Utilizing Coaching Cycles

An instructional coaching cycle is just a different way of providing professional development. Instead of providing professional development in a whole class setting, you set targeted learning goals and work in partnership with the coach. It's called a cycle because it involves completing steps in a process to achieve a goal. The coaching cycle generally consists of four components: goal setting, planning, observation, and reflection. Each step is done collaboratively between the teacher and the coach.

Mini coaching cycles take place with an individual teacher and have the key elements of a regular coaching cycle. They begin with a goal or learning target and include the collection of student evidence, co-planning, co-teaching, and many opportunities for reflection. The difference is in the scope. Instead of going through the co-planning and co-teaching process several times over 4-6 weeks, in mini cycles we work through this sequence just once or twice. That makes mini cycles shorter in duration, lasting only about one to two weeks. How long depends on the needs of the teacher and the size of the goal or learning target. Knowing a mini cycle is just a week or two long makes it easier for a coach and teacher to decide when each session will occur. Stages of a mini cycle are:

• Stage 1: What is the goal or target? What intended student learning does it sit under?

• Stage 2: What evidence do we have, or need, that will inform us of where the students are?

• Stage 3: Based on our evidence, what did we learn and what can we try?

• Stage 4: How will we co-deliver instruction?

• Stage 5: How did the students do? What are some next steps for instruction?