Virtual Instructional Coaching:

Breaking down barriers to teacher learning

Introductions

Outside of envelope only:

What are your various ROLES?

Why are you HERE?

How are you SHOWING UP today?

Good News:

Educators know what works

Content-focused

Incorporates active learning

Provides coaching and expert support

Uses models and modeling

Is of sustained duration

Provides opportunities for feedback and reflection

Job-embedded collaboration

Creative Solutions

Virtual Coaching PLC

Coach to Coachee (teacher or coach)

[insert pic here

Vision for LiNK Virtual Coaching (VC)

• Build capacity of LiNK Schools, Kansas schools, and beyond
• Provide literacy coaching to anyone interested through LiNK network
• Keep an eye out for future VCs
• Build a model, if needed
• Lay groundwork for establishing

an evidence base

Basic Starting Components

Partnership Approach

Protocols

Platforms

Early Successes

• Efficiency
• Inherent Trust
• Coaches coach
• Truly embedded and on-going
• Low-cost, high-yield PL
• Personalized

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Lessons learned thus far

• Clearly defined roles for all stakeholders
• Solid video-sharing platform
• Greater emphasis on teacher choice
• Greater emphasis on video as a development tool
• Need an “orientation” for coachees
• Coach support system (check-ins, ongoing PL, etc.)
• Site leadership updates
• Greater emphasis on coaches understanding context
• Relationships! Relationships! Relationships!

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“This is the best professional learning I have ever experienced.”

~ HS teacher, 14 years experience teaching

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“This is THE BEST coaching I have ever done. We have no school distractions and can really focus on the individual teacher’s needs.”

~ Virtual instructional coach, 15 years experience coaching

The VECTOR Process

• Intentional relationship building
• Lack shared experiences
• No politics or preconceptions
• Build a shared perspective
• Ask questions
• Get to know the person AND professional
• Know the environment
• Initial video classroom observation

Virtual Coaching

All Coaching

• Relationships are key

Verifying Perspective

Inside of envelope:

What PRINCIPLES govern your life?

What qualities do you VALUE in others?

What sparks JOY for you?

• Realm of influence
• can control
• can’t control
• Understand systemic barriers and obligations
• Examine perceptions:
• attitudes
• core beliefs
• Why is coachee in education?

Virtual Coaching

All Coaching

• Understand what a coachee can control

• Commitment to change instructional practice
• Set a goal that is:
• Relevant
• Context-specific
• Data-responsive
• Attainable
• Within locus of control
• Measurable
• Affirm teacher as knowledgeable professional with choice in goal setting

Virtual Coaching

All Coaching

• Goal setting

• Strategize what is needed to attain goal
• Brainstorm resources and solutions
• Model with videos or live demo

Virtual Coaching

All Coaching

• Co-determine intervention
• Collaboratively brainstorm resources and solutions
• Model intervention

• Iterative improvement toward goal attainment
• Collect data to measure goal
• Video observations
• Logs
• Student samples

Virtual Coaching

All Coaching

• Iterative improvement toward goal attainment

• What worked? What didn’t?
• Rigorous self-evaluation
• Recommit to the VECTOR process

Virtual Coaching

All Coaching

• Set a new goal
• Often not a whole lot of reflection...

The VECTOR Process

VECTOR Process Guide

Sample Coaching Log-Coach of Teacher

Sample Coaching Log-Coach of Coach

Sample

Administrator

Report

Strategies for Modeling via VC

• Difficult conversation: Coaching a reluctant teacher (coaching a teacher)
• Difficult conversation: What to do when an administrator doesn’t want coaching (coaching a coach)
• Model a new reading strategy
• Model questioning strategies

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Qualities of a successful virtual coach

ACTIVATE the VECTOR

Thank you!

suzannemyers@ku.edu