Coaching the Reluctant Teacher

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Coaching the Reluctant Teacher

• Britt Humphries, EdS.
• Literacy Instructional Facilitator
• Fort Smith Public Schools

brittsliteracyworkshops.pbworks.com
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Objectives

• Hear some practical ideas
• To learn what professional texts have to say
  about coaching the reluctant teacher
• Discuss how others have handled hard coaching
  situations
• Problem solving time

3
Real life experience

• Tough conversations and situations
• Using an objective measure
• Hard evidence
• Video taping
• Action plans and timelines

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Tough Conversations

• Sometimes they are necessary
• Remember youre there to help
• You need to have a relationship with the person
  before diving in
• Keep in mind conferencing with students
• More positives than negatives
• Leave the conversation with one or two things to
  work
• Have a plan
• Know that the teacher has a reason for what she
  does

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An Objective Measure

• Lesson Plan
• Observation Guide

Component Component Observations
Mini-lesson Modeling
Mini-lesson Guided practice
Mini-lesson Ind. Practice
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Video Taping

• Theres no arguing with what you see
• Reflective practice
• Hard evidence that you can see together or
  privately
• Jim Knight, KU
• Do yourself first
• Creates models for new teachers

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Action Plans Timelines
Activity Purpose Start Date Finish Date Evidence or output



Action Reason Task(s) Misc.


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What do the professional texts say?

• Quality Teaching in a Culture of Coaching by
  Stephen Barkley
• Negative responses represent real fears and
  concerns
• Reflect earlier experiences and circumstances
  -p.157
• Coaching is not evaluating trust is paramount
  -p. 161
• Speedboats, barges, and rocks
• 
  -p. 157-158

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What do the professional texts say?

• Differentiated Coaching by Jane Kise
• Meet the needs of the teacher
• Relate or apply the learning to the problems
  teachers want to solve
• Use a common framework for unbiased reflection
• Understand the teachers strengths and beliefs
  about teaching and learning
• How tightly are teachers beliefs tied to their
  own strengths?
• What are the teachers beliefs about their role in
  student success?
• What else keeps teachers from trying new
  practices?
  (p.11)

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What do the professional texts say?

• Cathy Tolls The Literacy Coachs Survival Guide
  Surviving But Not Yet Thriving
• Are the teachers goals poor goals or just
  different from yours?
• To address poor goals
• Keep eye contact direct but friendly
• Use a neutral voice, devoid of judgment,
  cajoling, or condescension
• Turn your shoulders toward the teacher and
  uncross you arms and legs
• State your concerns, options, or
  perspectives, rather than criticisms,
  opinions, or proof.
  -p.115 LCSG

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What do the professional texts say?

• Understand the resistance
• When we resist it is because we believe we are
  right
• Not because we are lazy or unmotivated
• Remember this about teachers

I dont have time for this. Theres nothing I need help with. Theres nothing you can teach me.
I understand. When would be a good time for me to come back? Id like to learn about your work for my own sake. . . You probably have some things you could teach the new teachers. . .
Teacher
Coach
p. 121 LCSG
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What do the professional texts say?

• Focus on coaching conversations.
• Keep the conversations going.
• Treat teachers with dignity and respect.
• Ask only questions you want to know the answers
  to if know the answer dont ask.
• Use information about students to support claims.
• Develop a sense of what teaching will be like
  when goals, interests, or needs are met.
• Determine which information will help gauge
  whether the goals, interests, or needs are met.

p. 19-20 SBNYT
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Other Sources

• How to Deal With Teachers Who Are Angry,
  Troubled, Exhausted, or Just Plain Confused by
  Elaine McEwan
• Results Now by Mike Schmoker
• The Best Schools by Thomas Armstrong
• Leadership for Learning by Carl Glickman
• Instructional Coaching by Jim Knight

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Your Turn

• How have you as professionals handled difficult
  teachers?

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Problem Solving Time

• What are some situations that you are currently
  facing?
• What are some ideas for helping?

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Remember

• . . . adult learners like to have some say in
  the content and format of their learning and like
  to see immediate applications.
  
• 
  
  -p.128 LTSG