Coaching Isn’t Just For Sports: Instructional Coaching in FISD

Bales Intermediate Instructional Coaches Chantell Edmond and Christina Hogue share insights on what instructional coaching looks like in action, from working one-on-one with teachers to implementing strategies that address current classroom challenges. Discover how they tailor their support for new and veteran teachers alike and how their efforts benefit every student.

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1 But my aunt's house for Thanksgiving and we are kitchen with the cooking. So I am the. 2 Girl in my kitchen and the collard greens. 1 Girl in the greens for that three three rings. 2 Besides. Yeah, this year for us, it's my house, which is a scary knock. Good. Like I don't cook. 3 So that's why I'm hosting. Everyone else needs to bring me. 2 That's right. 4 You're bringing the house. 2 Right? 1 That's the biggest part. 2 So I think my mom's fully aware of that because she's like, I'll bring the ham and I'll bring this and this and this, and like, perfect. That sounds fantastic. 3 So, Mom. 2 Yeah, no. Well, I'll I'll figure out something, and there's a recipe somewhere I can follow. 4 But yeah. 2 You'll have a full house. That'll be fun. 4 So how many people are normally at your family? Thanksgiving? 1 We are usually at around 15 people around that. 2 Yeah. Yeah. Pretty good group. Oh, gosh. It just differs because we really have both sides, like my husband's mom and dad and brother and, you know, our nieces and nephews will come and then my mom and her husband and just so you just never know. We might pick up some people on the way, like they just jump in. 2 Let's go. You just never know. 4 So, yeah, yeah. No, my aunts and my family, like, the most we ever had. So it's just. It was always just me, my parents and my twin sister. And so we have like seven people, like maybe eight at a holiday. And then I married my husband is the youngest of eight kids, so now it's like 30 people on his side as well. 4 And and so it's it's fine, but it's a little is totally different than what I grew up with. Yeah. Oh, my gosh. But it makes it fun. So everyone gets one side, one dessert, and then his mom always does the ham. Then some one other guy, he he brings the turkey every time. Yes, he's consistent with that. But yeah, it's so interesting, like the totally different dynamics. 4 So like going to his side and then I'm like, exhausted. I like, like time. 2 For my kids here. Now let's just take it that way. Yeah. Yeah. My mom cooks for 30 to 40, even if we have ten. So we always have so much food. 1 Leftovers are important on Thanksgiving. 4 I agree. 3 I want leftovers. Yes. For the whole week. Yes. Give me a lot of leftovers. I'm good with that. But we always have a lot because our family's super extended. So like my grandma, she had nine children and all of those kids had children. And so it's kind of just a come and go as you please. Yeah, we start at one will end whenever the last person leaves. 3 And if you're not there for grace, well, we're going to eat without you. But you can Still coming. 2 Yeah. Yeah. 4 Very important for sure. Yeah, but yeah, I'm excited. I love Thanksgiving. I love this whole time of year. I just the the stretch, the fall, all the way through Christmas and New Year's. So it's just crazy that it's here. It feels like it's so, like it came so fast. 3 I feel like it was just January. 1 It's wrong and fast. 4 Anywhere, you know? 1 It feels like fall today. 2 It's kind of like you. Anywhere. A sweater today. Yes. I was a little early on the sweater yesterday and I it was just hot a long gosh. 4 I just this weekend had my husband help me switch out like this summer clothes with the sweater because only before no there really was no clean. There wasn't I. 3 Had all my sweaters and boxes and now since we're kind of in a in season, I have all my clothes out. So it's just kind of a lot. Yeah. Yeah. I'm ready to put away the tank tops and the shorts. Yeah. 1 I'm so over that right now. 2 Yes. 4 I don't even fit into half of my. 2 Clothes right now, so it's not a big deal for me that somethings away right there. But are they really that are. Yeah. I'll see you. Well with that. 4 Oh, welcome to season four, Episode seven of Friends. It is these the podcast with Kelsey. 3 Calls and Sophia Armentrout. 4 We're excited to have you join us today as we dive into all things feisty share updates, stories and insights from around our district. Whether you're a student, parent, teacher or community member, we are so glad you're tuning in. Today we're joined by two of our amazing and feisty instructional coaches, Chantelle Edman and Christina Hauger Will you think we were super excited to have you on? 4 And just again, I think it's really timely to talk about all the things that you do and I was saying before we start recording, we just heard I don't I guess it's been a few weeks now, the first feisty Focus team tour and just getting to watch your in action and share a little bit about what you do with that group was like. 4 It was just awesome. So wanted to have you on to explain what the what your roles are. So so tell us tell us about that. For someone who has no idea what an instructional coach is, how would you describe your role within AS I see. 1 I would like to just say honestly, the main thing that we bring to a teacher is a thinking partner, and teaching can be one of those isolating situations. Oftentimes, like you're in your classroom on your own island, we are thinking partner, where a planning partner and we can provide just an extra set of eyes and someone else to just think through things or just to sit and listen to. 1 I have this idea. And so we definitely are partnering with teachers. We'd love to collaborate. 2 Yeah, I would say that, you know, we have the, I guess the privilege of have being able to kind of see the big picture because we do have a little bit of a district role versus a campus role. And so we're able to kind of see, you know, the full picture of curriculum as well as like what's happening in classrooms across the district. 2 And so that makes it a really puts us in a good position to be able to to share that with teachers. And that learning. I mean, I learn something new every single time I go into the classroom and to be able to kind of be that liaison, I guess, between teachers has been a really cool thing. I always, when I start a coaching cycle, always tell the kids like, you know, I don't know how many of you like to work with partners, but I sure do. 2 Yes. You know, And they're like, Yeah. And I say, Well, that's it. I'm just another teacher here to work with my partner and we're going to get to talk through things and work through things. And the cutest thing, one time a little boy was raised his hand. He's like, Do you play video games together, too? Like, if there was time, I am. 2 She'll part of it. 4 I love it. Yeah. Kids are just like, so unfiltered. Like, ask the most random things, but it's the best. 2 Yes. 4 Yes. Now, one thing, too, is y'all both came from being a classroom teachers. Yeah. So I do feel like you bridge that gap in that way, too, because it's it's different than just an administrator coming in and, say, being evaluative. Right? Like you are evaluating practices, but you're like you said, you're coaching, you're coming in, you're partnering. Yeah. 4 So so it feels a little more like level. 2 Absolutely. 4 Playing field, right? 2 It truly is. We really have zero evaluative like yeah, yeah. It's it's truly a partnership. And of course we've always got our eye on what our best practices, more researching and where. And so that's always in the back of our mind. But our goals and things in the classroom are our goals set by the teacher and of course all align with student success. 1 So they're all student centered, right? 2 Yeah. 1 All of those goals are students and, and we're not going in to fix a teacher. That's not our role. The teacher needs fixing in that principal. Somebody needs to go talk to. But yeah, it's based on student centered success. So that is like linking arms. I remember like long time ago when we didn't have coaches. Teachers would oftentimes partner together. 1 They put their classes together. The two of them together would coated a lesson or somebody would be the one kind of like or two in the cloud while the other was, you know, delivering the lesson. So, I mean, coaching kind of has its roots. Well, before we ever had coaching in Friendswood, I. 4 Esty And and when did we start with when did we bring in this practice of instructional coaches? Y'all know that. 2 We have some literary literacy coaches. I think this might be like year 804 for one of our literacy coaches. The model has changed a bit over the, the past, you know, eight years. But she can tell and I have been in this role. This is year four for us, okay. At Bells. 1 And that's when math coaches, math coaches got started. And four years ago, we did not have math coaches prior to that. 4 And your you mentioned that you you kind of come from like a district level, but you're housed at Bell's, right? Yes. So so what does that look like? How many instructional coaches are on each campus? Like, do you all get together with the other instructional coaches to collaborate? Can you talk about that a little bit? 1 That's a great question. Yes. So there are two coaches at each of our elementary campuses. There's a literacy coach and a math coach, and we do meet every other week as a coaching group. That is that is our support system. Those are the people who are doing the work that we're doing. And, you know, just a way for us to calibrate, make sure we're getting things aligned in our district. 1 So yeah, but two coaches per campus. 2 Yeah, Yeah. I mean that I think is, is a huge part of our role. You know when you are if it were just us on our campus, things are, you know, potentially unfolding certain ways and there's different things happening on all campuses. And we can learn and grow from each other and share celebrations and reflect on, oh, you know, I get ideas from them all the time as well. 2 And so I just think that it goes right along with the idea of teachers collaborating as being able to collaborate and being able to kind of share all of those experiences and the learning across the district. 4 Yeah, now, now thinking through that. So again, I think there's a lot of people, even though you said it's been around like we've had coaches eight years, you know, and to some degree I do think there's still maybe a lot of people who don't even know that this position exists or know exactly what you do. So what's something you wish more people or specifically parents understood about your role? 1 I would say the one thing I wish parents knew is I know parents worry about the workload of the teacher nowadays, and that is something that they don't have to carry along alone any longer. Partnering with a coach, you've got another person to think through things to help you plan things, to gather the things that are needed to be able to present the lesson and ideas. 1 Another facilitator like it can help lighten a teacher's load for those teachers that do engage and in coaching cycles with us. 2 Yeah, I mean, I think, you know, I don't know that I was necessarily ready to leave the classroom when I left the classroom, but I, I knew that when this role became available or, you know, for me to apply, I just feel so strongly about the work that teachers do and how it is. It is difficult for one person to meet the needs of all of the students in their room. 2 And that's that's why they're there. That's what they're passionate about, and that's what they strive to do every day. But the value of two teachers coming together and being able to see things from a different with a different lens, a different perspective, I just I wish that I had those experiences when I was still in the classroom. It just does so much for me. 2 I feel like for the teacher, but just for the school in general, because we can then go and and you know, Shantel just finished a total team coaching cycle, first nine weeks where she was able to be in every single teacher's room on a specific grade level during a specific unit, and that learning would not have happened across. 2 I mean, of course they're talking about what they're doing, but a second person in there sees things so differently than maybe the teacher is seeing because you're when you're in your teaching mindset, you're thinking about, am I reaching like, am I delivering the lesson clearly? Am I getting the content, you know, to these kids the way that I intend for them? 2 Are they are they behaving? Are they There's a million things on your mind and then you have a second set of eyes and a second someone who also has experience and content knowledge right alongside you. There's a lot of like, Hey, did you notice that those kids over there are struggling? Or there's a misconception, like, let's circle back with that group. 2 Let's pull them to the small group table or Hey, tomorrow I really think we should abandon the plan we had and we need to do A, B or C because of our observations today. So that's just not anything that I mean that you can do to that, I guess level alone, I feel like. 1 So I agree. 4 Now you sound like you you don't know that you were fully ready to leave the classroom. But but what led each of you to applying for this this role? 1 I'll be honest, I was ready for a change and I'd been in the classroom for 24 years and started off as a fifth grade teacher and spent my last 19 years in the classroom in a fourth grade classroom. And I loved every minute of it. But I also was getting to the point where I was like, I feel like I could do more. 1 I feel like I could offer more. I feel like I could reach way more kids than the 40 or 50 that I am reaching every year. And I honestly had started looking outside of FASB and then. 2 All of us. 1 And then all of a sudden this role became available and I was like, Oh yeah, this is for me. And I stepped way out of my comfort zone. I had not applied. I didn't even have a job like resume anymore because it was so old. 2 It was done on a typewriter and I. 1 Didn't have enough girls like so my kids had to help me create this resume to apply for a job, and I'm happy I went for it. It has been so fulfilling. I, I get to see these kids on our campus develop from third graders all the way through fifth graders. And so I like that has been so amazing to watch. 1 I don't just you know, I just came in fourth grade and same in the hallway in fifth grade. But like, I'm seeing the developmental progress and that is just so heartwarming and I love every minute of it. 4 That's awesome. 2 Yes, we talk a lot about that. Like, oh my gosh, have you seen so and so? Do you remember them as a third grader? Holy moly. Like, look what they are doing now and it's super cool. But yeah, for me, I let's just talk about my last year in the classroom was the year we came back in masks after the COVID shutdown. 2 That was rough. That was rough. But the year of the shutdown, it was a rough year for me. There were there were just a lot a lot going on, a lot of very high needs, a lot of behavior. If I'm being honest. There was just it was just a heavy load that year. And then we we shut down and we went virtual. 2 And so I was able to connect with the kids in a totally different way, which was super cool. And then we came back in masks and that was those that year had its challenges as well. But I was not ready to give it up like I was ready to, just like I need another year of like, what can I do next? 2 Because I felt like I was almost robbed of two years of like solid teaching. However, these roles don't come up that often. Yeah. And I also knew the way I was feeling of of wanting to reach every all of my kids, you know, the way that I, that I knew I should be. And realizing the impact that that we have in the classroom and just thinking about what impact could I have if I were able to partner with teachers and and do that in so many different classes. 2 And so that's why I, you know, jumped jumped on it. And it's had its challenges for challenges, for sure. But it is it's so rewarding and just in so many different ways. But but I do love that part of of seeing, you know, the kids go through the whole I mean, I'll be in a class with a with them one year and this they're in third. 2 And then the next year I'm working with their fourth grade teacher and the next year working with their fifth grade teacher. And just to see the changes in the kids is just it's fun. And in the teachers, honestly, the growth in the changes that have happened over Bayles in the last four years. 1 Is, oh, it's been huge. 2 Huge just blows me away. So and. 1 Kids love when we come into the classroom, I was like, I don't know that my students really left when I came in, but if you come in today, if they see, you know, in. 2 Their special heads, yeah, I was going to say that's. 3 Going to provide some consistency for the kids too, that like might get super attached to their third grade teacher and, and you guys. And then at least you guys can move up with them. Yeah. Yes. That familiar classroom. Yeah, of course. And then the fact that partnership is great. You know, these teachers have 20, 25, 27 kids. That's a lot of little brats. 3 And I think it's great, too. I mean, I even love in my role being able to have a partner to give feedback. Yes. A real time during the moment. Because like you said, your brains kind of just going a million miles an hour, making sure X, Y, Z is on track. Well, what about, you know, the kid who is on the in the in the corner of the classroom. 3 Right. May be maybe just nervous to ask the teacher question. Yes, but you might guys might be there with them that they can reach out to y'all. 2 Yeah. 3 That being said in the classroom, what would you say are some of the challenges that teachers face or some of the ways you have supported like specific examples of that? 1 I just think that for many teachers, like if they are interested in trying something new, something that they've never tried before, I was in the classroom yesterday, yesterday where this was happening. It was like, okay, we're going to try this. We'll see how it goes. Like it's a little security net in a sense to have a partner joining you to try something that you don't know what the outcome is going to look like, like you in your mind, have planned it to look one way, but, you know, and you're with nine and ten year olds. 2 Exactly. 1 Always having so just having somebody else to, you know, jump in feet first together and we're going to sink together. We're going to swim together. That type of of opportunity to provide. 2 And that's okay if we. 1 It is. 2 Okay. If it fails, we're going to try something new tomorrow. 1 Absolutely. And being able to make those decisions like in the moment to like and like teachers feeling safe to say, okay, I think we're at a great stopping point today and we will pick up with this tomorrow or oh, gosh, this just isn't really working well, is it? Nope. Yep. Okay. Plan B, I think we have win, but we'll figure it out by second. 2 Yeah. Yeah, I think yeah. I mean, I think you did. You asked about challenges right too. And or scenarios. 3 Where you really felt like in this scenario you really supported the teacher in whatever they were dealing. 2 With. Yeah. I just to make sure I didn't go off and start talking about some random. Yeah. I mean, I feel like there are a lot of needs. I think, I mean, everything is changing so rapidly these days and I just think that there's, there are so many things that key kids need. So she social emotional needs, I mean, there's just a variety of things that teachers are providing. 2 Yeah. For each individual kid and it is hard, but they do it because they are passionate about it. And if we can come alongside them and help them with like, you know, often we will co plan the lessons or we will co teach the lesson. Or maybe they're just struggling with a certain strategy that they'll ask, can you just come in and show me how to see it one time before I'm ready to try it? 2 Modeling, Looking at data, they may not have as much time to sit down and actually look at the data in the moment. So those are things that we can do along with them. Yeah, I just think we want to make sure that we are meeting kids needs and with everything changing is as quickly as it is. It's not just about providing the information to the kids anymore. 2 It's teaching them to be to be learners, to have grit, to have perseverance, to to look to, to want the knowledge. 3 To learn. 2 To want to learn to be thinkers, to be thinkers, too. And so it just takes it it just changes the way that we do things in the classroom. 4 So and I would argue, like you said, that you're challenging the students to do those things, to be a learner, but you're also doing that with the teachers. Absolutely. Yes. And you specifically talked about modeling, which I wanted to get into a little bit, because I know you talked about that on the the Focus Team tour. Yeah. What is what is an example of of that? 4 Like, what does it look like to model something in a classroom? Is are the kids in there when that's like are you leading okay. Yeah. 2 Yeah. So modeling could be really, you know, sometimes it happens. I mean, I guess it could happen with it happens for teachers of all levels of experience. Let's just say a new teacher who maybe is new to content area or new to a grade level and is familiar with how to teach it, but maybe not to that level. 2 And so we can just go and say, okay, well I can, you know, we'll we'll co plan but, but hey, I'll take that part. What part are you going to take that way? There is a we're sharing the responsibility, but but we are just kind of almost like micro modeling a portion of that and then they will go and try it with their next group. 2 Or if they need a couple days of modeling before they're ready to kind of try it, then then we go about it that way. I know with math they do. 1 I was going to say, like when it comes to using math, manipulative ways, and that's one of the things that's been like a big push in our district, getting kids the hands on opportunities. I mean, we've had the stuff. I mean, yeah, it was on that on the shelf in my classroom, right. But no learning came with this stuff. 1 So now, like the modeling piece, like I can model, okay, this is a way to use the bar models or this is a way to use these fraction tiles because they seem very school like in a teacher, you know, and you've got I've got 20 kids and you've got all these parts in these pieces like that can seem very overwhelming. 1 And so it's just easier. Oftentimes to say, we're not going to do that yet, Whereas I can go in or the other math coaches in our district can go in, we can show this is how to present this lesson using these particular tools. And so that support. And so now I think if you walk into most of our elementary math classes, those kids are using those tools because the teachers now are really comfortable with using them because of the modeling that we did in the moment in their classroom with their kids, with maybe their first period class. 1 And then they if they felt comfortable, then in the second class in the afternoon, they would try it or they'd say, Oh, nope, I need to still come back, you know? Yeah, and you do it. So the modeling is in the moment with the students in the classroom. 2 And I think that that's important for the kids to see, to just like when we say, like, Hey, she's my partner, we're working through this lesson together. And, and they have roles like that as well when they're sharing, learning and things. And so, yeah, we just do it right then and there and then we might kind of huddle when the kids do independent practice or we're I'll see you at your conference time, we'll kind of debrief and see what did you take from that? 2 What are you still wondering about things like that. 3 And I feel like that's something that helps. Like you said earlier, new teachers experience. Teachers get new teachers. Are there any other things that would help or ways you go differently about being an instructional coach for a new teacher versus a really experienced one? 1 I'd say those definitely look different just depending on the new teacher and what what understanding they have of our district beliefs and district expectations. And oftentimes, you know, when you're new, you don't know what you don't know exactly. And so picking the starting point, what they're comfortable with, what level of coaching they're comfortable with as well because we we we show up when we're invited in. 1 Like we're not just no one saying, I need you in there. You know, like we are working with teachers who we. 2 Reach out and reach out. That collaboration for a. 1 New teacher, it might just be conversations at first. Hey, how's it going in your classroom? Are you feeling good with this? I don't mind coming in and support you. Yeah. How can how, you know, how can I help you? How can I support you? How can I be that thinking partner for you? Whereas the veteran teacher, I'm like, okay, I know you've got these great ideas. 1 Have you ever thought about maybe trying this? I'd love to partner with you a couple arms and like, let's take this lesson and extend it to this. So it definitely looks different from the new teacher to the veteran teacher. 2 Yeah, And, and really, I do feel like probably the new teacher coaching cycles happen a little bit more organically because they are coming with like lots of questions, lots of wonderings. How do you do it? And in this district I've done it this way, or maybe I'm fresh out of college and, and I just want I know for me, Mike, please tell me the words to say to these children my first year, you know, And so so those do happen a little bit more organically. 2 But then you also have veteran teachers who have a wealth of knowledge who maybe are ready to try something new or just kind of getting bored with their old way or, you know, the exchange or whatever it is, they they get moved to a new team or so. And we just have I think, really great teachers that are so hungry for collaboration at this point. 2 Yes. That that it's just it just happens really about one. 1 Of our L.A. teachers and of course, maybe in the math coach. But, I mean, she's been on our campus and we were talking this because, you know, I did some kind of getting tired of doing the same thing like so I just was looking forward to working with Christina because, you know, just maybe some fresh ideas. 2 And so. 4 Well, and I would imagine and correct me if I'm wrong, that you have to establish a level of trust with these teachers. 1 100%. 4 Yeah. So how do you how do you go about doing that? 1 I'll be honest, Year one was basically spent building relationships, even though I had been on that campus for a really long time for 24, 20 something years already, actually, she was 19 sorry. 4 95 for the extra five years. 2 To the role. 1 And I still had to reestablish some relationships because instantly some people started to see me in a different light, not one that I was portraying, but I think maybe one that they were thinking that right was going to come with my my new role. And so just letting people know like, no, I am still the same person who taught and, you know, be one for a long time. 1 I just now am I no longer have a homeroom. I get to support lots of home rooms now, but it's been in time. Done in relationships was really a big piece of year one for us and it's ongoing. Yeah, you you constantly are working on establishing those relationships and and building the trust in and showing up and doing what you say you're going to do and all the things that we know establish trust. 2 Yeah. 1 Amongst people. Yeah. 2 And she Intel is, I mean she is such a relationship person. I feel like I benefited from that because I was new to the campus four years ago. I taught at Winn Song for five years and then in, in another district prior to that. But I was new to Bailes and she intel everyone loves she intel but it's true everyone and for great reasons but she you know when when her and I started becoming so close, I feel like people trusted her enough to know that they could trust me as well. 2 And we are like sisters from another mother, which I'm pretty sure can't you tell it? So yeah, everybody does. Everybody. But so that that was definitely worked in my favor. But I also watch her with people and I am reminded to continue that because, I mean, I love people. That's not a that's not a hard thing for me, but I am a little bit more introverted than she Intel is, I would say. 2 And so it's a you know, I have to be like, okay, I got to get out of my head for a minute and make sure that I am showing people what I feel about them and want and that I truly do care about them through all of my actions. I can't I got to stop thinking about that coaching cycle right now. 2 Let's focus on the relation, you know what I mean? So that comes so naturally, naturally to her. And so she she keeps challenging me not I mean, we don't actually talk about this, but I watch her and I'm like, yes, those are just important pieces too. 4 And, and are there opportunities where you're able So like you said, they have to reach out to you, their teacher, right, for you to come into the classroom. But like, how do they how are you continually reminding them that you're available? Are you a part of like certain meetings or like, what does that look like? 1 Let me tell you, you can get a good coaching opportunity in a planning meeting. Someone is going to say, Oh my gosh, I hate this unit. Yeah, I'm so sorry. 2 I saw the table. And they do. Yes, Yeah, yeah, yeah. 1 Someone's get it. Always say, I hate this unit and that is your foot in the door. Like, Oh my gosh, I love this unit. 2 Yes. 1 How can we work together? Could I please show up? I start, you know, sharing some things that you've done before or something that maybe you want to try. Yeah. It's really hard for people to say no when they've already told you they don't like the unit. 2 So true. Yeah. And it works out that way sometimes because there are some units like poetry that I am like, Give me all the poetry. And, and a lot of teachers are like, Absolutely not. And so it works that way. But yeah, planning meetings, I mean, really we try to be in cults, but oftentimes we're pulled in different, which are PLCs sealed, whatever you want to call them with our coaching cycles. 2 But our I think also our district role with new teacher training and things like that allow us to start building relationships right off the bat with teachers. So lots of different ways. 4 Lots of opportunities, but it's good. 1 We don't mind asking either. 2 Yeah, good. Oh, we do. We we 100% still four years later will say, Do you want to work with me on this unit? Like I think we can it can be fun. Let's do it, you know, And yes, so. 4 Are you understand the persistence we have to be like that ourselves and. 2 See, are you guys. 3 Only like K through five or is it all the way through high school or is it all the way through junior high? 1 So there's coaching at every level in high esteem. We just support the the teachers on our campus, the three, five campus, but there are junior high coaches and at the high school as well. 2 Yeah, I think our roles all look a little different just because the needs are of course different. But yeah, instructional coaches across the district so. 4 Now you just talked about how you support our teachers in a variety of ways, right? So what about our students? You're kind of affecting them directly and indirectly. Can you talk about that a little bit? Sure. 1 We actually indirectly affect those students of the classrooms that we're working in and sometimes the classrooms that we're not working in because a teacher could be partnering with us and we'd just finished this activity and that teacher goes back and is talking about how well the activity went. And then before you know it, the rest of the team is trying the activity and then you kind of get impact across the grade level oftentimes as well. 1 So we are in we're in the classrooms as often as we can be and support and support and the student learning that's happening and that's the ultimate goal. Like, what do we want for these kids? It's not what we want for the teacher. What do we want for these kids? How do we partner with the teacher to get those kids where where that teacher wants them to be? 1 Right. Based on the goals that they've set. 2 And so through our coaching conversations with the teacher, when we initially meet, you know, we kind of talk through what her goals are or his goals are for that. For the time that we're working together. And we always, you know, try to set a goal that's measurable related to student growth and and so all of our things, if we're doing pre assessments and the instructional strategies that we kind of decide to do together are all related to that one student centered goal. 2 And then we're just tracking progress, taking different formative assessments, coming back and looking at those. And by the end we have actual percentages of, you know, we had this percentage of students at emerging or not not understanding the content. This percentage at approaching meets developing all of the all of the things succeeding. And then we can compare to the percentage of students who are now in each of those categories. 2 And we always see growth. 1 And that's always something to celebrate with the teacher, because oftentimes teachers don't stop to celebrate that moment. But we remind them because we're going to stop and say, Oh my gosh, like look at where this started and look at where they are. 2 Because of the intentional decisions that you made around that particular learning target and really just the risk of opening up there, that's a safe space, opening up like a vulnerable space to let someone else come in and work alongside you. It's something different for teachers where, I don't know, it feels very like you just exposed yourself in a way, you know, when you've you've let someone in your room. 2 Yes, These are and they love those kids and those are their babies. And, you know, so it. 1 Goes back to what I said earlier. Like for a long time, teaching was kind of very isolating. Like your classroom was your space and those were your kids. We now are trained in our mindset and we're thinking like, what's best for all of our kids, each and every child on our campus and how can we best serve all of them. 4 And I think that's been a big like kind of district push to, of course, introduction of standards based learning and grading. But it's all about the equitable practices, right, that we're trying to make sure that kids get. I mean, of course they're going to build unique relationships within their classroom, but they're getting equitable learning across the board. And I think just based on what you all have described, you're really supporting those equitable practices. 4 Yes. 2 Yes. Yeah. 4 Yeah, That's awesome. Yeah. So we have students with diverse needs, right? So how do you how do you help address some of those some of those needs? 1 Well, oftentimes teachers are starting with pretest. And so we kind of see like, what are the kids starting with? Where are they at? And then from there, like the differentiate, differentiate and get started right from the beginning. No longer are you, you know, halfway through your unit before you realize that you've got five kids who didn't even really have the pre req yet for this for this skill that you're working on. 1 So we're using pretest. We're trying our best to meet the needs of all the kids in the classroom. We work with any teacher we've done work with our quest teacher on our campus. In addition to our general Ed teachers. And so just researching if we need to, what is going to be best for the kids that you have sit in the classroom in front of you. 2 We do have like a tool kit of things that we've learned throughout, you know, our the last four years of our time. And as coaches, one of the things that we use, we call a four square planner. We have some other things like notice a name. These are just some names of things that we use where we are going in. 2 And, you know, as teachers are are very focused on, you know, getting the content out, making sure that kids are engaged, all of that. We can be taking notes. We're, you know, noticing it. We call it notice the name notice what are the kids know? What what are they doing? What are the and what does that show that they know and understand in jotting that down? 2 And then, of course, all of the different quick formative assessments. The for Square Planner is something that we use. You can we can drop a quick okay we you know you just got done reading such and such. I want you to take a Post-it note and write out a quick theme statement based on that book. I we collect the Post-its. 2 It took us 2 minutes to gather that information. We can sort that using the four square planner and then go back in the teacher. And I can sit and say, okay, wow, these kids are way beyond where we were even hoping that they would be. What are we doing next with those kids? Because they can't sit here for four weeks and do the same thing everyone else is doing, Right? 2 And these kids are really struggling. They they don't they didn't either write anything. They don't even, you know, they're not anywhere in the ballpark. And then there's always kids in between. And so we can come up with intentional plans for each of those particular groups. And oftentimes we're then helping them plan their small group instruction. What does that small group instruction look for? 2 They look like for the kid who came in with a pretty solid foundation and they're ready for extinction. And what does that plan look like for the kid who's got some gaps? And how do we, you know, hold kids accountable when they're not directly with me? And so there's a lot of moving parts always. Yeah. And and that's the art of teaching. 2 Yeah. You know, I think again, we were talking earlier about just how how much has changed in there's so much access to information that, you know, I remember when I was a kid, I had one set of encyclopedias so I could read those all day long. Every day. And I'm still not going to learn any more than what is actually in that book, you know? 2 But we've got kids coming in knowing so much more than what we then some that don't have not had access to the same amount of information. So you have to be prepared to to teach all of those different levels because every kid deserves one year of at least one year of growth every single year. 4 So absolutely. Well, and again, like kind of like what you said, it's it's a difficult right. Like you're it's so many moving parts but again, you're just able to provide that extra set of hands, the extra set of support that maybe wasn't there before. 2 Yes. Kind of that big picture look, guess, you know. Yeah. 4 You know, I think, you know, I'll talk to a lot of all just some of the implementation of practices and initiatives that you've done. Are there any stories or successes really, that you've seen a huge difference in the classroom because of your coaching. 1 And I'm going to go back and talk about the manipulative use. So four years ago, when math coaches started here in Friendswood, I said we made it our mission to work through the C.R.A. model, which is going from concrete to representational to abstract in the math classroom. Oftentimes in our upper elementary grades, we were going straight to abstract. 1 We were skipping over the hands on piece of it, and so kids could like rote do something, but they had no understanding behind it. They were missing that concrete in that representational. So we made it our mission to make that a goal of ours. And we did. We spent a lot of time, like even as coach is like, Okay, y'all, I've never used like these action circles. 1 Like, what do I do with them? You know, and being vulnerable and saying like, I don't know what. 4 To do, okay. 2 You know? 1 And so we spent some time learning how to use those things ourselves and then push that learning out to to our teachers. And so now I am constantly coming back to Post-it notes on my desk. I grabbed, you know, the dice or hey, I grabbed the explorer guns like people I can't hardly keep enough of the items. So I'm constantly writing grants trying to make sure we have a manipulatives. 4 I would just say. So Foundation. 3 Opens December. 4 I was very blessed with a fantastic education foundation. 1 We would not be as well-stocked as we are now without them. 2 So and she's so right. You don't walk into a math class anymore without those hands on tools out and being used. Kids go get them themselves. Like it's really cool. 1 Kids are comfortable with them. Teachers are comfortable with them. I mean, I'll have a kid show with a little Post-it note. Do you happen to have two more of these household? Maybe I can grab that for you. Yes. Yeah. 2 I mean, I swore to that I would. I mean, there's so many things to celebrate that teachers are doing and just you see it, the kids engagement and their excitement about their writing and things like that. You know, one of the things that kind of warms my heart is I was able to work with our resource teacher last year with a group of third graders who, you know, oftentimes I mean, they're fully aware of the struggles that they have, you know, and that maybe not even struggles, but maybe that it's just taking them a little bit longer to understand or to get to that goal than some of their classmates. 2 And so we were able to just like, slow it down and give ourselves permission to slow it down and to make sure learning was happening on their level, not at the same pace that everyone is at. And that was okay. And just the you know, to say that their confidence and the joy they had, I mean, for any time. 2 Are you coming today? Are you coming today? Are we here right today? You know, and like, that's not usually a question. 4 You hear from Jacksonville. 2 Yeah. And then just to be able to celebrate the work that they did, whether it looked exactly like their someone else in their classroom or not, it looked it was their work and their growth and I think that's another piece of of teaching. It's it's reaching kids on their level. And and that's a piece that I think gets overlooked by maybe people that are not in the work is that yes, we have state standards to meet and those that's what drives our curriculum and that's but we're also talking about children. 2 Yeah. And human beings. Yeah. Who deserve to to feel successful where they are and to have to have the ability to show their growth and their success in their own way. 1 So yeah, for that celebration and the kids invited me out to, to listen to their reading. And if you were to just see that, first of all, it was pajama day. So that was part of it as well. 4 But okay. Ever. Yeah. 1 And the kids were so to read their writing and some of these little guys like are usually the quiet ones in the class who don't really speak up or kind of, you know, shy like they were they did proud or sat in the the chairs proudly and read their writing. And they were so proud of the work that they did. 1 And they were they love the fact that Ms.. Hogue was partnering with their teacher to help them be able to celebrate this moment. It was it was the best day. I'll never forget that. 4 But so we are actually going tomorrow over to win song tomorrow morning, second grade, I believe it is. They are doing their reading, their personal narratives, but they have they talked, they talked about it. It's gonna be super cute. The kids are dressing up like movie stars. They have a red carpet for them. 2 And. 1 I can't wait to see it. They're going to be so cute, so exciting, exciting Writing. 2 Has been so fun over the just the the transformation of that over the last few years and just how much kids love writing is pretty remarkable. 3 So, see, I getting celebrated and this is so much for kids because like I would like, I remember we had a journal and we would write in and every day and like the highlight of my day would be I got a sticker because it was like a good parent. So for them to now have like a whole little red carpet thing, I think that's really special. 1 They look at those writers, celebrate sons as well. 2 Oh yeah, and. 1 We do. 4 Too. I just saw this. This is totally like a little off topic, but it was so funny yesterday. There was this picture of a journal entry from a student. They had to define like what a marriage was. And it was something about whenever. 1 I'm a worried. 4 Whenever a woman now has to raise somebody else's son because she, like the mother, no longer can and oh my goodness. And the teacher was like ten out of ten. Excellent. Like. 2 Yeah, I know. Somebody says, Oh, wow. Like someone's mother has been complaining. Oh, honey, it's tell everything. 1 I'm just saying yes to this. 2 Yes. 3 So it's so much happening and changing every day. Is there anything new that you're any new projects you're excited to take on with this school year or anything new happening in the district? 1 You can go ahead. 2 Okay. I mean, I don't know. We start I started this a little bit this year. We were thinking about just how fifth grade fifth grade is new to standards based this year. Yes. And so, you know, every every year that we've kind of rolled this out to a new grade level, it's been there's a learning curve, right, for teachers to kind of get comfortable with the new grading practice. 2 Really, their instruction doesn't change. It's just how do I now collect evidence? Right. And then the other pieces are English language arts teachers are also teaching social studies. And so just trying to find the best way to help teachers kind of merge those two worlds. We also have had so much learning on, you know, that back to this whole information is available. 2 I mean, if if if I want to know something about a war, I can very quickly find it on Google. Yeah. In fact, if you asked me an Explorer, I'm not going to be able to tell you and I'm 43 years old, like, so so really, what is the relevance to try to make it relevant to kids? And so we did. 2 The fifth grade team graciously accepted a crazy idea and helped me kind of form, you know, this idea a little bit better to implement it, but allowing like the kids to kind of drive that like, hey, these are end of the nine weeks goals and we're going to give you all the support that you that you need along the way. 2 But it was a constant. You couldn't just we didn't have the plan for full nine weeks. Right. The plan changed every week as we saw what kids were getting, what were they were grasping in their social studies, concepts and standards and what they still needed. And how could we support that learning to ultimately then be able to teach their classmates about this time period that they had learned about. 2 So I think that's that would be kind of one of the things that I'm excited about continuing this year. And just that that idea of we don't have to stand in front of them and and give them the information, but we can help them learn how to learn, you know, instead of just memorizing information. Right. What's truly going to be authentic learning for them in an area that maybe they don't even really love? 2 Mm hmm. Maybe. Maybe history's not your thing, but how can we provide them with the challenges of, Hey, here's some ways to make it a little bit more fun, and here's some ways for you to own that learning instead of just me saying, Here are the things I need you to learn them so that you can regurgitate it later. 3 Which is a skill that's going to help them not only that grade level but like in like in life. Yes. 2 Yeah, absolutely. So yeah, and our teachers have been so that's a scary thing when you have to just. Okay, you're saying that we're going to like kind of let the kids run this. I'm like, yes, but you're not going to just sit back like we're not You just sit back in the in the shadows and, like, watch it fall apart by any means. 2 We're there to support, but we're facilitating their learning. And they were all they were all in. And that was super cool to see. 1 So and I stole an idea like all great teachers do, one of our other elementary math coaches. And so I have kicked off an estimation station I decorative fun little themed cart this I had an October I have a Thanksgiving card going right now on November cart and I travel with my little cart from classroom the classroom and we're working on our number since I am not a good estimate her and I tell the kids that like I'm a I underestimate all the time. 1 So I usually fill a jar with some type of math tool like math manipulatives. And the kids have to estimate how many they think they run. And they they usually have to wait like a week or a week and a half before I go through all of their the guesses in announced winners. And so they are super excited when they see me in the hallway, but they're quite like, Are you come into my classroom? 2 I can't come in to a classroom near you. 1 So yes, yeah, this is fun. And again, I got that idea from one of our other coaches who started that last year and at her campus. And so when the kids got to our campus, they were like, Oh, I remember I remember this from second grade. I'm like, Yep. 2 This is the Bell's version. So yeah. 3 Is that like a weekly thing you do or like just whenever the moment strikes this. 1 I'm only on the second time doing this. So I started in October, so it's like it's easy to do things like around the holidays. So I had a, you know, a fun little Halloween type thing. So my November card is not as cute. I mean, it's pretty, but it's not like, you know. 2 You can put on some tail feathers like you. Well, my gosh, I felt like I needed to do Amazon. 1 Okay, I. 2 Can bison Gobble, gobble. You like that at the junior high this morning? Yeah, it would be amazing. 1 Anyway, you guys will have to come check it out in December. Come to the December. Well, there's my stuff ready. 3 Is precisely why I was asking. I want to come check it out myself. 1 I will send you an invite. My new December calendar goes out so you can come and see. 4 So it's. It's fun. Are we allowed to put in guesses? 1 The teachers have been guessing and they're the ones who are really stressed. They're like, Oh my gosh, am I even in the ballpark? 3 They're like, trying to count a little group. Yeah, multiply that group by 100 is taking it real serious. Yeah. Kids are just like kids. 2 Yes, it's super cute. And they're like, Yeah, 10,570,000. Yeah. 4 Like most kids seem to. 2 Overestimate like you all. Yeah. 4 I remember sitting in a kindergarten classroom. I think it's two years ago we were filming one of our peek inside videos, and they were working on Mother's Day, whatever packets to give to their moms. And she was like, Old is your mom. 1 Oh, goodness. 2 68. Like, Hey, wait, My seventh grader still says, I'm like in my fifties. Or to keep them like, Excuse me, give me ten years, please, in numbers. 1 I'm telling you, like. 2 Working on our estimates. 1 This is all the moms out there. Hey. 2 We're going to work on this. Yes. This is so very well. 4 I feel like we covered so much today. So many great things. Again, you all have just been such an awesome addition. I think these roles are so valuable, right, for both teachers and students. And we're just grateful for what you do and grateful that you came on and shared a little bit more. Do you feel like there's anything we didn't talk about that you really feel passionate about sharing? 1 I feel like we covered a lot. I just want people to know that, like people do find our role is valuable on our campus. Yeah. And in our district, we hear it oftentimes after any type of planning with a teacher or coaching with a teacher, we ask for feedback from the people that we work with. And because we want to, you know, we want to refine our craft. 1 Yep, we always let them know we are no expert. Like the first time I walked into a third grade classroom, I'm like the last time I was in one was when I was in third grade. 2 Like a long time ago. 1 So like, I am learning alongside of everybody that I work with. And I've learned from so many people, from teachers in their classrooms, from my coaching team and my administrators. But people do value the role and the people who take advantage of that opportunity. Absolutely. I think are going to be our best spokespeople for for the work that we do. 2 For sure. Yeah, you said it great. Yeah. 4 And again, I think the thing that just keeps coming to mind is like our teaching and learning department in particular is constantly talking about like the cycle of continuous improvement. Yes, Yes. And that's exactly what this feels like. It's an extension of like you're constantly improving your craft. Like you said, you're helping the teachers improve their class, they're helping the students. 4 And this is what you point out, that, yes, everyone's a learner and we are in the business of education. 3 So that means yes, yes. You can see like the results, like it's actually making a difference. Yeah, I think that's really important. 4 Argue with data. I mean. 1 That's. 2 The thing. No, not just in just mindset shift to like I am thinking about one of our first meetings at Bell's four years ago where Mr. Kopp was throwing out, Well, we could do this and it's this, and Chantell and I's are my are our eyes were getting bigger and bigger, like way too. 1 We do know where you are. 2 We might not be able to get in the building tomorrow, like I'm just saying, you know, But but four years later, it's like it's happening. Yeah. Yes. And do we have hard days? Absolutely. And that's always going to be to be the case. But it is happening. And and I feel like it's just good things are good things are happening for students, for teachers, for for just. 2 Yeah, yeah. For the. 1 District. As someone who has been in friends with for a really long time, I look at where we were versus where we are now and you see the smile on my face like, Yeah, it is. It is so heartwarming. I'm so proud of, of the growth that we've made in the right direction, all for the good of kids. 4 There's no doubt. And y'all are helping spearhead that and again friends and I just you so blessed to have you as a part of our team our family. And we're just grateful for you. We're grateful for you coming on, for being vulnerable to talking about what you do. But we just think our total rock star. 2 So thank you so much. Thank you so much.