![Untangling Instructional Coaching, Evaluation & Appraisal with Samantha Olson-Wyman and Stephanie Cifuentes [Ep 234]](https://res.cloudinary.com/edurolearning/image/upload/v1709598540/coachbetter%20Podcast/Untangling_Sam_and_Stephanie_gehihk.jpg)
In this #coachbetter episode, Kim talks with Samantha Olson-Wyman, Curriculum, Teaching & Learning Specialist and Stephanie Cifuentes, Lower School Principal at the American School of Guatemala. Both Sam and Stephanie are former instructional coaches so this episode is such a special opportunity to look at the macro lens of coaching with school leaders who deeply understand the micro view too!
We’re so excited to share this episode with you because whenever we get the chance to speak with school leaders who are former coaches, we know we’re going to be able to go deep about the value of coaching and the actual logistics and structures needed to make it happen – and this conversation does exactly that!
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Show Notes
Please tell us about your journey as an educator, how did you get to where you are today?
Samantha: been at CAG for 8 years, where a lot of my journey around coaching began. The reason why coaching appealed to me is because when I began as an educator was to support MultiLingual Learners. Its all about advocacy, and coaching aligns with that.
Well established coaching program that I was able to grow into myself. I was a coach for a few years and now I’m a leader by title. All of those skills are just as important in a leadership role.
Stephanie: 14 years. Started as a teacher, multiple different roles. Moved to MS with a math focus, that’s when coaching came up at the school. Had been becoming quite passionate about high quality pd and adult learning & coaching was a great way to lean into that more. Was able to take that into 1:1 conversations with teachers. Currently in admin role and use coaching skills every single day.
What does coaching look like in your context?
Samantha: Dual Language school (English & Spanish). Robust number of local and foreign hires. Coaching is really well established in LS, growing in Secondary.
Stephanie: Program began with a literacy focus, to support foreign and local hires, grew to include a coach with math focus, and another general coach.
Team of 4 coaches in the lower school, with titles, but they go where needed.
Sam: intentional about equitable balance between faculty – 2 local hire coaches, 2 foreign hire coaches
Stephanie: we began with a more transformative approach to coaching, using Elena Augilar, then adopted Student Centered Coaching with Diane Sweeney, have transitioned out of that, looking more for a flexible approach. Still using coaching cycles, optional for teachers. Begin the year with a launch & certain dates throughout the year to gauge interest for cycle participation. More team coaching, having coaches be more present in teams and collaborative planning. Coaching cycles are where the magic happens, even as we are shifting approaches.
Sam: 6-12 coach is focused on math and is a math teacher. We know that it’s really hard to carry a teaching load and also be a coach, but it gives you a closeness to what teachers are going through. We want to grow and mimic what we see in ES but also honor that secondary looks different. Different structures in ES vs Secondary making it complicated to coach K-12. Leaders are looking at Impact Cycle in Secondary.
What are the repeatable processes?
Stephanie: the launch: we can’t launch the same way every year because it becomes dull. Coaches are always looking for creative ways to launch: formal presentations walking through the steps, testimonials, panels, mini-super intense personal reflection engagements (modeling coaching)
Coaching cycle dates: because of the dual language approach with literacy, there’s not as many RW blocks in a week, whereas math might be every day. Tried having different cycle lengths in different content areas. Didn’t work as well. Try to have common start dates.
Sam:
Aug: new teachers & new faculty, choice boards & mini cycles, classroom visit
Jan: mini coaching cycle options – less formal
6-12: what we want to carry forward: a solid launch, embracing the section (MS vs HS), paying attention to the goals of each section with the support of divisional leadership.
Partnership around professional learning overall: in LS coaches help create the PD vision, they inform, share feedback, and how we should get there (series vs push in to team meetings). Admin are looking forward to having a partner in professional learning.
Stephanie: collecting data on coaching cycles and using that to see how effective coaches work. End of year survey (also collect data on who’s participating in coaching cycles), reflective questions (what were big takeaways, what are different approaches faculty would like to see)
Sam: 6-12 might look like different grade levels taking advantage of coaching or different subject areas. Opportunity to support specialists.
Why do you believe in the power of coaching? Why should schools work towards creating a culture of coaching?
Sam: In transitioning into our current roles one of the first projects we tackled together was creating a stronger faculty development tool. We have a Reflection & Growth Tool that was entangled with evaluation. We wanted to untangle that – it’s hard. It’s one thing to say it, another to do it. Evaluation Tool functions like a checklist (satisfactory or unsatisfactory) – this is what is used to evaluate faculty. T&L is intentionally focused on growth (not evaluation). Separate from Growth, which is ALSO separate from coaching. These difference as important – we already knew that, but now we have more language to say why. It’s so important that admin separate evaluation and growth, and of course coaches should be on a separate plane.
Stephanie: key part of the launching process – coaching is not evaluative, examples of what is shared with an admin and what is not (just a list of coaching partners & their goal). We model and reinforce at all times that coaches are not reporting anything back to admin. Teachers hear from each other about how incredible the work is and that makes them want to join in. Testimonials that we used for many years were part of that. Teachers would see teachers who they considered exceptional teachers opting in to coaching cycles. A great model of a peer who’s got it all together STILL working with instructional coaches.
Sam: it’s really hard to be a coach on your own, so you can calibrate those tricky conversations, since you’re not talking to an admin. How can I have this conversation and still maintain confidentiality in the coaching cycle. Admin talk about this as a trend level. You have to be careful about the lines and not cross them. Teams are important: grade level, amin team, you need people to process – including coaches.
Stephanie: when they’re seeing incredible PD that coaches adn admin are developing, they want to create that. Collaborative work with coaches gives other admin a clear vision of how coaching
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SHOW NOTES continued…
Untangling Evaluation & Coaching
Sam: What’s really important to know is that when you’re being evaluated and your livelihood is on the line, it’s not appropriate to say “here’s how you can grow”. Evaluation can’t be untangled from growth. But the growth opportunities that are centered around coaching need to not be tied to your livelihood, that’s not an opportune time for that. This tool is to evaluate you. This tool is for you to think about how you would grow & how your section admin might help you. This tool is for your growth, centered on student learning.
Stephanie: when faculty complete personal growth year, that is the place where we recommend coaching MORE than support plan connected to evaluation. Smart goals are about what they’re passionate about where they see the need for growth – puts the ownership back on them. Then an invite to coaching can come. Coaching is focused on personal PD and not faculty evaluation.
Sam: coaches have NO connection to support plan – if they’re supporting someone who’s on support plan, they don’t even know. If you’re an administrator of course you’re a coach, you’re an instructional leader, you have to be able to coach people around instructional practices, but you don’t get to devote all your time on that, which is why coaches are so important – they can focus on that. Coaches have the time and space to do that, but admin still have the instructional leadership responsibility. Success of faculty is shared with us: if there’s a faculty member that needs a support plan, admin shares responsibility
Stephanie: As an admin, if there’s a faculty member in need of support to the level where they’re on a support plan, it’s my responsibility to do everything I can possibly do to help them grow. I want every single faculty member to be as successful as possible. I believe that it’s my responsibility to support them. Coaches don’t share that same level of responsibility. They’re members of the faculty, not administrators.
Investment in multiple coaches
Stephanie: Data is really important: how many teachers are engaging in coaching, teachers are citing coaching in exit interviews or staying interviews. Evidence and proof that faculty love it, we use it as a way to attract faculty.
Sam: as we consider growing in 6-12 we look at the whole financial picture, major additions to campus, impacts budget and how we continue to grow. Even within that we maintain non-negotiables: student learning is paramount. There’s not a direct line between coaching and student learning (cause and effect is extremely difficult to measure) but you can take lots of evidence and say that this is impacting this. We can measure where we’re having an impact. As you consider tight budgets: where can you retool some of your staffing. In a 6-12 model you can do this a little easier than Pk-5: shift elective offerings, and alot for a coach. You might find that there are certain positions (not PEOPLE) is that having the maximum impact – or would coaching have an impact. Steve Barkely talks about class size as not being a silver bullet, instructional coaching does – if you’re looking at dorpping class sizes by 2-3 students vs having another coach, you really need to weigh this out. Rather stay with coaches, they’re such an invaluable tool.
Stephanie: teachers love our instructional coaching team. They see them as an incredible team: they understand curriculum, resources, put it into action. They are well sought out. They do so much for the teachers and our teachers know that. That helps spread their power. People hear form each other
What should they avoid? What common problems or obstacles do you see?
Stephanie: conversations around coaching models / philosophies have been collaborative with admin. If coaches are engaging in those conversations separately and admin aren’t part of that, there can be different perspectives and expectations about what can happen. Formal protocols to talk together about what that might look like. Aligns expectations and avoids pitfalls.
Sam: Don’t exacerbate any inequities that might exist. If you’re going to provide coaching, make sure that the people you want to access it, can access it. You say a lot about how you write a job description. Really think about how you write job descriptions. Have the job description available for anyone so they can see it.Stef: go slow to go fast – especially if you’re just starting with one coach. Support team for that coach needs to have realistic expectations. Can’t expect them to have coaching cycles with 10 teachers at once in the first year. Slowly grow over time.
Ready to Learn More about Successful Coaching Systems and Structures?
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To learn more about these options, we have three FREE workshops to share with you today.
For New or Aspiring Coaches
If you’re just getting started as a coach, and you want to be successful in your early years, watch our New to Coaching Workshop, which highlights the key mindset and skill set shifts you’ll need when moving from the classroom to a coaching role. The workshop will also tell you all about our online course, Getting Started as a Coach. This course is specifically designed for classroom teachers who are moving into a coaching role so you’re prepared for the transition. It’s focused on exactly the skillset & mindset shifts you need to so you can be successful in your first years as an instructional coach.
For Experienced Coaches
If you’re already a coach & you want to think about being more intentional & strategic in your practice, watch our workshop on the Thrive Model for Coaching Success which will help you evaluate your program and your practice to see where you may have room to grow. You’ll walk away with a clear picture of exactly what you need to focus on to build a thriving coaching culture – and help you decide if our year-long mentorship and certification program, The Coach, is right for you, right now. This program is designed for current coaches who are focused on building a coaching culture through intentional and strategic coaching work at all levels – with teachers and school leaders.
For Coaches Ready to Lead
For experienced coaches ready to look at the bigger picture of the school to see what might be supporting or hindering the sustainability of the coaching program, and you want to make sure your school has all of the systems and structures in place, watch our workshop: Scaling Your Impact as an Instructional Coach. You’ll get a bird’s eye view of what’s needed to make coaching sustainable for you as an individual coach and for your school. When you’re ready to put that learning into action, join us in our online course for coaches ready to lead: Coaches as Leaders and put it all into practice – with support from Kim and our global cohort! This course is designed for experienced coaches, ready to lead.
You can find all the workshops on our coachbetter website at coachbetter.tv/workshops
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