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Good learning design, generally speaking, covers the necessary steps and activities for learning to take place. It’s that simple, right?
A point of debate in the world of learning design is if good learning design is applicable to all, no matter the age. On some levels it is. On other levels it isn’t. The format it comes in plays a big factor. What makes learning design for adults uniquely different from kids? In a comical sense, it’s our baggage. That’s right, it’s all the experiences, good and bad, that we come to the table with. However, baggage has a negative connotation and doesn’t set the stage with the growth mindset model to approach the learner with. For the sake of argument, and functionality, we like to think of learners entering with a backpack of experiences and knowledge. Address the Backpack Baggage is not the issue when adult learners show up to learn. More or less, it is a backpack that is filled full of life experiences and lots of knowledge–all of which informs who we are and how we see the world. When working with adults, it’s a sound practice to approach the learning experience with the backpack in mind. Here are a few suggestions on how to build that into the learning experience. Learning from Experience: Construct a learning experience that starts with a familiar situation from their work context, and then ask them to apply the new knowledge to that scenario. It creates a comfortable space for the learner to enter with their current skill set in hand. Reflection Time: Beliefs and behaviors do not change after a one-hour workshop. Be intentional about spiraling back to concepts through formal and informal ways. Call it microlearning, bite-sized PD, or agile learning. Whatever you decide, make sure it happens so new knowledge structures and behavior patterns have the space to grow. This takes lots of reflection by the learner. Safe Practice: Adults need to practice in multiple ways. Making mistakes is embarrassing and no one wants to come off as unintelligent or a slow learner. Remedy this by creating a safe environment for practice, coaching, and more practice. We find it’s helpful to establish that you value who your participants are and the backpack of experiences they show up with. Providing a safe space to reflect and practice is a way to show you value them. For those who plan and deliver in-house PD, give yourself grace as you try these suggestions. Be ready to make mistakes, iterate your design, and revamp your approach to match the learner’s experience. The purpose of these articles is to offer support. Our goal is to serve those that are in the shoes we once were in. Reach out to us with any and all questions at info@agileideasleadership.com. No gimmicks. It’s free. Cheers! Ross Herdina, Co-Founder, Agile Ideas Leadership www.agileideasleadership.com
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Step 1: Educate yourself on how adults learn. Part 1
“The learner should be actively involved in the learning process.” Malcolm Knowles Remember that workshop where you were lectured at for a few hours and you left more confused than when you entered? I am sure you do, and it’s not because you didn’t want to learn. Most likely, it’s because it wasn’t designed with the learner in mind. Designing learning experiences is hard. Designing a learning experience that is transformative is even harder. To design focused and impactful training requires a solid understanding of adult learning theory. Andragogy is adult learning theory. It is similar in some ways to pedagogy, yet it is also uniquely different. For example, adults need more time to process than kids. Why? Adults have far more experiences and knowledge. Any new information presented to an adult needs to pass a litmus test before it is integrated. New information or methods need to be grappled with before they are going to be put into use. When designing learning experiences for adults, consider the following to aid a successful experience for the learner. Invite them as the learner they are: How people approach learning matters. In order to address those that need to know the central concept of why they are going to be learning something, try the 4MAT model for them. This approach is great at the start of a session. It lets all learners know there is a place for them in the learning experience no matter their angle of approach. Relevance: Adult learners need to know the value of the learning experience they are in. They need to see why it matters to their context or will improve their performance. For example, talking about soft-skills and why they matter won’t translate into a behavior change. A learning experience needs to show why it matters and then allow for practice in the context of those present. Immediate application and practice: Don't just have participants see the new knowledge of skill in action. Have them try it out. This approach isn’t new. Incorporate the I do, We do, You do model. Make the process clear. State you are modeling it and that they will be executing the practice in a moment. Interest will heighten as people will know what the expectation is of them. If you try these options, don’t throw the towel in on something you only tried once and didn’t reflect on. After all, we wouldn’t want our learners to do this. These might be new to you. You need to wrestle with them and practice. The nuances of learning design will show up as you get more experience. The purpose of these articles is to offer support. Our goal is to serve those that are in the shoes we once were in. Reach out to us with any and all questions at info@agileideasleadership.com. No gimmicks. It’s free. Cheers! Ross Herdina, Co-Founder, Agile Ideas Leadership Step 5: Be the Guide on the Side.
Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. Being Curious Every coach I have talked with has someone they feel needs to be told what to do. No matter the approach taken, this person doesn’t see the change that is needed. Working with them is the proverbial “beating the dead horse.” For example, a teacher’s classroom is unruly and bordering on unsafe. The word around the school reflects concern at every turn. The instructional coach is called in and asked to fix it. Literally, you are told to fix it (a clear indication someone doesn’t understand how coaching works). You try all methods of approach from the theories. Nothing is working. What is the hold-up? All too often, we have not been curious enough. And this is a barrier on the coach’s end that often isn’t given space. Pulling from the work of Michale Bungay Stainer, “You need to be more curious,” as he states in his book The Coaching Habit. And it really is that: Giving less advice and asking more questions. If you engage in deep conversation with this teacher, you might find blame is placed anywhere possible except for themselves. This is a normal psychological state to be in. The issues at hand are ones of identity. And it needs to be said: There is no quick fix for that. Take your psychology lens out to take a long and hard look. When someone is trying to survive and has lost their way, the presence of grief is likely hiding somewhere. This is much different than someone that just doesn’t care. Know the Goal In order to guide people, you need to stand with them in their experience. This doesn’t mean giving excuses for their experience but empathizing and moving to find solutions with them. So first, determine the goal of your interaction with this teacher? This will help you determine what questioning style to approach with. If you don’t know this, you may fall into a trap of being a curriculum coach, a wak-a-mol person, one that can’t help make a transformation. The path towards the goal should be clear to both you and the coachee. The coachee should have a clear understanding of what they are going to experience, and the coach clearly knows how they will support and help reflect along the way. Facilitate the Transition Now it is time to facilitate a transformation. It isn’t easy. Don’t expect transformations to ever be easy. This is not about facilitating a transformation by solving one or two problems. It is about someone changing how they think in order to see the problems in a new light. A transformation leads to proactive steps for the coachee. If they were in a stage of grief unknowingly, they will now see it. You won’t feel the pressure to tell them what to do. They already know it. Now, they have the capacity to do something about it. That is the role of a facilitator. You bring out the wisdom or knowledge that is already there. The new lens will prepare them for the journey they are now on. An Instructional Coaching Program Created Nothing is smooth in the world of an instructional coach. It takes a lot of determination, self-coaching, and humility. There will always need to be continual communication of what you do, why you do it, how you do it, and what people will experience working with you. Throughout this series, we pointed out how to take actionable steps to build a program. All five steps are important. Remember this is a journey. There is always going to be more to do. If you find yourself with more questions, then you are having a common experience. The purpose of these articles is to offer support. Our goal is to serve those that are in the shoes we once were. Reach out to us with any and all questions at info@agileideasleadership.com. No gimmicks. It’s free. Cheers! Ross Herdina, Co-Founder, Agile Ideas Leadership. Step 4: How to Start Moving
Build a Schedule What your day will look like could vary wildly depending on how your district defines your role. Some coaches are involved in testing students for standardized assessments, curriculum coaching, PD development, multiple committee assignments, coordinator of programs, teaching classes, and being a sub. This is why it was heavily stressed in step one of building a coaching program, that ample time is given to defining the position. Your definition is how you will start conversations with others when you are asked to add more to your plate. Far too many other demands will encroach on your ability to do your defined position or to get time for your own PD so that you can continue to grow. It is a balancing act and being intentional and having clear boundaries on how to use your time is essential in providing clarity around what you do. Administrators need to know what stops you from doing your job well. It is no different than if you were in the classroom. One thing is for certain: your schedule will change. It is no different from when you were in the classroom and changes had to be made on a weekly basis for special events. With this knowledge, know what the most important parts of your week are. Is it the PD you offer, the teacher meetings you have, the committees you serve one? Ask yourself, and others, this question if you are unsure: Will this have a direct impact on teacher and student performance? The answer should be a quick yes in order for you to commit. Administrators need to know what stops you from doing your job well. It is no different than if you were in the classroom. Be Balanced A schedule is your framework for how you will accomplish your weekly goals - or at least attempt to. You need time for yourself, time for administrators, time for paperwork, and time for teachers. The last one is most important, but if you don’t take care of yourself, you will burn out quickly. This job can be a lonely space. You get one foot in the administrative world and one in the teacher world. Many teachers will see you differently. So will the admin. It is a high wire balancing act at times. The need to be diplomatic is paramount. No joke. Teachers will need to know you are on their side. The administration will need to know you have the chops to get things done. At the end of the day when you have had your fill, who will you go to? The self-care movement isn’t to be dismissed. It needs to get done. You can’t go to your teacher friends and talk about things the way you used to. In this day in age, you are the place teachers will come to unload their concerns and stresses. They are tapped out. You will be a primary support if you have built the relationships necessary to be most impactful in this position. Many coaches in smaller districts are a team of one. In larger districts, there will be a team you can go to for support. If you are a team of one, the idea of networking might be a new concept, but it will be important to build relationships with other coaches in other districts and schools to help you understand your new reality. It can be as simple as sharing your common trials and tribulations. Ways you handle the balancing act, and how to navigate the stressors of this position. With so much ambiguity around how coaches do what they do, your network will become ever more important in helping you navigate your new reality. The idea of balance will help you remain on course. Once you have started to move through an established schedule, have a clear idea of what your role is, and have made your way into the practice of the theory, you are deep into being a coach. If you have made it to the point that you are starting to see the nuances of coaching, you are coaching. It may not feel like it, but that should be expected. You are deep into learning. It’s a journey, not a destination. Next Steps So you have your schedule set, you are being as balanced as possible, and you are likely seeing there is so much growth you have to do for yourself. The next stage in starting a coaching program is focused on you. It is when you see the need to grow in how you serve. It’s a mindset shift for many and it will start you on a long road of self-discovery. You do not have to walk alone. Feel free to message Agile Ideas Leadership for any questions or thoughts at info@agileideasleadership.com. Cheers! Ross Herdina, Co-Founder, Agile Ideas Leadership. Step 3: Theory to Practice - So much fun but what do I do with it?
“In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are not. “ Albert Einstein. Easier Said Than Done Whatever theory of coaching you choose, it is a promise that it is easier said than done. Like most instructional coaches, you didn’t get trained in the application of the theory. It was frameworks and schools of thought. You may have gone to an institute or a workshop and gotten a crash course in theory, but most likely, you are finding the theory can only take you so far. Every conversation you have will be so nuanced you might struggle to see the theory fit. Admitting you need to refine your skills is exactly where you should be when you are starting out. This stuff takes years of practice. It’s wise to be humble with your capacity. This doesn’t mean you should tell people you don’t know what you are doing. Have questions ready to ask them, not directives to tell them. It helps you and them start to establish a relationship. And you get to save yourself from looking unprepared. You have to operate with a can-do outlook. If you don’t know the answers, you find them. No one likes a know-it-all, and there is no way as an instructional leader you can know it all. To get your feet wet, there are a few places you can jump in to start making your presence felt as a “can do” person. Building Relationships When an elementary teacher works at creating relationships with students, it isn’t a one-day, one-off activity. It is days and weeks of activities. This is exactly the approach many coaches find they need to use. Creating relationships with the teachers you will be working with will take weeks of intentional and planned attempts. For example, if a classroom teacher has behavior issues and an administrator or peers tells them to “create relationships,” they are not given actionable steps to take. They were given an ambiguous idea. What does building relationships look like? Is it a getting-to-know-you activity? A slide show of who you are as a teacher? These are great surface level ways to build relationships. But they don’t create change. And this is where you come in as a coach, you need to be ready to ask the questions to help the individual teacher determine what deep and meaningful relationships look like. Teachers need to know you, in a professional manner, and you get to provide that in a structured way so each party knows how to navigate interactions with a coach. From there, the right resources and strategies can be presented. This takes away the uncertainty of what building relationships looks like. This is actionable. It makes something concrete and approachable. If you approach your work as a coach in this same context, you take away half of your struggle. Teachers need to know you, in a professional manner, and you get to provide that in a structured way so each party knows how to navigate interactions with a coach. To build relationships, get them to trust you by being consistent in your actions and your words. Bring Clarity So what does it mean to be dependable? Consistent? Trustworthy? It means to do what you say and say what you do. Being dependable means holding up your end of the coaching relationship. You do this by always providing the support you say you provide. Be consistent by delivering the same coaching experience to each teacher. You can’t be a chameleon. If you provide them with quality PD experiences, you need to continue to do that. Picking the framework for what a coaching meeting will look like is one way to provide consistency and bring clarity to what you do. Those resistant to the process you use might need a bit more clarity. Provide this by using tools like 4MAT. This framework will reach each adult learner. It’s about letting people know what you do, why you do it, how you do it, and how they will experience working with you. Meet Them Where They Are It is inevitable that a few people will not want to work with you and there are a multitude of reasons why. It takes a lot of vulnerability to ask for help. Meet those that are resistant where they are. There is good reason for them to be where they are. Brush up on your knowledge of adult psychology and personality types. This will help you understand where people are coming from and where you can get your foot in the door. It’s no joke, you might need to brush off that Psychology 101 book or start a deep Google dive into how intentional change theory works. Empathy only takes you so far. You need the knowledge and skills to navigate with powerful soft-skills. If you need a place to start, give Daniel Goldman’s Book Emotional Intelligence: Why it Matters More Than IQ a try. As teachers, we were taught child development and learning theory. Now that you are working with adults, you need to step outside of your traditional lens and move into adult psychology. Adults have far more experiences than kids and those experiences have shaped who they are and how they see the world. No matter how empathic you are or how intuitive, you don’t know them until you ask them. When you start making connections with those resistant, it’s a great opportunity to have a focused conversation. Consider how you will do that. What model will you choose? If you are new to this, try the ORID model. It is a great starting point for a focused conversation approach. At first, it will seem a bit scripted until you become more skilled at it. Give it time. Think of when you tried a strategy in class for the first time and how you noticed you needed to grow in your application. The same will be true here. There are many ways to implement the theories you will learn for coaching. Just know all coaches go through these moments with lots of growing pains. It sounds simple, but once again, theory to practice is a whole other experience. You do not have to walk alone. Feel free to message Agile Ideas Leadership for any questions or thoughts at info@agileideasleadership.com. Cheers! Ross Herdina, Co-Founder, Agile Ideas Leadership Must-Do #2: Instructional Coaching→ Defining How to ServeHow You Serve
Teachers are all over the place in their journey as an educator, and so are instructional coaches. In the first part of this series, we discussed why it is important to define your role as an instructional Coach. Once the role is defined, it’s time to move into building trust in the program and, more importantly, building the staff's trust in you. Establishing trust may seem like a no-brainer. And that is true, but how do you do that? If you like to toss around catchphrases, you might say use a "lens of compassion," "lead with empathy," or create relationships. And these are all correct. But at the same time, they are also a bit ambiguous - easy to say and hard to do. This makes choosing how you will serve them all the more important. Here are two theorists we can quickly look at for starters. Jim Knight, in his book The Impact Cycle, addresses three types of coaching you might use. Each has its place, and if you are tuned into the teacher, you can figure out which one fits best. The first type is facilitative coaching. This type of coaching has the coach and teacher as equals. Knight will reference a "partnership approach." The coach listens and asks questions for the teacher to find their own answers. This is a great method for those who are open to being facilitated, have experience in the classroom, and are open to new ideas. Next, there is directive coaching. “Directive coaching is the opposite of facilitative coaching,” according to Knight. This is where the coach has the capacity to be the expert and guide through advice-giving. Who is this good for? New teachers. They often don’t have the years of experience to integrate new knowledge or frameworks into what they do in the classroom. If you choose this model, you need to communicate directly and listen deeply. Finally, Knight speaks of dialogical coaching. This model is all about using questioning techniques and deep listening to help a teacher uncover the answers he or she already has. This takes lots of skill. Lots. You have to know a few inquiry models of questioning and practice them frequently so you can use them at a moment’s notice when the opportunity arises. Don’t think you won’t struggle with this. The most experienced coaches I know feel vulnerable here. Elena Aguilar is another thought leader in this space. She speaks of transformative coaching in her book, The Art of Coaching: Effective Strategies for School Transformation. This model goes deep in examining behaviors, beliefs, and ways of being. Vulnerability is key for success with this model. Trust isn’t a catchphrase here, you will have to be ready to live it. People have to know you have a level of confidentiality like attorneys and clients do. If you can’t provide that, this model doesn’t work. A structure of questioning that works well in this format is the question series from the book The Coaching Habit. Author Michael Bungay Stanier provides a coach with seven easy-to-use scaffolded questions to get at what the heart of the matter is. No matter the amount of time you have for a coaching session, these questions get the coachee talking. If you feel you struggle with what questions to ask, the Coaching Habit questions are a great beginner's guide. Master these and you will be able to find moments to go deep with the work from Aguilar or Knight. The theorist you pick matters on many levels. You will get better as a coach when you see the strengths and areas of growth in each model so you can start to mesh them together in order to address the needs of those around you. How to Measure and Message Impact You can, and should, start to measure the impact of your efforts once people trust you enough to work with you willingly. There are multiple ways to measure impact, and also to reflect on the techniques you are implementing: Surveys, observations of your coaching, video recording a coaching conversation, peer review, student improvement data, and the list goes on and on. It is important to know what your administrator wants for evidence of your work. This is a direct conversation to have. Make sure that you both have a clear understanding of the need for this evidence to still remain confidential, because any inkling that you are an arm of the administration will stymie your efforts to partner with teachers. It is imperative to protect the relationships with the teachers you have developed. A teacher or administrator will approach you and ask who you are working with and what you are talking about. Think about how you can share information that helps the administration understand the important work you and teachers are doing without revealing teachers' vulnerabilities. In Summary: Know Who You Are, How You Serve, and How to Measure and Message Your Impact The first step as a new instructional coach, or as a seasoned veteran who is ready to set the reset button, is to truly know what your mission is. This will set you up for how to navigate the journey to making the deepest impact with teachers, and to communicating effectively with administrators. They will know what to expect because you will know exactly who you are. Establish how you will function based on the relationships and outcomes you seek with the people you serve. Look to the leaders in the field for direction here. Philosophy of coaching and adult interaction abounds. Make a plan for measuring your impact regularly and messaging it in a way that serves all stakeholders. Now here's where it's going to get a little dicey ... the next step is to break through the theories above and see what it all looks like in action. This is your so called "boots-on-the-ground" moment, and here's where practical "what should I do next" type of discussions need to take place. Part three of this series is all about moving from theory to practice, what you need in your toolkit, and how to get there. Click here to jump back and review Part 1: Step One: Defining the Role of a Coach You do not have to walk alone. Feel free to message Agile Ideas Leadership for any questions or thoughts at info@agileideasleadership.com. Cheers! Ross Herdina, Co-Founder, Agile Ideas Leadership Must-Do #1: Define what the position is and what it doesPut thirty instructional coaches in a room and ask them to define their roles based on their current duties. In all likelihood, there will be loose agreement with weak patterns of responsibilities, along with many, many differences.
The only common theme might be their title, and even that is debatable. Is the position instructional coach or curriculum coach? Are they to work with teachers at-will? Or are staff required to meet with their IC? Whether you are building a coaching program or you are part of an established one, there is good cause to nail down what an instructional coach is and what they should do to serve students and teachers. Too often administrators, board members, and committees of teachers that select the role of a coach don’t really know what a good coaching system is or looks like. It sounds great in theory but how to formulate the job description is difficult. Because of this, the coaching program becomes a panacea to gather up all of those loose ends that need to be tied up and tucked away, and quickly as that, the role loses any potential sense of identity. So what’s a coach to do? Sadly, the answer isn’t a quick Google search away. Most coaches, unfortunately, end up serving too many needs for too many people and this lack of a clear mission causes a significant impediment to success. If success - without a goal - can even be defined in the first place. Words matter, titles matter, and if the title of instructional coach doesn’t have meaning to you and your administration, it surely will not have meaning to the staff you seek to serve. To allow the definition of an instructional coach to be muddied is a sure way to build frustration for all parties involved, and create burnout within your coaching team. Imagine the definition of your role as the destination you type into your GPS. It keeps you on track and helps you know when you have arrived. A driver without an endpoint is doomed to wander endlessly through hill and dale, and while they might see some points of interest and even make some valuable stops, at the end of the day there was no culminating goal, no point of arrival. Imagine the definition of your role as the destination you type into your GPS. It keeps you on track and helps you know when you have arrived. To be candid, most coaches I know end up serving administrators who use them to plug holes in a system that is already fatally wounded. Spend a bit of time in the coaching trenches and you will find your name on the lips of administrators more frequently than you may have expected - “Oh, the coach can do that!” But this doesn’t have to be. Seriously, it doesn’t, and you have more power than you realize to help define your job description if you arm yourself with an understanding of what actually works, boots on the ground. So how do we change this? A simple first step: be more intentional in defining the role. Now you might be thinking, “I don’t make such decisions, shouldn’t the boss be providing the job description to me?" Well, maybe they should, but I bet they haven’t - especially if this is a budding program - so you are uniquely positioned to craft the role in a way that answers the most important, essential question: Does what I am doing improve the lives, teaching skills, and engagement of teachers so that it improves the lives, learning, and engagement of students? If not, a conversation needs to be had. Spend time debating the responsibilities with the powers that be. If the tasks assigned are not student and teacher-centered, take them off the table. Does what I am doing improve the lives, teaching skills, and engagement of teachers so that it improves the lives, learning, and engagement of students? If not, a conversation needs to be had. For a starting point, find theorists who have made a big footprint in the world of instructional coaching, such as Jim Knight and Elena Aguilar. Knight will provide a framework for the philosophy of the partnership approach, and Aguilar will help you understand the psychology behind deep coaching and the social-emotional skills required to meet people where they are. They are great for building a framework of what to shoot for. The thing you will quickly find is that there are a lot of people talking about the reasons for having a coaching program, thinking about methods of conversation that are effective, and even providing templates for documents you can use to track your work. Yet, few start with: “So it’s the first month of having coaches, here’s what you should do …” Add to your network coaches already in the trenches and see what they have to say. And listen. Really listen. The theory doesn’t translate to practice perfectly. It never has. These people will speak truth. Biased? Yes. But you need to hear it. An effective program will triangulate with theory, clientele needs, and boots-on-the-ground-here’s-what-you-should-do-first messaging. So join the Instructional Coaching social media pages, network with coaches from neighboring districts, and seek out specialized instructional coaching training. It truly is a unique position. The next article in this five-part series will focus on what to do once you have determined who you are: "Defining How to Serve.” Recommended Articles: Elena Aguilar: Coaching Educators’ Strong Emotions You do not have to walk alone. Feel free to message Agile Ideas Leadership for any questions or thoughts at info@agileideasleadership.com. Cheers! Ross Herdina, Co-Founder, Agile Ideas Leadership |
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