Showing posts with label ISTE Coaching Reflections. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ISTE Coaching Reflections. Show all posts

Thursday, January 1, 2015

Top 11 Key Takeaways and Lessons from the ISTE Coaching Academy:

The  ISTE Coaching Academy Series has been one of the best uses of my time over the last couple of months.  I have a stack of more books and resources to continue to learn from that I only found because of what was referenced in the course.  Yay for reading and learning time!

 I wanted to take some time to actually look back at the last six course reflection posts and pull together some very practical applications and changes that have been made (or will be made as I start back next week) in my coaching practices.  If my thoughts refer to a specific article, resource, or course, I've put those in parentheses after the comment.
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Top 11 Key Takeaways and Lessons from the ISTE Coaching Academy:

  • A reminder of how truly important the job of a Digital Learning Coach is.  It is needed, it is necessary, it is important.  We have a huge role in transforming what professional development looks like on our campuses.  Teachers need training, but more than that they need the practice time and the follow-up support if true transformation is going to happen. Effective professional development is "PD that actually changes the way teachers teach". (ISTE Coaching Whitepaper)
  • Characteristics of a Good Coach (Course 1). It has been very helpful to find articles and descriptions of what makes a good coach.  No matter what position you are in, you want to know what it is that would make you do well in your position.  Have key attributes clearly explained (as well as why) has given me some encouragement (with the attributes I have already) as well as ideas for growth (with the attributes I need to continue to build).  One of the key attributes I always want to focus on, with both my fellows and staff in general, is "Providing a safe, risk-taking environment that is non-threatening, non-judgmental, and accepting". 
  • Clarification and development of the coaching cycle (Course 1).  I was able to develop a more clear Coaching Cycle Journal template that will help both me and my fellows to stay focused in our journey.  I am definitely a person that likes organization, so being able to finally wrap my head around this and put together an organized, descriptive flow chart makes me feel like I have a much clearer picture of where I am going.  One of the hard things about starting this position was feeling like there wasn't a clear road map.  I had to figure out a lot of things on my own through reaching out to others and researching online.  They helped me get started, but now I have the tools to pave my own path and see the road more clearly.
  • Coaching Norms (Course 1).  Norms is not a new topic, but honestly it was not one that I addressed with my fellows at the beginning of the year.  I think I was just overwhelmed with all this other stuff and in one of our trainings we learned about the "forming, storming, norming, performing" stages of group development (Tuckman Model).  That made me think to NOT develop norms at the beginning and just go through the forming and storming phases.  Now, I feel like it is important we define the norms.  Probably a little late, but better late than never, right?
  • The purpose of using technology (Course 2).  Does the tool improve, deepen, or enhance student learning?  If not, then why are we using it?  I really thought through a lot during this course about not just having technology be an add-on, but something that really impacts the learning environment.  It is now a question on the pre-brief section of our Coaching Cycle Journal so we actually consider it each and every time.
  • Effective Learning Norms (Course 3 and Course 5).  We had to go through the process that I am going to (hopefully) work through with my fellows throughout this semester.  What are the traits of effective learning?  What skills do students need to develop to be successful in college and career that can be emphasized and practiced within the context of your curriculum?  What type of activities must we develop to help meet those expectations?  All of this led me to really analyzing the four areas on the "Learning Activity Checklist" developed by Les Foltos and thinking through how I am going to use it with my fellows.  My plan is to not just present that to them, but to start conversations about what skills and competencies they are looking for their students to develop, how to relate those to the school's goals as well as college/career readiness.  As necessary and as we move through it, we can start referring to the four areas on the Learning Activity Checklist and using those to probe our thinking and help us find ways to improve the lessons.
  • Course 3 Six Key Takeaways... Rather than re-phrasing, I'm just going to copy paste them here:
    • Focus on the classroom and learning. Rethink the roles of student and teacher. Teacher must be coach/collaborator, not the dispenser of knowledge.
    • Look beyond "were they engaged" and focus on "did the technology help us meet the learning objectives?" and "did the students deepen their understanding because of the technology?"
    • Use technology to continually gather formative assessment data that then drives instruction and changes the way you approach the next day in class!
    • Technology is not a magic bullet that is always going to enhance student learning/achievement - it all depends on how it is being used!
    • Technology is not a goal in itself, it's a tool to help us achieve and support our goals.
    • We must adequately train the teachers to use the technology. This is not just familiarity with equipment but also seeing how it can be used effectively and then practicing how it can be used effectively!
  • Communication Skills (Course 3 and Course 5). This was a huge section for me that was repeated throughout the next several courses. I heard about it before I started coaching but it really didn't mean much to me at that point because I had no experience and no context. Now I feel like I can really begin intentionally building and developing the communication skills of active listening, paraphrasing, clarifying, and probing. I did a lot of research of sample probing questions and am hoping to really grow in that area this semester.
  • Lesson Improvement Process (Course 4). I basically redesigned my entire Coaching Cycle based on this course and what I learned from it. There was a focus on designing the learning task... and I found five amazing resources (specifically for math) that are going to be huge in the curriculum development we are working on with the transition to Common Core.
  • Key Attributes of Effective School Professional Development (Course 6). This really made me think "bigger picture" and "school culture" and what impact I can have on the culture of the school I am at. I set some key goals for helping improve professional development at my site (within my control) for next semester.
  • Problem Analysis to Coaching Roadblocks (Course 6). It helped that the sample we worked through was basically the problem I had to work through a few weeks ago. I can definitely see this process being used with future roadblocks.

Great resources I found throughout my time:

    Books on my To-Read List 
    (I haven't read them so can't summarize or vouch for them yet...)

    Bought and ready for my reading:

    Coaching Conversations: Transforming Your School One Conversation at a Time Paperback – March 30, 2010

    Differentiated Coaching: A Framework for Helping Teachers Change Paperback – February 1, 2006

    Using Technology with Classroom Instruction That Works, 2nd Edition Paperback – August 6, 2012

    Mentoring Matters: A Practical Guide To Learning Focused Relationships Paperback – July 30, 2003

    Building Teachers' Capacity for Success: A Collaborative Approach for Coaches and School Leaders Paperback – December 31, 2008

    Coaching Classroom Instruction (Classroom Strategies)Perfect Paperback – August 22, 2012


    On my Amazon List:

    Creating Dynamic Schools Through Mentoring Coaching and Collaboration Paperback – October 21, 2005

    Differentiation through Personality Types: A Framework for Instruction, Assessment, and Classroom ManagementPaperback – September 2, 2014

    Differentiated School Leadership: Effective Collaboration, Communication, and Change Through Personality TypePaperback – September 20, 2007

    Creating a Coaching Culture for Professional Learning Communities Paperback – July 7, 2010

    Peer Coaching: Unlocking the Power of CollaborationPaperback – August 6, 2013

    Focus on Teaching: Using Video for High-Impact Instruction Paperback – March 18, 2014

    Coaching: Approaches & Perspectives Paperback – 2009

    High-Impact Instruction: A Framework for Great TeachingPaperback – December 4, 2012



    Have any to add? Please comment below.
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    ISTE Coaching Academy Series - Course 6 Reflection

    Time for the final ISTE Coaching Academy Course Reflection!
    I just finished working through the last course, entitled:"Sustained Professional Learning, Connecting to Your Coaching".  I've still got lots of reading and reflecting to do to (my list of books to read has probably tripled through the resources I've found in this series), but in terms of the official course content, [ ] checkmark!

    See my previous notes & reflections at the following links: 
    Course 1 Reflections 
    Course 2 Reflections,
    Course 3 Reflections
    Course 4 Reflections
    Course 5 Reflections

    This course focused on the ISTE Standards for Coaches 6: a,b,c, which state:
    a. Engage in continual learning to deepen content and pedagogical knowledge in technology integration and current and emerging technologies necessary to effectively implement the NETS·S and NETS·T
    b. Engage in continuous learning to deepen professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions in organizational change and leadership, project management, and adult learning to improve professional practice
    c. Regularly evaluate and reflect on their professional practice and dispositions to improve and strengthen their ability to effectively model and facilitate technology-enhanced learning experiences

     Course 6 started by having us look at the research-based attributes of effective school-based professional development (SBPD).

     The SBPD Standards are derived from the article Building Professional Community in Schools by Krus, Louis & Bryk (1994). You can read the article starting on page 3 here. You can see my highlights, comments, and analysis by looking at the article through this Notable link (sign up for free by logging in with Google if you haven't already - it's a great tool for online, collaborative PDF annotation!

     The six key attributes of school-based professional development are:

    • Reflective Dialogue
    • Deprivatization of Practice
    • Collaboration
    • Collective Focus on Student Learning
    • Shared Norms and Values
    • Structured Methodology (not directly listed in the article above)
    • Connected to other aspects of school change (not directly listed in the article above)
    The article mentions something I felt was really important: Are structural conditions or social and human resources more important in developing a professional community? From page 6, "Our research suggests that human resources - such as openness to improvement, trust and respect, teachers having knowledge and skills, supportive leadership and socialization - are more critical to the development of professional community than structural conditions." You can put all these things in place - time to collaborate, teachers working in close proximity, communication structures, etc... but if there is not a willingness on the part of the teachers to build the professional learning community, it really just isn't going to happen.

    Now, the question is... how do we begin that change process in teachers who are not interested in being a part of a professional learning community or truly reflecting and growing in their practice? Looks like I've got some more research cut out for me! Well, one of the courses I'm going to take this next semester is called "Schools As Professional Learning Communities"... so I guess that's a good thing ;)

    Sidebar: Imagine these attributes describing you and your colleagues. Wouldn't this be such a positive work environment?
    Connected
    Optimistic
    Humble
    Value each other
    Empathetic to the way other people are
    Accepting that the aim of the relationship is to move everyone forward
    Focus on each other's strengths
    Providing positive feedback, guidance, and support


     Ok, so the goal of looking at the attributes of the effective school-based professional development was to reflect on our school and its current practices. Based on areas of weakness, I set out three goals to focus on in the second semester, all of which are already on the starting blocks. They are:
    1. Peer observations through the Tech Fellow program - I want my fellows seeing other fellows (and other teachers if possible) in action to learn, reflect, discuss, and grow.
    2. JOT (Just One Thing) Tech Sessions focused around teachers needs & questions. This is like a "Tech Thursday"
    3. Focus my coaching sessions and lesson designs moreso around students learning & needs and less around the tech tools. I've been working hard this break at redesigning a lot of my stuff for this! I'm excited to see how it works and what other tweaks I need to continue to make.

     We also learned about roadblocks to coaching and went through some problem analysis with these steps:

    1. Define the problem - Gather information, Identify relevant facts
    2. Identify the causes - Discuss possible causes with others, put yourself in their shoes, think of all possible causes
    3. Generate possible solutions - research ideas on the internet, ask others for ideas. Keep in mind what you can and can't control!
    4. Decide on a solution - Review suggestions and ideas to choose a solution. Make sure the solution is one that can be accomplished and is within your control.
    5. Plan - Identify goal & checkpoint; Identify action steps

     The example that was given was "not enough time" for coaching. It is an roadblock I have faced so it was nice to think through the issue and consider all the possible causes, many of which I could relate to. This is a great protocol I will be holding on to to think through the roadblocks that I know I will continue to face in this journey.

     A few other resources I found throughout this course:
    Effective Professional Development - article from 1996 but still true today! http://www.ericdigests.org/1997-2/time.htm

     The last challenge of the Academy was to start blogging to share and reflect on what you have learned professionally. I think I have already met that challenge :)
    Thanks for following my journey through the ISTE Coaching Academy. I would love to hear about your journey and learning - please comment if you have or are going through the Academy. I'd love to connect and continue the conversation!

     See all of my ISTE Coaching Academy Course Reflections here:
    Course 1 Reflections 
    Course 2 Reflections,
    Course 3 Reflections
    Course 4 Reflections
    Course 5 Reflections

    Course 6 Reflections
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    Tuesday, December 30, 2014

    ISTE Coaching Academy Series - Course 5 Reflection

    Time for another ISTE Coaching Academy Course Reflection!
    I just finished working through the fifth course, entitled:"Coaching Skills for Lesson Improvement".  

    See my previous notes & reflections at the following links: 
    Course 1 Reflections 
    Course 2 Reflections,
    Course 3 Reflections
    Course 4 Reflections

    This course focused on the ISTE Standards for Coaches 2.a,b,c,d,f,g, which state:
    Nets-C Standard:  Teaching, Learning, and Assessment
    a. Coach teachers in and model design and implementation of technology-enhanced learning experiences addressing content standards and student technology standards
    b. Coach teachers in and model design and implementation of technology-enhanced learning experiences using a variety of research-based, learner-centered instructional strategies and assessment tools to address the diverse needs and interests of all students
    c. Coach teachers in and model engagement of students in local and global interdisciplinary units in which technology helps students assume professional roles,research real-world problems, collaborate with others, and produce products that are meaningful and useful to a wide audience
    d. Coach teachers in and model design and implementation of technology-enhanced learning experiences emphasizing creativity, higher-order thinking skills and processes,and mental habits of mind (e.g., critical thinking, meta-cognition, and self-regulation)
    f. Coach teachers in and model incorporation of research-based best practices in instructional design when planning technology-enhanced learning experiences

    g. Coach teachers in and model effective use of technology tools and resources to continuously assess student learning and technology literacy by applying a rich variety of formative and summative assessments aligned with content and student technology standards

    While Course 4 focused on Lesson Design Skills that coaches need, this course focused on the Communication and Collaboration Skills that coaches need to develop in order to make the coaching successful.

    Here are some key thoughts I wanted to share:


    Effective Feedback must be:
    • timely - as soon after the event/process as possible
    • specific - lay out suggested action plans / changes
    • phrased appropriately - needs to come across as positive and encouraging (think sandwich method) so the receiver doesn't shut down and disregard what you have to say
    • asked for - nobody wants to listen to unsolicited advice

    Learning Activity Checklist / Norm for Effective Learning
    • See excerpt from Les Foltos' book Peer Coaching: Unlocking the Power of Collaboration here. Start on page 109 and read through page 118. I don't want to restate what is said in the chapter, but it's really good :)
    • Check out the Peer Coaching Training Resources here. This is quite expansive and talks through a lot of things in Courses 1-5, but it's a great resource to have if you are a coach or are interested in being a coach.
    • I spent a lot of time during this course thinking through the processes I go through as a coach at the beginning of the year (and some I can implement as we "launch" again for the second semester in a couple of weeks. Here are some of the documents I've been working on.
      • Coaching Cycle and Getting Started - The links within this document should be viewable to anyone with the link (let me know if there is one that is not). This is an organizational tool for myself (I think it would be overwhelming to show this to the teachers I work with, at least at the beginning). There are some items on the "Beginning of Year" section that I am going to revisit (or visit for the first time) this next semester, namely the coaching norms, tech proficiencies, effective learning norms, and measuring lesson effectiveness. (Make sure to zoom in so you can actually see the drawing... there are two halves to it :) ).


    Review of Coaching Communication Skills:
    • Active Listening - Make sure to focus on the speaker, block out competing thoughts, lean forward and nod.
    • Paraphrasing - Use this to check for understanding and clarify what was heard by summarizing.
    • Clarifying Questions - Use this to lead to a clearer picture or understanding of the topic / idea and to gather information.
    • Probing Questions - Use these to provoke deeper thinking; make sure they are open ended and that you don't have an answer already in mind when phrasing the question.
    I did a lot more reading and research on probing questions in this course, as it is an area I want to continue to grow in.

    Here are some times when probing questions are useful (Source: Leading Governance)
    • Expanding the topic after a closed-ended question
    • Encouraging a fellow to expand their response
    • Encouraging a fellow to think through the experience
    • Getting to what is not being said
    • Helping to provide more detail
    • Focusing more closely on one element of an answer to an open-ended question.
    Attributes of Probing Questions (Source: Coaches Guide to Probing Questions)
    • (see link for complete list)
    • Deepen and expand thinking
    • Keep learning at the center
    • Elicit a slow, reflective response
    • Are non-judgmental; neutral
    • Are not suggestive (not trying to elicit a specific response)
    Sample Probing Questions - I searched online and gathered a bunch of question starters that can be used for probing questions. You can see what I've gathered here.


    Some great articles that I found to share: (these are Diigo links so they might show my highlights)

    Why integrate technology? https://diigo.com/076kyl
    Technology in Schools https://diigo.com/076kyu
    The secret to great coaching https://diigo.com/076l4q
    ICT Peer Coaching Manual https://diigo.com/077369 (*Page 10 characteristics of an effective coach & teacher readiness to become a "coachee")

    I am gathering notes from all the different articles, resources, and books I am reading on coaching and putting them together in different documents in a Google Drive folder.  It's not ready to share publicly at this point, but if you are interested, please let me know and I can share it directly with you.  I'm still adding a lot to it, but would love to share and collaborate as I bring together all the learning from so many different sources.

    Until Course 6...

     See all of my ISTE Coaching Academy Course Reflections here:
    Course 1 Reflections 
    Course 2 Reflections,
    Course 3 Reflections
    Course 4 Reflections
    Course 5 Reflections
    Course 6 Reflections

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    Monday, December 22, 2014

    ISTE Coaching Academy Series - Course 4 Reflection

    https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8500/8427125809_36c1efcbc5.jpg
    The  ISTE Coaching Academy  really has been so worth my time! 

     I just finished working through the fourth course, entitled:"Coaching for Active, Engaging, Technology-Rich learning".  

     See my previous notes & reflections at the following links: Course 1 Reflections; Course 2 Reflections, Course 3 Reflections



    This course focused on the ISTE Standards for Coaches 2.a,b,c,d,f,g, which state:
    • a. Coach teachers in and model design and implementation of technology-enhanced learning experiences addressing content standards and student technology standards
    • b. Coach teachers in and model design and implementation of technology-enhanced learning experiences using a variety of research-based, learner-centered instructional strategies and assessment tools to address the diverse needs and interests of all students
    • c. Coach teachers in and model engagement of students in local and global interdisciplinary units in which technology helps students assume professional roles,research real-world problems, collaborate with others, and produce products that are meaningful and useful to a wide audience
    • d. Coach teachers in and model design and implementation of technology-enhanced learning experiences emphasizing creativity, higher-order thinking skills and processes,and mental habits of mind (e.g., critical thinking, meta-cognition, and self-regulation)
    • f. Coach teachers in and model incorporation of research-based best practices in instructional design when planning technology-enhanced learning experiences
    • g. Coach teachers in and model effective use of technology tools and resources to continuously assess student learning and technology literacy by applying a rich variety of formative and summative assessments aligned with content and student technology standards
    The focus of this course was on working through a structured and effective model for co-planning a lesson that enhances learning by integrating technology.  One of the biggest takeaways from this course was in re-developing my "Coaching Journal Template", which is the Google Doc that my fellows and I work through as we are going through each coaching cycle.  I was able to add some more prompts that will help us to focus on the content and skill objectives first, and then finding ways that technology can enhance those objectives.  There are prompts for our planning and discussion together as well as for my fellows to reflect and journal at the pre-brief, lesson implementation, and debrief stages.  While I know it's far from perfect (and especially since I haven't used it with any fellows yet, I'm sure it will need to be tweaked again), but I feel like it provides a good structure for our conversations and keeps us focused in the right areas.  I am definitely a structured person and value organization and logical flow.  However, I also understand the need for flexibility and a non-"cookie-cutter" approach to coaching.  I think the template I have put together is open-ended enough to allow for that flexibility while not compromising our focus and purpose of enhancing learning with technology (not simply supplanting a current practice with tech because it's tech).  If you are interested in seeing my template-in-progress, please let me know and I will share a view-only copy of the doc with you.

    I am very lucky in the position that I hold in that I have a small group of teachers that have signed up to be coached and there are expectations laid out at the beginning of the application process.  Now that I have been a part of this program for a semester, I feel like I understand it so much better than I did back in August, and already have ideas for modifications for next year.  I am so blessed that this is a longer-term assignment and that I have three years to work with the staff.  Growth takes time, both in mindset shifting and in tangible technological skills & comfort level.

    Lesson Improvement Process:

    The rest of this course worked through several key facets of lesson improvement.  My reflection will focus on the parts that stuck out the most to me along with resources I found useful.

    The overall process in planning for lesson improvement is as follows:
    Design Learning Task (focus on scenarios & essential questions) --> 
    Define Standards (both content & skill) --> 
    Directions for Learning Activity --> 
    Integrating Technology (with a purpose!) --> 
    Assessment (including rubrics) --> 
    Resources

    Part of "Design Learning Task" is looking for ways to make the product "real" by including a scenario that will peak the students' interest and defining an audience that the product is aimed towards.  Another key consideration is in developing essential questions.  I have been highly impressed with my school's English departments' use of essential questions and themes in organizing their curriculum.  I remember reading "To Kill a Mockingbird" in 9th grade, with the focus being on reading the book and understanding the story.  Now, "To Kill a Mockingbird" is one text used in the Unit focused on "Honor, Empathy, and Justice".  Literature is brought into context and is tied in with relevant non-fiction text.  Oh, how I wish my high school English classes were like this!

    Grant Wiggins' has an excellent article on Essential Questions that you can read here.  The course also linked to an article on creating essential questions here.  A few key highlights that stuck out to me:
    • Essential questions can be of many types.  Ones that are:
      • important questions that recur throughout one's life.  Help us to focus on the fact that education is really about learning how to learn.
      • key inquiries within a discipline. Ones that are "alive" in the field.
      • what is needed for learning core content.  Help students to make sense of complicated ideas.
    • Essential questions are not questions that are simply essential to the teacher who wants his/her students to know an important answer.  We must separate questions of this type from those which are "essential to anyone as a thinking person and inquiring student for making meaning of facts in this subject" (Wiggins, 2007).
    • When writing essential questions, consider... (summarized / modified from Wiggins' article linked above)
      • Does it cause genuine inquiry into big ideas or core content?
      • Does it provoke deep thought or lively discussion?
      • Does it lead to new understanding or even more questions?
      • Does it require students to consider alternatives and weigh evidence?
      • Does it require that students support their ideas and justify their answers?
      • Does it stimulate continual rethinking of the big ideas and assumptions from previous lessons?
      • Does it make connections to prior learning?
      • Does it make connections to personal experiences?
      • Does it create opportunities to transfer to other situations / subjects? 
    While this article was very helpful in defining and stimulating thinking around essential questions, it still lacked much of what I have always struggled with: what do essential questions look like in a high school math class?  So, I did a little Google-ing and came across some resources.  These are going to be very useful in the unit development we are working through in our district currently.

    Once the task is defined, it is time to "Define Standards (both content & skill)". This is not just the CCSS Standards, but also 21st century skills (see the Framework for 21st century learning and Resources for Educators) and the ISTE Technology Standards for Students.

    I really focused on the 21st century skill portion of this section. I feel as though the CCSS are fairly easy to "align" with what we are teaching (because a lot of times it's done for us).  However, when we are considering instructional strategies and student products, we need to really think through the 21st century skills we want our students practicing and modeling during the task.  I added a portion to my Coaching Journal Template to identify a 21st century skills focus for each coaching cycle (which may be the same one throughout the semester).  For example, a teacher may want to really focus on student collaboration; thus, the activities and lessons we design will use that goal as a guide for instructing students in the task and selecting technology to support and enhance that goal. 



    Once you have the task and the standards, it's time to develop clear and detailed "Directions for Learning Activity". We must consider what activities students need to participate in to address the task we posed at the beginning.  It is important to clearly explain the product / performance that students will create.  Then, we must outline the detailed directions students will follow in order to complete the task, including necessary scaffolding tools.

    Thinking through a task in this much detail is where I think the coaching and collaboration are huge.  Two brains are better than one!  I may be able to think of something my fellow hadn't considered, or my fellow may bring something up I would have brushed off as not important.  The scaffolding is also of huge importance, especially in regards to differentiation.  Do all students need the same scaffolds?  How will you support your ELs but challenge your GATE students?  Without a structured time to think through this with a coach, these are the areas I think far too easily fall through the cracks in teacher lesson planning - at least it did a lot for me.

    When we look at ways for "Integrating Technology", we want to use tools that allow students to communicate, collaborate, gather / organize information, analyze / synthesize information, and creatively share what they have learned.  These are nothing new, but like I mentioned before, I'm a organized / love-my-lists type of person.  Having these written down (and linked in my Coaching Journal Template) helps me to stay focused on the purpose and goals of integrating technology.  "Why do you want to use __________?" "Because I haven't used it yet and it seems fun and cool".  Um... Not so much.  What is the purpose of using the technology?  How is it enhancing learning?
    "Assessment" refers to both the formative and summative assessments that allow us to measure student progress towards the learning objectives.  The course material stated that "Assessment strategies need to be continuous and ongoing rather than relying on an assessment that occurs after the project is completed."  This is huge!  I really feel like this is a mindset shift for so many teachers.  There is so much value in formative assessment, but only when it is actually used to drive and modify instruction.  What's the purpose of giving your students a quiz if they don't get the results for several days and it goes in the gradebook but doesn't change what happens in class?  What's the point of doing an opener/warm-up or exit ticket but never actually reading through it for student responses? Assessment must drive instruction.  It must be continuous (remember, it can be formal or informal) throughout the entire learning cycle.  Assessments take time, but they result in greater student learning and improved student understanding of the concepts.

    This brings me back to my Masters' program when we read about Assessment OF learning vs. Assesssment FOR learning.  Yes, we have to, at some point, have an assessment OF student learning.  However, the assessments along the way should all be "for" learning - to help students understand what they do and don't "get", and to support them in growing towards mastering the learning objectives.

    We read a great article called, "What are formative assessments and why should we use them" by Judith Dodge.  This quote really stood out to me:
    When I work with teachers during staff development, they often tell me they don't have time to assess students along the way. They fear sacrificing coverage and insist they must move on quickly. Yet in the rush to cover more, students are actually learning less. Without time to reflect on and interact meaningfully with new information, students are unlikely to retain much of what is "covered" in their classrooms...On balance, the time they take from a lesson is well worth the information you gather and the retention students gain.
    Rubrics were also emphasized as a tool to use for both formative and summative assessments.  Some benefits of rubrics are:
    • students know what is expected of them in language they can understand
    • students can see the specific skills they are expected to gain in their learning
    • students are able to do some self-assessment and reflecting on their learning
    • teachers are able to monitor student learning, especially over time
    • provides consistency in evaluating student work
    Some sample rubrics I thought were helpful:  Oral Presentation, Math Problem Solving, Discussion.

    **Rubistar Rubric Creator**  I heard of this several years ago but never used it... I would highly suggest checking it out if you use rubrics in your classes.

    Lastly, we must list out our "Resources" - this may include curriculum resources such as the textbook, but also information resources (websites), a bibliography of all of the resources we used in designing the lesson / task as well as any copyright and attribution needed (gotta model good digital citizenship for our students!), and technology resources and instructions that students might need in order to use them.

    Whew! With that, Course 4 is complete. While every course has been so valuable in my growth as a coach, this one definitely had the biggest tangible affect thus far in terms of really developing and structuring the coaching process through the modifications of my Coaching Journal Template. I am excited to begin using the process with my teachers. As I mentioned before, the more focused prompts and considerations that I've embedded throughout the journal will help us to think more deeply about what we are doing and make sure that we aren't just using technology as an add-on.
    See all of my ISTE Coaching Academy Course Reflections here:

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