Coaching Journal

Adam Rich

Coaching Journal

Adam Rich
ITEC 7460
Summer 2016
Dr. Sherry Grove

Coaching Journal
Adam Rich
1st Session:
Strategies:
My first strategy I implemented was an INTERVIEW. During the INTERVIEW I was able to ask him questions about
his teaching style, current technology. I had to understand his teaching and learning style as well as what difficulties
he was having in using technology. Therefore I emphasized asking questions about what types of lessons he has
already used as well as technology that he had available to him. Finally I wanted to know what his goals for his
classroom were and what his visions of learning were. My goal was to use be sure I was an effective listener.
Becoming an effective listener is a great start for one of the most important communication strategieslearning how
to present information so that it can be understood easily by an audience (in this case collaborating teachers).
(Knight, 2007).
The second strategy I implemented was IDENTIFICATION. He indicated that this was his now going to be his second
year teaching and he had just received Chromebooks and didnt have a strategy to use them. This past year his
focus was mainly research and rehearse and he didnt feel that the time used to with the technology was effective
and worth his while. He was afraid that he would lose control of his classroom and that his students wouldnt put
forth the effort if they used the technology. Finally he was concerned that he wouldnt be able to use the technology
the way it was designed as he had never used some of the technologies that the school provided. The importance of
this question might seem obvious, but far too many of us have shown up with ideas to share with a teacher without
really ever knowing what is on that teachers mind. (Knight, 2007).
Skill and Affective Changes:
After discussing and identifying his problems we discussed vaguely some ideas that
might help him. Specifically ideas of webquest to engage his students in a student
led learning assignment that is guided by the teacher. We also addressed creating a
Wikipedia page or flipped classrooms. We didnt make any changes today but I
wanted him to think about different solutions to add on to his classroom lesson
plans that would create higher level learning opportunities for his students.
Reflection on Challenges and Solution:
The biggest challenge that I can foresee is a possible reluctance to make changes to his lessons. He is comfortable
with what he did last year and afraid that technology might lead to classroom disruptions and that his students
wouldnt really get the purpose behind the assignment causing him to lose class time. I mentioned for him to pick a
strategy and I can show him ways to solve the both management and discipline as well as ways to enhance the rigor
of the lesson.

2nd Session:
Strategies:
My second strategy was PARTNERSHIP. I wanted him to know that I was not there as a liaison for the administration
and only as an active partner to assist with his lesson planning. Partners dont dictate to each other what to believe;
they respect their partners professionalism and provide them with enough information so that they can make their
own decisions. (Knight, 2007). We discussed creating student based projects that allow them to take ownership of
what they are learning. I also discussed concepts of a flipped classroom and the tools that would be needed which
would allow him more classroom time for activities and differentiated assignments. He went through his lessons and
where we could implement these strategies and I was able to show him how to create these tools with the
technologies available. After choosing a lesson we stuck with the concept of creating a webquest with his students. I

Coaching Journal
Adam Rich
went through how to create the website using Weebly.com as well as ways to create a webquest and guide their
learning while letting them create their own project.
Skill and Affective Changes:
He was able to pick up how to create the webquest using weebly and really started to find great resources that would
assist his class really understand the topic. He still wasnt sure how this would work in class, but we discussed
allowing me to MODEL for him with some of the summer school students. He didnt understand nor like the concept
of a flipped classroom, so we moved away from that and just focused on the project ideas for his class focusing
mainly on his webquest.
Reflection on Challenges and Solution:
I felt the coaching session went well and truly helped him find ways to increase student participation and rigor in his
classroom. He is still very apprehensive about implementing this technology, as he isnt sure how it will work in his
class, but he is excited about trying it. The PARTNERSHIP method worked really well as he didnt feel that I was
teaching him or lecturing him but (like we were) true partners in creating ways to build his classroom strategies. I felt
this was just as Knight mentioned If ICs believe that people are equal, it follows that they also believe the people
with whom they work should have a say in what they do and do not do. (Knight, 2007)

3 Session:
rd

Strategies:
During our third session I focused on MODELING. When ICs demonstrate proven practices that they know
extremely well, teachers see them as providing a very important service. (Knight, 2007). Before the modeling began
we first focused on his weebly website and we discussed strategies that might enhance his website both user
accessibility and how to create a more student centered web quest. Then after we went through his site I modeled a
lesson I currently have on the World War II with a summer school student. During this lesson I had the teacher use a
form to make sure he observed all the key points of the lesson. The observation form includes a column for listing
critical teaching behaviors that teachers should be watching for when observing the model lesson, a column where
they can put a check mark every time they observe a critical teaching behavior, and a column where they can include
comments, questions, or thoughts about what they observe during a model lesson. (Knight, 2007).
Skill and Affective Changes:
He had truly made a great website and was creating a wonderful World War I website that challenged his student his
students to decide how to end the war and then look at the results compared what happened in WWII. He did need
more work to bring in websites that challenged the students to find information to support their views. He was also
able to notice how I organized the students and created groups to encourage class involvement.
Reflection on Challenges and Solution:
During our reflection he was curious on how to ensure students were on the correct website. I mentioned to look for
the various tabs on the computer, and to be sure to walk around asking questions and encouraging students with
positive feedback. He also wanted to understand how I wrapped up each lesson and began the lesson and I
explained how I always preview the lesson to the students and provide the goal for the days lesson. Then at the end
of the lesson I compare everyones progress as well as what they have learned with each other, using a ticket out the
door with small pieces of paper.

4TH Session:

Coaching Journal
Adam Rich
Strategies:
The Focus of our 4th session was on OBSERVATION. After we reviewed the websites and noticed he had a very
user friendly website as well as a rigorous student centered assignments linked. After the excellent feedback over
the website we discussed his plans for the lesson and then allowed him to teach the lesson to summer school
students getting World History credit. As Tricia McKale explains, They know Im not coming in to catch them doing
something they are not supposed to be doing. They know exactly what Im looking for, and its something theyve
agreed needs to be included so it gives them a lot more power and control over the lesson. (Knight, 2007). During
his lesson he did a masterful job controlling his students and getting them into groups. He roamed the classroom
and was able to keep students on task and engaged them with questions to ensure their understanding. Finally at
the end of the lesson he had a question and answer session and reviewed their knowledge of what they had learned
and previewed what they would do to finish the assignment.
Skill and Affective Changes:
He was truly able to understand the technology of the weebly and how to create a website that was fluent and
resource rich for the students to create their own knowledge. He was able perform the lesson successfully with no
hitches.
Reflection on Challenges and Solution:
After the lesson we discussed the success of the lesson and how well he was able to perform during the lesson. One
suggestion I had was create a better introduction to the lesson that would entice the students and build that
engagement. We discussed ways to create that introduction both in the class and on the website.

5TH Session:
Strategies:
Our last session was a REFLECTION session. We discussed first the positives of the web quest lesson and how he
was able to create a lesson that truly engaged his students and was student centered. We also discussed various
other lessons he could perform to create similar results, such as a class Wikipedia, Create video documentary or
creating a flipped classroom.
Skill and Affective Changes:
Definite success in his Webquest and focusing on timing for the lesson, as well as new lessons to incorporate. He
mentioned he would be interested in creating the video lesson and I gave him a quick overview of moviemaker.
Reflection on Challenges and Solution:
The last concept we discussed was timing and how to get his content in time to
prepare for the EOC and still incorporating technology. We discussed picking a
couple of lessons a year to create these moments as well as how much timing
should be spent on these lessons in accordance with his lesson guide. Another
simple but powerful service that an IC can provide for teacher is to document

Coaching Journal
Adam Rich
students time on task, that is, the percentage of time students are engaged in the
learning task that has been set before them by their teacher. (Knight, 2007)

Resources

Knight, J. (2002). Partnership Learning Fieldbook - Instructional Coach. Retrieved

June 23, 2016, from
http://www.instructionalcoach.org/images/partnership/PartnershipLearningFieldbook.
pdf