The Coaches Planning Guide

The Coaching Conversation (this may happen over more than one session)

 Plan the coaching session, discuss purpose, activities, goals, time, and desired outcomes
 Observe the teacher, lesson, review video, or listen to teacher as she describes situations (this
might include the use of the TPOT as an observation tool)
 Model, demonstrate, or describe how to implement a strategy or activity
 Use questioning and active listening to guide teacher to reflect on what she does, what happened
during the observation, what to try
 Coaches and teachers address targeted areas in feedback sessions during debriefing
 Complete/Revise action plan per session

The Yearly Plan for New Teachers and Coaches

 Coaches complete the pre-TPOT 6 weeks after the start of school.

 Teachers complete the Teacher Checklists to be used as a self-assessment.
 Jointly develop Teacher Plan
 Jointly develop Coaching/Training Plan
 Conduct final TPOT around March/April.
 Recommended coaching sessions are once or twice a month, 2 to 4 hours per visit; however, visits
may vary according to pre- TPOT results and teacher needs.
 Develop the yearly training/coaching plan.

The Yearly Plan for Established Teachers and Coaches

 Coach conducts pre- TPOT 6 weeks after the start of school.

 Teacher administers the baseline SSIS on children by October 15 th
 Coach conducts the end of year TPOT if fidelity was not met in the fall and schedules coaching
sessions if needed.
 Teacher administers the end of year SSIS on children by May 1th
 Coach completes yearly plan and submits to administrator
 Administrator submits the following to the state office: 1) TPOT scores, 2) SSIS scores, and 3)
Yearly Coaching/Training plan

The Coaches Voices and Focused Observation Strategies:

 Partner Voice: coach videotapes an activity for joint review at a later date
 Teacher Voice: Side-by-side verbal or gestural support to teacher
 Investigator Voice: questioning that leads teacher through a systematic process involving identify
the problem, generating options, deciding on a possible solution
 Guide Voice: coach models with a child how to implement a Pyramid strategy; conducts
observation and takes notes about the teachers implementation of Pyramid strategies for later
debrief.

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Mindful Coaching (NC-DPI SEFEL) Summer Institute June 2013
The Coaches Voices and Debriefing Strategies:

 Investigator Voice: The coach leads discussion with problem solving questions which allows the
teacher to generate course of action. The Investigator generally follows three lines of questioning:
situation, outcome, and action.

1. Situation questions:
• What is going on in the view of the teacher?
• What are the forces at play?
• Who has a stake in this?
• What specific aspects of this situation differ from other similar situations you have faced
in the past?

• How does the teacher create the situation?

• What might you be doing to contribute to this situation?
• What are the ways you could be limiting yourself?
• What could you accept or let go of that might help?

• How does the teacher see and interpret the situation? The purpose of this line of questioning is
to invite a shift in the teacher’s view of the current situation, so the teacher can be open to new
possibilities.
• What are the risks in not addressing this?
• What does it feel like in the current situation?
• Is this working?

2. Outcome questions: These questions establish a distinction between the situation and the
potential for change in the future.
• What could be different?
• What are the implications for making this change?
• What are your real interests in this situation?

3. Action Questions- questions are designed to elicit the teacher’s ideas about what actions to take
based on the new perspectives often generated during the coaching conversation.
• What is the best first step towards your outcome?
• What can you do to help you learn more about this?
• What would help make this easier?

 The Guide might be useful here to make suggestions for action planning. The Guide can
encourage action and/or make specific recommendations. Be mindful of the Guide Voice
and use sparingly. Ask teacher if he/she is open to the suggestions first.

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Mindful Coaching (NC-DPI SEFEL) Summer Institute June 2013
Reflection and two types of feedback given:

Starter Phrases
 What went well with using that practice?
 What happens when?
 Why do you think?
 What do you think would happen if?
 Knowing that, what would you do next time?
 How did that compare to?

Supportive Feedback

 Based on teachers’ successful implementation of coached teaching practices OR general positive

aspects of teacher’s behavior AND always include data based on the observation or specific
action plan goals.
 EX: You asked open-ended questions on 10 different occasions during story time. The
children came up with some very creative responses as a result.

Constructive Feedback

 Mention adjustments or changes that need to be made with a constructive intent.

 EX: “To really see changes in Jaime with respect to smooth transitions, it might be
helpful if you got down to his eye level and touched him to give him directions.” “I
wonder what would happen if you reviewed the rules with him immediately before going
outside.”

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Mindful Coaching (NC-DPI SEFEL) Summer Institute June 2013
Module Number Trainin Coaching Notes
g Date Date
#1: Behavior Expectations and Rules

#2: Building Positive Relationship

#3: Classroom Design

#4: Schedules and Routines

#5: Emotional Literacy

#6: Teaching Anger Management and

Problem Solving Skills

#7: Teaching Friendship Skills

#8: Identifying Form and Function of

Behaviors

#9: Developing a Behavior Support Plan

Yearly Coaching/Training Plan

Identify the modules that you will target throughout the year based on the teacher’s performance on the Pre-TPOT and the Checklists.
Attach the coaches plans for each of the modules you will address/coach.

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Mindful Coaching (NC-DPI SEFEL) Summer Institute June 2013
 The Coaches Plan
Teacher Goal:
Date Coaching Strategy to Support Debrief Strategies Debrief Notes Reflection and two types
Teacher Goal of feedback given

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Mindful Coaching (NC-DPI SEFEL) Summer Institute June 2013