It Takes Two to Coach
What is a collaborative partnership?
A partnership where the coach and educator work together toward shared goals, with
-trust
-respect
-shared decision making
-working alongside
-non-judgmental
What is a shared goal?
A goal the coach and educator agree on that focuses on improving practices/knowledge based off of the support agreement
What is focused observation?
Gathering information about a specific practice related to the coaching goal/support agreement
What is reflection?
Reflection is thinking about and discussing experiences, observations, strengths and progress.
Who is responsible for making decisions throughout the PBC process?
The coach and educator collaborate and share responsibility, with the educator actively involved in decisions about their practice.
What helps build trust between a coach and educator?
-Active listening
-Open communication
-Respect
-Reliability
-Following through on commitments.
What should a coaching goal focus on?
An observable teaching practice that can support educators' capacity, children's learning, development, or participation.
What should a coach observe during a focused observation?
The specific practice (step) related to the goal, rather than everything happening in the classroom.
Why is it important to connect feedback to the shared goal?
It keeps feedback focused and helps the educator connect their practice to the step/goal.
What is supportive feedback?
Feedback that is specific, supportive, and connected to observed practice and the shared goal.
What does shared decision-making look like in coaching?
Both the coach and educator(s) contribute ideas (coaches can contribute when asked or see that educator is having a hard time coming up with an idea), share perspectives, and make decisions together.
What are the key parts of an action plan?
A specific goal (PAMT), action steps, ways to measure progress, the supports or resources needed and a start/end date
What makes observation data objective?
Descriptive information about what was seen or heard, without assumptions or personal judgments.
What makes a reflective question effective?
An open-ended question that encourages thinking, such as “What did you notice when you used the visual cue?”
An educator says, “The children just don't listen during cleanup.” What could a coach ask to explore the concern without making assumptions?
Examples: “What are you noticing during cleanup?” or “Can you walk me through what usually happens?”
How would you respond to an educator who feels judged during coaching?
Listen to the educator's concerns, acknowledge their feelings, clarify the purpose of coaching, and work together to identify a comfortable next step.
How would you turn the vague goal “improve transitions” into a specific, observable goal?
For example: "By January 15th, we will support smoother transitions by providing children with a verbal warning and visual cue before transitions, during cleanup and moving to the next activity, at least twice daily on M/W/F"
How would you collect evidence to determine whether an educator is making progress toward a goal?
Collect information directly related to the goal, such as how often a strategy is used and how children respond.
How would you provide constructive feedback without taking over the conversation?
Begin with the educator's perspective, share specific observations, ask reflective questions, and explore next steps together rather than prescribing a solution.
An educator's goal is to “help children be more independent.” What is one observable practice the coach and educator could focus on?
Examples include providing visual cues, modelling the steps of a routine, or allowing children time to try a task before offering help.
How would you maintain a collaborative partnership if you and the educator disagreed about a strategy?
Listen to understand the educator's perspective, acknowledge differences, return to the shared goal, and explore options together without imposing the coach's preferred solution.
How would you work with an educator to revise an action plan when progress stalls?
Review the action steps, educators' strengths, observation evidence, barriers, and available supports. Collaborate on whether to adjust the strategy, action steps, or goal.
How would you use observation data to guide the next coaching step?
Compare the observation evidence with the shared goal and previous observations. Identify patterns and progress, then use the information to guide reflection and next steps.
How would you support reflection when an educator struggles to recognize progress?
Ask questions that help the educator recognize small successes and barriers. Share specific evidence, acknowledge progress, and explore what they might try next.
A coach notices that an educator used a strategy only once. Should the coach immediately conclude that the strategy is unsuccessful? Explain.
No. Explore what happened, consider the context and observation evidence, and collaborate with the educator to decide whether to continue, adapt, or try another approach.