Articles
Social Studies Class:
Chemistry Class:
Validation
Drama Class:
(This strategy is the propriety of iPEC and cannot be duplicated without written consent of iPEC.)
How Coaching Techniques are Used
to Motivate and Engage Students to Talk Content
by Andi Stix, Ed.D. and Certified Coach and Frank Hrbek
© Spring 2006 Gems of Agate, Vol. 30, No. 2
Coaching has been around a long time. It probably had its beginnings in 776 B.C.
during the first Olympic Games, the quadrennial event among the ancient Greeks. Today, with television and the
modern media, there is a greater awareness of super-athletes and the exacting pace under which they perform. Coaching,
especially in athletics, has a way of bringing out the best in an individual. Here the coach enjoys a special advantage,
working in combination with the athlete's innate talents, physical attributes, and a mental process that is driven by
the will to be a success. That kind of motivation can be brought to the academic classroom, with teachers increasingly
adopting the role of a coach to bring out the best in their pupils.
Sports coaches focus on the athletes' abilities, and thus the teacher as coach in school should therefore place the focus on the students and their abilities to discover and explore ideas rather then memorize and regurgitate facts. A coaching school offers the opposite of an environment where the emphasis is on a predetermined set of skills to be covered or the teacher's ability to espouse historical data. As Alfie Kohn states, " 'Putting children first' is an empty slogan if we watch passively while our schools are turned into test-prep centers," (2005, p. 20). Our current environment, "does little to support the pursuit of cognitive surprise, the creation of intrinsic forms of motivation, the development of imagination, or the ability to define and resolve one's problems" (Eisner, 2005, p. 17). Instead, the teacher models techniques that motivate and engage students in the learning process so that their full potential is developmentally realized.
Coaches achieve superb results by building a trusting relationship. They strive to create an environment where their pupil's stress level decreases at the same time that the success ratio spirals upward. Coaches inspire and motivate their students by actively guiding them and instilling the confidence to take risks and to face the challenges. Just as coaching enjoys a much deserved reputation throughout the sports world, it has found a place in Corporate America. It is not uncommon today for CEOs, presidents, and managers to have personal, executive coaches (Zeus and Skiffington, 2001). Similarly, the world of life coaching has become firmly established, helping college students, career seekers, or empty nesters make life decisions as they face the crossroads ahead (Marklein, 2005; Guarino, 2004).
Defining CoachingSports coaches focus on the athletes' abilities, and thus the teacher as coach in school should therefore place the focus on the students and their abilities to discover and explore ideas rather then memorize and regurgitate facts. A coaching school offers the opposite of an environment where the emphasis is on a predetermined set of skills to be covered or the teacher's ability to espouse historical data. As Alfie Kohn states, " 'Putting children first' is an empty slogan if we watch passively while our schools are turned into test-prep centers," (2005, p. 20). Our current environment, "does little to support the pursuit of cognitive surprise, the creation of intrinsic forms of motivation, the development of imagination, or the ability to define and resolve one's problems" (Eisner, 2005, p. 17). Instead, the teacher models techniques that motivate and engage students in the learning process so that their full potential is developmentally realized.
Coaches achieve superb results by building a trusting relationship. They strive to create an environment where their pupil's stress level decreases at the same time that the success ratio spirals upward. Coaches inspire and motivate their students by actively guiding them and instilling the confidence to take risks and to face the challenges. Just as coaching enjoys a much deserved reputation throughout the sports world, it has found a place in Corporate America. It is not uncommon today for CEOs, presidents, and managers to have personal, executive coaches (Zeus and Skiffington, 2001). Similarly, the world of life coaching has become firmly established, helping college students, career seekers, or empty nesters make life decisions as they face the crossroads ahead (Marklein, 2005; Guarino, 2004).
Our approach to learning is a simple philosophy; the teacher in the capacity of a
coach continually strives to unlock the potential that resides within all students, bringing their performance to the highest level
attainable. The teacher as coach is always concerned with the long term development of skills, and shuns the quick fix and nebulous
endeavors. Our model of coaching draws from literature in the business world to mean one who offers inspiration, guidance, training,
and modeling, and who enhances others' abilities through motivation and support (Longenecker & Pinkel, 1997). Coaching is one of
the many hats a teacher can wear to provide effective classroom instruction.
More specifically, the intention of the teacher as coach is to help students:
to Have a Voice in Their Assessment
Level I: The teacher is really not listening and not engaged.
Level II: The teacher is listening but listens subjectively from his or her point of view.
Level III: The teacher listens from the view of the student
Level IV: The teacher listens from the view of the student and uses intuitive cues.
More specifically, the intention of the teacher as coach is to help students:
- Find their inner strengths and passions in order to nurture self worth and identity
- Have a voice in their own learning and to negotiate collectively with the teacher to create the goals and objectives
- Passionately engage in talking content to increase their memory retention and to fuel motivation to learn
- Use their gifts and inner talents to bring their work and efforts to the highest level of scholarship attainable.
According to CoachPeople Training, coaching is multi-disciplinary and it helps the
individual move into effective action by focusing on the present. A coach asks questions that provoke awareness, creating an
environment for discovery of self and with one's peers.
Overall View of Coaching
What makes a school where coaching is practiced so different? As the superintendent
or principal walks the corridors, one sees teachers and students designing new projects on a continuous basis because risk taking
behavior is applauded; where initial results that may be rough are refined like a polished diamond. The classrooms are hives of
activity, with students preparing for discussion exercises where all voices are accountable and heard.
The youngsters work well together in their cooperative groups, meshing ideas to reach a common goal. They are encouraged to bring charts, graphs, diagrams, and pictures to enhance their performance during a debate or discussion, and they are made to feel they have ownership in their own learning. Their discussions, centered on multiple perspectives, encourage tolerance. By accepting other viewpoints, students solve problems and conflicts through negotiation and compromise. Due to their motivation and engagement, test scores increase. Dialogue between teachers and students is constant, an egalitarian process that promotes respect, trust, and knowledge. Behavioral problems in the classroom are few and rare, as teachers like Kim Tretter and Lydia Caprarella hone their skills at Life Sciences Secondary School in New York City. Their principal, Genevieve Stanislaus, walks past their classrooms and she hears students talking content in a meaningful way.
Techniques of Educational CoachingThe youngsters work well together in their cooperative groups, meshing ideas to reach a common goal. They are encouraged to bring charts, graphs, diagrams, and pictures to enhance their performance during a debate or discussion, and they are made to feel they have ownership in their own learning. Their discussions, centered on multiple perspectives, encourage tolerance. By accepting other viewpoints, students solve problems and conflicts through negotiation and compromise. Due to their motivation and engagement, test scores increase. Dialogue between teachers and students is constant, an egalitarian process that promotes respect, trust, and knowledge. Behavioral problems in the classroom are few and rare, as teachers like Kim Tretter and Lydia Caprarella hone their skills at Life Sciences Secondary School in New York City. Their principal, Genevieve Stanislaus, walks past their classrooms and she hears students talking content in a meaningful way.
There are many techniques that teachers as coaches use, such as Negotiable
Contracting, the Levels of Listening, Guided Listening, the GELVE Model of Contextual Listening, the 3-Step Process, 3P+C Model,
the Wave, COACHing Questions, SMART Goals, and the GOPER Model of Problem Solving. We will examine a few of these techniques and
will show how they can become embedded in strategies that tap Bloom's higher levels of thinking, which promote analysis, synthesis,
and evaluation.
In a coaching environment, what makes a teacher superb is the ability to listen effectively and respond with a question or statement that moves the students' thinking forward. Listening and questioning may sound like easy tasks, but in fact, they are extraordinarily difficult in practice. A teacher has to think spontaneously, in an environment where dialogue is encouraged and provoked. A coaching classroom is not where the teacher lectures. Instead, it is a place where the teacher as coach is comfortable enough to allow the students to make investigations on their own and to come to the table ready to have a discussion, debate, or simulation, where they have to perform and take risks in front of their peers.
Negotiable Contracting Allows StudentsIn a coaching environment, what makes a teacher superb is the ability to listen effectively and respond with a question or statement that moves the students' thinking forward. Listening and questioning may sound like easy tasks, but in fact, they are extraordinarily difficult in practice. A teacher has to think spontaneously, in an environment where dialogue is encouraged and provoked. A coaching classroom is not where the teacher lectures. Instead, it is a place where the teacher as coach is comfortable enough to allow the students to make investigations on their own and to come to the table ready to have a discussion, debate, or simulation, where they have to perform and take risks in front of their peers.
to Have a Voice in Their Assessment
There is no getting away from the fact that our learners are always overly concerned
about their grades. In the coaching environment, the teacher as coach initiates a dialogue with the class, an egalitarian "eyeball to
eyeball" talk with the students empowering them to decide what exactly should be graded and how. What can better demonstrate the
highest level of attainment in the learnig experience than the give and take of a dialogue, where teacher and students exchange ideas
and information in a setting that teems with mutual respect and is done on a footing of equality.
The process can be easily implemented in a few short steps. It is important that the teacher and the students discuss the project - term paper, activity, discussion, debate, art project - and what is expected. The students are told they will decide on how the project will be graded, and the procedure can be presented to them in the following manner:
The process can be easily implemented in a few short steps. It is important that the teacher and the students discuss the project - term paper, activity, discussion, debate, art project - and what is expected. The students are told they will decide on how the project will be graded, and the procedure can be presented to them in the following manner:
"I want you to put yourself in my place. You are the teacher. A student
hands in this project (or paper) that you consider to be worth an A grade. What are the specific criteria that help you determine that
it is excellent?
"For example, if you wrote a speech to convince your peers to extend the lunch period, criterion for grading your speech may be your ability to be persuasive, use logic, be captivating, as well as use of good grammar.
"So, now let's turn back to the project at hand. Working in your cooperative groups, generate a list of criteria that you, as a teacher, would use for grading purposes. We will examine them together and make a list that we can agree on together."
"For example, if you wrote a speech to convince your peers to extend the lunch period, criterion for grading your speech may be your ability to be persuasive, use logic, be captivating, as well as use of good grammar.
"So, now let's turn back to the project at hand. Working in your cooperative groups, generate a list of criteria that you, as a teacher, would use for grading purposes. We will examine them together and make a list that we can agree on together."
The teacher calls on one speaker at a time from each cooperative group who submits a
criterion to be listed on the board. After all of the groups have been given the opportunity to submit their ideas, the students
discuss them. It might happen that the teacher has a criterion that was not posted on the board that is essential to a fair and equitable
assessment of the project being assigned. If that is the case, the teacher explains in detail the additional item being added to the list,
and why it is so important for inclusion. Students and teacher negotiate together and prioritize the four or five criteria for selection.
The Levels of Listening
Where teachers are immersed in the methodology of coaching, they use a skill called deep
listening. In the school where coaching has been inculcated as a daily ritual, the highest levels of listening are a constant recognized
presence. Teachers who are closed to their own personal growth respond to these questions by stating that they only function at the
highest level. However, while training Lydia and Kim, we all laughed together because there are times where we can function at the
highest level, but admit to sometimes slipping inadvertently to the lowest when the environment becomes stressful. Here are the four
levels of listening:
Level I: The teacher is really not listening and not engaged.
| Tyrone: | Ms. Tretter, may I change my seat? |
| Ms. Tretter: | Please, I can't be bothered now. |
Level II: The teacher is listening but listens subjectively from his or her point of view.
| Tyrone: | Ms. Tretter, may I change my seat? |
| Ms. Tretter: | Tyrone, I once asked my teacher to switch my seat, but I learned that you can't always get what you want. |
Level III: The teacher listens from the view of the student
| Tyrone: | Ms. Tretter, may I change my seat? |
| Ms. Tretter: | You feel that you need your seat changed. Tell me what is bothering you. |
Level IV: The teacher listens from the view of the student and uses intuitive cues.
| Tyrone: | Ms. Tretter, may I change my seat? |
| Ms. Tretter: | Tyrone, you're head is hung over while staring at your shoes. You are so upset that you want your seat change. |
If, as we've insisted that the focus is always on the student, the listening must
always be tuned to the higher levels of deep listening. After all, a teacher's heart is not made of stone. Therefore, the major
difference between the lowest and highest levels of listening is Kim Tretter's ability to concentrate objectively and emphatically
on her students.
Guided Listening
If the concentration always remains on the needs of students, this becomes quite
evident as the teacher as coach moves beyond the levels and employs guided listening. Here again, is a helpful coaching tool applied
as a response to students; the twist is using a question or statement as a counter to what they asked, allowing them to find their
own way or their own solution. Sometimes students are stuck and need help to move forward so that they can complete the task at hand.
At times, students just need to be acknowledged; other times the teacher as coach can guide them to move forward. Let's examine two
of the many specific skills used by certified coaches when speaking to individuals:
Acknowledging
Letting students know that you have heard them is a powerful tool. Using this skill,
the teacher reflects back through paraphrasing what was said.
Social Studies Class:
| Vikram: | I keep looking for books that would help me prepare, but they seem too difficult. |
| Mr. Kohli: | You can't seem to find anything at the workstation that is at a comfortable reading level. |
Chemistry Class:
| Miguel: | To set up this experiment, I need a mid-size beaker. |
| Ms. Marcus: | In other words, the beakers that are available are not the correct size. |
Validation
When emotions arise, it is important for a teacher to recognize how a student is feeling,
when it affects the learning environment. This skill is not judgmental in terms of being right or wrong. It allows the student to know
that you are seeing the world from his or her perspective.
Drama Class:
| Cassandra: | I'm really upset that I wasn't chosen for the solo part in the county production. |
| Ms. Lopez: | It is very normal to have those feelings. You practiced hard and you put all your efforts into trying out. |
Using acknowledging and validating together are powerful tools. We offer you a real
life example to stress our point. Just imagine calling the telephone company after a heavy storm, complaining that you can't reach
your 85 year old mother. Normally, their response is that the storm wasn't their fault and that they are trying their best; and to
please calm down. But instead; after listening to you vent your anxieties, the customer representative states, "This must be a
stressful time for you as you are unable to reach your elderly mother. (Acknowledgement) You and others in your position have every
right to plead for service. (Validation) I'll place your mother's name on the emergency list and we will make her a priority. I'll
call you back in 24 hours with an update." (Giving Empowerment)
The 3-Step Reflective Process of Problem Solving
There are always those moments when a student, or even an administrator, finds
that they have hit a wall. Not literally, of course, but they are suddenly confronted by a problem that seems impossible to solve.
In this situation, a teacher as coach could come to the rescue, using the 3-Step Reflective Process (iPEC, 2005) that achieves great results.
In essence, it is a reflective process to ask the right questions (Wright, 1998). The coach, working with the individual, looks
back upon similar situations to determine what has been successful, allowing the person to decide what exactly had made it successful,
why it succeeded in the first place, and how that particular formula can be applied. It gives them empowerment and motivation.
| Step 1: | What in the past was similar to what you are dealing with currently? How were you able to solve that problem? Describe what made it successful. |
| Step 2: | Why did it work so well? How can you assess what worked? Describe specifically what steps you used. |
| Step 3: | How can you use that knowledge and apply it to your current situation? What information from that experience is powerful that can be applied now? What strengths and resources do you have that will help you achieve your current goal? |
(This strategy is the propriety of iPEC and cannot be duplicated without written consent of iPEC.)
The 3-Step Reflective Process was put to excellent use by Ms. Orlov in her science classroom.
The class was preparing a major discussion, with several perspectives, on the successes and failures of major hydroelectric projects
throughout the world. Circulating from group to group, Ms. Orlov noticed that Blanche Polinski, a good student and usually very active,
was focusing her attention that day on what was happening beyond the classroom window rather than on her work.
Ms. Orlov, taking her aside, gently admonished Blanche, telling her, "You were assigned to read material on hydroelectric projects, to understand how power is generated, and to prepare for the discussion. But you seem to be elsewhere today."
Shy and slightly embarrassed, Blanche admitted that she didn't understand much of the material, replying, "I get frustrated when there aren't any pictures of diagrams to go along with explanation."
Ms. Orlov took Blanche aside to avoid embarrassing her in front of the other students and groups and stated, "It could be that you're a visual learner."
This seemed slightly confusing to the young girl who didn't understand the point Ms. Orlov was making, but Blanche admitted, "I love art, and art classes. Drawing is my favorite activity."
That some progress was being made satisfied Ms. Orlov. "Fine, Blanche," she said, "you love art, and drawing is your favorite class. In your other classes, when you don't understand the text, what have you done to help you understand the work?" (Step 1)
Blanche gave the question some thought. "Well, in math class," she explained, "I like to use those fun materials - the mini canisters - for algebra. I pretend the 'x' is hidden inside the canister. I can see what the algebraic expression means."
Ms. Orlov was pleased with the dialogue taking place. "Once you've used the cans," Ms. Orlov asked, "then what do you do to finish you work and complete the assignments for homework?" (Step 2)
With a degree of confidence Blanche answered, "I draw them in my notebook. After awhile, I don't need the drawings, but they help me out in the beginning to understand what I'm doing."
Moving just a bit closer to Blanche and looking directly into her eyes, Ms. Orlov inquired, "How could you use your special artistic talent and apply it here? (Step 3)
At that moment it seemed as if a great weight had been lifted from the young girl's shoulders. With a hesitant smile, Blanche replied, "I haven't given it much thought, but I could draw a picture for each section as I read through all of the material at the work station."
That Ms. Orlov was pleased would be an understatement. She had guided Blanche to find her own way. As she walked with Blanche back to the group she told her, "That's a great idea, and it just might work. I'll keep an eye on you to see if you continue to have difficulties. If you're pleased with your drawings, do you think we could use them as a model to help others understand hydroelectric power? (Empowerment and Motivation)
Blanche's reply was a smile capable of warming the coldest heart.
COACHing Questions for Cooperative Group WorkMs. Orlov, taking her aside, gently admonished Blanche, telling her, "You were assigned to read material on hydroelectric projects, to understand how power is generated, and to prepare for the discussion. But you seem to be elsewhere today."
Shy and slightly embarrassed, Blanche admitted that she didn't understand much of the material, replying, "I get frustrated when there aren't any pictures of diagrams to go along with explanation."
Ms. Orlov took Blanche aside to avoid embarrassing her in front of the other students and groups and stated, "It could be that you're a visual learner."
This seemed slightly confusing to the young girl who didn't understand the point Ms. Orlov was making, but Blanche admitted, "I love art, and art classes. Drawing is my favorite activity."
That some progress was being made satisfied Ms. Orlov. "Fine, Blanche," she said, "you love art, and drawing is your favorite class. In your other classes, when you don't understand the text, what have you done to help you understand the work?" (Step 1)
Blanche gave the question some thought. "Well, in math class," she explained, "I like to use those fun materials - the mini canisters - for algebra. I pretend the 'x' is hidden inside the canister. I can see what the algebraic expression means."
Ms. Orlov was pleased with the dialogue taking place. "Once you've used the cans," Ms. Orlov asked, "then what do you do to finish you work and complete the assignments for homework?" (Step 2)
With a degree of confidence Blanche answered, "I draw them in my notebook. After awhile, I don't need the drawings, but they help me out in the beginning to understand what I'm doing."
Moving just a bit closer to Blanche and looking directly into her eyes, Ms. Orlov inquired, "How could you use your special artistic talent and apply it here? (Step 3)
At that moment it seemed as if a great weight had been lifted from the young girl's shoulders. With a hesitant smile, Blanche replied, "I haven't given it much thought, but I could draw a picture for each section as I read through all of the material at the work station."
That Ms. Orlov was pleased would be an understatement. She had guided Blanche to find her own way. As she walked with Blanche back to the group she told her, "That's a great idea, and it just might work. I'll keep an eye on you to see if you continue to have difficulties. If you're pleased with your drawings, do you think we could use them as a model to help others understand hydroelectric power? (Empowerment and Motivation)
Blanche's reply was a smile capable of warming the coldest heart.
The objective of a teacher as coach is to elicit responses that reflect how well
cooperative groups or a student is progressing. The questions should be open-ended, probing for as much detail and description as
possible. Teachers such as Kim Tretter and Lydia Caprarella have the acronym and its definition posted on the wall so that peers in
cooperative groups can help each other. Below is the acronym, the definition, and questions a teacher can pose while circulating to
each cooperative group:
| C = | Clarity of Task: Please explain to me in your own words what you need to accomplish. Explain specifically what you have decided to do. |
| O = | Ownership: How have you decided to divide the responsibility? For what reasons do you feel that this is fair in terms of your workload? |
| A = | Attentive: Please share with me what you have been able to accomplish thus far today. Describe in detail how well you think you are working as a group. In what ways is this relevant to what you are trying to achieve together? |
| C = | Comprehension: Please show me where you found this information because I find it fascinating. Please explain the most important points that you found in your research. For what reasons does this information make sense to you? For what reasons do you think you can make the connection? |
| H = | Heightened or Hidden Emotions: I noticed that there is very little discussion at this table. Please share with me how you feel your group is functioning right now. It appears that this group has divided itself into pairs. Please describe what has taken place. |
By asking COACHing questions, teachers can inspire students to probe deeper, rather than
becoming defensive where they feel inadequate. It also allows teachers to become part of the inquiry process, where they model that they
are not the sole repositories of all knowledge, but are interested primarily in their students' unique research and projects. As students
take risks and try new endeavors, it is important for the teacher to guide them and facilitate learning in a positive fashion. By prompting
students with specific questions that initiate scholarship, teachers allow students to think critically and apply multiple perspectives.
When the teacher abandons such phrases as "could have" or "should have" and replaces them with "May I suggest," "You may want to consider,"
or "In what ways can you..." the responsibility takes a major shift from the teacher to the students (Crane, 2002). This offers them the choice
to respond to the needed change.
A Coaching School, A Coaching Community
Our goal is to ignite people's thinking and to be a catalyst for educational change. What
would happen if superintendents coached principals, principals coached teachers, teachers coached students, and students coached their
peers? It would create a coaching environment vertically as well as horizontally. Not only would these skills resonate throughout the
confines of the school, but they could also be extended to PTA organizations where the techniques could infiltrate into the home environment
with beneficial results. After approximately 30 years of teaching, these techniques have defined us as educators like no other previous
training. This was a step that improved our lives, our relationships, our teaching, and the way we viewed the world.
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