Coaching - a newbie's reflection

I have operated in the role of consultant and collaborator for several years and would have easily assumed the label of coach.  

One of my learning goals is to develop effective coaching skills. Without any training or definition, I was blessed that have a few great colleagues who have already taught me so much about coaching.  I am learning why time with these colleagues was beneficial and meaningful and had an impact on student learning.  The blessing is that I can become intentional with those interactions and be more impactful.

I think it takes risk to invite a coach.  To some teachers, it may be threatening to have a coach observe instruction then reflect with them.  The teachers I worked with this week saw it as an opportunity for professional development.  Together we looked for small adjustments in the classroom practice for the benefit of student learning.

In turn, I had to take a risk and ask for their feedback.  Here is my follow up message to them.

I would appreciate any feedback (warm or cool) so that I can grow as a coach.  Some to the general ideas our team has for coaching include:

• Set powerful goals 

• Establish a relationship and build trust

• Develop strategies for success

• Get you into action

• Generate insights

Your response is appreciated.

Let's see what responses are returned and how I can see past my ego to work on my practice.

Collective Intelligence

In an online course from Powerful Learning Practice, we pondered the concept of Crowd Sourcing, trying to define the term and how it benefits us as educators and learners.

I am working on being more connected to the world at large and heard this story on my local news station this morning.




Click here for the article

What a great, real world, problem based example!! Stories like this remind me to be amazed at us as a human race.

Blogging Commitment

So I've just placed a weekly reminder on my calendar for the remainder of the year.  I'm GOING to blog.  It's not something I'm completely comfortable with, but feel very convicted by this:

The vulnerability that is required to put out into the blogosphere -- the doubts, reservations, successes and triumphs -- helps engage in the profession with teachers all across the country and the world in a way that hasn't really happened before. When individual teachers create and share insights and trials from the classroom, it removes the veil of mystery and secrecy that oftentimes shrouds teaching and learning. Slowly, this shared understanding of what the profession is and can be will work its way into the culture of the profession on a grander scale.

Taken from this March 10 article by Chris Crouch in the Huffington Post.

I'm not sure where this will go, or what it will become.  But I will share.

Projects currently in development:

• Maker Camp for teachers
• Online Course
• Best Practices in webinar/blended learning opportunities
• Video Snapshots of quality 21st Century learning
• Instructional Coaching for 21st Century skills