Professional Learning and Coaching

Final Report
PSC-IT and ISTE-E Standards Addressed in the Project
1. Learner
Educators continually improve their practice by learning from and with others and exploring
proven and promising practices that leverage technology to improve student learning. (PSC
1/ISTE-E 1)
1.1 Set professional learning goals to explore and apply pedagogical approaches made
possible by technology and reflect on their effectiveness. (PSC 1.1/ISTE-E 1a)

1.2. Pursue professional interests by creating and actively participating in local and global
learning networks. (PSC 1.2/ISTE-E 1b)

8. Coach
Candidates plan, provide, and evaluate the impact of professional learning for educators and
leaders to advance teaching and learning with technology.
8.1 Candidates establish coaching relationships to support educators as they explore new
instructional strategies and integrate technology to improve student learning. (PSC
8.1/ISTE-E 8a)

8.2 Candidates design and implement professional learning based on needs assessments
and the theories and frameworks for adult learning. (PSC 8.2/ISTE-E 8b)

8.3 Candidates evaluate the impact of professional learning and continually reflect on
how to improve coaching and professional practice. (PSC 8.3/ISTE-E 8c)

8.4 Candidates foster educator participation in professional learning networks to help

them connect with other educators and stay abreast of current and emerging technologies
and innovations. (PSC 8.4/ISTE-E 8d)

In this document, you will reflect on your professional learning and coaching experience. The
experience could be part of your normal teaching or part of extracurricular activity in either a
formal (k-12 school) or informal (library, community center, etc.) learning setting.

Suggestions include (but are not limited to):

o Current Reality and GSAPS Paper
o Coaching Videos (3 videos)
o Coaching Journal (4 entries)
o Program Evaluation Instrument
o Professional Learning Networks Artifacts (Part 1, 2, & 3)
Description of Your Professional Learning and Coaching Experience
Throughout this class, I have participated in PLNs at my local school each week. I spend most
Wednesdays and Thursdays sitting in on grade level collaborative planning. During some grade
level meetings, I simply sit and listen, waiting to hear of a need for the team or an individual.
During some grade level meetings, I plan ahead with the grade chair to set an agenda and assist
in leading the team in common planning or an instructional technology activity.

With the 2nd grade team, I have spent time with the grade chair developing a literacy planning
template for the new literacy pilot program. After we developed a template we thought would
work with the team, we shared the template with the grade level and the vision for how it
would be used during collaborative planning time. I then assisted the grade chair with
implementing the new planning template and collaborative planning structure with the 2nd
grade team. The team has done such great work that the county literacy coach asked for the
team planning time to be recorded so it could be shared with other teams who may need
guidance on how to get started when planning together.

With the 3rd grade math team, we have worked on a Genius Hour research project. I have
designed and led the students and teachers in researching topics of their choice. Students have
learned about proper research tools using the county provided Online Research Library and
reviewed how to record research in an online graphic organizer. Ultimately, students will use
their research to create a project share their expertise with other 3rd graders. Each Friday I
Zoom from one of the classrooms with the other classrooms to assist with research. The
students stop me in the hallways to share what they have learned and how excited they are to
continue researching!

In addition to providing support in classrooms for teachers, I also lead trainings on new
technology within the county and just-in-time training for teachers on required technology,
such as gradebooks, assessment systems, reading data, report cards, etc. So far this year I have
trained staff on the new Student Management System, Synergy, the new assessment systems,
Synergy Assessment and Edulastic, and interpreting data from diagnostic tests on iReady and
DIBELS 8.

While I have not had many opportunities to provide coaching cycles during the school year so
far, I did have the opportunity to complete a coaching cycle with a 2 nd grade teacher. She
wanted to find a way to differentiate video phonics lessons from the literacy pilot program into
her students’ work time. Evidence of the coaching sessions can be found in the coaching journal
and coaching videos linked below.
Gassman- Coaching Journal
Gassman- Coaching Session 1: Identify
Gassman- Coaching Session 2: Learn
Gassman- Coaching Session 3: Improve
For ISTE Portfolio
Pursue professional interests by creating and actively participating in
local and global networks (ISTE-E 1b)
ISTE Portfolio Questions
1. What are some digital networks that you participate in?

As part of my role as an Instructional Technology & Innovation Coach (ITI Coach) in

Gwinnett County Public Schools, I am required to participate in professional
development choice sessions. This semester I selected to participate in a session called
“Choose Your Pathway.” As part of this course, I was given a menu of options to choose
from. The menu included earning my Google Level 1 and/or Level 2 certification,
coaching, collaboration, student creativity, problem-solving, and assessment. For this
course, I chose to get my Google Level 1 certification, coach a 2nd grade teacher, and
create a student technology based activity that involved choice and creativity. For
second semester, I plan to participate in the Coaching 101 pathway course to learn
more about becoming a better coach and collaborate with other ITI Coaches.

In addition to the pathway I chose for the first semester, other ITI Coaches have a Teams
chat open for questions and assistance. Often times, people post questions on where
documents or directions may be located for teachers or asking for clarification regarding
county-wide technology initiatives. This is the first place I go when I am looking for an
answer or document. The ITI Coaches are very helpful! The Teams chat is also a great
way to determine if a technical error is county-wide or specific to our school.

At the beginning of this class, I also signed up for a Twitter account. I was reluctant to
sign up as I didn’t want another social media account. In all honesty, I would like to
cancel my Twitter account because of the massive amount of email notifications I
receive each day. I have not had the proper amount of time to participate and/or
investigate how Twitter can best serve my needs.

2. How are you active in these networks? (You want to showcase your activity; this
activity needs to be you as a contributor in creating discussions AND replying to
discussions.)

While I have not participated on Twitter in posting or replying, I have participated in

online Teams meetings as part of my “Choose Your Pathway” course with other ITI
Coaches. During online meetings, I have shared my projects for coaching and student
creativity. I have also listened to the ideas of other ITI Coaches and plan to implement
some of their work at my school with my teachers.
 As stated previously, I often pose questions to the ITI Coach Teams chat when I am
seeking a document I cannot find, determining if a technology issue is county-wide or
specific to my school, and if I need an answer to a technology question. When others
post in the chat, I can also assist them with the same issues.

3. How do you use these networks to expand your learning as a professional?

One way I would like to use the ITI Coach Teams chat to expand my learning as a
professional is by collaborating with other ITI Coaches. I would like to visit with other ITI
Coaches in person to see how they work within their school. I have asked county leads
to provide me with names of other ITI Coaches who they feel could be good mentors for
me as I continue to grow.

As much as I would like to use Twitter more regularly to seek out professional growth
opportunities, I feel like I am not ready for such a global network yet.

Evidence of one or more artifacts (ISTE-E 1b)

Final Thoughts of the Course
Write more about your learning experience, growth, and plans for ongoing development
related to ITEC 7460 course content.

• What have you learned about professional learning and coaching?

I have learned that coaching should be seen as a partnership between the collaborative
teacher and coach. Coaching works best when the collaborative teacher guides the
sessions and makes decisions supported by the coach. Teachers are more likely to learn
and want to change if the task is relevant and viewed as important. Teachers want to do
what is best for students and meet their needs.

I have learned that professional learning should be implemented with a backwards

design model. Those planning professional learning opportunities should begin with the
end in mind- how will the learning improve student outcome? Ultimately, professional
learning must be engaging for teachers and supported by the structures in place at the
local school. With support from the local school structures, it is impossible for teachers
to implement their learning, no matter how engaging and needed.

• What was your goal and how do you assess your progress toward the goal?

My goal for this class was to learn more about the coaching cycle and participate in a
more global PLN. While I have succeeded in learning more about the coaching cycle and
process, I have not actively participated in a global PLN, such as Twitter.

• What are your next steps towards professional learning and coaching?
 To continue my learning, I would like to pursue the Coaching endorsement with my
master program. I will participate in the remaining course to fulfill the requirements for
the endorsement.

I will also continue to seek out opportunities to coach individuals at my school and share
my knowledge of technology integration with individuals and teams. I will provide just-
in-time relevant training to teachers on technology initiatives in our county.

• What was your favorite part of the course?

My favorite part of the course was walking through a coaching cycle with a fellow
teacher. While I’m not an expert yet, I know practice and additional coaching cycles will
make it seem like second nature.

• What suggestions would you like to make to improve the course?

While I have enjoyed the readings and coaching sessions with my collaborative teacher,
I feel like the amount of discussion posts and replying to peers was excessive. The point
value placed on discussion posts and replying to peers was very little when I spent more
of my time doing these tasks than on coaching itself.

I would also suggest incorporating the PLN part of the course throughout the course
instead of only in the beginning and end. I know I was not the only one who forgot
about this part of the course until the end. I understand the importance of a PLN, but
sometimes participation in a PLN is not easily documented.