Coaching that Works: From "Fixer" to Partner
The Region IV Assistive Technology Consortium welcomed Sharon Thomas from the Instructional Coaching Group for this engaging learning opportunity. Neither teachers nor coaches want to waste time or find themselves in unsuccessful conversations. Helping adults sometimes is often more difficult than helping students. Why do adults resist? This workshop focused on why helping for change is complex and what research says about what we can do to lessen resistance to change. There will be a discussion about the Partnership Principles: Equality, Choice, Voice, Dialogue, Reflection, Praxis, and Reciprocity. Additionally, suggestions will be provided for how participants can continue to learn and improve as coaches and/or leaders with a coaching mindset.
November 30, 2022 - 8:30am - 3:30pm, cost: $30
Wayne RESA - Annex Auditorium
33500 Van Born Rd, Wayne, MI 48184
November 30, 2022 - 8:30am - 3:30pm, cost: $30
Wayne RESA - Annex Auditorium
33500 Van Born Rd, Wayne, MI 48184
Sharron Thomas presented a morning keynote, multiple breakout sessions and a closing keynote.
Morning Keynote: Working with Adults: Helping and Partnership
Neither teachers nor coaches want to waste time or find themselves in unsuccessful conversations. Whether face-to-face or via a virtual platform, helping adults sometimes is often more difficult than helping students. Why do adults resist? This workshop focused on why helping for change is complex and what research says about what we can do to lessen resistance to change. Breakout session: Coaching Teams By definition, instructional coaching is a one-to-one conversation, so the term coaching teams is a bit of a misnomer. Nevertheless, coaches are often asked to lead teams in multiple and varied contexts. To be successful, it is important for a learning team or professional learning community to construct a set of values and processes. Incorporating insights from Unmistakable Impact (2010), and Focus on Teaching (2014), by Jim Knight, as well as focusing on the specific needs of the District and coaches, this session focuses on the beliefs that guide effective teams and the skills and processes necessary for improvement. Breakout session: Introduction to Leadership Coaching This session is a result of Instructional Coaching Group’s partnership with Growth Coaching International. The quality of the conversations in an organization can critically influence the organization’s effectiveness. This session explores how a coaching orientation, together with a strong coaching process and key coaching skills, can make a significant and immediate difference in the conversations in which school leaders engage every day. It provides leaders with the tools they need to take a coaching approach to all conversations with their teams. Closing Keynote: Developing a Coaching Plan of Action In this session, participants developed personal and/or school/district coaching action plans for how they want to improve how teachers receive support. Participants shared their learning from throughout the day with each other and will set short- and long-term goals for themselves and/or their schools (depending on their roles). Content aimed to inspire participants to see their power as coaching leaders to bring about supportive change in their schools. |
Sharon Thomas, Senior Consultant at ICG, is a National Board Certified English teacher, instructional coach, student advocate, and writer. Along with her work in ICG workshops, Sharon developed the ICG Coaching Certification process. She is the founder of the Cecil County [Maryland] Teacher Leadership Network and has presented at conferences across North America on the issues of secondary school literacy and teacher leadership. Her experience with teacher leadership in school reform was published in Principal Leadership. Sharon is the author of Evaluating Instructional Coaching and co-author of The Instructional Playbook.
Sharon’s Twitter: @SLTteachcoach Contact Sharon: [email protected] |
Additional Breakout sessions provided
Amanda Ream, Cognitive Coaching Overview
The mission of Cognitive Coaching is to produce self-directed persons with the cognitive capacity for excellence both independently and as members of a community. Research indicates that teaching is a complex intellectual activity and that teachers who think at higher levels produce students who are higher achieving, more cooperative, and better problem solvers. It is the invisible skills of teaching, the thinking processes that underlie instructional decisions, which produce superior instruction. Cognitive Coaching is a research-based model that capitalizes upon and enhances teachers' cognitive processes. This session provided a brief overview of the foundations of Cognitive Coaching and how CC is used in the coaching practice in Lenawee County.
John Hill & Karen Rayner, Crucial Conversations
Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue teaches nine powerful skill sets grounded in decades of social science research. The course helps learners develop these vital skills through instruction, application, practice, group discussion, and self-reflection—not just theory—for lasting improvement. This session will give a brief overview of Crucial Conversations and how it can be embedded in coaching practice by working with instructional coaches and system coaches.
The mission of Cognitive Coaching is to produce self-directed persons with the cognitive capacity for excellence both independently and as members of a community. Research indicates that teaching is a complex intellectual activity and that teachers who think at higher levels produce students who are higher achieving, more cooperative, and better problem solvers. It is the invisible skills of teaching, the thinking processes that underlie instructional decisions, which produce superior instruction. Cognitive Coaching is a research-based model that capitalizes upon and enhances teachers' cognitive processes. This session provided a brief overview of the foundations of Cognitive Coaching and how CC is used in the coaching practice in Lenawee County.
John Hill & Karen Rayner, Crucial Conversations
Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue teaches nine powerful skill sets grounded in decades of social science research. The course helps learners develop these vital skills through instruction, application, practice, group discussion, and self-reflection—not just theory—for lasting improvement. This session will give a brief overview of Crucial Conversations and how it can be embedded in coaching practice by working with instructional coaches and system coaches.
John Hill is currently a curriculum consultant for the Lenawee Intermediate School District. He has been in education for over 20 years; teaching Michigan Virtual School online for 19 years, teaching math, engineering, business courses, computer courses, and physical education courses throughout his years in education. John Hill has been an MTSS coach with local districts since 2017. Administered the tier fidelity assessment (TFI) and District Capacity Assessment (DCA) with local districts. In 2014, he was honored with the Lenawee County Teacher of the Year Award. John Hill became a Crucial Conversation for Mastering Dialogue trainer in August.
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Karen Rayner has joined Lenawee Intermediate School District to support administrators and teachers in the use of data to support learning and teaching. Supporting the work of districts implementing MTSS is a key part of her work. She is a doctoral candidate at Eastern Michigan University and her research interests include organizational factors that influence teacher wellbeing in the academic setting. Karen has worked as an educator for 25 years, serving as a teacher, coach, and administrator in schools in the United States and the United Kingdom. She has also served as a professional development leader and school consultant. Supporting equitable and accessible education for all is central to Karen's work. She values educators and the essential role they play in our global society. Karen completed her Crucial Conversation coaching training in August.
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