Shaping the future of CPD: The transformative impact of coaching

Editor's Notes

• #2: THE MIRANDANET FELLOWSHIP, established in 1992, is an international community of education professionals including teachers, policy makers, researchers and consultants who collaborate in exchanging ideas and support as well as publishing research studies, case studies and reports.  The overall aim of the Fellowship is to promote the enhancement of teaching and learning through innovations in pedagogical practices, as well as digital technologies, across all phases of education. 
• #3: Relationship between IRIS Connect and MirandaNet fits in with this notion of a golden triangle between researches, companies/edTech developers and the teachers, learners and parents. IC are MirandaNet fellowship associates. Used to do a mixture of research for government agency Becta and companies but now MirandaNet specialises in research and development that informs companies about the reaction to their innovation or a solution by the education practitioners, often in the form of action research when the educators also gain CPD input and mentoring This alerts companies to the difference between marketing and objective research and generates valuable collaboration and discussion as well as better education solutions Company representatives join the project and can be awarded a Masters 30 point module for their project write ups first and second research
• #4: Objective: impact of web and video based PD for developing communities of practice, efficacy and collaborative CPD Involved 100 teachers who had used the system for at least 4 months Prof. Christina PrestonUniversity of Bedfordshire/MirandaNet Fellowship
• #10: learning for teachers is seen as important as learning for pupils there is a no-blame culture and teachers feel valued there is a clear link with the school development plan and CPD programme teachers are motivated by discussions about how the evidence might be reported for OFSTED and Pupil Premium consideration is given to collaborating with other schools to bring in new ideas and increase the impact. School management team Make is a clear link with the school development plan and CPD programme Motivate teachers through discussions about how the evidence might be reported for OFSTED and Pupil Premium Make it clear that the coachee owns the video and decides how it will be distributed Establish that this equipment will not be used for performance management or surveillance Start developing a code of conduct using an existing formula as discussion points Set up systems to elicit permissions from parents and staff Establish procedures for password protection Insist on a positive and encouraging coaching approach Develop a culture where the presence of the video is not seen as a sign of failure Sign up teachers who want to learn and are comfortable sharing coaches with convincing experience of teaching coaches who are also willing to be coached coaches who respect coachees underlying knowledge and skill With a school we are working at the moment we created a contract (norm set is the American word) – non legally binding professional agreement about how this would work; if I am working with a group of people we ask 4-5 questions, like: what kind of rules do we need around video coaching; why we are doing it, how we are going to do it, what ifs etc. That’s typed up and it becomes your working document and everyone knows it is an evolving, dynamic document. You sort of don’t know what you are writing about until you start to experience it. New things happen, new concerns and ideas come up and it is incorporated – we are on version 4 of the contract at the moment. The norm setting is done not as a first thing ?
• #12: Advice for coaches Make sure you can use the equipment Develop trust between the coach and coachee which is a vital ingredient of success Develop the skills of empathy and discernment Add to a general code of conduct as issues come up Offer to be coached by the coachee in the most difficult class in the school Amass effective support materials and tools that promotes self-reflection Clarify the role of lesson planning as means of developing pedagogy not just content Explain the benefits of focusing on an agreed area like behaviour management Use an existing code of practice to adapt and agree with all the participants Establish clarity between coachee and coach about methods of engaging pupils in learning Introduce in-ear coaching slowly after getting to know the teacher and their style Agree at the outset of the in-ear session what kind of input the coachee will welcome, how frequently, whether on demand and whether simultaneous with teaching and talking to pupils Help coachee in learning to identify what pupils are learning during the lesson Be keen to learn from the coachee Let the coachee explain how they feel about an in-ear session rather than telling them Good tools for allievating anxiety are coffee and chocolate Advice for individual teachers Explain the kit to the pupils at the start of a lesson to avoid disruption Have the kit in the room as much as possible so that it becomes unremarkable Plan constructive follow up sessions and feedback with the coach Develop a classroom context where the presence of the equipment is considered normal Avoid using in classes where pupils are autistic or have other challenges where in-ear coaching may disturb them Be active in building feedback into subsequent lessons Be keen to learn and reflect See in-ear comments as constructive learning opportunities
• #13: In-ear coaching helps a teacher to focus not so much on planning and performance but more in nuanced reflection about how the class can be engaged. A lesson plan is important but with in-ear coaching the teacher’s attention shifts to the effectiveness of the implementation. Teaching plans stop being about delivering lesson content and becomes about the best ways of teaching learners.
• #14: Strong teaching is developed by in-ear coaching from the perspective of increasing self reflection and also the ability to share good practice across schools within your own cluster or academy. This kind of exchange on the platform opens up broader communications and helps to build a sharing culture. Make full use of the platform: having a community inside and outside the school to share with is the best way to go forward. Start with informal using of the platform to begin with and then build it up. Senior managers can head up a focus group and give positive feedback to their colleagues. Sharing with other schools helps to build professional knowledge and expertise. The case studies IRIS provide are useful to help develop strategies. The value of the video platform over time is that teachers can edit, share and comment to a range of people and then meet as a group to discuss a probe point . Building up a bank of resources on the platform over time helps with sharing experience Teachers make show-reel to share of how changes in technique can be observed