Instructional Coaching Strategies to Change the Conversation – Sibme Hap-E-Hour

Sibme hosted our first Hap-E-Hour Webinar on October 26th with special guests Cory Camp and Kenny McKee. Cory and Kenny discussed the role of video and online communities in the feedback cycle. In case you missed it, check out our on-demand access below:

Here are a few of the major takeaways from the conversation:

Instructional Coaching Strategies that improve coaching conversations

Trust

Cory and Kenny both talked about the importance of building trust in all coaching conversations. During the webinar, they went beyond identifying the importance of trust, though. Kenny and Cory both discussed the importance of modeling the vulnerability it takes to engage in a coaching relationship by recording video of themselves teaching. It’s important for teachers to see you on video if you expect them to share video of themselves with you. This high-impact strategy has helped them build trusting relationships with teachers they coach. It also has the added benefit of helping teachers feel comfortable being videoed when the time comes to share video with the coach.

Specificity

Instructional Coaches often make the mistake of trying to fix everything when they record video of a teacher. One of the benefits of providing time-specific comments in a video is that you are able to hone in on the issues the teacher identifies as important, rather than focusing on something the coach sees, but the teacher doesn’t find crucial. We discussed the fact that “getting on the same page” is a two-way street. Not only does video afford the opportunity for a teacher to see something they might have missed in the classroom, but it also lets a coach get clarity on the situation from the teacher.

Work Smarter-Not Harder

Cory explained how she uses some efficiency features like Synced Notes to make sure she can provide feedback to teachers in a more timely manner. Kenny also shared some excellent resources, including a coaching menu, that gives teachers the choice of what support they need, and helps him plan for the best way to record a classroom before he enters. Both Cory and Kenny set a goal for allowing teachers to record themselves more, increasing the frequency of feedback by having more videos. Cory had a great suggestion to make sure you put time on your calendar every week to review video and provide feedback to teachers.

Both Kenny and Cory were amazing guests and we couldn’t be prouder to call them Sibme Champions! We look forward to hosting our next Sibme Hap-E-Hour on November 28th. Stay tuned for more details!

Cory Camp is an Instructional Specialist with the Region 12 Educational Service Center in Texas. Cory is passionate about inclusion for all students, innovative teaching methods, and video coaching. Connect with her on Twitter @Camp_InclusivED.

Kenny McKee is a National Board Certified Teacher who currently serves as a high school instructional coach in the Buncombe County Schools district in Asheville, NC. His interests include teacher leadership, blended learning, disciplinary literacies, and instructional coaching. He is the co-creator of ASCD’s #EdAdvBecause chat, and he was a 2014 ASCD Emerging Leader. Connect with him on his blog (kennycmckee.com) or on Twitter (@kennycmckee).