Building Observation And Conferencing Skills

I have had several opportunities in the last month to spend time with coaches and principals doing group observations in teachers classrooms followed by group discussion of individual’s analysis of what they saw happening in the teaching/ learning process. These sessions often conclude with my modeling of a conference with the teacher about the observation. The goal of these post conferences is to engage the teacher in an analysis of what occurred and for the teacher to create any next step actions based on her understandings.

Two insights have emerged from my experiences:

#1 Many principals have had few opportunities to conduct shared analysis of teaching/learning with colleagues as part of their own professional development. (Many find it difficult to disconnect from evaluation training focused on “what the teacher did” to analyzing how the student behaviors/actions are impacting learning outcomes.)

#2 The payoff from short conversations with teachers following short observations can be tremendous. I have experienced 15 minute observations followed by 15 minute conversations producing immediate experimentation by the teacher in a new strategy (5 minutes later at the start of his next class) and extended critical thinking and experimentation around teaching decisions. (Just received the third follow up email from a teacher regarding changes she is implementing.)
Excerpt: Wow—so I had a lot to think about yesterday.  I loved our conversation and it really pushed me to think about why I was really having my students write about those words…  Today I moved forward.  I actually gave my student highlighters and story problems and we talked about “close reading” which is something I focus on during my reading/writing block but have not thought about it during math…  I can’t thank you enough for giving me direction to push myself into thinking about this little idea that can really add to their ability to be  independent thinkers and problem solvers. (Note her action ideas came after the coaching conversation.)
In the Winter 2013 edition of Learningforward’s The Learning Principal*, Valerie von Frank shares observation strategies that lead to teacher growth. She summarizes suggestions from Jon Saphier, founder of Research for Better Teaching and Kim Marshall from New Leaders. While the article considers principals’ roles as evaluators, suggestions connect to the growth oriented coaching role of principals and coaches as well.
“Both Saphier and Marshall recommend visits of at least 10 to 15 minutes rather than shorter walk-throughs in order to get impressions of individual teachers. Shorter visits can be useful to get a cross-section of information about instruction to use to develop whole- faculty professional learning.”
I’ve been suggesting that as observers enter the room, they identify the tasks students are engaged with, then identify the student behaviors within the tasks (overall and individually), lastly the teacher behaviors and how they affect the student behaviors. This seems to provide observational information and observer thinking that promotes the follow up analysis and conversation.

Another two of Saphier’s and Marshall’s suggestions match with my personal experiences:

Take Literal Notes: Avoid opinions or generalizations. Notes should describe actual words that were spoken or a picture of a problem a child had on her paper.
Avoid the Ipad and other technology: Technology can distract from one’s ability to observe what’s happening in the classroom and diminish the time available to interact with students, when appropriate.
My personal finding (and it may be connected to my learning style) is that the use of forms and checklists interferes with my observation. The more I am looking at my recording tool the more I miss seeing and hearing. I may also be focused away from an important observation. The teaching and learning process is very active and complex. There is so much to see. Consistently, when observing with two or three other observers we find during the debrief that there were things one person saw that the others didn’t.
I am amazed at the amount of learning for teachers, coaches, principals and myself that emerges from these sessions. This PD opportunity should be happening more often for all of us
*The Power of Observation: 5 ways to ensure teacher evaluations lead to teacher growth. The Learning principal, Learningforward. Valerie von Frank, Winter 2013 (Vol.8 no.2)


Attributes for Coaches

In Learningforward’s Summer 2012 copy of The Learning Principal, Valerie von Frank writes about coaching for principals. She includes the following list of attributes of effective coaches:

Self-awareness: What drives the coach? What inspires her?

Honesty: How does what the coach thinks, does, and says align with his stated values?

Sincerity: How do the coach’s actions reflect her stated intentions?

Competence:How credible is the coach?

Reliability: Does the coach keep her promises?

Intentional: Is the coach interested in me and what I have to say?

Source: Adapted from The Coach’s Craft: Powerful Practices to Support School Leaders, by Kay Psencik. (Learning Forward, 2011, pp. 89-92.)

How does a coach communicate/exhibit these traits?

I am thinking that a great starting point is establishing the coach’s commitment to student achievement. If conversation between the teacher and the coach reach consensus on the student achievement outcomes, the stage is set for the coach to share the passion (self-awareness), honesty, and sincerity.

Robin Peterson, a new principal interviewed in Valerie von Frank’s article states the following about being coached:
“Through making me articulate where I wanted to get to and having me be part of the process of the steps I was going to take and how I would measure getting there, it made me feel that it was all possible.” 

For coaches working with teachers, I suggest pre-conferences that work backwards.

What are the student outcomes the teacher seeks? (Content specific, learning how to learn, life/social skills, attitudes, etc.) The opportunity for the coach to support these goals can communicate intentionality.

What student behaviors or actions and experiences are necessary for the outcomes to be reached? What teacher actions/behaviors are most likely to generate the desired student behavior/action. Coaches who can develop and support a teacher in this process will communicate competence.

Reliability comes from saying ”what you will do and then doing it”.  One critical area of reliability is found in keeping the communication among coach, teacher, and administrator at whatever confidentiality level was agreed to among coaching participants.

In Quality Teaching and a Culture of Coaching, I describe 4 models for defining the communication and confidentiality agreements between coaches and teachers and principals:

#1- In the first model, there is two way communication between teacher and administrator and two way between teacher and coach. There is no communication between coach and principal regarding their observations of the teacher. So, if the coach was in my classroom today and on my way out at the end of the day I see the coach in the principal’s office, I don’t know what they are discussing, but I know it’s not me because we have agreed to model #1.

In each of the following models the two way communication between teacher and administrator and teacher and coach continue:

Model #2- Here we add the principal talking to the coach, but the coach not reporting back. So if the principal observed in the classroom and saw students off task when they were at centers, the principal would report that to the coach and expect the coach to explore it with the teacher. The coach does not comment on his/her observations.

Model #3- Contains all the elements of model #2 and adds that the coach shares “good news” (progress) with the administrator. Some principals like this model as it sets them up to provide positive feedback and encouragement to teachers quicker than they might without the coach’s reporting.

Model #4- Has full communications and sharing of data, thoughts, observations and expectations among teacher, administrator, and coach.

Everyone is on the same page focusing on teacher growth for student achievement.

Many issues can influence what model is required for maximum teacher growth:

  • history of the administrator in the building
  • history of past administration with teachers
  • previous coach
  • history of present coach with teachers
  • individual teachers confidence

Ongoing conversation among teachers, coach, and administrator is critical for creating the environment where teachers are comfortable making themselves vulnerable for growth. Honesty, self- awareness , sincerity, competence, reliability, and intentionality will increase vulnerability, risk-taking and growth.