Alexandria Byrd

Dr. Sarah Alaniz

ETEC 5305

March 4, 2020

Collegial Coaching Reflection Paper

Coaching teachers is similar to coaching players, which aims to teach, guide and

encourage. The teachers chosen were within their first five years of teaching and in

need of creative ways to increase engagement in their classrooms. One teacher has

taught for four years in an English Language Arts and Reading capacity but was

recently moved to Advancement Via Individual Determination, which is an International

Baccalaureate-focused class. Another coachee has been teaching 6th-grade math for

three years and the newest teacher has been teaching Texas History for his first year.

According to Ed Tech’s 2017 article, “Classroom Tech Use Is on the Rise

[#Infographic]” teachers in the U.S. do not need to be sold on incorporating technology,

but they are unprepared. This conclusion represents a microcosm of what is happening

in classrooms across the country. Teachers realize the positive impact technology could

play in achievement, but they are not sure where to start.

 “This data suggests that many teachers are introducing ed tech cautiously,” says

Pamela Roggeman, academic dean for the College of Education, in a press release. “In

some cases, they are unfamiliar with certain resources, but more often, they worry that

personal devices will become an unwelcome distraction.”

In “Naturalizing Digital Immigrants: The Power of …”, authors Dr. Katie Alaniz

and Dr. Dawn Wilson express the importance of following the keystones of the collegial

coaching process. The approach helps explain the difference between an adult learner

and a K-12 learner in practice.

The model uses steps that are applied as-needed, and not necessarily in order.

The most important steps start with “Establish the Need” and “Create Partnerships”,

because if they can’t trust you as a professional to connect and be vulnerable, then the

goal will not be reached. My first step before discussing content and technology is to get

to know the coachees personally, then as a professional. In addition to that, once a

connection and partnerships has been activated, the teacher will feel comfortable

addressing their areas of need in the classroom.

I started this coaching assignment with trepidation, but with slightly more

familiarity due to my current campus role. Even with some insight, I still was surprised at

how much I still need to learn. At some point during a career in education, most of us

realize how wrong assumptions can be as well as perceived learning experiences. The
perspective of the teacher and student can vary vastly during the same lesson, and it’s

in this space where instructional coaching can impact everyone immensely. A lesson

can always become more engaging in the eyes of learners today. Personally, I wanted

to use this experience to glean resources and applications for teachers when they ask

for suggestions, but I also learned the powerful lesson of how teacher support can

invigorate their willingness to take risks with pedagogy.

Instruction is supported by research, but the execution can seem less

measurable and deliberate. In my eyes, the best part of coaching has been to equip

teachers with the confidence necessary to try new things, and the feedback from

teachers mirrored the same. When designing or implementing a peer coaching

program, I want to be careful not to create the learning experiences for the participants.

I may have a few topics or best practice areas to focus on, but I don’t want to create the

learning. I believe in using a constructivist approach by helping the learner put the

pieces of their own understanding together.

Personally, I’ve been a mentee, a mentor, a literacy specialist, and a department

chair, and while only three of these positions required coaching, I have been exposed to

it four out of five years of my short career thus far. The coaching seemed more

worthwhile and authentic with just guiding questions. If I were to design a program, it

would have to give creative freedom to the teachers or instructional leaders. Without the
freedom to adapt the foundation of a coaching program to the needs of the teacher, it

ends up feeling robotic and ineffective.

I can relate to my colleagues’ experience with coaching because I have been the

one absorbing and applying information before. I decided to take on most of the heavy

lifting to make it an easy process for them as well. The hardest part was getting started

and aligning schedules with three different people. I had to remind myself that I wanted

to create access to knowledge and a safe space to try things without fear. To me, that

helped the teachers dig deep and figure out their vision for their instruction. This was

easier for the teachers with three and four years of experience, but difficult for the

first-year teacher. Adopting technology is different from person to person, and it really

depends on the personality and values of the teacher, which are developed and

changed over time.

I can compare the coachee’s willingness to adopt technology to the coach’s

willingness to be vulnerable as they teach. Everyone involved must challenge their own

growth through their role. I learned how to be perceptive when teaching. When I was a

mentee and first-year teacher, I found it challenging to ask for help, so I’m able to relate

my experience to my coachees. Perceiving how to help a child and an adult learner is

different and has been a great worthwhile challenge.

 Works Cited

Alaniz, K., & Wilson, D. K. (2015). ​Naturalizing digital immigrants: the power of

collegial coaching for technology integration​. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield.

Cortez, M. B., & Meghan. (2019, June 5). Classroom Tech Use Is on the Rise

[#Infographic]. Retrieved from

https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2017/09/classroom-tech-use-rise-infographic