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Teacher Coaching and Development Process 12 July 2023
Teacher Coaching and Development Process 12 July 2023
Tambrietta Williams-Baca
Grand Canyon University: EAD 530
12 July 2023
Name: Tambrietta Williams-Baca
As a teacher, my pre-conferences were very informal and not very informative. There
were times when I did not even get a pre-conference before a formal observation. I have had a
few good pre-conferences when I was a beginning teacher with a mentor who needed to do peer
observations. I would get asked questions like “What is the focus for your lesson?” and “What
will the students be doing while you are doing this?” These questions made sure that my lessons
were aligned with the curriculum and made sure that my students were actively engaged with the
lesson as it was happening. This helped me as a beginning teacher because I did not know how to
write lessons, but I knew what I wanted to teach. “When we understand the importance of
ongoing teacher learning for the success of schools, then it’s essential to consider how best to
promote that learning” (Danielson, 2016). I am grateful to have had two mentors who really
understood the importance of me learning how to be a teacher so that I could have success in the
classroom.
Principals should ask questions like “How is your lesson aligned with your standards?”
“Will you be modeling for your students what you are looking for?” “Is this small group
instruction, whole group, or independent activity?” These questions get the teacher thinking
about their lesson and ways that they may be able to improve it before they deliver. When
teachers are knowledgeable about their lesson and can confidently answer questions about them,
it shows how well they have planned and how much thought went into the process of preparing.
the teacher has with their students. They would also look for the teacher’s ability to demonstrate
competency or mastery of their content knowledge. It’s good to know that the teachers in charge
of your students have a decent relationship with the students and the students feel comfortable in
the classroom environment. It’s also good that the teacher knows their subject area very well. It
is impossible to teach something you don’t know for yourself. Principals and coaches also look
to see if there are connections to other disciplines, differentiation, and variety in the way
information is delivered. When there are connections to other disciplines, students can make
deeper connections in their brains. Differentiation and variety in teaching modality allow the
students who have various academic needs to have those needs met to bridge the gap between
Principals and coaches should give timely, constructive feedback to the teachers they
observe. “Providing performance feedback is a third critical coaching practice and entails the
coach’s presentation of data to the teacher on his or her teaching practice. Providing this type of
feedback is highly effective in improving early childhood teacher practice as well as K-grade 12
teacher practice and learner outcomes” (WestEd, 2019). I believe classroom management,
pedagogy, and lesson components are all three very important topics of discussion when doing
observations. If the classroom management is lacking, the students will not learn. If the teacher’s
pedagogy is not there, then there may be more behavioral issues and the lesson will lack crucial
components. The teacher may have great classroom management, superb pedagogy, but if they
Coaches and principals should provide both constructive feedback and additional support
as needed. Each case is different, but if we want to positively affect student academic outcomes,
we will guide our teachers towards more effective teaching methods, equip them with classroom
management skills, and help them find new ways to present information in an engaging way.
and complimented her on the good things she saw in the classroom. She also started off by
asking her how she thought her lesson went. That gives the teacher a chance to talk about the
things that she thinks went well and the areas where she felt she had struggled. This opens the
door for the coach or principal to potentially provide support for the teacher being observed. In
the video, the principal used specific evidence from the observation. This helped the teacher
understand exactly what she was referencing and why so she could grow.
I feel this principal gave very positive feedback for various reasons. From what I saw, it
seemed the principal and the teacher had a decent relationship and that there was trust built
between the two of them. It appears that the teacher knows her principal wants to see her be
successful and is willing to accept any feedback she’s given. Because the principal started off
positively, the rest of the conversation remained positive. “[P]rincipals want to maintain good
relationships with their teachers, which can be tough to do when they have to confront them with
bad reviews” (Loewus, 2017). I believe this is why principals frame their negative or
constructive criticism as a question. This way the teacher does not automatically get on the
defensive side. Instead, it opens the door for a conversation between the principal and the teacher
https://bibliu.com/app/#/view/books/9781483373805/epub/OEBPS/s9781483394299.i27
1.html#page_17.
Effective Coaching: Improving Teacher Practice and Outcomes for All Learners. (2019).
In National Center for Systemic Improvement at WestEd. National Center for Systemic
Improvement at WestEd.