Coaching Plan

John Gafford

EDL / 531 Coaching & Mentoring

August 31, 2014

Dr. Sara Bixler

BackgroundMrs. Renee Lucero is a fictional second year first grade teacher in the University of Phoenix’s virtual portal.

She has a BS in Elementary Education with a certification in special education.

Activities are child centered, uses a whole language approach to literacy, lots of cooperative learning, reads out loud to the students, feels memorization is unnecessary, emphasizes rules and process but not interested in accuracy, likes expression of ideas and not spelling (that’s what spell checker is for).

Hudson Coaching Methodology

This coaching plan uses the Hudson coaching methodology for a fictional teacher in the University of Phoenix’s virtual portal.

The plan is to create the change necessary for the teacher to improve instructional skills and experience personal/professional growth.

The goals are to improve effectiveness, develop a long range plan, follow up support, and measure coaching outcomes.

The plan evolves from establishing a coaching contract, assessing the current situation, inspiring the future, building a plan, executing the plan, and concluding the coaching engagement.

HUDSON Institute of Coaching. (2014).

Establish Coaching Contract

Present Coaching Challenge

Assess Coaching Readiness

Review Contracting Arrangements

Preliminary Goals & Outcomes

Present Coaching Challenge1. Teacher has lost focus on the learning requirements

a. Focuses too much on activities and having fun vs teaching the lesson plan

b. Scope & Sequence and Lesson plan one assessment emphasizes accuracy in mathematics but she is not interested in accuracy

2. Teacher does not challenge the students

a. Enables students to be languid by reading out loud to them vs having them read on their own or to her

b. Using the whole language approach to literacy does not teach them the mechanics of grammar or prepare them for the next grade level

c. Uses cooperative learning as a crutch (enables struggling students to get by)

3. Teacher does not use all available learning tools

a. Too much emphasis on rules and processes vs learning

b. Memorization is particularly useful and is an age appropriate learning expectation – she feels memorization is unnecessary

4. Teacher does not challenger herself – she has a certification in special education but has chosen not to seek out a position in that field

Assess Coaching Readiness

Teacher is not following personal growth plan, i.e., improved student scores on district-wide assessment.

Communication between teacher and parents and administration indicates poor student scores on district-wide assessment is a top priority for this teacher’s second year of teaching first grade.

Teacher indicates she does “not know what to do” about the low student assessment scores.

Administration wants to meet with the teacher to discuss assessments and review her professional growth plan.

This teacher is absolutely ready to receive coaching and should be seeking it out.

Coaching Agreement(Mentor’s Role)

This agreement, between __________________ (coach) and ____________________(client) will

begin on _______________ and will continue for approximately ____ hours per week for a

minimum of three months.

The coaching sessions are primarily interpersonal, in meetings that are about two hours each,

supplemented by phone calls and emails. The coaching will concentrate on future options and

choices of the client, and will include training in the management of change, examination of

core values, exploring the assets of peer and administrative staff personnel, identifying

purpose and vision, and creating a plan for moving ahead. The coach promises to keep the

information provided by the client confidential and private.

Upon completion of the three months, both the client and coach will evaluate the relationship

to see if it should terminate or be extended. If a mutual decision is made to extend the

coaching relationship a new end date will be made at that time.

Our signatures on this agreement indicate an understanding of and agreement with the

information outlined above.

Client _____________________________________________ Date ____________________

Coach _____________________________________________ Date ____________________

Review Contracting Arrangement

Method to gauge interest and motivation – Direct questioning Do you want to be mentored? Do you know what the administration requirements are? Do you know the areas you want or need help with? What are your 5, 10, 20 year future professional plans? When do you want to start? (Answer will indicate motivation or hesitation to get

started)

Understanding of the mentorship relationship

Expectations; explain mentor’s expectations (commitment) and ask for mentee’s perceived expectations

Assumptions; never assume anything, explain using very specific details what the mentor will and will not do, and what is expected of the mentee

Preliminary Goals & Outcomes1. Improve student district-wide assessment scores

Outcome; improve student preparedness for the next grade Outcome; meet district’s learning requirements

2. Improve relationship with peers Outcome; increase personal and professional support system Outcome; support established personal growth plan Outcome; expand lesson plan library and grade appropriate content resources

3. Expand relationship with the administrative staff Outcome; support professional support system Outcome; improve communication and reduce confusion on teaching

requirements

4. Develop specific teaching methods to gain the desired results Outcome; improve assessment scores Outcome; student learn the required material to be prepared for second grade Outcome; improve professional teaching skills and teaching style Outcome; improve personal reflection skills

Current SituationData Collection Client Story – teacher is unaware of the seriousness of her inadequacy in

preparing her students for assessments or the next grade level (unknown if she is ready for mentoring until she is interviewed)

Interviews – administration, peers, volunteers (parents), and teacher Other Data – possibly interview second grade teachers who received her

students to gauge the level of inadequacy in instruction

Whole Person Context – develop a plan to include the teacher’s personal goals and aspirations

Commitment – teacher’s desire and commitment to being mentored is unknown until interviewed; it is required to thoroughly delve deep through open-ended questions to determine the extend of inadequacy and dedication to improve

Inspiring the FutureFully Developed Aspirational Goal & Behavioral Goals

Interview Questions:

O What are your aspirations; 30 career, principal, etc.O What motivates you?O Who are you closes peers?O Do you know how to attain your goals?O How many hours to you put into your lesson plans?O How do you develop your lesson plans (process)?

• Never assume the client understands even the simplest issues, i.e., do you understand the curriculum, district requirements, administration requirements, your responsibilities?

• Provide encouragement, support attainable goals, discuss unrealistic goals (constructive criticism), and give as much time as needed

Building the PlanIdentify Obstacles

Identify Strengths

Inner Work Awareness-Building Practices

Outer Work Building New Behaviors

Building the PlanIdentify Obstacles

O Understanding the seriousness of inadequate instructionO Understanding best practices to attain learning requirementsO Understanding where to get help and guidanceO Attitude (teacher must change philosophy)

O Her student’s enjoying school and their self-esteem is important to her but it must include achieving the learning requirements

O Teacher must take responsibilityO When the administration told her of low assessment scores her

first response was “Could the test scores be wrong?”

Building the Plan

Identify Strengths

O Dedicated; the given information indicates the teacher enjoys her work and wants her student’s to succeed

O Personality; engages the students and parents, encourages parental participation, and energetic

Building the PlanInner Work Awareness-Building Practices

O Personal ReflectionO Review your successes to correct your failuresO Are you enjoying your work?O How do you plan on improving your teaching skills?

O Time ManagementO Prepare lesson plans that include both learning

requirements and fun

Building the Plan

Outer Work Building New Behaviors

O Improve or develop relationshipsO PeersO Administration staffO ParentsO Professional organizations

Executing the Plan

Working the Coaching Goals

Periodic Check-In With Support & Stakeholders

Recalibrate Goals, Refine Direction

Executing the PlanWorking the Coaching GoalsO Focus on the learning requirements

O How to improve instructionO How to blend the teacher’s philosophy into one that refocuses on

the learning requirements but is still funO Where to get help and support

O Learn how to challenge the studentsO Get support from your peers, administration, and professional

organizationsO Stop enabling slothful behavior in the students

O Learn how to challenger yourselfO Use personal reflection methodsO Use your special education certificate or plan to at some point

Executing the PlanPeriodic Check-In With Support & StakeholdersO Coaching Agreement

O Meet as scheduledO Calls and emails as neededO Allowable to contact in “crisis moments”

O Meet with the teacher’s peersO To encourage supportO To gauge progress from an outside perspective

O Meet with the administrationO To convey progress reportsO Ensure communication channels are openO Encourage communication between teacher and administration

Executing the PlanRecalibrate Goals, Refine Direction

O If goals are met early new challenges can be addedO Professional development skillsO Personal development or relationship building

O If goals are not being met new methods may need to be implemented

O Refine direction as necessaryO Change emphasis to only the top 3 main issuesO Refocus more time to inadequate skills or focus only on

the single most important goal if time is running out

Concluding Coaching Engagement

Examine Overall Effectiveness

Develop Long Range Plan

Follow Up Support

Measure Coaching Outcomes

Concluding Coaching Engagement

Examine Overall Effectiveness

O Select an outcome from each goal to measureO Determine level of success by testing a sample group of

students in their learning achievements against lesson plans and district-wide assessment standards

O Sample several peers to determine progressionO Engage with the administration to determine their view

of progression

Concluding Coaching Engagement

Develop Long Range Plan

O Prior to ending the coaching relationship develop an outline with the teacher that includes her future plansO 1 year goalsO 2 year goalsO 5 year goalsO 10 year goalsO 20 year goals

Concluding Coaching Engagement

Follow Up Support

O Design the process after coaching endsO Follow up callsO Request for informationO Request for supportO Request for future coaching

Concluding Coaching Engagement

Measure Coaching Outcomes (ensure you are measuring results against client’s desired future – which should be the agreed upon goals and objectives in the coaching contract or agreement)

O Goal One: Improve student district-wide assessment scoresO Results against desired outcome; sample students for

preparedness for the next gradeO Results against desired outcome; sample student tests or

homework to determine if district learning requirements are being met

Concluding Coaching Engagement

Measure Coaching OutcomesO Repeat measuring results against outcomes for the

remaining goalsO Measurements should be periodically taken to determine

milestones accomplishments and to determine adjustment actions to correct deficiencies

O Measure effectiveness with the administration to ensure their requirements have been met

O Offer additional actions the teacher can take to improve instructional skills after coaching ends

ReferencesHUDSON Institute of Coaching. (2014). Hudson coaching

methodology. Retrieved from http://www.hudsoninstitute.com/section_page.cfm?id=124