{"id":2525,"date":"2015-09-10T06:48:00","date_gmt":"2015-09-10T13:48:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.rsed.org\/?p=2525"},"modified":"2017-12-13T00:44:49","modified_gmt":"2017-12-13T00:44:49","slug":"5-ways-to-leverage-your-coach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rocketshipschools.org\/en\/latest-news\/blog\/5-ways-to-leverage-your-coach\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Ways to Leverage Your Coach"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

\n<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Snap!<\/em><\/p>\n

In as much time as it takes you to snap your fingers, you have become a student again. It\u2019s odd\u2026you could have sworn that only a moment ago you were the teacher \u2014 leading discussion, imparting wisdom, guiding, correcting. But now, you\u2019ve just dismissed your kids and you\u2019re sitting down for a meeting with your coach. You have a to-do list as long as your arm, so a meeting about abstract-sounding strategies might not be your top priority at the moment. We\u2019ve all been there. Aristotle always said the best way to become a strong teacher is to scribble a few notes while your coach makes suggestions, passing time until you can move on to that to-do list, right?
\n<\/p>\n

Of course not.<\/p>\n

Taking a passive approach to the coaching process is side-stepping an opportunity to take advantage of the individualized development and support that coaching provides. When\u00a0I began my first year of teaching, I didn\u2019t know what to expect when I was assigned a \u201cteacher coach.\u201d But over time\u00a0I\u2019ve gathered a few insights that I hope will prove useful to new and seasoned teachers alike.<\/p>\n

1. Ask Questions<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Continually improving your practice is tough\u2014thankfully you have a coach who is there to help. It\u2019s easy to focus on internalizing \u201cwhat\u201d your coach is advising you to do and \u201chow\u201d your coach is advising you to do it. It\u2019s easy to become preoccupied with the strategies and resources provided to us, looking for a quick fix for what we are trying to accomplish in the classroom. However, this approach neglects what I consider to be the most important, yet underrated part\u2014the \u201cwhy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy,\u201d might you ask? Investment. To motivate students, a teacher should be prepared to give them a reason to care<\/a>. In the same way, you can increase your own investment by asking your coach\u00a0why<\/em>\u00a0she suggests certain approaches or how a professional development will translate to your specific classroom. Maintaining an open dialogue with your coach sets a strong foundation for reflection, improvement, and investment in the future.<\/p>\n

2. Be open to feedback. But stay true to your own vision.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Unlike the hoards of materials and resources teachers love sharing with each other, there is one very important part of your classroom that isn\u2019t as easy to share\u2014your vision. When gathering feedback from your coach (or whomever, for that matter), I\u2019ve found that it\u2019s most helpful when you consider it within the context of\u00a0your\u00a0vision for your<\/em> classroom.<\/p>\n

For a given piece of feedback, you may ask yourself, \u201cHow can I adapt this so it will have the greatest impact given my classroom culture, the differing learning goals of my students, etc.?\u201d There’s an endless list of new approaches to virtually anything in the classroom. It\u2019s important to keep it in context.<\/p>\n

Even with more direct feedback, have a conversation about how it aligns with your classroom vision with your coach. This is a great opportunity to thought partner with your coach (see #4) and an opportunity to exercise your intellectual vitality, a key characteristic of a true lifelong learner.\"Ways<\/p>\n

3. Reflect on your own practice regularly.\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Alright\u2014you\u2019ve thought through the investment and impact of your lessons, and you\u2019ve integrated feedback with your vision. Glad that\u2019s over with\u2026is it time for happy hour yet?<\/p>\n

Not so fast.\u00a0 Accepting and integrating feedback is only\u00a0part<\/em>\u00a0of the process. In order to learn and grow from\u00a0both\u00a0shortcomings and successes, it is crucial to build a habit of engaging in a reflective, evaluative practice of some kind. Reflecting on feedback from my coach, data or past lessons allows me to make informed decisions when building my next plan of action.<\/p>\n

This may take the form of modifying next week\u2019s plans, setting new goals for my students, or myself, or altering the sequence of content presented in class. Using reflection to generate measurable outcomes (either for yourself or for your students) is a tangible, powerful way of furthering your development; also, your coach will appreciate your thoughtfulness and initiative!<\/p>\n

4. Work together.<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Two heads are better than one. By sharing ideas and thinking through possibilities collaboratively, we can improve approaches to instruction or reflect and set next steps.<\/p>\n

In fact \u2013 ready for a plot twist? In many ways, coaches are students too! The way I see it, a coach that will have the most meaningful impact is the coach who\u00a0operates as a lifelong learner as well. Your coach should welcome, implement and reflect upon feedback in a similar way as you do. The underlying premise here is one that we, as teachers, are all too familiar with\u2014no matter who you are or what you do, you should never be \u201cdone\u201d learning.<\/p>\n

Keep raising the bar and keep growing.<\/p>\n

5. Park your high horse.<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Underlying every aspect of the teacher-coach relationship is the element of humility. All of the above\u2014investment, integrating feedback, reflection, collaboration\u2014are impossible to achieve if you don\u2019t acknowledge the fact that\u00a0you<\/em>\u00a0have room for improvement. This process is undoubtedly more challenging for some than others. But to those that allow themselves to be vulnerable for the sake of improving and developing as a professional \u2013 the skills you develop through the coaching process will benefit both yourself and all the children whose lives you touch. Every single day.<\/p>\n

\n

Rhandy Siordia is the Senior Associate, Achievement Operations for Rocketship’s Network Support Team. Rhandy is a former founding teacher at\u00a0Spark Academy<\/a>, located in the same community where he spent his first years of life.\u00a0He graduated from University of California, Santa Barbara with a BA in Psychology.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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