Best In CLASS : Coaching Teachers on the CLASS Tool ®
Hilary Ritt, Teachstone Bentley Ponder, GA DECAL
© 2015 Teachstone® Training, LLC
Your use of coaching?
Coaching in QRIS
What Happens?
t n e m t Inves D in P
s e m o Outc
What Makes the Difference
Strong Outcomes
Weak Outcomes
Approaches to Implementing Coaching
Coaching Outsourced Teachers Do Coaching
Supervisors Do Coaching
Individualization
vs. Fidelity
GA DECAL - Context
Georgia Dilemma • Create a system of PD (including coaching) that could be scaled. • Utilize Georgia’s Pre-K Staff • Maintain fidelity to a research model • Incorporate individualization • Demonstrate impacts
Georgia Opportunity • Early Education institutionalized statewide (Georgia’s Pre-K) • K-12 Race to the Top • Previous experience with CLASS • Educated workforce and assigned consultants
Georgia Challenges • Transition to “CLASS” language with providers
• Moving from observation to technical assistance
Agenda
1. Identification of core elements of effective coaching
2. Core elements as a foundation for a systematic approach
3. Evaluation and fidelity in coaching
Identification of Core Elements of Effective Coaching
Focus on the Core Core Elements
Coaching Program
Academic Research
ProgramLevel Experience
1. Frequent contact between coaches and teachers 2. Strong teacher-coach relationships 3. Group involvement in coaching 4. Use of video in coaching 5. Data-driven, individualized coaching supports
Core Elements
DURATION
1. Frequent Contact
INTENSITY
2. Strong Relationships
3. Group Involvement
4. Use of Video
5. Data-Driven
Core Elements in GA DECAL
Georgia PD Study Evaluating Two Models • Making the Most of Classroom Interactions (MMCI)-a face-to-face, classroom-based professional development model • My Teaching Partner (MTP)-a one-on-one coaching model that provides specific feedback to teachers
Evaluation • • • • •
486 Georgia’s Pre-K teachers were randomly selected to participate from counties being targeted for support by Georgia’s Race to the Top K-12 grant. Selected teachers were randomly assigned to one of three groups: 175 to MMCI, 151 to MTP, 160 to control. Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) observations and teacher questionnaires were collected in the fall and spring. MMCI instructors and MTP coaches also completed questionnaires and participated in semi-structured interviews. An independent researcher conducted semi-structured interviews with 21 Georgia’s Pre-K consultants regarding their experiences delivering the professional development models.
“Official Conclusions”
• Georgia’s Pre-K teachers benefited from and liked both the MMCI and MTP interventions. • MMCI is a feasible intervention for largescale adoption. • Additional research is needed to understand better the circumstances under which MMCI and MTP are most likely to support meaningful improvements in teacher-child interactions. • Advancements in early childhood professional development are still needed.
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“Unofficial” ConclusionsBentley’s Thoughts
• Importance of relationship building-including peer time and face to face. • Logistics, logistics, logistics • Coach enthusiasm is a variable. • Expectations • Documenting where fidelity is important for your program (prompts) • Note when coaching falls under “other duties as assigned”
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What is at the core of your coaching
Reflection
program? What practices do you want to be sure everyone is implementing with fidelity?
Core elements as a foundation for a systematic approach
A Systematic Approach
Ensuring Fidelity
Ensuring Fidelity • Specialists • Qualifications and training • Communication • Documentation and reporting • Software
GA Next Steps
Moving Forward Reflect on the information gained from the study Build on the research data, lessons learned and quantitative feedback Incorporate in • Summer Transition Program • Infant-Toddler • GELDS
Establish evaluation and data collection efforts
Moving Forward: Georgia’s Pre-K Piloting year long professional development models All participants receive a pre/post CLASS observation Pre-observation results are shared with teachers and subsequent observations support the ongoing partnership with their instructor • MMCI with an earlier focus on the Instructional Supports Domain • MMCI with an earlier focus on the Instructional Supports Domain and one-on-one coaching • Professional Learning Communities
o focus on the Instructional Supports Domain and one-on-one coaching
To what extent have you identified a systematic approach to coaching?
Reflection
How are these concepts being communicated and recorded throughout your organization?
Q&A
Upcoming Webinars
Why PD Doesn’t Have to Mean Reinventing the Wheel
Why PD Doesn’t Have to Mean Reinventing the Wheel July 29 12:00 p.m.
http://teachstone.com/resources/webinars/
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Phone: 866.998.8352
Email:
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Presenters
#CLASSpromise
Hilary Ritt:
[email protected] Bentley Ponder:
[email protected]