of debriefing by discussing the kids. I think it definitely helps to add to that data piece for student-driven coaching.
We used the Environmental Checklist last year so I was familiar with that. I completed a checklist on every classroom and then had the teachers complete one themselves. I think it is very useful to get them thinking about their rooms and to ask questions about why some of the elements are important or even unrealistic (like the alphabet at eye-level...it was funny how many of them decided to count their alphabet rugs as that).
Student-Centered Coaching
What an eye-opener the Coaching Continuum is! I have a very strong Relationship-driven Coaching style at one school and a more Teacher-Centered one at the other. My goal is to have a student-centered on though (even set that as my GBE). I think by looking at MAP scores to help design instruction is a first step in this. I really want to get to the point where a teacher and I can sit down and look at student work and talk about next steps based on that. Knowing the right questions to ask to get the teachers to discuss learning goals and evidence of that learning first BEFORE looking at what is going to be done as far as activities or techniques is something I need quite a bit of practice in. But it is liberating because I don't have to have all the answers if we focus on the kids.