Collegial Coaching in a Special School

Fifteen staff at Bundaberg Special School became Collegial Coaches recently.  This means that they undertook two days of workshops where they learned and practised the skills of coaching.  This was followed up by in-class practice where they both received and gave Type A feedback to each other in the 'real world' of the classroom.

In this photograh Jackie Rose (Teacher Aide) is pre-conferenced by Barb Atkinson (Early Years teacher)

Jackie commented that she now had a heightened awareness of her role in the learning process, something she hadn’t thought of before. All the little things are significant in the process - not separate but important in the learning process.

Collegial Coaching in Bundaberg

Collegial Coaching workshops are two days long.  During the workshops participants learn about the three part process of Collegial Coaching, the pre conference, the lesson observation and the post conference.

The process of coaching provides the opportunity for the coach to gather data relating to agreed to observation criteria and to give this information to the inviting teacher to self evaluate.

This positive process engages teachers in continuous improvement in classroom practice.

Fifteen people have participated in the two day workshop and we are about to go into classrooms where the trainee coaches will coach each other.  A coach trainer then gives feedback to ensure that the trainee coaches develop their skills and confidence in this complex yet powerful process.

Check out this link to find out more about this program.

Values on show

Peachgrove Intermediate School Foyer

Peachgrove Intermediate School is in Hamilton in New Zealand.  As a school the staff are working to create a school where the collaboratively generated set of values are displayed for all to see.  These delightful pottery letters spell out what is important at that school.

Check out this link for the National Conference of the William Glasser Institute-Australia

It is going to be a conference to remember.

Choice Theory

This is a true story about the power of choice. If we ever think that students are not mature enough to make significant choices then how are they going to do this when they are faced with lifestyle choices in the future such as the one like the cab driver in this story.

Glasser's need for freedom is a genetic instruction. It is one of five needs that drive behaviour.  If it is a strong need, students will meet it in on one way or the other- sometimes in ways that may not be conducive to their learning and the learning of others.

Providing opportunites for students to have a sense of choice is important for all students.  This may be viewed as difficult in the classroom but the alternative is to deal with the ways in which students creatively meet that need.

Collegial Coaching

Collegial Coaching is a program with huge potential to improve learning outcomes.  As the name suggests it involves two teachers - the inviting teacher and the collegial coach who use the process with each other.

There is a significant difference between evaluation and coaching. In Collegial Coaching, the coach gathers data from the inviting teacher prior to observing the classroom and then feeds that information back to the inviting teacher for the purposes of self evaluation.

At no time does the coach "evaluate' the inviting teacher.

Another significant difference about Collegial Coaching is that there is no pre conceived set of principles with which to compare the lesson. The criteria for observations comes from a rich, focussed discussion in the pre conference about the underlying beliefs of the inviting teacher about effective learning and teaching and managing the classroom.

These powerful discussions build strong, shared pedagogical knowledge and in turn strengthen working relationships between teachers.

New Zealand School

I visited a school in Hamilton New Zealand this afternoon.  In the past I have been involved in the school promoting the New Zealand Glasser Institute.  This school is going to host Bob Sullo in February.  They are hosting the full day workshop on Saturday 12 February and then in the afternoon of 14 February.  Bob is doing a nationwide tour .  Check out his website.

In Queensland the ET Program -Excellence in Teaching is going to underwrite Bob's session on the Gold Coast on 22nd February, with any profits going to the William Glasser Institute-Australia.