Coaching+Tools

So, you're a CFF coach now?
Well, besides learning all of the latest technological gadgets and gizmos, googling this and gaggling that you should first take a second to think and reflect about the other half of your new job......working with adults! It is true that a master teacher must be both a master of content and a master of teaching. As a technology coach it is very important that you master technology and teaching. You may think, "but I am a master teacher!" and you well may be.....of children. Have you considered the notion that adults learn differently than children? It is generally accepted by the research community that adults have different learning needs than children. What defines a child? According to all that I have read, most children will maintain a child's learning style until they exit the school system and join the workforce. This could be at the end of high school or college. It seems that once a person exits continued enrollment in the school system they begin their career as a working adult. As they engage in the workforce, their learning needs change and they begin a shift towards becoming adult learners. Some differences between the learning of children and adults include:


 * = **Children** ||= **Adults** ||
 * = Dependent learning ||= Independent learning ||
 * = Teacher directed learning ||= Mutually directed learning ||
 * = Learning for later use ||= Learning for immediate use ||
 * = Learning not applicable to current goals ||= Learning applicable to current goals ||
 * = Mandatory learning ||= Optional learning ||

As part of my coaching journey last year I felt the need to learn new knowledge about my new job. (Classic example of adult learning) I enrolled in the "Instructional Coaching" letter of endorsement program offered online through Wilkes University. The series offers four online courses that teach about the new field of instructional coaching. I have found these courses to be enjoyable, helpful and rich with information about my new job. I encourage you to look into these courses to learn more about your new job. Below is a list of the courses and an overview.

//Teacher Leadership//-The meaning of teacher leadership and how to develop teacher leaders who can change the learning culture of school.

//Coaching Part I//-"What is Instructional Coaching and what tools and strategies can be used?"

//Coaching Part II//-"How is coaching successfully implemented?"

//Problem-Based Approach to Instructional Coaching//-Working with teachers to improve instruction and student achievement.

for more information visit [|The Embedded Learning Site]

If you are too busy or would just like a peek at some of the tools discussed in those courses feel free to access the links below to whet your appetite. Please ask for an e-mail link to this site address and bookmark it on your computer for future use. Feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions. I hope this gets you thinking about the "other half" of your new job. Welcome to planet CFF!!

Food for Thought?
You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink? Can you salt the Oats? Technology is fun and addictive. What technologies will interest your teachers most? How will you deliver them? What are your options? How will you salt the oats of the hesitant learners? Will one approach work for all? How will you tie the technology to student learning? Standards? 21st century learning? Where do you start?

It is imperative that you start by building trusting relationships with everyone, especially the teachers you work with. You must be the bigger person. You must keep all things confidential and you must continue to improve your communication skills.

Strong eye-contact, open stance and clear speech are essential tools for effective communication but most importantly you must listen. Try some TLM (Talk Less/Listen More). It is very hard to do, but you must constantly remind yourself to listen.

Don't know where to begin? Start with a question. Listen closely and follow with more questions occassionally paraphrasing what you are hearing.

[|The 10 Roles of Teacher Leaders] (AKA the 9 roles of a coach) This link takes you to a great article from //Educational Leadership.// The visual below (compliments of CFF Coach Ian McCoog) does a nice job of summing the 10 roles visually.

=Tools for Coaches= How do you prefer to learn? How do they prefer to learn? Does it affect the way you teach/coach? What if you clash? Start here: Which one are you? 1) Let me see the proven plan and have a coach for feedback while I try it. 2) Let me co-plan with the coach and then co-teach with the coach. 3) Let me read/discuss a new idea, develop the idea myself then refine it through discussion with the coach. 4) Let me know everything (pros and cons) about the idea, its implementation and the options available Everyone has different learning styles and preferences read more on this page, Learning Styles The Conscious-Competence Model should be used when observing teachers in the classroom.

The Concerns-Based Adoption Model should be used when coaching teachers through change and new learning.

Coaching Intensity Levels

Gradual Release of Responsibility Model