Teacher Coaching:

The Missing Link in

Teacher Professional Development

Randy Keyworth

The Wing Institute

Teachers are only as effective as

they know how to be. 

Teacher Professional Development

Industrial Complex

Teacher Professional Development Industrial Complex

PRE-SERVICE professional development occurs before the individual’s first job

teacher training programs: course workstudent teaching

IN-SERVICE professional development occurs after the individual’s first job begins

induction: intensive training during first year(s) of of teaching

ongoing: workshops & conferencescontinuing education (CEUs)advanced degreespeer collaboration (mentoring, etc.)

PRE-SERVICE Metrics

Teacher Preparation Programs

Number of institutions (2011): 1,434

Number of programs (2011): 2,054

Number of students enrolled: 724,173

Number of new teacher graduates (BA): 235,138

Traditional programs 89%Alternative (IHE) 6%Alternative (non-IHE) 5%

Dollars spent: $ 20.4 Billion

Number of years 4-5 years

IN-SERVICE Metrics

ACTIVITY % TEACHERS COSTS

Induction 82 % $ 2 Billion

Advanced 60% with MAs $ 15 Billion (salary) Degrees 35% enrolled $ 6 Billion (university)

Professional Development 95% $ 18-25 Billion(workshops, conferences) ($ 4–8,000 / teacher)

Total Professional Development costs: $ 61 – 68 Billion

3.2 million teachers

Overall goals of teacher professional development

• improve student outcomes

• acquisition of effective teaching skills

• increase teacher motivation, satisfaction & retention

Teacher Professional Development Goals

Professional Development & Student Outcomes

2011 NAEP Reading2011 NAEP ReadingAt or above proficiencyAt or above proficiency44thth Grade = 34% Grade = 34%88thth Grade = 34% Grade = 34%1212thth Grade = 38% Grade = 38%

2011 NAEP MathAt or above proficiency4th Grade = 40%8th Grade = 35%12th Grade = 26%

National Assessment National Assessment of Educational of Educational Progress (NAEP)Progress (NAEP)

National Center for Education Information (2011)

Pre-Service: TEACHING SKILLS

National Center for Education Information (2011)

Aspects of Teacher Preparation Program Rated “Very Effective” – All Teachers

Pre-Service: TEACHING SKILLS

How Well do Schools of Education Prepare Teachers?

Levine (2006)

Professional Development & New Teacher Retention

Overall goals of teacher professional development

• acquisition of effective teaching skills

• improve student outcomes

• increase teacher motivation, satisfaction & retention

Teacher Professional Development Goals

WHAT ARE WE MISSING?

NO

NO

NO

Training Components and Attainment of Outcomes in Terms of Percent of Participants

Joyce & Showers , 2002

What does research tell us about Professional Development

INDIRECT TRAINING: didactic instruction, written materials

teacher preparation courseworkworkshops, conferencesCEUsadvanced degrees

Research: poor treatment fidelitypoor generalizationpoor maintenance

DIRECT TRAINING: classroom based, modeling, rehearsal, feedback

student teachinginductionpeer collaboration

Research: results contingent upon presence of coaching practice elements

COACHING PRACTICE ELEMENTS

ADDRESSES IMMEDIATE ISSUES

Focus is on authentic concrete, everyday challenges faced by teachers with real students in real classrooms

Elmore (2006)

ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT

Process encourages teachers participation and collaboration in the learning process, feedback, and problem solving

Gordon (2004)

COACHING PRACTICE ELEMENTS

SUBJECT CONTENTSUBJECT CONTENT:

Training is evidence-based and related state standards for courses and translating those standards into curriculum, lesson plans, student learning.

Jacobs (2004)

 Not just focused on content but on the teaching and learning of content.

Blank & de las Alas (2009) 

TEACHING SKILLSTEACHING SKILLS:

Training focuses on evidence-based, classroom teaching practices.

Blank & de las, Alas (2009)

COACHING PRACTICE ELEMENTS

MODELING (IN-CLASS):

Training uses guided practice to model lesson in the teacher’s classroom with that teacher’s students (I do, we do, you do)

Teachers more likely to try practices that have been modeled for them in professional development settings.

 Snow-Renner et al. (2005)

 OBSERVATION (IN-CLASS):

Trainer observes teacher’s performance at a level of frequency and specificity necessary to support and sustain skill acquisition

  

COACHING PRACTICE ELEMENTS

FREQUENT FEEDBACK (ON PRACTICE)

Feedback is given in a frequent, constructive, data-based, problem solving manner that encourages teacher collaboration

Cooper (2004)

TRAINER SKILLS

Trainers, instructors, coaches…have experience and expertise in social influence, teaching, and consultation (instruction, modeling, observation, feedback, etc.)

National Staff Development Council (2001)

  

COACHING PRACTICE ELEMENTS

ONGOING FEEDBACK & SUPPORT:

Systems are in place for providing ongoing feedback and problem solving on student / teacher performance.

Yoon (2007)