Coaching for Significant and Sustained Change in the Classroom. Tom Roy

person, he or she might record a video of the class instead. The use of video as an observational tool is discussed in depth in chapter 3 (page 48).

      Whether observation takes place directly or on video, the result we are looking for here is an annotated list of elements and strategies that the teacher is good at, as well as those that are ripe for improvement. The coach can refer to a list of elements from the school’s model of instruction, whether it is Marzano (2017; see appendix, page 108), Danielson (2013), or an evaluation instrument. Figure 2.2 displays an example of a coach’s observational notes, which will serve as a starting point for the conversation about what and how to change.

Figure 2.2: Observational notes.

      There are pros and cons to be aware of for both the teacher and the coach.

Pros

Cons

• The coach is not teaching and can view the classroom from a different perspective. She can watch a particular student or group to see what they are focused on. She can listen and watch to see how students receive the lesson. • The coach has background knowledge from seeing many teachers teach. This broadens the coach’s repertoire and provides the opportunity to see the effect of a strategy on student performance. • The coach can focus on unique aspects of the classroom. She can determine if off-task behavior is momentary, intermittent, or constant. She can see if students are using resources during the lesson. • The coach can see the classroom from the point of view of a student. Many good coaches do the lesson along with students: keeping notes, doing the activities, working the problems, and so on.

• The observation covers only a slice of the teacher’s performance. • This format is commonly used for teacher evaluation. It may make the teacher feel as though he is being judged or evaluated, both during the observation and during the later discussion. The teacher may get anxious, especially if he makes a mistake or things do not go as planned. • The teacher may prepare and present differently because he knows that he is to be observed. We all want to show our best selves, but this is counterproductive to determining what to improve in a given classroom. • The presence of the coach may affect the students as well. The students wonder, “Who is she and what’s she doing here?” The presence of a second adult in the room may change student behavior (for the better or the worse). • The teacher and the coach are observing from different points of view. The teacher should be observing student behavior for signs of learning or the lack of it and for positive or negative behaviors. He should be monitoring the lesson to ensure students are progressing and he is within an appropriate time frame. The coach is evaluating the teacher’s strategies and techniques to determine what the teacher might do differently to better meet the learning needs of the students. These different perspectives can bring conflicting understandings.

      On the whole, observation is a key tool for establishing a baseline because it provides the coach with recent, firsthand evidence.

Teacher Reflection

      Teachers have increasingly been encouraged to reflect on what they are doing, how students respond, classroom assessment data, the classroom environment, and other factors in order to solve problems and to grow. Many are asked to reflect and comment on their own performance as part of the evaluation process. It is important to note that the quality of the reflection is dependent on the teacher’s knowledge. To provide comprehensive thinking, it is good practice to have the teacher review the school’s model of instruction and compare each element with her thoughts about teaching and learning in her own classroom. Becoming a Reflective Teacher (Marzano, 2012) is a great guide for this process and includes reproducible pages to guide the reflection process. As with observation, the result is a list of elements and strategies that could benefit from improvement. It is easy, then, to have the teacher (with some strategic questioning from the coach) categorize or prioritize the list, which will help direct the choice of which change to focus on. A teacher reflection worksheet that coaches can provide during this stage appears in the appendix (page 110). Additional material for reflection can be found in The New Art and Science of Teaching (Marzano, 2017) and the Marzano Compendium of Instructional Strategies (Marzano Resources, 2016b).

      As always, there are pros and cons of reflection as a method of determining what to coach.

Pros

Cons

• Teachers have full knowledge of the totality of their performance over time. They can think critically about a particular class, type of student, or area of curriculum with which they struggle. • Teachers have comprehensive knowledge of students’ backgrounds, abilities, motivations, social skills, and so on. They may know about families, student work outside of school, and other factors that affect student behavior and learning. • Using a model of instruction as a guide, teachers can reflect comprehensively. They can think about each element and strategy, when they use or don’t use it, and how successful it is with their students. • Teachers can take time to fully review all aspects of their teaching prior to meeting with their coaches. Good, honest reflection takes time. • Reflection increases teachers’ buy-in by centering their own thinking. Most teachers come to good conclusions about what changes will enhance student learning.

• Teachers may be biased about their work or unaware of some attributes of their teaching. • Teachers may be unaware of some of the things students are doing during instruction (which itself may be an opportunity for coaching and improvement). • Teachers may misinterpret cause and effect. For example, students may be acting out due to frustration or boredom with instruction, but the teacher may write them off as inherently “bad kids.”

      Teacher reflection, while it has its limitations, is a powerful strategy that gives the teacher more agency in the coaching process.