Instructional Coaching Video

      Albemarle County Public Schools in Charlottesville, VA developed an instructional coaching model on the foundation that teachers who have another person to collaborate with and discuss new practices with are more inclined to embed those practices in their everyday work.  The model is distributed across the district as described below.

• 24 coaches in 27 schools within the district
• Each school has 3-4 coaches.
• Every coach works between at least 3 schools.
• Teachers choose their instructional coach to work with.
• After 3 to 5 years, a coach moves to another role within the district. 
• Instructional coaches meet on a regular basis to discuss their work and best practices.

 The district's purpose of the instructional coaching model is to:

• Support teachers with implementing more innovative practices.
• Connect school cultures across the district.
• Promote a collaborative systems approach to professional development.
• Address teachers' diverse learning needs. 

      These supports from the instructional coach are built from the teacher's goals and may be in the form of conversations, modeling instructional plans, observations, and/or reflections on strategies.  When a teacher makes a decision to work with an instructional coach, the pair begin to work through the five phases of the coaching model. 

     1. Establish the Need
The teacher needs to clearly state his or her goal and the reason behind the goal.
     2. Create Partnerships
Teachers are able to form a partnership with a coach of their choice.  This allows for personalities to match and a positive collaborative environment. 
     3. Target Differentiated Technology Projects
The coach helps the teacher brainstorm what is the most effective method of teaching to achieve the goal and helps develop an implementation plan to address the goal.  The coach could model strategies for the teacher, help during the lesson, or simply observe while the teacher leads the instruction. 
     4. Access the Progress
Reflect on the process along the way.  Are the goals of the teacher being met?  Is the coaching process allowing the teacher to be more self-sufficient in meeting his or her goals?  Is the teacher comfortable implementing innovative practices without aid from the coach?
     5. Reflect on the Implementation
The coach and teacher meet together to reflect on the process, the initial goal, the challenges faced by the teacher, and what will happen next.  This needs to be an open, honest conversation for the coach and teacher to benefit from the process and collaboration that occurred. 

      By implementing this model, Albemarle County Public Schools created positive results throughout the district.  Collaborative relationships across the district were built, graduation rates increased and dropout rates decreased.  The district also experienced growth in reading, math, and science. 

      As I study the five phases of collegial coaching and Albemarle County Public Schools instructional coaching, it is important to note the coaching is a judge-free approach.  The coach is there to empower the teacher to implement technology, try a new strategy, or any other goal set forth by the teacher.  The coach helps the teacher think through the process, can offer materials or models, or extend ideas from other teachers in the district.  The coach is not there to criticize, critique, or grade the teacher.  Building a trusting, positive relationship between coaches and teachers will make the instructional coaching model successful in any school district. 
     
      Watch the video below to hear first-hand accounts from the instructional coaching model at Albemarle County Public Schools.

 Reference

     Albemarle County Public Schools. (2015, September 17).  Instructional coaching: seeding district-wide innovation.  Retrieved November 16, 2016, from Edutopia website: https://www.edutopia.org/practice/instructional-coaching-seeding-district-wide-innovation

SAMR and TPACK Investigative Report

SAMR and TPACK are two popular frameworks for technology integration.  I have summarized each model, selected a model for my school, and provided my approach to introducing the chosen model to other teachers. 

SAMR

            This technology integration model, developed by Dr. Ruben Puentedura, consists of four levels of integration.  The levels start with Substitution and Augmentation in the Enhancement portion and then move to Modification and Redefinition in the Transformation portion of the model.  The goal is to move from Enhancement to Transformation as teachers learn to develop a 1:1 classroom. 

Image the creation of Dr. Ruben Puentedura, Ph.D. http://www.hippasus.com/rrpweblog/

Substitution: (Level 1) Where new technology replaces old technology, but does not change the task.

Augmentation: (Level 2) Technology is still a substitute, but more improvement with incorporating technology than without using it.

 Modification: (Level 3) Technology is used to redesign parts of a task and transforms student learning.

Redefinition: (Level 4) Our plans are now dependent on technology to design and create new tasks that were once unimaginable. 

 

TPACK

            TPACK combines three knowledge areas: Technology, Content, and Pedagogical Knowledge.  This model looks at how these areas work together to increase motivation and make content more accessible.

Image from http://tpack.org/

Content Knowledge: This is the subject matter being taught.

Pedagogical Knowledge: The delivery of information to the students.

Technology Knowledge: The ability to use technology to increase student understanding of the material. 

There are four overlapping sections in this model. 

PCK (Pedagogical Content Knowledge): The ability to pair appropriate pedagogy and content to increase student understanding. 

TCK (Technology Content Knowledge): The ability to pair the appropriate technology to support content learning.

TPK (Technology Pedagogical Knowledge): The ability to use technology to support teaching.

TPACK:  This is the middle overlapping section of the model.  This is the ability to understand how all three areas work together to support teaching and learning. 

There is also an outer circle in this model as a reminder that the TPACK works within the context of your own teaching.  This model will look different depending on the group of learners. 

            As I look at my school, I would introduce the SAMR model to my colleagues.  The model simplifies the process of integrating technology and provides a ‘ladder-like’ approach to move our classrooms to a 1:1 environment.  Teachers can improve their lessons and move from Enhancement to Transformation without being confused with a number of overlapping sections.  As I introduce the SAMR model to my colleagues, I will model lessons that I have improved from substitution to other areas on the model.  I will provide a sample lesson that we can work together to offer examples of each level in the SAMR model.  I will also ask a teacher who feels behind or a teacher who doesn’t see how to move a lesson to the next level to tell us about their lesson, so as a staff (or small groups) we can provide them with ideas.  This is a process and like all processes this will take time, but it is important to see the little steps that have be taken.  Celebrate the small steps together and help each other find ways to transform the learning process.  Communication and collaboration are vital tools to keep everyone on track and moving forward. 

 

References

SAMR model explained for teachers. (2013, June). Retrieved November 2, 2016, from Educational Technology and Mobile Learning website:  http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2013/06/samr-model-explained-for-teachers.html

Models for Understanding Technology Integration. (n.d.). Retrieved November 2, 2016, from iPad Bootcamp for Teachers website: http://www.ipadbootcampforteachers.com/samrtpack.html