Coaching: a tale of two sectors
> Summary
> Target student group
> Method
> Results
> Next steps
> Lessons learned
> Research base
> Further reading and links
> Contacts
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Summary
If you improve the capacity of teachers to implement quality teaching, learning, monitoring
and assessment, student success will follow.
Contemporary researchers, such as Hattie, Timperley and McKinsey et al, agree that the
best way to improve educational outcomes is to improve teaching, beginning with
educating teachers on the job, where they can develop their pedagogy by applying and
reflecting on their learning in context.
The solution being trialled in two education sectors is to have highly effective coaches
working in schools and classrooms with teachers to improve student outcomes.
The Association of Independent Schools of South Australia (AISSA) is taking a partnership
approach to implementing the coaching strategy, by building the skills of teachers to work
as instructional coaches, mentors and peer coaches within and across schools.
In the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), the Education and Training Directorate (ETD)
recruited Field Officers to coach, model and work with teachers to improve teaching
practices at the classroom level. They also work as part of the school leadership team to
plan a whole-school literacy and numeracy approach based on evidence and data.
Context-specific approaches [to professional development] promote teaching
practices that are consistent with the principles of effective teaching, but also
systematically assist teachers to translate those principles into locally adapted
applications. (Timperley 2008, p 10)
Target student group
All students benefit from quality teaching, and as such were the target for implementing
the coaching strategy in both sectors.
The AISSA coaching focus was on developing teacher capacity at the local level, to
improve the literacy and numeracy progress of an identified group of students in each
school.
The ACT ETD Field Officers' coaching focus was on developing teacher capacity to affect
the literacy and numeracy progress of all students.
Principals, school administrative staff and the community all benefit when coaches in
schools develop a learning culture.
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Method
… in some educational jurisdictions, professional development takes the form of
fixed programs designed to develop particular knowledge and skills that have been
identified as effective. While they may be based on sound research about student
learning, such programs are developed independently of the participating teachers'
practice contexts and tend to have less impact on student outcomes than
approaches that are context-specific. (Timperley 2008, p 10)
Why did these sectors choose the coaching model?
Both school sectors received funding for the Smarter Schools National Partnership for
Literacy and Numeracy (NPLN) that focuses on three key areas:

quality teaching of literacy and numeracy

stronger school leadership
effective use of student performance information to identify where students need support.

Over 2010–2012, the ACT ETD and AISSA both implemented coaching strategies in their
sectors. They both targeted key areas, although they stemmed from marginally differing
positions.
AISSA are implementing a reform initiative as outlined in their position paper, 'Providing a
coherent approach to the delivery of services'. AISSA is committed to providing services
that allow all members of a school to reach their aspirations. Employing key teachers from
school staff to work as coaches met the reform agenda outlined in the position paper and
the NPLN. Twenty schools participated in 2010, increasing to 28 schools in 2011.
In the ACT, 12 schools were identified as part of the NPLN and Smarter Schools National
Partnership for Low Socio-economic Status School Communities, having a high proportion
of students performing at or below the National Minimum Standard (NMS). One of the
strategies to meet the three key areas was the external appointment of Literacy and
Numeracy Field Officers. A further four schools received Field Officers under the Low
Socio-economic Status School Communities National Partnership.
The ACT Education and Training Directorate (ETD) worked with the Ontario Literacy and
Numeracy Directorate in Canada on system improvement. ETD adopted a number of
literacy and numeracy strategies similar to those proven in Ontario's schools. One of those
strategies was the employment of field coaches.
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How were coaches selected?
AISSA coaches were identified at the school level, and pathways were created for their
professional learning. This meant that the school staff had established relationships, and
the coach had prior knowledge of the school and its context. Sustainable expertise was
established so that it would remain with the school after the funding ceased.
The ACT coaches were recruited externally, and began work in schools after intensive
training. These Field Officers had extensive knowledge of literacy and numeracy
programs, strategies and assessments that were proven in schools.
How did the coaches work in schools and what was their focus?
AISSA in-school coaches had site-specific goals to improve the literacy and numeracy
progress of a targeted group of students within the schools wider improvement strategy.
They identified assessments to gather data, then worked with class teachers to use the
data and other formative assessment processes to monitor and track students' progress.
The coach, as mentor, modelled the process of analysing data, while peer-coaching teams
and peer-networking sessions shared how to use data effectively. The coaches and
specialist teachers aimed for teachers to learn with and through each other; they did this
through collaborative planning and formal coaching conversations. This was supported by
classroom visits to develop teacher quality and student learning in backwards design,
differentiation and the Gradual Release of Responsibility model.
In the ACT, the Literacy and Numeracy Field Officers aimed to provide on-site expert
advice and shoulder-to-shoulder coaching to directly meet teachers' needs. They worked
on whole-school engagement with literacy and numeracy, and supported the monitoring
and tracking of students to identify where focus was needed.
In the first semester of 2010, all Field Officers received professional learning in the areas
of coaching, evidence-based practice, whole-school planning, setting up and sustaining
professional learning communities, feedback and action research. All Field Officers were
trained in the Quality Teaching model and as facilitators in at least one of the systemendorsed literacy or numeracy programs, eg First Steps.
In schools, Field Officers worked with the school leadership team to establish the needs of
the school and establish focus areas.
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Focus areas in schools varied considerably, with schools choosing either a literacy or
numeracy focus within different groups at the school. The focus changed over the three
years, with all schools covering literacy and numeracy over that period. Some schools with
large numbers of beginning teachers chose them as the initial group for coaching. Some
schools asked for volunteers. Some chose a sector of the school, eg years K–2 or 5–6.
Other schools used coaching as a way to work with teachers who self-identified in their
professional discussions that they required additional support. The whole staff would
participate according to their needs. For some, this was an occasional professional
discussion to check in; for others, it was a series of modelled lessons followed by
shoulder-to-shoulder coaching with the Field Officer following a Gradual Release of
Responsibility model.
Professional learning in coaching was provided to most principals, and to around 200
school leaders or literacy and numeracy coordinators across the system. This led to a
whole-system acceptance of coaching as a desirable way of improving teacher
performance and building capacity.
What goals for student improvement were set to determine the overall
success of the coaching strategy?
In AISSA schools, NAPLAN data was analysed using the School Measurement and
Reporting Tool to track growth and student improvement.
In the ACT, improvement targets were set using 2008 NAPLAN results for years 3 and 5
Reading and Numeracy as baseline data. Targets were measured across the 12 schools.
What was the cost?
The AISSA school-based coaching strategy used both facilitation and reward funds as part
of the NPLN. AISSA and participating schools provided $1,320,000 in co-investment funds.
The ACT initiative to employ trained Field Officers was funded by a state and national
partnership across the three years, totalling $4,487,000.
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Results
How was student learning monitored?
In both settings, a range of data tools and checklists were used to monitor individual
student progress and to plan for further teaching and learning across the year. These tools
included SENA testing, reading levels and progressive achievement tests (PAT-M and
PAT-R).
A feature of local assessments at a number of ACT Field Officer schools was moderation,
particularly of writing. The moderation took place across year levels and across the whole
school, and sometimes across several schools.
AISSA school-based coaching
Aligning this initiative with other internal school projects expanded networking
opportunities and professional learning teams, broadened professional dialogue and
created a common understanding of the purpose of developing pedagogy within the school
context.
The flexibility of the in-school coaches to direct change towards targeted areas of need
produced positive results for teachers and students throughout the 28 schools.
Progress in participating schools is reviewed formally every six months. During the most
recent review, every principal reported that the initiative had led to improved student
outcomes. Collated local data from NAPLAN and other formative sources form the basis of
this report.
The contribution of this initiative to improved student outcomes will be further analysed by
AISSA in 2013.
To give one example, the Calvary Lutheran School used the AISSA coaching model. Their
2011 NAPLAN results indicated that 100 per cent of year 3 students achieved at or above
the NMS for numeracy, and more than 67 per cent of students are in the top two bands.
This is a dramatic improvement over 2008, when 18 per cent of students were in the top
two bands. The proportion of year 5 students achieving above the NMS increased from 60
per cent in 2008 to 88 per cent in 2011.
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ACT Field Officers
Over the three years, schools have developed much stronger professional learning
communities and mechanisms for self-monitoring. Field Officers are now recognised
system leaders and experts in literacy and numeracy, and their influence has reached
beyond their schools to enrich their networks and the system as a whole.
When comparing results for schools with Field Officers and schools without Field Officers,
those schools with Field Officers performed better.
Teacher surveys and feedback show that changes in practice have shifted in a major way
over the three years of this initiative. All 12 schools now have a more consistent approach
to teaching practices, use of system-endorsed literacy and numeracy programs,
professional discussion, data tracking, evidence-based decision making, and whole-school
shared responsibility for literacy and numeracy. Of particular note is the focus of all
schools on improved collection and tracking of student data, and its use in allocating
resources and targeted provision of support.
Schools and Field Officers have provided evidence of change through surveys (some of
which have been repeated to capture change over time), feedback, forums, good news
stories and anecdotally across the three years of the program.
It's the best job; it is a gift to have. I love being a coach, I love seeing the
improvement in my school. (Coach)
NAPLAN data has been used each year to compare schools' performance with their
individual targets, to look at improvement since the previous year, and to analyse
performance.
In 2010, NAPLAN targets for schools with Field Officers were all met. Targets set for year
3 and year 5 Reading and Numeracy were met or exceeded for the percentage of students
at or above NMS. The mean target was met or exceeded by all schools. The goals for the
percentage of Aboriginal students at or above the NMS were exceeded. Eleven out of 12
targets were met in 2011. Of the measures for the percentage of students at or above the
NMS, three of the four targets were met, one was partially met. All mean targets were met,
and the percentage of Aboriginal students at or above the NMS was exceeded.
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Gordon Primary School, a school with a Field Officer, had great success in reading with
their year 1 cohort in 2012. At the beginning of the year, 20 per cent of students were at
the benchmark level. At the end of Semester 1, it was up to 40 per cent. By the end of
July, 60 per cent of students were at or just under the end-of-year benchmark level. This
was the result of building a rich reading program in kindergarten and monitoring student
reading skills closely over the year.
Next steps
AISSA's commitment to ongoing review and improvement of this initiative is demonstrated
in the Smarter School National Partnerships Phase One Evaluation Enquiry Report.
Adjustment and revision of program directions in response to report findings and school
needs will help to further implement and extend this initiative.
In the ACT, coaching has become a desirable system model, with several schools creating
and funding their own coaching positions. Schools are now asking for Field Officers. This
is a change from the start of the program, when some principals were concerned that
having a Field Officer would give the impression their school was underperforming.
The ACT Government has made a commitment to maintain and expand the Field Officer
program until at least 2014. Schools that have had a Field Officer for the last three years
have embedded the practice.
Field Officers are content experts and trained facilitators in system-endorsed programs. As
such, they have become a system resource, and are sought out by schools and networks
for working parties, and to present at schools and at system events. The learning and
understanding developed through the NLNP – and specifically the Field Officer program –
have spread across the system and contributed significantly to system change.
These positions, in quite different schools with different briefs, have been very successful.
They show the transferability of the Field Officer model to different settings, and with varied
briefs for improvement.
Lessons learned
During 2011, Victoria University undertook a sector-specific evaluation to determine the
effectiveness of the initiatives arising from the Literacy and Numeracy National Partnership
project (LNNP). The evaluation noted the potential difference in the take-up of a new
initiative.
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There is expected to be a gap between schools that take up the initiative earlier (where it
has a greater impact), compared with schools that take up the initiative later (and with
lower impact). High-impact schools were able to articulate a new common language and
see the coaching strategies spread to other learning areas. One common characteristic of
late adopters was a lack of staff readiness to take on coaching roles, or lack of readiness
to be coached because of their lack of teaching experience. This led to the development of
a differentiated professional learning program to support coaches in taking the next steps.
In-school coaching has identified that active and visible support from leadership is vital for
success. To continue lifting teaching standards, leadership teams need to focus on
resourcing and spreading knowledge. Aligning strategies and practices within existing
school plans supports this continued school focus.
Across the three years of this initiative, professional learning has been developed to
support school-based coordinators in their coaching roles. Field Officers have run sessions
where they share their expertise and experience with coordinators. The Field Officer role is
closely aligned with best practice in literacy and numeracy, and with teacher capacity
building, and its practice aligns with Australian Institute for Teaching and School
Leadership (AITSL) teacher standards. It serves as a model for schools that have chosen
to self-fund similar positions, and for the development of similar roles within the directorate.
Research base
Some of the supporting research for the effectiveness of the AISSA coaching model
stemmed from the work of McKinsey et al (2007) who emphasise that coaching classroom
practice, moving teacher training to the classroom, developing stronger school leaders and
enabling teachers to learn from each other will improve instruction – and thus improve
student outcomes.
Joyce & Showers' (2002) research into coaching models shows that continued technical
support for teachers by teachers results in greater classroom implementation than any
initial shared training without coaching support. This supports the idea that coaching is the
most effective way to help teachers transfer new knowledge and skills to their classroom.
John Hattie (2003) has shown that the quality of the teacher is the single biggest factor in
student performance. So, to improve student outcomes, we set out to improve the quality
of our teachers. There is growing research that says one-off professional learning sessions
have little impact on teaching practice.
© 2014 Commonwealth of Australia, unless otherwise indicated.
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Helen Timperley (2008, p 10) states that:
in some educational jurisdictions, professional development takes the form of fixed
programs designed to develop particular knowledge and skills that have been
identified as effective. While they may be based on sound research about student
learning, such programs are developed independently of the participating teachers'
practice contexts and tend to have less impact on student outcomes than
approaches that are context specific. Context-specific approaches promote
teaching practices that are consistent with the principles of effective teaching, but
also systematically assist teachers to translate those principles into locally adapted
applications. By developing this kind of knowledge, teachers can better solve
identified issues about student outcomes in their particular teaching situations.
Knowles (1978) states that adults are internally motivated and self-directed, bring life
experiences and knowledge to learning experiences, are goal oriented, are relevancy
oriented and are practical learners who like to be respected. Following Knowle's adult
learning principles, the ACT decided to develop an in-school coaching model to support
teacher and school improvement.
The Field Officer program looked at the work of Vygotsky (1978) and his theories of social
development, 'More Knowledgeable Other' and 'Zone of Proximal Development', in
designing the role of the Field Officers and determining their role in a school. Other
authors whose work was used as professional reading or as a basis for training Field
Officers included Mary Moon, Gay Su Pinnell, Cathy Toll, Pete Hall and Alisa Simeral.
The development of rich learning communities underpins the work with individual teachers,
and Rebecca Du Four's (2004) description of how to create a professional learning
community by 'focusing on learning rather than teaching, by working collaboratively and
holding yourself accountable for results' informed the Field Officer program.
Mary Moran's (2007) three essential principles of coaching aligned the coaching and the
development of a professional learning community in the 12 ACT schools.
1. Coaching should help establish a school culture that recognises collaboration as an
asset.
2. Coaching should develop individual and group capacity to engage in creative problem
solving and self-reflection.
3. Coaching should provide a continuum of professional learning opportunities to support
adults in their acquisition and use of specific knowledge, skills and strategies.
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Further reading and links
Atherton, JS 2011, Learning and teaching; Knowles' andragogy: an angle on adult
learning, www.learningandteaching.info/learning/knowlesa.htm
Du Four, R 2004, Whatever it takes: how professional learning communities respond when
kids don't learn, Solution Tree Press, Indiana.
Fisher, D & Frey, N 2010, Guided instruction: how to develop confident and successful
learners, ASCD, Virginia.
Hattie, J 2003, Teachers make a difference, University of Auckland, ACER, Melbourne,
www.acer.edu.au/documents/RC2003_Hattie_TeachersMakeADifference.pdf
McKinsey et al 2007, How the world's best performing school systems come out on top,
www.mckinseyonsociety.com/how-the-worlds-best-performing-schools-come-out-on-top/
Moran, M 2007, Differentiated literacy coaching: scaffolding for student and teacher
success, ASCD, Virginia.
Timperley, H 2008, 'Teacher professional learning and development', The educational
practices series, no 18, International Academy of Education & International Bureau of
Education, Brussels,
www.ibe.unesco.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Publications/Educational_Practices/EdPractices_1
8.pdf
Wiggins, G & McTighe, J 2005, Understanding by design (2nd edn), Association for
Supervision & Curriculum Development, Virginia.
Contacts
ACT Education and Training Directorate
Judy Moore judy.moore@act.gov.au
Phone: 02 6205 2047
The Association of Independent Schools of South Australia
Assistant Director, Educational Services
Lynda Secombe secombel@ais.sa.edu.au
Phone: 08 8179 1416
© 2014 Commonwealth of Australia, unless otherwise indicated.
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