Reflections by Janna Elfrink https://padlet.com/jelfrink/f2lagp7k17ds Coach Check In en-us 2019-03-11 11:41:14 UTC 2019-04-15 15:50:01 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/icons/Rocket.png As a coach, where do you think you've made the greatest impact this year? I've linked the Instructional Coach Framework so that you can look at the coach roles as a reference. jelfrink https://padlet.com/jelfrink/f2lagp7k17ds/wish/339890724 2019-03-11 11:46:11 UTC https://padlet.com/jelfrink/f2lagp7k17ds/wish/339890724 As a coach, what have been your greatest challenges this year? jelfrink https://padlet.com/jelfrink/f2lagp7k17ds/wish/339891494 2019-03-11 11:48:18 UTC https://padlet.com/jelfrink/f2lagp7k17ds/wish/339891494 What types of support do you think would be most beneficial when meeting as a group (ILT) to build your capacity for coaching? jelfrink https://padlet.com/jelfrink/f2lagp7k17ds/wish/339892725 2019-03-11 11:51:27 UTC https://padlet.com/jelfrink/f2lagp7k17ds/wish/339892725 Adria asimkins https://padlet.com/jelfrink/f2lagp7k17ds/wish/340105538 #1 I feel like my greatest impact this year has been with my grade level teams. We have accomplished A LOT this year: some good curriculum work, tidying up some assessments, reviewing our instructional practices with technology, work with guided reading, strong collaboration, etc....all while keeping a cheerful attitude!]]> 2019-03-11 18:14:39 UTC https://padlet.com/jelfrink/f2lagp7k17ds/wish/340105538 Chris https://padlet.com/jelfrink/f2lagp7k17ds/wish/340105784 1. I feel that my greatest impact has been with getting reading workshop/Literature Circles up and running.

2. My greatest challenge was getting started this year. Nobody here knew me and I felt that I had to spend a lot of time really getting to know the staff and letting them know that I am capable and willing to get into classrooms and help with instruction.

3. For support, I would like to have more time with the other coaches. We all have different strengths and it is really helpful to hear how everyone is handling certain tasks. I would like to get into actual coaching to help teachers with their practice. ]]> 2019-03-11 18:15:07 UTC https://padlet.com/jelfrink/f2lagp7k17ds/wish/340105784 JB Greatest impact this year would be fostering support and collaboration across grade levels. In the past we did a good job on collaboration within grade levels but not across grade levels. This year we have structured more time for across grade level collaboration during professional development. More observations, common scoring (writing), DRAs, WTW and sharing ideas for what good instruction looks like. Great challenge is always time. Get pulled in so many different directions it is easy to get off track or to change focus. Meeting as a group- I think allowing time for us to share ideas with each other or to problem solve together. I think I learned the most when I was learning with my fellow coaches- attending common pd and/or doing book study where we tried things and came back and shared with each other and problem solved together jbookhout https://padlet.com/jelfrink/f2lagp7k17ds/wish/340105845 2019-03-11 18:15:13 UTC https://padlet.com/jelfrink/f2lagp7k17ds/wish/340105845 Adria asimkins https://padlet.com/jelfrink/f2lagp7k17ds/wish/340106936 #2  Time is always my challenge!  Any quality work worth doing takes A LOT of time and I always feel like I am short changing one area to give to another.  I may see there is a particular area of need in the building, put a lot of focus on it through observation, professional learning, collaborative conversations, etc. I may get it solid and in place with many teachers (but never all teachers), then at some point it is time to move on to the next area of need/focus. There is always a little nagging voice that says,"If you would have spent a little more time on it, maybe that one would have got it." It is much like my experience as a classroom teacher- it's difficult to move on when I know not all of my students got it, but at some point, you have to move on. I really do think it is just the nature of coaching. There just is never enough time.]]> 2019-03-11 18:17:23 UTC https://padlet.com/jelfrink/f2lagp7k17ds/wish/340106936 Adria asimkins https://padlet.com/jelfrink/f2lagp7k17ds/wish/340107996 #3 People in the room might throw something at me, but I love a good book study!    (I wouldn't mind finishing that book we started earlier in the year.)  It gives us all the chance to build our knowledge, have some great discussions, and challenge us to try something new.  ]]> 2019-03-11 18:19:25 UTC https://padlet.com/jelfrink/f2lagp7k17ds/wish/340107996 Nicole nharrell https://padlet.com/jelfrink/f2lagp7k17ds/wish/340109953 1. Classroom Partner: I think I would be lost without our content team collaboration time. This time has allowed me to feel part of each content team, and I’m able to partner with the team to make changes. This is the missing link at the high school, so I think it would be extremely beneficial for me to come over during their Thursday collaboration time next year. 
2. My initial greatest challenge was getting an “in” at the middle school. A lot of teachers didn’t know me well and they were skeptical of my position at first. It took a while, but I think we’re at a good spot, and I feel at home at that building now. My greatest current challenge is understanding how to support the HS teachers. There’s  a different vibe over here, and I’m trying to figure out where I fit in to the needs of the building. I can see what some of the building needs are, but I don’t feel it’s my place to step in at times. 
3. It’s beneficial for me to hear what other coaches are doing in their building. One of the most beneficial conversations this year was when Jennifer went over how she coaches classroom management. I’ve used that this year, and it would have been hard for me to start without the information she shared. 


]]> 2019-03-11 18:23:11 UTC https://padlet.com/jelfrink/f2lagp7k17ds/wish/340109953 JB #2 https://padlet.com/jelfrink/f2lagp7k17ds/wish/351314473 As far as my building goes, I think things are going well. One challenge this year has been to build relationships with the coaches. We have met several times but I don't feel like we have been able to support each other to the fullest extent. We work in isolation quite a bit and I know we have different buildings but this year I feel more separated from the coaches than in the past. I know we can always set up our own meetings or add to the agenda but when the agenda is already full no one wants to add to it. I am not trying to blame anyone, I just would like to see us support each other more and just have time to discuss what is going on. I know everyone has different ideas and I would like to hear different perspectives as well as share mine, it may help others. There has been times when some of us were invited to events but not all and when there is just four of us, you can get to feel left out, or at least I did. I think we always have had to just get a task or goal done and haven't had the opportunity just to form relationships and bond with each other.  We are very professional and do what it takes to get the job done but we haven't collaborated as much as I would have liked to. I just want to be able to have a relaxed conversation from time to time.  I understand we have things we have to accomplish but we are a new team and one of the first steps in a new team should be to form relationships and I think just talking to each other, not just answering questions would help with that. I haven't talked to the other coaches about this so I may be the only coach that feels this way but this is my biggest challenge this year. For example: just looking at our agenda for Monday, I feel like there is so much on the agenda, that we will just report and not talk. I think there are some good things on the agenda,just way too much to have real conversations on - not sure if this makes sense to anyone but me.]]> 2019-04-12 20:58:24 UTC https://padlet.com/jelfrink/f2lagp7k17ds/wish/351314473