How Do You Create a Successful Instructional Coaching Program
That Impacts Student Achievement in the Classroom?
Learn how you can build a successful Digital Learning Program today!
What does an Instructional Coach Do?
Ask the Tech Coach is a weekly podcast designed to support Tech Coaches and Instructional Technology Specialists. Each week Jeff Bradbury (TeacherCast Educational Network) and Sue Vincentz (Tech Imaginations) discuss relevant topics in Educational Technology.
Introduction
What are the 4 Pillars of a Supportive Instructional Coaching Program?
To raise student achievement in the classroom, school districts need to have a solid vision and plan that is supported by both staff members and their community. To do this successfully, school districts need to have these four things in place so that there is a clear understanding of what classroom learning should look like.
Supportive
Staff Members
How do you set up an organizational chart that supports the work of your Instructional Coaches?
Community Engagement
How can your Instructional Coaches support members of the community both in and out of the classroom?
How Do You Create a Successful Instructional Coaching Program?
What is an Instructional Coach and how will they be able to support the needs of staff, students, and their community?
To answer this question, you must first outline your district vision for what a coach is and how they will be used and seen in the district.
What is an Instructional Coach and how will they be able to support the needs of staff, students, and their community?
To answer this question, you must first outline your district vision for what a coach is and how they will be used and seen in the district.
Identify The Perfect Candidate
What should you look for in an Instructional Coach when creating a new Digital Learning Department?
Create Your Mission & Vision
An Essential Question, Mission, and Vision Statement are essential for defining the role of your Instructional Coaches to your District and your Teachers.
Define Your Brand
Learn the importance of having a clearly identifiable symbol that represents your Instructional Coaching Department
Select a Framework for Digital Learning
To successfully create a plan of action when working with teachers in their classrooms, Instructional Coaches are supported by an agreed-upon digital learning framework. It is from this framework that a school district can come together in the next phase and build an Educational Technology Strategic Plan to support all professional learning in and out of the classroom.
Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, Redefinition
In each stage of the SAMR model, the use of educational technology becomes increasingly sophisticated.
The 4 C's of Digital 21st Century Learning
The four C’s of 21st Century skills let students create a whole that’s greater than the sum of its parts.
Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK)
TPACK attempts to identify the nature of knowledge required by teachers for technology integration.
Technology Integration Metrix (TIM)
TIM provides a framework for describing and targeting the use of technology to enhance learning.
The Educational Technology Integration Plan
Learn How To Create A Dynamic Instructional Coaching Program Through Strategic Planning.
Step 1: The School District Snapshot
A School District Snapshot provides a targeted overview of how your educational system functions and how students are learning.
Step 2: Defining Your Endgame
Creating your final EdTech Integration Plan by first outlining what your project will look like is the best way to put the UBD framework into action.
Step 3: Drafting An Essential Question
Learn how to create an Essential Question that will guide your district in its journey through the EdTech Integration Plan process.
Step 4: Creating a Staff Needs Assessment
A Staff Needs Assessment is the first "action step" in the process and it requires careful planning by both the coach and administrative team.
Step 5: Identifying Staff Needs for Individualized PD
How can we create an IEP for each staff member based on their position in the district and the needs and wants that have been identified through the Staff Needs Assessment process?
Step 6: Building a Professional Learning Roadmap
No matter if you are working with a Large Group, Medium Group, or 1:1 with teachers, it's important to have a roadmap in place to know where you are leading your staff members!
Step 7: The EdTech Menu of Professional Learning
If you have multiple Instructional Coaches or a need to give PD across multiple buildings, an EdTech Menu is a great way to stay focused and organized!
Step 8: Build Standards-Based Lesson Plans
Learn the importance of creating Professional Development sessions for all staff members based on the ISTE Standards!
Step 9: Incentivizing Professional Development
Learn why it's important for school districts to first value individual professional development before implementing incentive-based programs.
Step 10: Defining Your District Recommendations
Learn how to put the puzzle pieces together and present your EdTech Integration Plan to your district complete with recommendations and deliverables.
Step 11: Sharing Recommendations with Administration
Learn why it's important that your EdTech Integration Plan be a document created by, and approved by all members of your school district so that it has a common focus and direction.
Step 12: Creating and Presenting the Final EdTech Plan
Congratulations, your EdTech Integration Plan is complete and you are ready to support your district Strategic Plan and create a dynamic Digital Learning program that supports staff, students, and your community.
How Do You Support Instructional Coaches?
The relationships that are set up to support Instructional Coaches at all levels of a school district are vitally important to the success of the coaching program and are directly related to the success of students in the classroom.
Students
Teachers
Library Media Specialists
Building Administrators
Central Office Administrators
IT Department
Using Instructional Coaches to Support Digital Learning both In and Out of the Classroom
Effective Instructional Coaching programs are designed to be supportive not just in the classroom but also in the community.
Day Time PD Programs
New Teacher Orientation
Parent University
Student Tech Teams
Supporting a Transition to Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Teams
Once you have a clearly defined digital learning philosophy, it is time to support your teachers by building a solid digital learning environment to help your students become college and career-ready.
Step 1: Create Distribution Groups
Step 2: Create Your Building & Department Microsoft Teams
Step 3: Set Up a SharePoint Communications Platform
Step 4: Support Through Microsoft OneNote
After your district is setup and ready to use Microsoft Teams,
it's time to train your staff on how to implement Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Teams effectively.
Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Stream
Microsoft Bookings
Microsoft Power Automate
Microsoft SWAY
