Ever wonder how to maximize your coaching effectiveness, especially as the semester draws to a close and the holiday season approaches? Join us for an insightful discussion with Dr. Stephanie Brenner as we navigate critical considerations for coaches. We'll discuss ways to fully utilize remaining coaching time, strategic planning for a fruitful new year, and the value of data analysis and reading interventions for young learners.
Our conversation with Dr. Brenner spans teacher growth and reflection, exploring coaching strategies such as copycat teaching, whispering, and jigsaw teaching to empower teachers. We stress the importance of revisiting goals set at the beginning of the coaching cycle and maintaining a consistent pace and devoted intervention time. We round off our chat, focusing on the first semester's final stages and discussing the predictable hurdles that may arise in November and December. We underscore the coach's role as an emotional support pillar and the organization's backbone during these challenging times. So tune in because this episode is about setting you, the coach, up for success!
Ever wonder how to maximize your coaching effectiveness, especially as the semester draws to a close and the holiday season approaches? Join us for an insightful discussion with Dr. Stephanie Brenner as we navigate critical considerations for coaches. We'll discuss ways to fully utilize remaining coaching time, strategic planning for a fruitful new year, and the value of data analysis and reading interventions for young learners.
Our conversation with Dr. Brenner spans teacher growth and reflection, exploring coaching strategies such as copycat teaching, whispering, and jigsaw teaching to empower teachers. We stress the importance of revisiting goals set at the beginning of the coaching cycle and maintaining a consistent pace and devoted intervention time. We round off our chat, focusing on the first semester's final stages and discussing the predictable hurdles that may arise in November and December. We underscore the coach's role as an emotional support pillar and the organization's backbone during these challenging times. So tune in because this episode is about setting you, the coach, up for success!
Hello, hello, hello. Dr Carrie Hepburn here from Compass PD. I cannot tell you how excited I am to have my good friend and colleague, Dr Stephanie Brenner here joining us today. Hi, Stephanie. Hello how are you? Hi, I'm good. It's a rainy day in the Midwest today, a rainy fall day which kind of makes you want to sleep and snuggle up and have a fire, and I'm ready to make some chilly, you know all the things, the weather is finally turning into fall.
Speaker 2:It's like it's we've been waiting on. I've been waiting on full weather for a while and it feels like today is the day that we're going to start seeing that fall weather. I agree.
Speaker 1:So do you have anything exciting happening in your life right now?
Speaker 2:Well, I mean, I've got kids, so there's always something exciting happening. But the thing that is most exciting for me is that this week I bought a new car. Yay, I know I'm super excited. It's a little smaller than my old one, but it goes a little bit faster and it looks less like a soccer mom car. It's a little bit sportier looking and, from what I hear, it's going to have better gas mileage too. That's what the dealer said, anyway, and I think the thing that right now that has me the most excited about this car is the color, because it's blue, is my favorite color and it's called metallic sapphire and when it's in the sun it's just real shiny and sparkly and a dark blue. So it just calls to my heart and my soul. So I'm super excited about the color.
Speaker 1:It just makes you smile. You're like, oh, that's my car.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that does make me pretty excited. That is fun. You are starting to hit kind of that phase in your life where, as your kids get a little bit older, you're not having to drive them and all of their friends to every single event and you can move a little bit back from the van which you didn't have, a mini van, but back in the day we just have a mini van into something that fits your personality a little bit more, which is fun the sportier car. So well, I am excited that today you're going to be sharing information with coaches for the timeframe of November. Those of you that have been listening know that our goal is for you to walk away with information to set you up for success, so that you can be proactive rather than reactive. And we have a couple of podcasts that I want to highlight really quickly, and I will do my best to make sure that they are linked in the show notes for you.
Speaker 1:A couple podcasts that we'll align with today are Episode 16, navigating the New School Year If you haven't listened to Dr Brenner yet, you might want to go back and she builds each month on what she's shared with us previously. So Episode 16 is a great one starting off the school year, and then Episode 20 is about leading your organization thinking about curriculum and professional learning leaders. She talks a lot about data in that one and then I think tying in nicely with that one is one that we did quite some time ago. It feels like Episode 11 is got data steps to analyzing and planning reading interventions for our youngest readers.
Speaker 1:What we're seeing in our state is many of our teachers are doing reading success plans and they're overwhelming based on the data that they're getting, and sometimes they're spending so much time on paperwork they're struggling with like now what am I supposed to do? What's the interventions look like? And Dr Brenner did a really nice job of giving people some tips on what to look for as they were studying their data, like fast-bridge data or DIBLS or Amesweb or whatever their screening data is, and some next steps for them. So go back and listen to that. So here we are, dr Brenner, getting ready to hit what I feel like is one of the craziest times of the school year November, december-ish kind of time. It almost rivals the end of the school year timeframe where everything feels like it's happening. What are some things that coaches need to have on their radars for this time of school year.
Speaker 2:I think what you said is so perfect that we start to view November, december, like the end, and so it's like preparing for the end, because I think a lot of teams do and schools do think of that December or early January time it's the end of a semester or it's the end of a term, and so it's like a refresh and a restart. So how it does feel like the answer I'm going to get better and more prepared for when we come back and so we start it in this mindset of the end is coming, that's really perfect because right now, before the end of that semester term comes, it's a really great time to reflect on your coaching cycles.
Speaker 2:So you can start to think about 2 things 1. By now, teachers should be doing more of the teaching and more incorporating or transferring what you've been working on into their practice More regularly, more consistently and with more independence. So when you think of what are you doing in your coaching cycles with teachers, how are you supporting that to where they're doing more of the work and you're modeling less, I guess is what that means. It's more of the teachers doing it and you can start utilizing other coaching structures. So besides just modeling or observing, right frankly, a couple of my favorite to utilize are ones called copycat, so I could teach it and then you just do the exact same thing with the kid. That's really perfect for conferences. And my next favorite coaching structure, or coaching move, I should say, is whispering in, where you're like right next to them and you're their partner, as they're doing the teacher. But you get to be the little internal voice giving them compliments and help and support and problems, all the right in the moment. And then there's always jigsaw teaching. So if you're thinking about a whole group lesson or a conference, you could do a part, then they do a part, then you do a part, then they do a part. So you're doing you as the coach is doing less of the teaching, that teachers doing more of the teaching, and you're there to offer support and feedback. I feel like that's just a. You should be at that transfer its place by now, so that teachers are doing more of, and implementing more of the things that you've been working on.
Speaker 2:I also think about when, this time reflecting on your coaching cycles it is so easy to get lost in the. The teacher needs this right now, because we're so responsive to our teachers that we're going to plan this because this is what you need. We're going to not do that because this is more important. We're going to work on small groups instead of the whole group lesson. We're going to make these in the moment decisions that can get us away from our original goal. So this like right kind of beginning of November time is a good time to step back and reflect on what was that original goal you said at the beginning of your coaching cycle and reflect on why did you choose that focus? Where were you Now? Where are you in that progression of where you were, where you want to be?
Speaker 2:If you're, the work that you've been doing in your coaching cycles has gotten away from the goal. Then you can plan to how are you going to get real in line with that goal. It could be that you need to change the goal, like, oh, we started, that was the goal, but now that we've been doing more work in the classroom, it might be more that there's another area that the teacher needs support with more often. I see this a lot like we might say we want to work on whole group lessons or we might want to work on conferences, and we do that. And once we're in the classroom doing the work, it becomes clear that classroom management is the thing that we need, because that involves routines and procedures.
Speaker 2:So we've stepped back from we need to focus on conferences. That's what the work I'm going to do to let me help you set up the structures in your classroom that allow those times of the day to run smoothly. So, but in November it's like, okay, I said I wanted to do conferencing or a whole group instruction, but our work has really been about this. Do we still need to stay here or do we need to come back and say, no, we're going to shift into our original focus. So I think that's November's a good time to just reflect on those coaching cycles this time of the school year. The next thing that is really important is to check in with teams on their pacing, because things start happening in November and December where our schedule starts to get chunky.
Speaker 2:And all of the things that are fun for the holidays or we're going to be out this day, so I know I've done that. So you start making excuses about why you're not going to teach a certain content on this day because of filling the blank, all those things are happening in November and in December. So the thing that happens is teachers aren't paying attention to where they are in their scope and sequence and they have to start thinking am I going to get finished with the content that I need to be finished with by this end? That's coming up. Something that they can do is think about backwards design and map out when are they now in their scope and sequence, like, literally, how many days do you have left?
Speaker 2:How many days of instruction does my curriculum say that I need to provide? Does that match? Does it not match? So you can go into this time of the year with the current reality of am I going to be able to meet the expectations of my curriculum if I don't teach this on this day so I can do this, if I don't do this on this day so that I can do this, just to help you make really informed decisions with your pacing, if teams haven't done that already, or they're not doing that on a regular basis. Now's a really great time to do that.
Speaker 1:It's important.
Speaker 2:The other thing that kind of goes in with teams pacing is that, believe it or not, universal screening time is coming up soon again and many schools do it at the beginning of January or at the end of December.
Speaker 2:Where that end is coming, and knowing that that time is coming, if you have not been teaching consistently during interventions and teachers have not been consistently progress monitoring when that universal screening data is done, it's not going to be possible to make next step decisions.
Speaker 2:So, touching base with teachers to make sure that their intervention time is going well, they're doing it consistently and they're progress monitoring consistently. Something I know from experience is that as we get into this time of the school year, teachers will do things like well, we're not going to do interventions this day, but we're still going to progress monitor this week. Or we're not going to do interventions this week, but we'll still make sure we get our progress monitoring in, and that makes the progress monitoring data not a true reflection of intervention time. Intervention, yeah. So checking in with your pace around this time can help teachers refocus on the important work that still has to get done from now until the end of this term, or a semester or quarter, whatever your school district calls it so a really nice place at this school year to do that work.
Speaker 1:I do think that's misconception that we have when we look at our progress monitoring data. Have we been consistently intervening with students or do we have gaps in that intervention time? Do we have inconsistencies so they're not able to build that automaticity, that habit that happens with consistent instruction? So that's such a great thing to point out, because I have been in data team meetings that we've sat down and looked at progress monitoring and then looked back at how often interventions have happened and the results that we see do reflect the amount of intervention that's happened. Or the other thing is we didn't progress monitor enough and so we don't really know because of inconsistencies and intervention time, and they're like oh, I forgot or I didn't get there, and it's like you can't truly make decisions if you don't have that data in both places Right.
Speaker 2:Touching base with teams and teachers now allows a little bit of a buffer, so we still have several weeks for that consistency to get put back in place and for them to back consistently, or consistency for progress monitoring to get put back in place too, so we can make informed decisions. There's nothing like getting to a team meeting and being like I can't do anything for this kid because there's not enough data or we can't make good decisions about this kid because intervention wasn't actually happening as intended. Nobody wants that to happen.
Speaker 1:Now I love your thinking too, because it is a way of us protecting our teachers, who have so many things on their plate. So thank you for bringing that to the attention of the coaches. I think that's going to be really helpful. As we think of November, what are some predictable problems they're going to face?
Speaker 2:As I was thinking about this, I thought I had like four different predictable problems and I was processing and it really all comes down to like one thing that you're going to see that stems from one big cause. So I feel like this time of the year teachers the predictable problem is that teachers start to lose stamina and it's because they have been teaching regularly and consistently for a while now and everything's coming at them. So they start to be overwhelmed. And when you're overwhelmed, you're you just shut down. You can revert back to old practices. You aren't willing to keep trying new things. It's a predictable thing.
Speaker 2:So, but I feel like some of the reasons or things that we might see as teachers, confidence starts to dwindle and that's because they're implementing. They're like juggling all the balls, like the curriculum and structural strategies and structures and whatever You're telling, whatever you're deciding in your coaching cycle. So their confidence starts to dwindle. Around this time too, teachers are realizing their kids might not be making as much growth as they thought, that or that as they expected, and they're not sure what to do. So around November it's like kind of all coming to a head. So we see those things when we step back. The root of all of that is that teachers need their knowledge built, and that knowledge in content, whatever contents they're teaching and I say contents especially for elementary teachers the Instructional strategies that they're supposed to be utilizing and the instructional structures that they're supposed to be utilizing. They need knowledge of all of those things To build their confidence, to build their ability to problem-solve when things aren't going as they thought that it would.
Speaker 2:That need starts coming out Around this time of the year when we are seeing teachers lose their stamina as a coach, I think that means that you need to be ready to swoop in, and Because they're gonna start going back to the things that they used to do and they're gonna start voicing their concerns and their worries to you, so you've got to just be ready to go in and help them remember why they said they wanted to do this and Help them regain some of the energy that they had previously. Reflecting back on why did you make this decision? That this is the work and some of that could be it's a personal goal. It could be that that's just what the research says is could practice Some, and the reason behind some of this the work that they're doing too is that it's the district's focus or it's their school improvement plans focused. So Yep, like remember, we're coming back, we're doing this. It's really hard and I know it's really challenging right now, but this is why we're doing it.
Speaker 2:As a coach, I think this is a perfect time to step in and do planning with teams, explore teachers that are really struggling, because you can help keep them focused on the right work. You'll be a part of the decision-making they have With the instruction they're about to give. Also, as a coach, you have to be ready to get more coaching cycles on your calendar, because the teachers are gonna start when they're overwhelmed. They come to you and they're gonna want help, and that help might be for three days, that might be for three weeks, it might be the rest of the year, but they're gonna start seeking you out most of most likely, and so you have to be ready to have more coaching cycles coming up as the coach.
Speaker 2:With this predictable problem, I believe it's you're the cheerleader and you're the champion of all of the work, and when they're losing stamina, they don't have their confidence and they are just burning out. You are the one that has to Pept them up and you're the one that's giving that energy and excitement For the work, because they need it and Most likely have the relationship with them, and so you're the one that's in the best position to provide that for them, either when you're planning, or when you're in their classrooms, or when you're in their team meetings. It's you're the person that can help regain their joy of teaching and why they're doing this work.
Speaker 1:I have been on the receiving end of this time of year and and having someone who's my cheerleader and champion of the work and I, I think, sometimes just knowing, as a teacher, when you're feeling overwhelmed, having somebody in your corner that believes you can do it, even if you're secretly, like I'm, a little concerned, just knowing that somebody's in your corner can be the push, the boost that you need to keep going. And I think that that's so beautiful that you pointed that out, because that is one of the many benefits of being a coach. But I also know that it can be incredibly draining emotionally on the coach being the counselor, the cheerleader, the, the warm demand or all of those things.
Speaker 2:And it is and not kind of. That leads perfectly into my like. The tip that I would give coaches this month is that you're the emotional support person and a lot of ways for teachers at this time of the year when they're starting to realize they might have gaps in their knowledge, or they have gaps in their skills, or they feel like they can't do it or they're stuck with the kid. They don't know what to do, where to go. Even parents are starting to like enter the mix of things that teachers need help with and they're coming to you as that person. It's an honor to be that person. Honestly, as the coach that I, that's one of the most rewarding for me. That was one of the most rewarding things is that teachers trusted me enough to come to me with I don't know what else to do on struggling with this. I'm stuck. It just was an honor. I didn't take that honor lightly. You know that privilege lightly. So, yes, I needed to be the cheerleader, needed to be the person you can do this and I've got you. I'm going to be here with you. We'll get through it.
Speaker 2:As the coach, this is the time of the year you need to start planning for how are you going to take care of yourself? So you, as the coach, you also need a cheerleader. You also need an emotional support person. You also need somebody that's keeping you on track and reminding you that this is the right work. You're meant to be the person doing this work. Thinking about who's your person going to be. It could be somebody in your building, it could be somebody outside of your building, it could be somebody at your house. And then also, what kinds of things can you do that make you step away from the, from work, and also the thinking about all of the worries that go to work. So not just the physical doing stuff, but force you to get out of your head Worrying about the others, so that you can have the time to decompress and step away, so that you can come back into that space stronger and be that person for your teachers be able to serve them well.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you did in a previous episode. I can't remember which episode it was, if it was episode 16, maybe, or maybe it might have been around 16, but one of the earlier episodes of this school year. You talked about the importance of finding kind of your people in the building too, so we're kind of you're revisiting that, reminding them who is that person or who are those people that you can reach out to too when you need to be re-energized.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I also, towards the end working full-time in the school, I had a person that I could just walk in the classroom, didn't need to say anything to the teacher, and I just walked in. I might just walk over and start talking with kids. I might walk over and just listen to the lesson. I might come in with my computer and be in the back just needing a minute to be by myself and do some stuff, no questions asked, and the kids even knew like, oh, dr Brenner walks in and just she's part of the class too. It was the space I could go to re-energize myself and remind myself why am I doing this work?
Speaker 1:Well, thank you for sharing today. I know it's going to be hugely beneficial for instructional coaches who are navigating the November timeframe November, december time, and the end of that's coming. Yes, yes, we'll revisit this again around May, right?
Speaker 1:yeah like repeat. Just listen to this again if you didn't know. Compass PD has a big goal of impacting the learning of one million students. One way you can help us reach that goal is by sharing this podcast with a fellow educator. Also, please like, hit, subscribe, like, follow, whatever it looks like where you get your podcast. Just hit that and you'll be getting our podcast dropped right into your inbox regularly each week, if you find our learning helpful. Our team works with leaders and teachers in school districts every day. Districts we serve are seeing really nice gains in their data and we would be happy to help you have those same kinds of results. Reach out to us and we would love to talk with you about how we can help you reach those big, ambitious goals you have for yourself and your students. Thank you, everyone. Have a great day.