1.3. Notaciones de especicación y diseño (UML)
1.3.5. Modelo estructural de implementación
• The feedback needs to take place as soon as possible after the observation (cer- tainly within five working days), in private and in a relaxed atmosphere. It can be useful to provide the feedback in the room in which the observation took place in order to recall individual children by indicating where they were sitting. Do, however, give yourself thinking time beforehand. You may need to frame specific questions as a result of what you saw.
• Begin by asking your colleague how the lesson went. This often enables the teacher to express concerns about details of the lesson and to relax. Active lis- tening is important at this stage.
• As in any coaching conversation, be aware of your colleague’s body language during the feedback. It is effective to gently mirror his or her posture as the ses- sion progresses.
• Start by saying something positive in the first sentence of the feedback. Then recount the observation record in a matter-of-fact way, stopping as necessary to give and receive comments and to ask questions for clarification.
THE COACHING TOOLKIT
26
GETTING STARTED
27
• Remember to maintain good eye contact with your colleague during your feedback. • Be descriptive rather than judgemental and avoid ‘you should have …’ statements. • It is important to focus on what happened in the lesson. In this method of giv- ing feedback the observer is acting as a mirror to enable the coachee to see the les- son and to draw conclusions for herself or himself.
• It can be useful to model the way in which your colleague did or said something during the lesson. This technique should be used with caution and only in a secure, professional, coaching relationship and with the coachee’s permission. • As issues emerge, ask questions that will enable the coachee to open up possibil-
ities for change. For example, ‘What would it have looked like if …?’ and ‘What led you to …?’. Sometimes the teacher will make a statement that can be explored with the question ‘Could you tell me a bit more about …?’. Alternatively, it may be helpful to reflect something that he or she said earlier in the conversation. In other words, use your coaching skills.
• At the end of the feedback the observee should be encouraged to reflect on the feedback and to draw out the strengths of the lesson and any issues that he or she wishes to tackle. ‘So, what do you now feel about the lesson?’ or ‘What did you see in the feedback?’ or ‘What do you think having heard the feedback?’ are all useful ways of encouraging this self-reflection.
• The coachee may decide, as a result of the coach’s questioning, to specify targets to be worked on subsequently.
• A copy of the observation record may be given to the observee. It is also helpful for the coach to provide a written summary of the observation. This should state the strengths of the lesson and any actions that the coachee intends to take. It should be a summary of the points raised in the feedback and should contain nothing new. It may be useful to leave the coachee with one or two questions during the feed- back to prompt reflection. These questions should be written in the summary. • At the end of the feedback both parties should feel positive about the experience. • If further observations are planned, the coach must allow sufficient time to elapse before returning. In the meantime, updates and advice can be exchanged informally in the staff room. It is important to allow the coachee time to con- solidate the skills that have been targeted. Teachers, like other learners, may regress before they progress!
Questions for reflection and discussion
• Which coaching skills do I currently use in my work? • Which coaching skills do I need to develop?
• How will I do this?
• What support is to be provided for coaches in the early stages of their work? Allison & Harbour-CH-3:Allison & Harbour-CH-3 4/11/2009 11:43 AM Page 27
THE COACHING TOOLKIT
28
Summary
• It is important to find opportunities to practise your coaching skills before ‘going live’ with coachees.
• Coaches need to pay attention to the environment in which they hold coaching conversations as well as to their physical posture and tone of voice.
• They also need to establish some mutually acceptable ground rules for the coaching work.
• It is important to keep in mind the ‘shape’ of the conversation when coaching. • When giving feedback on observed lessons as a coach, concentrate on giving a
factual account of what happens in the lesson.
Electronic resources
Go to www.sagepub.co.uk/allison for electronic resources for this chapter Record of coaching conversation (FLOW)
Record of coaching conversation (STRIDE) Self-talk and performance success task
Further reading
Flaherty, J. (1999) Coaching: Evoking Excellence in Others. London: Butterworth-Heinemann. Starr, J. (2003) The Coaching Manual. London: Prentice Hall Business.
Thomas, W. (2005) Coaching Solutions: Resource Book. Stafford: Network Educational Press. Allison & Harbour-CH-3:Allison & Harbour-CH-3 4/11/2009 11:43 AM Page 28