The+3+C's+of+Coaching+The+3+Stances

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It Says... "Two major attributes define the stance a mentor is taking in any learning-focused conversation. One factor is the way in which information emerges during the exchange. The other factor is the source of any gap analysis regarding such elements as planned goals and actual outcomes or teacher actions and student behaviors. Within the consulting stance, the mentor produces or supplies the information and identifies and offers expert analysis of any gaps. Within a collaborative stance, the mentor and protege share idea development and gap analysis. Finally, within a coaching stance, the protege produces the information and analyzes the gaps as the mentor paraphrases and inquires to enlarge perpectives and clarify details." //Mentoring Matters//, Bruce Wellman,
 * Consulting, Coaching, and Collaborating**

I Say... The mentor-mentee relationship is an organic connection that grows and changes throughout the year and even through the course of a single conversation. Mentors need to be able to shift their roles depending on the needs of the mentee. Therefore, knowledge of these differing roles need to be provided, strategies need to be presented, and practice needs to take place.

So What... For our purposes,
 * brief, bulleted outlines of the roles, strategies and suggestions for practice could be provided -- so what would these be ? These are all listed in chart form in Mentoring Matters; we could pick and choose and condense, as the lists are long. If it becomes too long, as suggested in the previous section, we could simply reference this section in our annotated bibliography.

It Says... "Resisitng their perceived role as "experts," mentors have adopted a more collegial stance in their work with less-experienced teachers. Effective mentoring requires a philosophy that encourages questioning, recognizes territoriality, and models continual learning." //Mentoring Beginning Teachers//, Jean Boreen et al., pg. 38.
 * Blocks to Understanding**

I Say... Mentors become mentors for a variety of reasons: they want to demonstrate leadership, they like to interact with new teachers, they have been tapped on the shoulder by someone to fill this role, etc. Sometimes, mentors can become so excited about strategies that they've found to be effective or lessons that have succeeded that they talk more than they should, offer criticism when they shouldn't, and forget to listen to their mentees' ideas. This is where knowledge of Blocks to Understanding becomes important.

So What... For our purposes,
 * point-form synopses of the Blocks to Understanding could be provided enter those here ( refer to Mentoring Matters for the definitions - page 37) so that Mentors are aware of Personal Referencing, Personal Curiosity, and Personal Certainty.
 * perhaps quotations from mentors and mentees who have experienced and overcome these practices could be included for a more "real" presentation of the definitions and what not to do. I wonder where we might get some of these? Given our length restrictions, perhaps just quotations from a few Mentor/Mentee pairings could be placed in offset boxes on the right-hand side of the page? Suzanne/Surinder should have feedback forms from the most recent Mentor/Mentee celebrations that we could refer to?

It Says: "The learner -- in this case the mentee -- plays a more active role in the learning than in the former mentor-driven paradigm, even when the mentee has been recruited by the mentor. The mentor's role has been replaced from the 'sage on the stage' to the 'guide on the side.'" //The Mentor's Guide//, Lois Zachary, pg. 3.
 * Listening, Questioning, Pausing, and Paraphrasing**

I Say: A teacher's job is to impart knowledge upon the learner. An easy and efficient (but not often the most effective) way to impart this knowledge is to act as the "sage on the stage", verbally providing the answers that the recipient is seeking. As a mentor, it is often more efficient to take on the role of consultant for the majority of the time, given our hectic daiy schedules; however, guiding is a much more efficient use of a mentor's time as this practice will help to encourage self-sufficiency in the mentee and ultimately save the mentor and mentee time in the long run. So What: For our purposes,
 * point-form effective listening strategies could be provided (Wellman page 35 - Attending Fully)
 * strategies for conducting hard conversations could be provided (Mention syntactical substitutions as a strategy to avoid hard conversation, Wellman page 52) - This could be organized in a box format echoing its original source. Refer to Jennifer Abrams' Outcome Map to lead Mentors through the steps of a hard conversation (Having Hard Conversations, page 59)
 * the importance of questioning (, pausing (Definitions of Wait Time on page 50), and paraphrasing (page 55) could be provided (Wellman?)

I think these are a good idea; perhaps this could be written as tips, maybe using headings (e.g. strategies for listening --maybe? we would have to craft the headings carefully so that it does not seem like we are condescending) this quotation would work well in a margin to serve as a 3rd point.

It Says... "The intention of the consulting stance is to share vital information about policies and procedures, learning and learners, curricuum and content and standards and effective practices. The consulting mentor provides information in two important categories; information about how the district and school operates, and information about professional practice." //Mentoring Matters//, Bruce Wellman, pg. 22.
 * The Role of the Consultant**

I Say... Not every conversation between mentor and mentee needs to be a collaborative endeavour, and sometimes this type of conversation is not appropriate. When a mentee needs a quick answer to a question about logistics (i.e. the layout of the school, board procedures, report card policies, etc.), a quick imparting of information is appropriate. Afterward, a more in-depth conversation could take place if the mentee has questions or has had difficulty with the application of the information.

So What... For our purposes,
 * we could provide a brief overview of the types of questions that could be answered as an "expert" or "consultant" that might be interesting!
 * suggestions regarding the provision of resources beforehand by the mentor to the mentee could also ultimately save time

It Says... "In a collaborating stance, the mentor and protege co-develop the information pool. This is often the case once a problem has been framed or clarified and solution approaches appear. A collaborative interaction involves shared analysis, problem-solving decision-making and reflection. The reciprocal nature of collaboration supports mutual learning, mutual growth and mutual respect." //Mentoring Matters//, Bruce Wellman, pg. 24.
 * The Role of the Collaborator**

I Say... The rewards that come with being a Mentor are abundant. The reciprocal nature of collaboration facilitates learning for the Mentor as well as the Mentee. In many of our debriefing sessions with Mentors and Mentees, it has been the Mentor who has verbalized their own learning through the partnership process more often than not. An important mindframe for Mentors when committing to this role is one of reciprocity, entering the relationship on an equal footing to that of the Mentee.

So What.. For our purposes,
 * In our sessions for Mentors and Mentees, we have been very cognizant of the need for co-planning time for the partners. Through the use of guiding questions ( is that the question placemat??) Not sure. I was thinking more of Wellman's mediational questions to inquire and probe, page 58, Mentors and Mentees are able to establish areas of focus for the year, and establish the steps that they will follow, as well as create timelines for themselves.
 * We could provide some of these templates for the partners on the Side by Side website (some are already there) yes, we could highlight some of this information and provide them with details about how to get more info!

It Says... "A coach supports a colleague's thinking, problem-solving and goal clarification. The outcomes of the coaching stance are to increase the protege's expertise in planning, reflecting on practice, and instructional decision-making...With a focus on cognitive and related emotional operations, skillful coaches guide colleagues in accessing internal resources and developing capacities for self-directed learning." //Mentoring Matters//, Bruce Wellman, pg. 25.
 * The Role of the Coach**

I Say... The guiding techiniques of which Wellman speaks are clearly delineated within Mentoring Matters. His questioning, pausing, and paraphrasing strategies are effective in turning conversations away from a focus on Mentor expertise onto self-discovery for the Mentee.

So What... For our purposes,
 * The Wellman training institutes are vital for Mentors newly entering the role
 * Reminders of the aforementioned strategies would aid Mentors in conducting their hard conversations

I say... Cognitive coaching is a form of instructional coaching well suited to the mentor-mentee collaboration. Mentors can plan opportunities for reflecting on lesson-planning, assessment, classroom management, reporting to parents and any area other of professional leaning. The three parts of the cognitive coaching approach, a planning conversation, an event (e.g., classroom lesson), usually observed by the mentor, and a reflecting conversation, allow for the mentee and mentor to work in partnership and to learn from one another. It creates an ideal opportunity for feedback that allows the mentee to feel safe. In this section, we could refer to the Peer to Peer Visits opportunity for 2nd year teachers wherein flip cameras are often used. We could reference the Peer to Peer Visits pamphlet that is already posted on the Side by Side site. And so... The cognitive coaching approach to mentoring allows the mentor to take on many roles. At times, the role will look much like the role of coach as identified by Wellman and Lipton. In this approach, the focus is on developing the mentee’s internal self-monitoring. At times, this form will resemble the Collaborator role as the two colleagues work side-by side to develop the lesson that will be taught. Finally, the cognitive coach becomes the Consultant when he or she provides direct information on procedures or pedagogy to the mentee during the planning or reflecting conversations. There are templates that were created to guide these conversations. Again, we could either include them as appendices or direct the Mentors to the site. Deb, I thinking you may have a copy if you still have the files from the Peer to Peer Initiatve Workshop from November. I have copies as well.
 * //It says... (Maureen)//**
 * //In his work on instructional coaching, Jim Knight refers to several different forms of coaching. One form that is very popular in American schools is cognitive coaching. “Cognitive coaching is predicated on the assumption that behaviour changes after beliefs change...human beings construct their knowledge through reflecting on experience and through dialogue with others...Since they believe that a change in perception is a pre-requisite to a change in behaviour, cognitive coaches work together with teachers to enhance their ability to reflect in collaboration with teachers...(They) learn to ask people questions that encourage people to reflect on their actions. (Instructional Coaching: A Problem-solving approach to Instructional Coaching pg. 10-11)//**

I say... The first year of teaching can be so daunting in so many ways that it is easy to focus just on the survival of the new teacher. However, that teacher is charged with a teaching assignment and we must support them pedagogically as well because his or her students will be directly impacted by the quality of instruction. Much of the literature on teacher induction programs and mentoring raises this issue – the dual challenges a novice teacher faces with trying to navigate a brand new profession and trying to become competent, confident educators. (I think we need to be careful here...one of the issues that arose at my school with the large number of Mentees that we had was the assumption that they are "brand new." Many of our new teachers have been supply teaching for a few years before they gain their first LTO or First Year Contract position. Could we maybe make mention of the diversity of the Mentees that the Mentors will be partnering?) There is frequent mention of the need to reduce the workload of a beginning teacher in order to make that critical first year more successful for the new teacher and his or her students. And so... Right now, new teachers do not have the luxury of a reduced workload in the first year or two of their careers. As mentors, we are charged then with a dual role ourselves. We need to provide emotional support to our mentees, which will be different at various points in the year, and we must also provide support with pedagogical content and strategies. I think that the notion of reminding new teachers to look after their personal well being is important and maybe something that we could talk to explicitly
 * //It says... (Maureen)//**
 * //(Most mentoring tends to focus on providing emotional support, helping teachers navigate the challenges of the first year...However, to improve their pedagogical knowledge and skill, new teachers need support focussed on the core of education – teaching learning of content.” (Mentoring that Fits, Pam Grossman and Emily Davis, Educational Leadership May 2012, pg. 55)//**

I really like this quotation; it does mark a fundamental shift in the way we now see the Mentor's role I say... This shift in thinking may be challenging at first and it will take a conscious effort on the part of the mentor not to appear as the expert in communication with the mentee. However, we know that new teachers want to work collaboratively with more experienced colleagues and want to feel valued as professionals. Also, enough cannot be said about the importance of reflection. The greatest impact on instructional practice will come from guided reflection by the mentee and goal-setting based on that reflection. And so... The mentee-mentor relationship is one in which the balance will always be shifting. At times, we will be there just to provide a little guidance and, other times, more direct coaching will be needed. The most important thing to remember as mentors is that it is a partnership. With a strong focus on sharing of ideas and reflection, both teachers will grow professionally. This reinforces Wellman's 3 Stances (Constulting, Coaching, and Collaborating) well; we could combine these sections.
 * //It says... (Maureen)//**
 * //“Traditionally, mentors have been the “experts” who pass on to beginning teachers the “tricks of the trade”. An alternative to the “telling” approach is the strategy of guiding, reflecting and coaching...In the past, mentoring roles might have involved advising. More recently however, the mentor’s role has been one of listening, questioning, and encouraging reflection.” (Mentoring Beginning Teachers, pg. 25)//**

Page 33, //Unmistakable Impact,// Jim Knight Partnership should enable individuals to have more meaningful experiences. In partnership relationships, meaning arises when people reflect on ideas and then put those actions into practice. A requirement for partnership is that each individual is free to reconstruct and use content the way he or she considers it most useful. For ICs this means that in partnership with collaborating teachers, they focus their attention on how to use ideas in the classroom as those ideas are being learned.
 * It Says... **
 * //Praxis: Teachers Should Apply Their Learning to //**
 * //Their Real-Life Practice as They Are Learning //**

Page 33, //Unmistakable Impact,// Jim Knight
 * It Says...**
 * //Reciprocity: Instructional Coaches Should //**


 * //Expect to Get as Much as They Give //**

In a partnership, all partners benefit from the success, learning, or experience of others—everyone is rewarded by what each individual contributes. For that reason, one of an IC’s goals should be to learn along with collaborating teachers, such as learning about each teacher’s classroom, the strengths and weaknesses of the teaching practices being learned when used in each teacher’s classroom, various perspectives of the teaching strategy when seen through the eyes of teachers and students, and so on.

What Jim Knight says about coaching related to instruction:
 * It Says **

“Does the teacher understand the content, have a plan, and understand which information is most important? If a teacher’s class is well managed, a second question is whether the teacher has a deep knowledge of the content. Teachers need to know which content is most important, and they also need to know how to explain that content clearly. Several questions <span style="font-family: 'Palatino-Roman','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px;">might help a coach determine whether a teacher has mastery of his or her <span style="font-family: 'Palatino-Roman','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px;">content. They include the following:


 * <span style="font-family: 'EhrhardtMT-SemiBold','serif'; font-size: 13px;">34 Coaching **

<span style="font-family: 'CourierNewPSMT','serif'; font-size: 11px;">02-Knight-45742:Knight Sample 7/15/2008 3:11 PM Page 34

> Has the teacher developed essential questions for all units? <span style="font-family: 'Palatino-Roman','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px;">by the course? > the top 10 concepts?”
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino-Roman','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px;">Does the teacher have a complete, detailed plan for teaching the
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino-Roman','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px;">course?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino-Roman','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px;">Do those questions align with the state standards?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino-Roman','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px;">Can the teacher identify the 10 to 15 core questions that are answered
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino-Roman','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px;">Can the teacher identify the top 10 concepts in the course?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino-Roman','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px;">Can the teacher clearly and simply explain the meaning of each of


 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino-Roman','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px;">I Say **

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino-Roman','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px;">This is an overwhelming amount of information for a first year teacher to have in place at the beginning of their career. It is up to the mentor to help the mentee what to focus on first; this list provides some ideas, but it is important to remember that Instructional Coaching is different from being a Side by Side mentor. Instructional Coaching is a relationship which can happen at any point in a person’s career. <span style="font-family: 'Palatino-Roman','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px;">To that end, these questions related to instruction are ones that would be good to ask someone with 5 or 10 years experience but they would be overwhelming for a new teacher. However, some of these questions adapted, would work well. Eg what are the 2 or 3 important concepts in this unit?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino-Roman','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px;">And So **