the power of instructional support: using existing …...the power of instructional support: using...
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The Power of Instructional Support: Using Existing Systems to Change Teacher Behavior in Kenya
Evelyn Jepkemei, PhD
Tusome Early Grade Reading Activity
Teachers’ Advisory Centers (TACs) established in 1963:
Background of Coaching in Kenya
2
TAC Tutors (now
Curriculum Support
Officers: CSOs) in
charge of zones (15-30
schools)
Assess needs and
train teachers in
zones
Provide professional
guidance to teachers
Collect a variety of
resources for
teachers’ reference
Assess learning
outcomes at zonal
level
They were mostly
primary school
teachers promoted
for long service
The Education Structure
3
Ministry of Education
Made up of 9 directorates
Directors in counties Sub-County
Directors
Several Semi-autonomous
special agencies
Directors in counties
Staffing Officers and Sub-
County Directors
Teachers and Curriculum
Support Officers
Teachers’ Service
Commission
CSO Responsibilities
Regular CSO duties CSO duties under Tusome
Offer training and coaching
focused on instruction
Support reflection meetings
Make daily visits to schools
Hold feedback sessions with
teachers
Upload data to a cloud-based
server
Administrative
duties60%40%Support for
instruction
A wide range of other duties:
Limited ability in coaching
4
Public Schools and Low-Cost Private Schools
5
Coaches
Are hired by project
Give full-time support to low-cost
private schools
Are full-time coaches
Have some experience in
coaching
Serve public schools
Have redefined responsibilities
Handle administration and school
inspections
Have no experience in coaching
CSOs
Tusome Scope, 2017
6
19.1 million
Books delivered
to schools
3.6 million
Children
98,089
Teachers
23,523
Head teachers
1,270
CSOs and Coaches28,345
Schools
1,230
National education
leaders
Key Elements of Tusome
Instructional coaching
1:1 books
Teacher training
Teachers’ guides
7
Lesson Observations Routine
8
Focused on instructional
approaches
30 minute lesson
observations
3 pupil fluency
assessments
10- to -15 minute
debrief
Data uploaded from tablets
Over 18,000 visits per
month
Tusome Coaching Strategy
Guskey’s (1986) model of
teacher change
Monitoring fidelity to teachers’
guides (Piper & Zuilkowski, 2017)
Focus on volume of visits
Project staff monitor coaches
Cognitive – research-based
practice in teaching
Less depth in reflective teaching
and coaching
9
ICT Support: The Tablet Program
Invigorates accountability
Gives access to data on
• Implementation index (GPS)
• Transport reimbursement
Captures data on fluency rates
Allows data sharing by
government and other stakeholders
Produces data for incentive-based
transport reimbursement
10
Supporting Teachers
11
The Tusome Dashboard
http://ntp.tangerinecentral.org/_csv/report/group-national_tablet_program/00b0a09a-2a9f-baca-2acb-c6264d4247cb,c835fc38-de99-d064-59d3-e772ccefcf7d/2016/7/YmFyaW5nbw==.html
Challenges
CSOs with
limited prior
exposure to
mobile
technologies
Multiple
administrative
tasks for CSOs
Variation in
take-up by
CSOs
National-scale
support –
disparities
across zones
Working through
the government
structure
13
Staffing
challenges
Attrition
through
retirement
Conclusion
14
The coaching program…
Is critical for effective teaching
Improves learning outcomes
Allows a transition to more collaborative
coaching – e.g., peer coaching via WhatsApp
Reinforces weak pre-service training for
teachers
Lessens coaches’ administrative duties
Involves capacity concerns
Has cost and sustainability considerations
References
Dubeck, M. M., Jukes, M. C., & Okello, G. (2011). Early primary literacy instruction in
Kenya. Comparative Education Review, 56(1), 48–68.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/660693
Guskey, T. R. (1986). Staff development and the process of teacher change.
Educational Researcher, 15(5), 5–12.
http://dx.doi.org/10.3102/0013189X015005005
Knight, J. (2007). Instructional coaching: A partnership approach to improving
instruction. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Piper, B., & Zuilkowski, S. S. (2015a). Assessing reading fluency in Kenya: Oral or
silent assessment? International Review of Education, 61(2), 153–171.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11159-015-9470-4
Piper, B., & Zuilkowski, S. S. (2015b). Teacher coaching in Kenya: Examining
instructional support in public and nonformal schools. Teaching and Teacher
Education, 47, 173–183. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2015.01.001