Coaching Journal

Lacey Gooch

1st Session:
Strategies: Throughout our first session, we primarily used the Partnership
Approach, which is stated to be a deep belief that we are no more important
than those with whom we work, and that we should do everything we can to
respect that equality. This approach is built around the core principles of
equality, choice, voice, dialogue, reflection, praxis, and reciprocity, (Knight,
p. 24). We established that we would be working together to better one
another and share strategies and feedback with one another to improve our
teaching.
Furthermore, we identified and established goals both my colleague and I
wanted to accomplish. He indicated that although he incorporates
technology occasionally, he felt as though it wasnt accomplishing any more
than a pencil-paper task could have done. Furthermore, he admitted to not
using technology very frequently because he did not feel comfortable with
many resources. Lastly, he said that, like many teachers, differentiation was
a major weakness of his. We decided we would really focus on using
technology to an extent that other methods could not quite accomplish; i.e.
publishing and sharing work, interacting through online discussions even
with students from other schools, using meaningful apps/websites to learn
and demonstrate knowledge, etc. Next, we chose a couple of apps,
websites, and tools with which he was not comfortable using and decided to
do some practice/training with these resources in the future. Additionally, we
concluded that discussing and brainstorming ways to use technology to
differentiate instruction would play an important role in our coaching
sessions.
Skill and Affective Changes: My colleague was very receptive of all we
discussed and the goals we established. I am confident he will be openminded about strategies and methods we try together. Also, I believe he
feels comfortable enough to share his opinions and let me know ways that I
can improve on my coaching. I think throughout our collaboration with one
another, he will have a different outlook on how technology can be used, and
I will grow and become a better instructional coach along the way.
Reflection on Challenges and Solution: So far, we are off to a great
start, and both my colleague and I are on the same page. I think this first
session was such a success due to using the Partnership Approach. Because
my colleague realized that this would be a learning process for me just as
much as it would be for him, I think he felt more receptive and relaxed about

the coaching. Additionally, giving him choice and voice through this
approach, made him feel respected and willing to really participate in this
learning process. As stated by Knight, teacher choice is implicit in every
communicative act and that, to the greatest extent possible, teachers have a
great deal of choice in what and how they learn, (p. 25). This proved to be
very affective and played a major role in the success of our first session.

2nd Session:
Strategies: During this session, we again used the Partnership Approach,
as well as the You Watch Me modeling strategy. To get us started on
actually implementing our ideas to reach our goals, we decided it might be
best for my colleague to observe a lesson I carried out in my classroom,
demonstrating differentiation and using one of the apps, Show Me, with
which he had no experience. Furthermore, we used the observation form to,
ensure that the collaborating teachers are prepared to get the most out of
the model lesson that they know what to watch for and, in fact, are actually
watching the model lesson, (Knight, p. 111). This form became of great
help, as we later reflected on his observation notes and discussed how he
could best implement this type of lesson in his classroom.
Skill and Affective Changes: As we began our discussion regarding his
notes, my colleague immediately showed interest in trying a similar lesson
using the technology I had incorporated. He began to share how he thought
he could use it to best help his students demonstrate their knowledge of
mitosis and meiosis. It was great to see him embrace this opportunity and
new way of assessing student knowledge. He was very open to the
suggestions I gave toward how he could differentiate his assessment, as well.
Reflection on Challenges and Solution: I was very pleased with how this
session went. It was a joy to see how excited my colleague was to try
something new and incorporate technology on a level he had never done
before. I do not think this same outcome would have taken place had I not
modeled a lesson for him to see first. Knight indicates, while referencing the
results of studies carried out at the Center for Research on Learning,
modeling is where the rubber meets the road, (p. 116). I definitely think
this was proven through this coaching session and much learning and growth
took place. Furthermore, I think the observation form gave us both good
feedback and helped him to remember the strengths and weaknesses of my
lessons. This also helped me to realize what I could improve upon in the
future.

3rd Session:
Strategies: After much brainstorming and discussion about my colleagues
lesson over mitosis and meiosis, we switched roles during this next session.
Our primary strategy used this time was I Watch You, along with the use of
the observation form again. I really tried to make him feel at ease and not
only observed, but was there for support and assistance as needed. As
mentioned in our text, Rather than seeing himself as evaluating the
teacher, the coach should see himself as a second set of eyes in the room,
using the observation form or other data-gathering methods as tools for
recording relevant data about how the lesson proceeds, (Knight, p. 121).
Furthermore, we both understood that I would be focusing on how he
explained the lesson, how to use the technology, and how he differentiated
the instruction. Because he knew what I would be look for, this put him more
at ease about being observed and forced him to really focus on the goals we
set from session one.
We also used the Collaborative Exploration of Data method when we
discussed the observation data. This helped me to come across as a partner
and not one who was trying to point out all of the flaws of the lesson. I tried
to follow Knights advice and share my opinion but also be open to my
colleagues perspective of the lesson, (p. 124). With this approach, it was
easier to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the lesson.
Skill and Affective Changes: Overall, the lesson was a success. Students
were very engaged, and my colleague did a great job of explaining and
implementing the lesson, as well as differentiating the instruction. While he
may not be a technology fanatic, I can definitely see a change of his
perspective of using technology in his classroom. Though hesitant to do
these kinds of lessons before we began working together, I think he is
beginning to see the positive affects they can have on teaching and learning.
Additionally, because Ive made it a point to be there to help implement
these lessons, he seems to feel more comfortable with trying new
approaches. After sharing my data gathered from the observation form, my

colleague was very receptive of my thoughts and suggestions. Just as he

had given me feedback regarding the strengths and needs improvement
areas of my lesson, I did the same for him.
Reflection on Challenges and Solution: I was very proud of my
colleague and the growth he had shown from session one to now. As for
most people, giving and receiving constructive criticism can be difficult to do.
I had been dreading this part of being an instructional coach. Therefore, I
was very careful about how I worded my feedback to him. I was sure to be
encouraging and positive about his weaknesses and even pointed out that
his weaknesses were my weaknesses. For instance, I could tell it was
struggle for him to take a back row seat and let his students take charge of
their own learning, and this is difficult for me to do as well. Although he was
in agreement with what I had to offer, its not easy to hear ones own
imperfections. As a result, I realized, I could have asked for his input more
and how he felt about the lesson, as is recommended through the
Collaborative Exploration of Data approach. This is something that will be
at the top of my priority list as a coach.

4th Session:
Strategies: During this session, my colleague indicated he would like to try
some of the tools on ItsLearning with which he was unfamiliar or
uncomfortable using, specifically to promote higher order thinking for his
students. As a result, the primary strategies we used during this session
were Support and High-Level Questions. These targets were even
personal goals of mine on which to focus and strive to accomplish this year.
This allowed us to really work together on these aspects, and I provided him
with as much advice and support as was needed. Knight states, What
matters is that the teacher and the IC keep learning together, working as
partners to ensure that students receive excellent instruction, (p. 129).
After showing him how to create and use discussions, which was really easy
for him to master, we both decided we would incorporate ItsLearning, using
discussion posts, to promote higher order thinking, into one of our lessons for
the week. Then, we met again to share what was successful, what was
challenging, and what didnt work in our own lessons.

Skill and Affective Changes: After hearing what he had to say about his
own lesson and reading some of the posts made by his students, it was
evident my colleague was becoming more comfortable with incorporating
technology in his lessons. I also noticed, based on his critiquing of his own
lesson that he is able to identify weaknesses and elaborate on how best to
improve, without my help. I enjoyed seeing that he even added some
differentiation into his lesson by varying the questions he wanted the
students to respond to and giving them choice to whom they would respond.
Reflection on Challenges and Solution: My colleague definitely showed
a lot of growth throughout this session, and I am very pleased with how our
partnership is working. He indicated that it took his students a rather
extensive amount of time to post their response to the open-ended response
questions and to respond to other peers. This was also something I noticed
within my own lesson, as well. We shared ideas as to why this was and how
we could improve upon this in future discussions. We decided this was most
likely due to the fact that our students had not participated in many
discussions like these, and with more practice and easing them into the
process, they would get better and faster. Through the use of the support
method, we were really able to help one another and come up with solutions
together to improve upon the similar challenges we faced during our lessons.

5th Session:
Strategies: Although we plan to continue collaborating with one another
throughout the year, since this was our last session, we primarily focused on
the reflection strategy. We used the After-Action Report to help guide our
reflection of our sessions. We focused on the four questions mentioned in
the text, What was supposed to happen, what really happened, what
accounts for the difference, and what should be done differently next time?
(Knight, p. 130). These questions really helped us to see the effectiveness of
the coaching sessions.
I lead the discussion and asked for my colleagues input as we went along.
To follow the advice of the text, I gave quick, concise answers to the first two
questions and had my colleague provide his answers and feedback regarding
the last two questions, (Knight, p. 130). I stated that our purpose for working
together was to improve upon both of our goals we set for session one and
enhance the teaching and learning in our classrooms through the use of
technology. Additionally, I felt as though this really did happen, but we both
still needed to practice the strategies we had been using and incorporate
them frequently in order to further improve upon such difficulties in teaching
we can never stop learning and striving to improve. My colleague had a

very difficult time answering the last two questions, as he agreed with my
response on the first two. He did, however, mention that in the future, trying
to accomplish one goal at a time instead two or three all in one lesson, may
be less overwhelming to teachers who are just warming-up to technology.
Skill and Affective Changes: By the end of this session, it was evident my
colleague had become more knowledgeable of new ways to incorporate
technology, more familiar with a variety of tools and apps, and more aware
of how to differentiate lessons. I think we both felt as though we had
accomplished our goals, but that this would be an ongoing process for which
we would strive to continue to improve. I am most happy to see the
confidence he has and can tell he is no longer afraid to try something new,
involving technology, in his classroom. Additionally, he is sharing and
discussing what he is doing in his classroom with other teachers. Im hoping
this will make a positive impact on others in the school.
Reflection on Challenges and Solution: The reflection strategy appeared
to be the most challenging one to meet. Because we both felt as though we
had addressed and met the goals we set during session one, it was a
struggle to think of what should be done differently in the future.
Additionally, I think it was difficult for my colleague to give provide me with
advice on how I could improve my coaching abilities, in fear of offending me.
Nonetheless, we were both able to agree that while our results were what we
had hoped for, we still needed and wanted to continue to strive to learn more
about other apps and tools to implement, effectively use technology to
challenge students, as well as become better at differentiating our
instruction. This reflection was great in making us feel successful but also
motivating us to continue to pursue ways to still improve in these areas and
more.