Instructional Coaching Methods at Albemarle County Public Schools
The video embedded above describes in detail the teacher-driven instructional coaching at Albemarle County Public Schools. Within the district, there are 24 instructional coaches who work in 3 different buildings; this means that every coach has 3 different coaches working within their schools. Their jobs are to support the teachers in any way that the teacher is asking. This means that when a teacher has a diverse set of learning needs, the coaches are there providing materials and ideas to address this. Coaches also promote collaboration within the teacher’s professional development. Teachers can grow from feedback provided by the coaches, and in return, give feedback on some of the successes and areas that need improvement. The biggest success I see in the method that Albemarle School’s coaches do is that they build a huge network and resource pool to best help their district. The coaches are able to gather all their ideas from their schools and share them with other coaches, so they, in turn, can take new ideas to the schools they serve.
Step 1: Establish the needs
It is crucial for a coach to help teachers where there is unfamiliarity. Teacher’s professional development is not reliant on continuing to do what they have always done, but to grow and explore new and ever-changing methods in education. The coaches in Albemarle are approached by the teachers when wanting to learn about technology or instructional strategies. The example in the video was the teacher named Karen was looking to improve her project-based learning. in the video, the coach states “It always comes back to the teacher tells me what they need, that’s always where I begin”. She is not forcing the teacher to try something that
Step 2: Create partnerships
The coach is not just a mentor or a casual observer; they are actively involved with the teachers they are coaching. In Albemarle, the coaches are in the classroom co-teaching or teaching an example lesson with the teacher. The teacher then can best relate to the coaches ideas, because they had a shared experience.
Step 3: Target differentiated projects
The coach is working with the teacher to develop a lesson that the teacher has a need for and that goals are established. The coach in Albemarle asks the teacher, “What will you be looking for”, which is an important question for the teacher to establish their goals. This shows that they have a set desire and outcome for their lesson.
Step 4: Assess the progress
“Did you notice everyone was up on their knees”. The coach is discussing details that showed the progress of the project-based learning that they were implementing. They also were able to assess based on a critical thinking rubric, which they used to assess how the lesson progresses, and if it meets the goals established.
Phase 5: Reflect on the integration
At the end of the example lesson, the teacher and the coach were able to reflect on the positives they noticed in the lessons. The students in the video all shared different ideas they learned as well, which shows that they were actively engaged. The coach and teacher were happy about the lesson, and they enjoyed the time working together. This also gave the coach to have a strong lesson example for when she helps at one of the other three schools she goes to.
Personal Reflection:
This video is a great example of successful coaching. The coach is focused on the teacher and wants the teacher and students to be successful. She has created trust and respect with the teachers that she coaches. I also appreciate how the coach helped create and teach the lesson for the teacher. When I see great modeling, it allows me to further develop my own skills. The coaches at Albemarle County Public Schools have a very well established system and it makes me excited for the future of collegial coaching.
Alaniz, K., & Wilson, D. (2015). Naturalizing Digital Immigrants. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield
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