Teachers Teaching Teachers, May 2006, Vol. 1, No. 8
NSDC profile--Ric Palma: Building confidence is part of the coach's job
"Teachers tends to forget about so much that they do right. They get so discouraged." Ric Palma knows how important it is for him to help teachers gain confidence in what they do.As an instructional coach at Topeka (Kansas) High School, Palma works one on one with teachers in classrooms, collaborates with other coaches, and meets weekly with other leaders in his school.
A lot of Palma's work is relatively informal. Teachers ask for help solving a problem and he finds strategies that might work. Most importantly, he encourages self-reflection. "It's just listening and holding up a mirror so teachers can see themselves," he says.
By Joan Richardson
Focus on the NSDC Standards: Fearless evaluation is a key part of coaching
Evaluation is an important part of what teacher leaders do in classrooms and in work with their peers. While the idea of evaluating classroom practices sounds intimidating, it doesn't have to be.Learn about the Evaluation standard as it applies to coaching. Killion provides basic definitions and steps in the evaluation process to help coaches consider how to integrate evaluation into their improvement programs.
By Joellen Killion
NSDC tool: Coach's time chart
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Role: Classroom supporter
Meet the classroom supporter -- in this role, the school-based coach joins the teacher in the classroom and offers a range of support options.The coach may demonstrate a lesson when the teacher is learning a new instructional practice. Coach and teacher have an option to co-teach when the teacher is ready to try a new practice. Finally, the coach may observe and offer feedback as the teacher conducts the lesson on her or his own.
By Joellen Killion , Cynthia Harrison
