#instructional-coaching

Provide constructive feedback to a peer or student teacher using the Praise-Question-Polish model. Structure: 1. Praise (Start with specifics): 'I was really impressed with how you used wait time after your questions. I saw several students who don't normally participate raise their hands.' 2. Question (Promote reflection): 'I'm curious about the group work activity. What were your goals for that part of the lesson? How did it go compared to your expectations?' 3. Polish (Offer a concrete suggestion): 'To increase accountability during group work, you might consider assigning roles like facilitator or reporter. That could help keep everyone on task.' This model is less threatening than direct criticism and encourages a reflective conversation.

Structure a coaching cycle with a teacher using the GROW model. 1. Goal (Pre-observation meeting): Coach and teacher collaborate to set a specific, measurable goal for the lesson. (e.g., 'I want to increase student talk time to 60%'). 2. Reality (Observation): Coach observes the lesson, collecting data specifically related to the goal (e.g., tracking teacher vs. student talk time). 3. Options (Post-observation debrief): Coach shares data. They brainstorm multiple strategies to achieve the goal. ('What could you do differently? What have you tried before?'). 4. Way Forward (Action Plan): Teacher chooses one strategy to implement. Coach and teacher define what success looks like and schedule the next observation. This non-evaluative, teacher-centered approach fosters trust and growth.