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Teacher Coach and Development Process

This document discusses the teacher evaluation process, which has three stages: pre-conference, classroom observation, and post-observation. In the pre-conference, the teacher and evaluator meet to discuss the upcoming lesson's objectives, activities, and assessments. The classroom observation involves observing instruction. In the post-observation, the evaluator provides feedback focused on strengths and areas for improvement, using specific examples from the observation. Effective feedback is collaborative and helps teachers reflect on their practice to continuously develop.

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Raymond Barton
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
323 views8 pages

Teacher Coach and Development Process

This document discusses the teacher evaluation process, which has three stages: pre-conference, classroom observation, and post-observation. In the pre-conference, the teacher and evaluator meet to discuss the upcoming lesson's objectives, activities, and assessments. The classroom observation involves observing instruction. In the post-observation, the evaluator provides feedback focused on strengths and areas for improvement, using specific examples from the observation. Effective feedback is collaborative and helps teachers reflect on their practice to continuously develop.

Uploaded by

Raymond Barton
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Teacher Coach and Development Process 1

Teacher Coach and Development Process

Raymond Barton

Grand Canyon University: EAD 530: Teacher Coach and Development Process

12/21/2020
Teacher Coach and Development Process 2

Introduction

“The single most important factor under the control of the school influencing the degree

of student learning is the quality of teaching” (Danielson, 2015). That is where teacher

observations comes into play. Observations allow for performance feedback and collect data on

the teachers’ use of evidence-based practices (NCSI, 2019). For a school to be committed to

improving learning, it must be equally committed to improving teaching quality. The only way to

do this is by observing teachers in the classroom and providing guidance and coaching to

become better. A teacher evaluation process has three stages; it starts with the pre-conference. In

the second phase of the evaluation process is the actual classroom observation, where the teacher

executes the lesson discussed at the pre-conference. Lastly, the process ends with a post-

evaluation to discuss what was observed and provide feedback to improve the teacher’s

instruction.

Observation Pre-conference

In the pre-conference phase, the teacher and principal or coach meet to go over the

teacher’s lesson. Usually, a pre-conference sheet will be filled out. That sheet tells the observer

what they will see taking place in the classroom during the observation. The pre-conference

activity also allows for the principal and teacher to be on the same page and have a “shared

understanding of the practice and purpose” in terms of the lesson’s objectives, activities, and

assessment (Danielson, 2016).

After, watching the videos on the pre-conferencing meeting I would say my experiences

is very similar to the one the teacher in the Durango School video experienced. Where she filled

out a pre-conference sheet, and the principal and I went over what to expect. I find that more

effective than the School Improvement Network video, where the principal asked questions as
Teacher Coach and Development Process 3

they went. It allows the teacher to expand on what will happen in the lesson and give the person

observing a better idea of what will occur. It also allows the teacher to be better prepared and be

less nervous. The teacher in the School Improvement Network video seemed more nervous than

the other teachers. The School Improvement Network video also seemed more formal. My pre-

conferences have all seemed less formal than that one. I liked the School Improvement Network

video because the principal asked if there was anything the teacher wanted her to look for or be

aware of. I find that critical so the post-observation can focus on concerns that the teacher might

have. It also allows the teacher to inform the observer of known issues that might arise during the

observation.

The pre-conferences that I have experienced have addressed the same questions and

content that was found in both videos. The most important questions that should be asked are

What are the objectives of the lesson? I have always been asked one question, but I do not think

it was asked in any of the videos and that was what standard does the lesson relates? Other

important questions are How does this lesson build upon prior knowledge/prior studies? How

will you know the learning objectives will be met? What will engagement in the lesson look

like? What is the form of differentiation that takes place in the lesson? Is this a new skill or a

skill that students have been working on? What will the assessments look like?

Teachers’ responses to these pre-conference questions should be a good indicator of how

prepared the teacher is for the evaluation. It indicates their planning and preparation level by

providing evidence of meeting all students’ needs in the lesson. You can see this in the Durango

School video. The teacher explained how she would differentiate the lesson by using different

articles with different reading levels, and the students would not know they had various articles

until the end. That shows the lesson is well planned out.
Teacher Coach and Development Process 4

Classroom Observation

The second phase of the evaluation process is the classroom observation. In the

classroom observation the person who is doing the observation sees how well the teacher

executes the lesson discussed at the pre-conference. During this process, the observer also finds

ways to improve the teacher instruction, which will be discussed during the post-observation

meeting. Things that should be seen during the observation and addressed afterward are student

engagement and the students’ interactions with the learning activities and their classmates. The

observer should also witness various questioning strategies. Lastly, the observer should be

looking for some time of assessment to demonstrate learning took place. Assessment might not

occur during the observation, but the teacher can better discuss and show evidence of learning.

Any feedback provided by administrators to the teachers after the observation should

vary depending on the subject and grade level and should be different for each observation. The

feedback should focus on the strengths that were witnessed along as weaknesses. It is also

essential for the evaluator to provide specific examples of what was good and what needs

improvement. Feedback does not have to be focused on any one area, such as classroom

management, instructional delivery, and content knowledge or pedagogy. The specific feedback

is based on the learning needs and established due to the evaluation process (Danielson, 2016).

Therefore, feedback should focus on the teacher's particular area of need, whether it is classroom

management or pedagogy, and should not be focused on one predetermined area.

While it is essential to give the teacher feedback as soon as possible (Superville, 2019), it

should not be conducted during the observation. If an administrator intervenes in the middle of

the observation, the teacher can lose creditability with the students. It may also be a distraction to

the teacher. It is essential to see if a teacher can make self-adjustments for lessons that may not
Teacher Coach and Development Process 5

be going well. The teacher may also have a different view of the situation and may have reason

for what was taking place. The post-observation meeting is an ideal time to engage the teacher in

a conversation about their practice and what took place during the lesson.

Post-Observation Conversation Opening Comments and Specific Evidence

After watching the post-observation videos, I noticed that the administrators began by

explaining that this process is a learning experience for both the teacher and the administration.

The purpose of the post-observation is for the teacher to get suggestions that they can use in

future lessons; this approach is valuable because it can help relieve anxiety the teacher may have.

The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (2016) video demonstrates that a coaching

approach will be taken when evaluating by having the teacher answer questions about what they

thought went well and what they thought did not go well. The reflection on the teacher's behalf

will provide more insight and give the observer a better way to provide feedback. “By

incorporating collaborative reflection into the improvement process, school leaders increase

opportunities for reflective conversations with teachers to promote a sense of shared

responsibility, trust, and collegiality” (Futureready.org, 2020). 

The administrator used specific examples when issuing feedback. The administrator

started by focusing on the amount of time that was spent on the warm-up. That led to a

conversation about how the teacher could find better strategies to use warm-up time more

effectively and get into the new learning quicker. The administrator also gave the teacher-guided

practice by helping them create a beneficial warm-up for the next day using the observer's tips.

As Danielson said, “teachers are unlikely to learn much from the session if they don’t have the

opportunity to engage in the difficult work of applying the content to their situation and context”
Teacher Coach and Development Process 6

(2015). During this post-observation the teacher had the opportunity to practice the suggestions

that were given.

The administrator was able to provide positive feedback effectively. She pointed out

specific examples that the teacher did that showed effectiveness, such as using several formative

assessments throughout the lesson. The administrator also was very compliantly of the teacher’s

ability to provided precise feedback. In pointing out the successes, the administrator was

validating the strengths of the teacher.

By administrators providing constructive feedback in the form of a question, it requires

the teacher to reflect on what they did and develop ways to improve their teaching. As a result,

the teacher is taking the lead in their professional learning. By being coached from the usage of

constructive feedback questioning by the administrator, the teacher must consider the

instructional decisions they have made and examine student learning in light of those decisions

(Danielson, 2015).
Teacher Coach and Development Process 7

References

Danielson, C. F. (2015). Talk about Teaching!: Leading Professional Conversations (2nd

edition) [E-book]. Corwin Publishers. http://www.gcumedia.com/digital-

resources/sage/2015/talk-about-teaching_leading-professional-conversations_2e.php

Durango Schools. (2013, Oct. 11). Certified pre observation- conference 1 [Video File].

Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rjs54GZrVhQ&feature=youtu.be

Futureready.org\/implementation-guide\/classroom-observation-and-teacher-reflection\/#author.

(2020, January 23). Classroom Observation and Teacher Reflection. Future Ready.

https://futureready.org/implementation-guide/classroom-observation-and-teacher-

reflection/

Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. (2016, Jul. 5). Pre & post observation

conversation [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=fszjY0tKJlA&feature=youtu.be

National Center for Systemic Improvement at WestEd. (2019). Effective Coaching: Improving

Teacher Practice and Outcomes for All Learners. National Center for Systemic

Improvement at WestEd. National Center for Systemic Improvement at WestEd. Retrieved

from https://search-ebscohost-com.lopes.idm.oclc.org/login.aspx?

direct=true&db=eric&AN=ED591448&site=eds-live&scope=site

School Improvement Network. (2016, Jan. 13). Part 1: Elementary Pre-Observation Conference

[Video File]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/FacY1ScZ5r4

Superville, D. R. (2019, October 15). 8 Ways to Make Teacher Evaluations Meaningful and

Low-Stress. Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/leadership/8-ways-to-make-

teacher-evaluations-meaningful-and-low-stress/2019/10
Teacher Coach and Development Process 8

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