Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Feedback -v- feedforward part 3

In Week 3 of the Coursera MOOC on coaching the focus is on the quality of feedback that coaches give to coachees.  I think there is some good advice here:
  • Focus on one skill at a time - implementing a new skill takes a lot of time and practice
  • Spend about 1/3 of the coaching session reviewing the past (the lesson being observed) and the other 2/3 of the session planning and practicing new instructional skills for the future
One thing I'm still puzzled about is that it seems with this model it is the coach who selects the goal and who makes the teacher being coached accountable.  I'm still not sure that this approach works.  This is called Directive Coaching and according to the MOOC this gives teachers a concrete framework within which they can independently reflect on how they are doing.  I really do like the aim of creating reflective practitioners, but I'm wondering how much of what a teacher is doing is really going to change when it is the coach rather than the teacher who is the one setting the goals.

Original artwork by an ASB student

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