In this #coachbetter episode, Kim is chatting with Jackie Frens, K-8 tech integration specialist in two private schools in Michigan. Jackie has a wide range of experience in both private and public schools in the US, as well as international schools. In this episode, we talked about many different elements of making coaching successful – especially when you’re split between two different schools with many different competing priorities. Jackie is a very thoughtful practitioner and her insights and reflections provide lots of opportunities to look deeply at the rewards and benefits coaching can bring – even in a demanding multi-school environment.

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Show Notes

Building Rapport in your teaching community, what are your routines (walking the hall, eating lunch in the staff room) “The Coaching Bank” – how do you make connections with colleagues on a professional level, not just a personal one

Started out as 100% coach – had all sorts of spreadsheets about what teachers taught throughout the year, really got to know the curriculum, did after school activities & set up things in the summer. After the first year, set up designated schedule with each class.

One school has a specific program – with very specific structures, where the classroom teacher is not allowed to be there. Some teachers are super excited, and also teachers that say “I don’t care what you do with them at this time, this is my planning time.”

When teachers have to be in the room with her, the teachers are more apt to have students prepare the content throughout the week.

Always having food and snacks to after school trainings. Now that she has designated time with classrooms, the after school training is not as necessary. 

Building a Culture of Coaching: Where/How do you start? Being an advocate for the importance of your role

Genuinely excited about and interested in the curriculum. Stay on top of curriculum, when a teacher has a first year with new curriculum, she’s very active in how she can support the teachers. Give teachers the feeling of helping, not adding to their plate. Also partner with new teachers who may need more support. Keeping her ear to the ground for things that are new. Keeping that classroom teacher perspective. Not minimize the value of tech support (keyboard shortcuts, connecting laptop to projector, clearing printer jam) – these will create a giant bridge when you’re starting a job.

Staying motivated as a coach when you’re “the only one” who cares about tech rich learning

At one school there is also a middle school coach, at the other school, she’s the only but that school is part of a larger district with 4 or 5 other coaches who meet together to support each other. Just the privilege of being a coach is what motivates me – get to work with all different age levels including adults, subject areas.

The challenge of being “understood” as a coach – teachers don’t know what you do / think you just have free time

Importance of having visible ways to show the work you’re doing: like keyboard shortcuts, clearing the printer.

Need to have balance for yourself. If people are misunderstanding me, I am going to let other people know that I understand how much effort they are putting into things. By acknowledging the time that they’re putting into things, they will understand me better too. Being super appreciative of the work that teachers are doing – seeing and valuing the work they’re doing. Being an advocate for others.

The many hats of coaching: coach, consultant, co-teacher, etc

The schedule helps her identify the designated time to devote to coaching. Also manages the library media center. Short term to do lists and long term plans. Finding time in the day. Having taught 2nd grade during a budget cut time, everything in perspective.

What does data look like from coaching? What are you using to help motivate teachers to make improvements/changes? Assessing tech & tech integration, how do you give it value (teacher evaluation, teacher growth): “More Than Ticking the Box”

Working with a third of the teachers (different grade levels and subject areas), as assigned by the principal to track and reflect on some data. Now they are all are contributing to a blog, as more of a process story, sharing what didn’t go well (along with what did go well), so people could see what are the expectations for researching a tech tool and figuring out where it might fit in a curriculum, is it practical and where it might work. Telling the story of how to integrate technology helps other teachers understand the whole process.

What are ways that you make yourself invaluable as a coach? What are the things that teachers love that you do?

Little strategies like keyboard shortcuts. Starting after school programs for kids who might not have otherwise had those kinds of opportunities.

Where do coaches fail? And what can we do about it?

The challenge is: am I allowing someone to be too comfortable, am I allowing myself to be too comfortable with allowing people to stay in a comfortable place (those who want to do the minimum) and gravitate towards the enthusiastic colleagues. Relying too heavily on one tool. Challenging to be an advocate for district tools / mandates when you know how hard it is to use for teachers. As yourself: “Is the juice worth the squeeze?”

Tips for getting started as a coach in a new school

Aside from bringing great snacks, ask for time with teachers and find out what they teacher would love. Right at the beginning, just do whatever it is that is the teachers “tech dream” – which will give you more of a welcome the next time you want to try something. Build the trust by finding out what is meaningful to that colleague.

What’s one resource you would recommend and why was it impactful for your practice?

At the Scratch conference at MIT, mittensbrothers website, using microbits with different kinds of controllers. Scratch 3.0 allows you to connect your microbit to scratch blocks. Built a balance board to code a game or story that is controlled by the microbit installed in the balance board.

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