Identify

Defining the Impact Cycle: Identify

To "identify" in the impact cycle means to determine where the teacher feels like they could improve their instruction or where they feel like they need support. Sometimes, this might be a passion or interest area versus a need and that's also okay. Leaning into teacher's passions, especially if they feel frustrated with the day-to-day, is a great way to get buy-in to the coaching support.

The coach will work with the teacher to initially identify the current reality of the teaching practices of the teachers. This can be done in multiple ways, but one powerful is for the teacher to film a lesson they teach and then watch it back. This can be done with the coach present in the lesson, or the coach can also watch the video before the next meeting. The purpose of this stage is to allow the teacher to see what others see, and give them a deeper insight into their own teaching. It can be an uncomfortable experience, but the payoff is worth it. If a teacher does not wish to film themselves, there are other options for this stage, such as having an observer take notes or the coach modeling a lesson while the teacher watches.

With the current reality clarified, the coach will guide the teacher to identify a PEERS goal. This is a goal that is:

Powerful - it will make a difference if achieved

Easy - it is simple to state, and not overly complicated

Emotionally Compelling - the teacher cares about the goal: it matters to them

Reachable - it can be measured, and it is achievable through an instructional strategy

Student-focused - it is about improving student learning, rather than teacher actions

To get to the goal, the coach will use the Identify questions to help pick through some of the different things that the teacher is feeling after watching themselves teach.

Once a goal is set, the coach helps the teacher to identify an instructional strategy they can use to meet the goal. This conversation will be where the teacher and coach both share ideas for possible strategies. But the teacher will remain the decision maker, and they will have the final say over which strategy they wish to move forward with. Be certain to also decide how success will be measured and collect data throughout the process.

Resources for Identify

To ask the right questions, refer to the Identify Impact Cycle prompts:

Reality

What’s on your mind?
On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being the worst lesson you’ve taught and 10 being the best, how would you rank that lesson?
Why did you give it that number?
Why didn’t you give it a lower number?
What pleased you?
And what else?

Change

What would have to change to move the lesson closer to a 10?
If you woke up tomorrow, and a miracle happened so that your students were doing exactly what you would like them to do, what would be different? What would be the first signs be that the miracle occurred?”
If this class was your dream class, what would be different?
What would your students be doing differently if your class was a 10?
Tell me more about what that would look like?
How could you measure that change?
Do you want that to be your goal?
If you could hit that goal, would it really matter to you?

Options

What teaching strategy could you use to hit that goal?
Would you like some suggestions?
What advice would you give someone else if this was their problem?
Which option gives you the most energy?

Next Steps

What are your next steps?
What can you accomplish this week to move closer to your goal?
And what else can you do?
When will you do that?

Taken from The Definitive Guide - Instructional Coaching Group document. Find more information here.

Practice Identify

Coach Pair-Up

The identify part of the Impact Cycle can be practiced with other coaches in a role-playing scenario. Ask a coach to teach a model lesson and then the example questions provided above. How will you encourage a teacher to choose how they would like to improve? How can you listen to what the teacher is saying and pick out an instructional strategy that they can use if they feel challenged? Brainstorm solutions for go-to coaching strategies with your partner and add them to your coaching toolkit.

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