Cognitive Coaching

Professional Conversations Focused on Educator Growth and Improved Student Learning

Pitt County SchoolsDecember 9, 2012

Before We Begin…

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• visit: http://region1rttt.wikispaces.com/Add this wikispace to your favorites

Download and save the presentation found under “Region 1 Events”

Complete the ticket out the door at the end of the training

Can We Agree?To be actively involvedValue differencesAgree to disagreeListenDon’t take it personallyBe honestStay focused on established purpose and goalsRefrain from conducting ‘side bar’ conversations

OutcomesParticipants will express and determine how the Cognitive Coaching process can be used in their job

Participants will identify and apply the skills needed to be an effective coach.

Participants will understand the Cognitive Coaching Cycle

Participants will apply their new knowledge of Cognitive Coaching strategies to various scenarios.

What Do You Know About Cognitive Coaching?

• Individually think about the question above

• Identify what you already know about cognitive coaching

• Share your thoughts with the groups

The Mission of Cognitive Coaching

“To produce self-directed persons with cognitive capacity for high performance both independently and as members of a community.”

~Costa and Garmston

"How Coaching Works"

What is Cognitive Coaching?• A practice based on the idea that

metacognition – or being aware of one’s own thinking processes – fosters independence in learning.

• By providing personal insights into the learner’s own thinking processes, cognitive coaching builds flexible, confident problem-solving skills and encourages self-efficacy and pride.

What is Cognitive Coaching? (cont’d)

• A way of thinking and communicating which:– Enhances understanding and higher level

thinking– Helps others become their own problem-solvers– Creates collaborative rather than dependent

relationships– Develops genuine trust and rapport– Support others in feeling competent in

challenging work environments

Why use Cognitive Coaching?

To effectively engage people, it is helpful to identify two main subsystems in the brain.

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Blue Zone- approximates the newer part of the brain

• Affiliation, generosity, goodwill• Reflective• Options considered• Imaginative/creative• Higher order learning• Slow/resource intensive• Manages impulsive desires• Labels emotional states• Not ‘fully functional’ until

adulthood• Seat of optimism

Red Zone- approximates the “old” part of the brain

• Focused on self• Sensitive to threat• Engages “fight/flight”• Resistant to change• Low order learning only• Fast/efficient/instinctive• Engages impulsive desires• Anger/fear/depression• Highly developed at birth• Seat of pessimism

The Red Zone• Focused on self• Sensitive to threat• Engages “fight/flight”• Resistant to change• Low order learning only• Fast/efficient/instinctive• Engages impulsive

desires• Anger/fear/depression• Highly developed at birth• Seat of pessimism

The Blue Zone• Affiliation, generosity,

goodwill• Reflective• Options considered• Imaginative/creative• Higher order learning• Slow/resource intensive• Manages impulsive desires• Not ‘fully functional’ until

adulthood• Seat of optimism

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Managing Down the Red Zone: reduces the activity and impact of the red zone

Conditioning the Blue Zone: cognition leads broad-based growth

It is this combination that occurs when a person is engaged

by another.

www.gr8education.com

Research Based Benefits of Cognitive Coaching

1. Coaching is linked with higher test scores

2. Teachers who are coached report higher teacher efficacy

3. Teachers who are coached demonstrate more reflective, complex thinking about their practice

4. Coached teachers report higher job satisfaction

5. Coaching campuses have higher self-ratings for professionalism

6. Coaching campus have more collaboration

7. Coached teachers report feeling more supported professional and personally

What Does the Research Say?

Count off by three

• Individually• Read the assigned article• Identify the five most important concepts and record them• Share an overview of the text you read with your jigsaw

group

Go back to your table • Discuss the important concepts and ideas• How do the concepts and ideas in the article relate to

teacher observation, evaluation, and professional growth?

Cognitive Coaching Goals1. Trust and rapport

2. Learning

3. Cognitive autonomy

Components of Trust• Being present• Being aware of oneself, others and the

environment• Being open• Listen without judgment and with empathy• Seek to understand• View learning as mutual• Honor the person• Honor the process

The Johari Window A Communication Tool

Arena Blind Spot

Hidden Arena Unknown Arena

Things others

know about me

Things others

don’t know about me

Things I know about myself

Things I don’t know about myself

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Johari Activity• Take out a piece of paper

• Create a Johari Chart

• In the Arena block, write things you know about yourself as an educator

• Remember if you don’t know about yourself how can you expect to help others?

Building Rapport

HomeFamily and FriendsEntertainmentWorkVision

Learning• Skillful engagement of teachers’ intellect

• Engages teachers’ higher order thinking

• Enhance and expand the teachers’ perceptions and frames of reference

Cognitive Autonomy• Cognitive Coaching model provides a

mental coaching map

• a protocol of specific objectives for pre and post conferences

• Develops teachers’ ability to self-monitor, self-analyze, and to self-evaluate

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States of Mind

Efficacy

Flexibility

Craftsmanship

Consciousness

Interdependence

Efficacy

• Knowing that one has the capacity to make a difference and being willing and able to do so

Flexibility

• Knowing one has and can develop options to consider and be willing to acknowledge and demonstrate respect for empathy for diverse perspectives.

Craftsmanship• Seeking precision, refinement and

mastery. Striving for exactness of critical thought processes.

Consciousness• Monitoring one’s own values, intentions,

thoughts and behaviors and their effects.

Interdependence• Contributing to a common good and using

group resources to enhance personal effectiveness.

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Activity

• At your table think of ‘real world’ examples for the five states of mind.

• Situations that you have been in that demonstrate your understanding of the term

Break

Communicating Meaning65% Non Verbal

Components• Posture

• Gesture

• Proximity

• Muscle Tension

• Facial Expression

35% Verbal Components

• Pitch

• Volume

• Inflection

• Pace

• Words

Communication Knowledge and Skills for Effective

Coaching• Paralanguage

• Response Behaviors

• Structuring

• Mediative Questioning

DRAFTDRAFT

Paralanguage• Nonverbal & Verbal Cues

– Posture– Gesture– Inflection– Pitch– Volume– Rate of Speech– Language Choices– Breathing

Response Behaviors

• Silence (wait longer than you think you need to)– Communicates respect– Results in positive effect on

cognitive processing

• Acknowledging (give verbal & nonverbal cues)

– Communicates that ideas have been heard

• Paraphrasing (stems)– Acknowledge & Clarify– Summarize & Organize– Shift Focus

• Clarifying

• Providing Data & Resources

Structuring• A coach clearly communicates expectations

about purposes and the use of such resources as time, space, and materials.

• Expectations should be based on a common understanding of the purposes for the coaching, the roles the coach should play, time allotments, and placement of the coach during observation.

Mediative Questioning

• Questions are intentionally designed to engage and transform thinking and perspective.

• Questions must meet three criteria:

– Invitational in intonation and form

– Engage specific complex cognitive processes

– Address content that is either external or internal to the other person

“It’s not the answers that enlighten us, but the questions.”

Judgmental vs. Non-Judgmental

Questioning

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• Why did you do it that way?• What would you do differently next time if you could?

The first infers judgment, no matter how carefully it is articulated. The thinking response of the coachee is likely to be reinforcement of the existing conditions.

The second question will most likely cause some pondering or reflection, and this is the most productive thinking a coachee can engage in for learning, stretch and growth.

Let’s Practice Question Development

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Write down the first 5 questions that come to mind.

• Eliminate anything that is tending towards advice

• Focus on the thinking to change perception

Collaborate now with your table buddies to put together a 'top 10' list of appropriate questions

Thinking Issue

Problem

“I’d really like to be less stressed at work,

but the tasks just keep piling up…”

The Cognitive Coaching Cycle

Three Phases of the Process

DRAFTDRAFT

Planning ConversationsPre-conference (Embed video)

• Planning MapClarifying GoalsDetermining the success indicatorsAnticipating approaches, strategies and

decisionsIdentifying a personal learning focusReflecting on the coaching process

Plan Phrases• “ So, your goal would be . . .”

• “ So if you could . . . then . . .”

• “ Let’s restate your goal . . .” “Let’s talk now about next steps. What steps might you take . . ?

• “How would it be if . . ?” “What do you think about . . ?

EventObservation

• Look for indicators of success

• Look for the effectiveness of approaches, strategies, and decisions

• Collect data as deemed necessary during the pre-conference

Reflecting ConversationsPost-conference (Embed video)

• Reflecting MapSummary of impression and recalling supporting

information

Analyze causal factors that impacted the event

Construct new learning

Commit to the application

Reflect on coaching process and design refinement

Closure Phrases

• “What is some feedback you can give me about this conference and our future work together?”

• “Let’s meet in two weeks to discuss progress.”

• “I’d like to visit your classroom so I can support you.”

• “Please feel free to stop by and let me know how things are going.”

Cognitive Coaching PracticeRole Playing Exercise

Person A – Observer (Pay attention the verbal and non-verbal behaviors

of the coach. Record your observations.)

Person B – Coach

Person C – Colleague or

Parent

A colleague says to you, “I’ve done everything I know to do and this teacher is still having difficulty with classroom management.”

Role Play Scenario #1

A parent comes to the principal and says, “I’ve had it with that teacher! I want my child taken out of her class TODAY!”

Role Play Scenario #2

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Questions

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Evaluation

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Contact Information

Beth Edwards, PD Lead, Region 1

elizabeth.edwards@dpi.nc.gov (252) 916-6842

Dianne Meiggs, PD Lead, Region 1

dianne.meiggs@dpi.nc.gov (252) 340-0113

Coaching Non-judgmental Competencies

• Listening• Questioning• Paraphrasing• Probing• Silence• Objective