What is a Coaching Cycle?
A coaching cycle consists of three points of contact between a coach and teacher:
During the Planning Meeting, the teacher describes the lesson to be observed and identifies personal goals for the school year. The teacher also identifies an area of his/her teaching for the coach to focus and collect data on during the observation. Click on "Growth Areas" to see a list of possible focus areas. Ideally, the evidence gathered on this focus area will help the teacher identify progress toward his/her personal goals. To prepare for the planning meeting:
- Planning Meeting
- Observation
- Reflecting Meeting
During the Planning Meeting, the teacher describes the lesson to be observed and identifies personal goals for the school year. The teacher also identifies an area of his/her teaching for the coach to focus and collect data on during the observation. Click on "Growth Areas" to see a list of possible focus areas. Ideally, the evidence gathered on this focus area will help the teacher identify progress toward his/her personal goals. To prepare for the planning meeting:
- Have your lesson plans accessible.
- Prepare to discuss your personal goal(s) for the school year.
- Prepare to discuss things you might want your coach to watch for during the lesson observed (see Growth areas above for examples).
- Prepare to describe what the lesson will look like and student objective(s).
Watch a shortened version of an actual planning meeting |
Watch a full-length version of an actual planning meeting |
During the Observation, the coach observes a lesson chosen by the teacher and collects data on what the teacher had requested.
During the Reflecting Meeting, the coach shares the data from the observation with the teacher. The teacher reflects on the lesson, interprets the data that was collected, identifies causes of success and/or areas for growth. Examples of questions that your coach may ask of you:
During the Reflecting Meeting, the coach shares the data from the observation with the teacher. The teacher reflects on the lesson, interprets the data that was collected, identifies causes of success and/or areas for growth. Examples of questions that your coach may ask of you:
- How do you feel the lesson went compared to what you had planned?
- As you look at the data I collected, is there anything that stands out to you? How does it compare to what you had expected to see?
- If you consider the lesson an overall success, what things contributed to its success that you might do to continue this success?
- If you hesitate to consider the lesson an overall success, what changes might you make to feel more successful in the future?
- What do you need from me to help you move forward with your goals?