In my previous blogpost, I began looking at how peer coaches can inspire and assist teachers with technology implementation. Continuing to use ISTE Coaching Standards (2f) to drive inquiry, I am now looking specifically at the importance of establishing trust.
A recent study surveyed 250 teachers regarding technology in the classroom. They found that 78% surveyed, do not feel adequately trained to effectively use technology in their classrooms (Bolkan, 2017). In addition, 82% find value in technology and believe that it can help prepare students for future careers. So how can peer coaching help the majority of teachers who feel lost with how to implement technology?
We work in an environment where many teachers feel like they are constantly being evaluated, judged, and pressured to change something in the classroom. With changes to curriculum, standards, and assessments, it’s no wonder that many teachers are overwhelmed by the thought of adding technology into the mix. So what can a peer coach do to start the dialogue?
Understanding that everyone has a unique background story on how they ended up in the classroom, it is important for coaches to take time getting to the know their colleagues on a personal level before attempting to offer coaching advice. Trust must be established before advice can be given.
“Coaching can’t succeed without a trusting, respectful relationship between the coach and the collaborating teacher.” – Les Foltos
TRUST
Trust begins with understanding the needs of the teacher and for them to understand the coach is an ally, not an evaluator. In his book, Peer Coaching, Les Foltos makes several strong claims to the importance of trust. In particular, that trust and respect lay the foundation for collaboration.
So how can a novice coach, begin the process? Starr Sackstein, highlights 5 steps for building trust in her post, 5 Steps for Building Trust in a Hybrid Teacher/Coach Role.
- Send out a needs assessment and a letter that clarifies the role of the coach and confidentiality
- Meet with teachers individually to review needs
- Listen carefully to what teachers are asking for and what their students need without pushing an agenda. Use this time to get to know the teacher’s situation and work on establishing a positive relationship.
- Open up coaches classroom for visits and share a schedule with staff so they are aware of what you are doing and what they can come observe
- Based on needs assessment and conversations, begin to support the teacher as they set goals and work together to create strategies to implement. Continue to follow up with the teacher to ensure their needs are being met.
To summarize ways to establish trust, I created the following acronym, highlighting 5 attributes.
This is a starting point for me, and a tool that can serve as a reminder during collaboration. In theory, peer coaches want to avoid taking on the role of “expert” and instead use guided questioning to allow the collaborating teacher to determine which tools or strategies may work best to fit their needs. By setting goals together and continuing to show teachers you care about how things are going, coaches can continue to foster that sense of trust.
Supporting Veteran Teachers
Beyond trust, and again avoiding the role of expert, I question how to support veteran teachers who may be reluctant to integrating technology. Our schools are comprised of staff with varying skills, languages, previous careers, degrees, and background knowledge. This is why the needs assessment is so critical in establishing how coaches can establish rapport. With the statistics above finding 3 out of 4 teachers feeling they lack adequate technology training, these are the teachers peer coaches need to reach out to.
Veteran teachers already know the education system better than anyone else. So how can a coach who might have considerably less experience in the classroom, create a successful collaborative relationship with veteran teachers? Peg Grafwallner, recently shared some tips in her post, Coaching the Veteran Teacher.
- “Be cognizant of your tone and demeanor.”
- Ask to observe with the intention of documenting their strengths that could benefit novice teachers
- Follow up the observation with questions about the lesson. What did the lesson tell them about how students learn or how they’ve modified teaching to meet the needs of their specific students each year.
- Actively listen to their responses and ask clarifying questions
- Ask if you can support a future lesson by teaching a specific strategy or skill either whole class or with a small group of students
As a former middle school teacher, some of these points really had me thinking. We had amazing veteran teachers at my school that knew the content inside and out, could predict where their students would need scaffolding or higher level questions to challenge their thinking. However, many of these teachers typically attended PD focused on curriculum or school-wide training and did not have the opportunity to infuse technology into their classroom. As a coach, I see so much potential in even training students to use technology, who can then model for their teachers and peers, helping alleviate the stress on teachers.
Veteran teachers deserve respect for what they do know and should feel encouraged to integrate technology, not forced. This might mean there is a need for additional training and support for these teachers and time should be allocated during their work day, not in addition to what they are already doing. Perhaps an administrator could cover their class while they observe technology being used in another classroom. Pairing them with a novice teacher who may need support in classroom management or curriculum, but is strong with technology could also be beneficial.
Conclusion
Reality is, that in many schools across the United States, teachers feel overwhelmed by technology integration. As more schools and districts add tech support in the buildings, these teacher or coaches need to establish positive relationships with the staff before suggesting digital tools. Whether coaches are working with one teacher or supporting an entire school, they need to begin by assessing the needs of each individual, respect where they are at, and create collaborative plans to support classroom needs. Finally, teachers need to be able to trust that their coach is looking out for them, is supportive, nonjudgmental, and reliable.
References
Bolkan, J. (2017, October 27). Most Teachers Say Classroom Tech Helps Students, but Teachers Need More Training. Retrieved October 27, 2017, from https://thejournal.com/articles/2017/10/26/most-teachers-say-classroom-tech-helps-students-but-teachers-need-more-training.aspx
Foltos, L. (2013). Peer Coaching: Unlocking the power of collaboration. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
Grafwallner, P. (2017, October 16). Coaching the Veteran Teacher. Retrieved October 27, 2017, from https://www.edutopia.org/article/coaching-veteran-teacher
Sackstein, S. (2015, August 18). 5 Steps for Building Trust in a Hybrid Teacher/Coach Role. Retrieved October 27, 2017, from http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/work_in_progress/2015/08/5_steps_for_building_trust_in_.html
