Coaching for Tier I: Menu for Coaching
Who
Method
Description
All staff or large
group
Staff Mtg. Professional
Development
Large group professional
development on specific
instructional strategies
All staff or large
or small group
Walk Through
Co created ‘look for’ tool
about precise instruction
or curriculum component
Small group
Learning Walk
A team walks through
multiple classrooms
looking at specific
elements of instruction
Small group:
often job alike
Instructional Rounds
Small group
Peer Observation
A team walks through all
or many classrooms,
looking for a specific
predictable problem of
practice: notes taken on
what teacher does, kids
do, and the learning task
A group of teachers
observes a colleague, or
partner teachers observe
each other; looking for
certain aspects of
instruction, etc.
Purpose
Example (s)
Present information to
many people at once.
Build capacity and
consistency around
strategies desired schoolwide or to build common
language
Increase precision and
clarify expectations;
shared document created
by teachers increases
understanding & buy in
Look at classroom
instruction in a focused,
systematic, purposeful,
and collective manner;
seek current practice data,
and/or visit exemplar
classrooms to increase
precision and build
capacity
Descriptive data is taken,
to define current state of
practice and make
decisions about
professional development
needs and priorities
Coach models a lesson-or
facilitates teacher/admin
modeling a lesson- on Analyzing
Text (a strategy from school
improvement plan or recent
curriculum focus)
Gather data to share with
one another following
class
A group of SS teachers take
turns observing one another and
then have a guided conversation
afterwards about what was
noticed during the class
Observing components of SIOP,
guiding reading, math strategy,
small group, looking for lesson
targets/objectives
Coach facilitates a group
walking through classrooms
looking for evidence of a
predetermined element of
instruction (for example, small
group instruction, think-pairshare, cognitive input chart)
Most often higher level
administrators in job alike
groups, can enhance program
and instructional priorities. See
City, E et al Instructional
Rounds.
Coach/teacher
Participatory Lesson
or
Follow Up
principal/teacher
After observing teacher
teach mini lesson; coach
or principal teach a small
group follow up lesson
with small group
Provide teacher with
student response feedback
to content of mini lesson
Small group or
individual
Demonstration Lesson
Allows observing host
teacher to watch a skilled
peer
Small group
Jigsaw of lesson in
master teacher’s room
(often part of lab-site)
Coach or skilled peer
demonstrate teaching
method or curriculum
component
Each teacher teaches one
individual part of lesson
while coach and visiting
teachers observe
Small group or
individual
Voice Over
Coach teaches the lesson
and pauses students in
order to speak to
teacher(s).
Individual or
small group
Dialogue Coaching
Coach observes teacher
and makes suggestions
during instruction; by
pausing class;
complimenting; and then
suggesting through ‘I
wonder’ statement
Make explicit what
teaching techniques have
been used and why; makes
the teaching metacognitive
for observers.
Helps teacher in the
moment of teaching
change practice, practice
with support and get
feedback. Requires skilled
coach; lots of trust
Individual
Sticky note pass
Coach is beside teacher
during lesson; passes
sticky note to make minor
adjustments to teaching
during the lesson
Practice teaching
techniques focus on one
part of lesson. This
method can make it less
stressful for teachers to
teach in front of one
another
Allows for ‘perfect’
practice by providing
immediate, corrective
feedback and response to
student learning
Teacher begins math lesson on
Fraction/decimal equivalents;
principal or coach re-teach a
strategy lesson to SpED, ESL, or
struggling students. Student
feedback and observations
shared with teacher for
refinement.
New curriculum using specific
practice, or classroom
management technique
demonstrated for host teacher
Coach and 4 teachers share
responsibility of teaching a
writing lesson. Each teacher
teachers one part (Connection,
teaching, active engagement,
workshop, share)
Coach teaches mini-lesson on
fractions, pauses students in
order to make teaching strategies
explicit to teachers
Teacher is working on lesson
structure, hoping to improve
guided practice with active
participation; coach notices after
input of teaching point; teacher
releases students to independent
practice; intervenes with
dialogue.
Teacher is working on more
pair/share and verbal rehearsal
before release to independent
practice; coach notices some
students aren’t having time to
Individual
Gesture
Individual
Whispering In
Coach provides gesture or
signal to cue teacher
during instruction
Coach and teacher stand
near each other during
instruction. Coach literally
whispers to teacher
Accompanies whisper in
or other strategy
Subtle cues for guided
practice
Give teacher suggestions
without interrupting the
flow of class
After agreeing to cue teacher
regarding a small precise move,
coach uses consistent lean
language on whisper in or post it
pass.
Coach and teacher take
To model specific
Coach and teacher divide up
Individual
Co-teaching
turns teaching various
instructional strategies in
lesson plan, and coach
parts of a lesson.
real-time. To work
incorporates a specific strategy
collaboratively, plan and
on wait time into the lesson so
teach together.
that the teacher can see it in
action.
Meeting
with
a
teacher
to
Be
proactive,
support
Coach and teacher meet during
Individual
Co-planning
meaningfully design and
strong planning, reinforce prep time to plan thoroughly
discuss lesson
building iniatives
plan one lesson
Structure for
Build capacity and
Small group of teachers visit
Small Group
Lab-site
implementing a variety of common expectations.
during writing workshop; after
coaching strategies. Held Preliminary meeting;
master teacher teaches first 3
in master teacher’s
lesson participation, and
parts of mini lesson; observers
classroom; lesson is
debrief.
teach link; then move to small
begun, then shared by
group for ‘fish bowl’, then copy
participants
cat, then independent practice
with confer.
*Walk Throughs, Learning Walks, Rounds are different, but similar processes. See articles and continuum for further definitions.
Individual
Lean Prompts
Coach is responsible for
giving clear, lean prompts
‘take turns’; Coach passes sticky
note… to provide second
practice; switching which
partner begins the pair/share
Coach holds up fingers for
‘count’ of number of references
to teaching point
Coach sits next to teacher and
reminds teacher have students
re-state directions