ISTE 2011, June 28 - Coaching Best Practices

James Gates, moderator
State of PA initiative - Classrooms for the future
Technology and PD, $200 mil
Had the $ and the tools and the PD then added coach
Rita Beane, Jim Knight
Suggested support systems - classroom walkthroughs,professional learning culture, Common planning time, logistics, and right tools
Use of a mentor coach, importance to have a sounding board for coach and a whip, we all need a Sarah :-)
Relationships, there's that word, again. Also...collaboration.
Identify the risk-takers in the school and develop expected in these people. Develop and cultivate native interest. She eloquently spoke of the selling and cajoling she had to do to push the message.
Another coach found herself fixing things...she was not alone. She spoke of putting learning objectives first. Importance of connection through list serves.
"When I was a first year teacher, I would have loved a coach."
How to document activities, tracking time on task, topic, and with whom. Also, a diary...was a pain in the neck.Job security and justification.
look at Rita Beane book
K12ware is the site for log
How did they manage the requests and communication - hall walking, drop in, train any time any where. Necessity to be assertive, need to make business for yourself.
Time must be explicit for self PD and resource development.
Through social media you can see who has what skill set.
Strategies for dealing with admin, they are the biggest hurdle
Must be a shared vision that starts from the top and should be standards-based.
Buffalo has a particular challenge, though, with the low achieving conversation.
Specialization and proximity
When the head does not know what the tentacles are doing, we are in trouble.
Use your friends
It's about collaboration and communication
Celebrate our successes
Poster sessions in schools
Relationships with tech directors.