As many folks know, I am in the process of writing my fifth book! It’s about instructional coaching…tentatively titled “How to Coach Teachers to Teach (Almost) Anything” – – – I mean, it’s not like it’s going to be published by Yale or anything, right?
One of the things that I wanted to really drive home for coaches are the fundamental skills that teachers have to have in place. So, I broke those fundamental skills down into five categories:
- Classroom Management
- Behavior Management
- Engagement
- Lesson Planning (the most often un-coached skills that is the starting point of a successful lesson)
- Delivery of a Basic Lesson (like the very least the teacher has to do to deliver a successful lesson)
In this series of five blogs, one on each of the topics, I have broken down those skills for you, too!
If you’re a teacher, you can use these as a checklist for lesson planning
If you are a professional developer, you can use this is a checklist for a new teacher (or veteren teacher) training program
If you are a principal, you can use this to help you set your instructional goal and as a tool to determine where you staff might need strengthening.
If you are a coach, you will use these lists to prioritize the content that you will coach. If a teacher is struggling with any of these, then that struggling point is where your coaching should start. After all, if a fundamental is missing, then the teacher doesn’t have much of a chance of getting the fancier stuff well implemented.
Here are the Delivery of a Basic Lesson Priority Skills for Coaching
The teacher:
- Introduces the lesson/the skill
- Connects the lesson/skill to previous content, if appropriate
- Teaches behaviors and materials management necessary for the lesson
- Delivers a balance between teacher talking and student action
- Models new concepts while students watch
- Engineers guided practice and uses engagement tools to make sure every student does the work
- Engineers independent practice and application and gives academic-based individual feedback
- Uses the language from the curriculum or standards
- Monitors the pacing of the lesson and picks up the pace when lagging and
- Slows down the pace when students need more time to process the content or skills
- Gives academic-based feedback specific to the whole class and individuals
- Closes the lesson by recapping the most important information or skills and sets the tone for what will come next
Jill,
I am so excited for your new book!! I’m an instructional coach on Fort Riley, KS. School is one of the most consistent aspects of 99% of our students. I know your book will help me ensure the teachers at Fort Riley are the best teachers these students have during their educational journey.
Thank you!!
Hi Jennifer! I am so excited that you’re so excited! Did you pick up your copy? They’ve been flying off the shelf and I am ABSOLUTELY THRILLED about the response from real-life coaches! 🙂
When will your book be available for purchase?
Hi Angie! I am sorry it has taken me so long to respond! the book is available for purchase! Go to jackson-consulting.com/coach and check it out! 🙂