RUNNING HEAD: CULTURE AND COACHING 1

Culture and Coaching Inquir Re!lection

"ri#tin $e%er
Oa&land Uni'er#it
CULTURE AND COACHING (
Inquiry Background
A# a !ir#t ear in#tructional coach in ) di#trict* I +a# !inding it di!!icult to get teacher#
to %u into the idea o! coaching, I +a# #truggling to under#tand +h #o)e -eo-le acti'el
#ought out the a##i#tance o! an in#tructional coach and other# #taed a# !ar a+a !ro) it a#
-o##i%le, I &ne+ that re#earch #a# that .o%/e)%edded -ro!e##ional de'elo-)ent i# one o! the
)o#t e!!ecti'e +a# to hel- a teacher gro+ in their -ro!e##ional -ractice, I +anted to &no+ i!
other %uilding# in our di#trict had the #a)e i##ue ) !ello+ coach and I +ere ha'ing in the high
#chool +here +e +ere hou#ed, Thi# i# +hat led )e to +onder i! there )ight %e a connection
%et+een the culture o! a %uilding* -ertaining -articularl to teacher colla%oration* )ight ha'e
#o)ething to do +ith +hether or not a teacher +ould u#e an in#tructional coach,
A!ter landing on the to-ic o! connecting %uilding culture to the u#e o! in#tructional
coaching* I ca)e u- +ith t+o e##ential que#tion# that %eca)e ) !ocu# o! inquir, The !ir#t
que#tion +a#: $hat i# the connection %et+een the culture o! a #chool %uilding and the
acce-tance o! in#tructional coaching0 The !ollo+/u- que#tion that connected to thi# inquir
!ocu# +a#: $hat are #o)e +a# !or coache# to increa#e the u#e o! coaching % teacher#0
Inquiry Design
To #tart ) inquir +or& I decided that the %e#t +a to get in!or)ation !ro) teacher#
acro## our di#trict +ould %e to create a #ur'e that +ould a#& que#tion# -ertaining %oth to the
culture o! the #chool in +hich the +or&ed* a# +ell a# that teacher1# u#e2non/u#e o! in#tructional
coaching during the (314/(315 #chool ear, During ) Hu)an Re#ource# cla## !or Oa&land
Uni'er#it +e +ere gi'en an article that dealt +ith ho+ to a##e## the culture o! a #chool, Thi#
tool ca)e !ro) 6a#den/Co-a# and $agner1# 7(33(8 article 9An audit o! culture #tart# +ith t+o
hand tool#: !ro) the Journal of Staff Development, I decided to u#e #o)e o! the que#tion# !ro)
CULTURE AND COACHING 4
that tool* na)el at lea#t one que#tion !ro) each categor o! the tool* to e#ta%li#h the culture
le'el !or a #chool, The#e #tate)ent# a#&ed re#-ondent# to rate their agree)ent on a Li&ert/t-e
#cale, The re#-on#e# +ere totaled and then #caled to de'elo- a culture le'el !or the %uilding,
The #ur'e then had #o)e logic %uilt into it and a#&ed the re#-ondent# i! the had u#ed
in#tructional coaching or not thi# ear, I! the an#+ered 9e#: the +ere directed to a #et o!
que#tion# that a#&ed que#tion# a%out their coaching e;-erience, I! the teacher an#+ered 9no:
the +ere directed to a #et o! que#tion# that a#&ed rea#on# +h the had not u#ed in#tructional
coaching and +hat +ould ha'e to change or %e in -lace !or the) to u#e in#tructional coaching in
the !uture, The onl identi!ing in!or)ation a#&ed o! re#-ondent# +a# the %uilding in +hich the
+or&ed* a# +ell a# the nu)%er o! ear# o! teaching e;-erience, I +anted teacher# to !eel #a!e
an#+ering the #ur'e #o I did not a#& !or na)e# or grade le'el# !ro) the re#-ondent#,
Once the #ur'e +a# de'elo-ed* I #ent it to ) !ello+ coache# in the di#trict and a#&ed
!or their !eed%ac& on the que#tion# and #tructure o! the #ur'e, I recei'ed good !eed%ac& and
)ade #o)e change# to the #ur'e to i)-ro'e u-on it, Once the !inal 'er#ion o! the #ur'e +a#
created* I +or&ed +ith our A##ociate <u-erintendent 6ichele Har)ala to di#tri%ute thi# #ur'e
lin& to the entire di#trict % including it in her +ee&l e)ail to all #ta!! in the di#trict, I al#o
a#&ed the other coache# in the di#trict to hel- #-read the +ord a%out ta&ing the #ur'e in their
%uilding# and -ro)i#ed the) I +ould #hare their %uilding# data once I +a# !ini#hed +ith )
-ro.ect, I &e-t the #ur'e o-en !or t+o +ee&#* and +hen I !inall clo#ed it to re#-on#e# I had 1(=
teacher# +ho had ta&en the #ur'e co)-letel, Thi# i# .u#t o'er 13> o! our entire teaching #ta!!
in the di#trict +hich I thought +a# a great nu)%er con#idering the #ur'e +a# co)-letel
'oluntar,
CULTURE AND COACHING 5
I al#o &ne+ that a #ur'e alone +ould not get )e all o! the in!or)ation that I de#ired to
!ind out a%out +h teacher# did or did not u#e in#tructional coaching, There!ore* I decided to
inter'ie+ a !e+ teacher# in ) %uilding +ho had u#ed in#tructional coaching to get )ore detailed
!eed%ac& on +hat the !elt +ere %ene!it#2dra+%ac&# to u#ing in#tructional coaching,
The data !or thi# -ro.ect +a# collected u#ing t+o )ethod#, The #ur'e I de'elo-ed +a#
created u#ing Google ?or)# and the inter'ie+# +ere done in -er#on % )#el! and the teacher
%eing inter'ie+ed, I +rote do+n note# during the inter'ie+# to ca-ture %ig idea# !ro) the
inter'ie+ee re#-on#e#, I decided to not record the inter'ie+# #o that the teacher %eing
inter'ie+ed +ould not !eel unco)!orta%le at all,
The data anal#i# !or thi# -ro.ect +a# tediou#, ?ir#t I loo&ed at each indi'idual que#tion
!ro) the culture que#tion# that +ere a#&ed to #ee i! there +ere an glaring de!iciencie# in our
di#trict that need to %e addre##ed, I then too& the aggregate #-read#heet +ith all re#-ondent# and
#e-arated it out into #e-arate %uilding#, ?ro) there I calculated %uilding culture #core# u#ing the
re#-on#e# !ro) the #ur'e and created a data #heet !or each %uilding that included the o-en/
ended re#-on#e# that +ere gi'en !or each que#tion, I then +ent through and loo&ed !or trend#
and the)e# in the re#-on#e# !ro) teacher# that +ould hel- an#+er ) inquir que#tion#,
Inquiry Learning and Claims
The !ir#t thing I loo&ed at +hen I +ent through ) data +a# the culture que#tion# that
+ere a#&ed o! each re#-ondent in the #ur'e, I loo&ed to #ee i! there +ere an glaring i##ue# that
needed to %e addre##ed in our di#trict a# a +hole, The gra-h# %elo+ #ho+ the #u))ar o! the
1(= re#-ondent# to the que#tion# -ertaining to %uilding culture in ?ar)ington @u%lic <chool#,
CULTURE AND COACHING =
Teachers and staff discuss instructional strategies and curriculum
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
1 - Never
2 - Rarely
3 - Sometimes
4 - Often
5 - Always or almost always
Percent of Responents
N!m"er of Responents
The student behavior code that we follow in our building is a result
of collaboration and consensus among staff
0 10 20 30 40 50
1 - Never
2 - Rarely
3 - Sometimes
4 - Often
5 - Always or almost always
Percent of Responents
N!m"er of Responents
The planning and organizational time allotted to teachers and staff
is used to plan as collective units/teams rather than as separate
individuals
0 10 20 30 40 50
1 - Never
2 - Rarely
3 - Sometimes
4 - Often
5 - Always or almost always
Percent of Responents
N!m"er of Responents
CULTURE AND COACHING A
Teachers and staff tell stories of celebrations that support the
school's values
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
1 - Never
2 - Rarely
3 - Sometimes
4 - Often
5 - Always or almost always
Percent of Responents
N!m"er of Responents
Teachers and staff visit/talk/meet outside of school and enjoy each
other's company
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
1 - Never
2 - Rarely
3 - Sometimes
4 - Often
5 - Always or almost always
Percent of Responents
N!m"er of Responents
Our school reflects a true "sense" of community
0 10 20 30 40 50
1 - Never
2 - Rarely
3 - Sometimes
4 - Often
5 - Always or almost always
Percent of Responents
N!m"er of Responents
CULTURE AND COACHING B
Our school supports and appreciates the sharing of new ideas by
members of our school
0 10 20 30 40 50
1 - Never
2 - Rarely
3 - Sometimes
4 - Often
5 - Always or almost always
Percent of Responents
N!m"er of Responents
When something is not working in our school the faculty and staff
predict and prevent rather than react and repair
0 10 20 30 40 50
1 - Never
2 - Rarely
3 - Sometimes
4 - Often
5 - Always or almost always
Percent of Responents
N!m"er of Responents
!chool members are interdependent and value each other
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
1 - Never
2 - Rarely
3 - Sometimes
4 - Often
5 - Always or almost always
Percent of Responents
N!m"er of Responents
CULTURE AND COACHING C
"embers of our school community seek alternatives to
problems/issues rather than repeating what we have always done
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
1 - Never
2 - Rarely
3 - Sometimes
4 - Often
5 - Always or almost always
Percent of Responents
N!m"er of Responents
"embers of our school community seek to define the problem/issue
rather than blame others
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
1 - Never
2 - Rarely
3 - Sometimes
4 - Often
5 - Always or almost always
Percent of Responents
N!m"er of Responents
#eople work here because they enjoy and choose to be here
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 #0
1 - Never
2 - Rarely
3 - Sometimes
4 - Often
5 - Always or almost always
Percent of Responents
N!m"er of Responents
U#ing the culture #cale %elo+* I grou-ed the "/5 ele)entar* =/A u--er ele)entar*
)iddle #chool and high #chool %uilding# in ) di#trict together to identi! +hich %uilding# had
#trong %uilding culture and +hich %uilding# needed to addre## #o)e i##ue# related to %uilding
CULTURE AND COACHING D
culture, I then loo&ed at each indi'idual re#-ondent to #ee +hat le'el the rated their #chool
culture and i! the had u#ed in#tructional coaching or not thi# #chool ear, A!ter loo&ing at thi#
data* I !ound that i! a #chool had a culture le'el o! ( or %elo+* there +a# a higher -ercentage o!
re#-ondent# +ho %oth rated the culture o! the %uilding lo+ 7le'el ( or %elo+8 and did not u#e
in#tructional coaching* than tho#e re#-ondent# +ho rated the culture o! the %uilding high and
u#ed in#tructional coaching, I al#o !ound the o--o#ite to %e true: i! a #chool had a culture le'el o!
4 or higher* there +a# a higher -ercentage o! re#-ondent# +ho %oth rated the culture o! the
%uilding high 7le'el 4 or higher8 and u#ed in#tructional coaching* than tho#e re#-ondent# +ho
rated the %uilding culture lo+ and did not u#e in#tructional coaching,
Le'el <core De#cri-tion
1 1(/(C Critical and i))ediate attention nece##ar, Conduct a !ull/#cale
a##e##)ent o! our #chool1# culture and in'e#t all a'aila%le re#ource# in
re-airing and healing our #chool1# culture,
( (D/51 6odi!ication# and i)-ro'e)ent# are nece##ar, Eegin +ith a )ore
inten#e a##e##)ent o! our #chool1# culture to deter)ine +hich area i#
)o#t in need o! i)-ro'e)ent,
4 5(/=4 6onitor and continue to )a&e -o#iti'e ad.u#t)ent#,
5 =5/A3 A)aFingG Continue )onitoring* though +ith each #chool i)-ro'e)ent
-lanning ccle* or at lea#t e'er t+o ear#* to %e #ure ou #ta in to-
#ha-e,
"/5 Ele)entar Euilding#:
Note: Beechview, Highmeadow Common Campus, Longacre, and Wood Creek
were eliminated from the sample due to low response rates from these buildings.
<chool Na)e A'erage Euilding
Culture Le'el
> o! re#-ondent#
+ith a lo+ culture
#core H no u#e o!
coaching
> o! re#-ondent#
+ith a high culture
#core H u#e o!
coaching
?ore#t Ele)entar 4 44,44> AA,A>
Gill Ele)entar ( AA,AA> 44,4>
Hill#ide Ele)entar (/4 (=> =3>
"en%roo&
Ele)entar
( 53> (3>
Lanigan Ele)entar 4 3> 133>
CULTURE AND COACHING 13
=/A U--er Ele)entar Euilding#:
<chool Na)e A'erage Euilding
Culture Le'el
> o! re#-ondent#
+ith a lo+ culture
#core H no u#e o!
coaching
> o! re#-ondent#
+ith a high culture
#core H u#e o!
coaching
@o+er U--er
Ele)entar
4 15,(> =B,1>
$arner U--er
Ele)entar
( 4A,4A> D,3D>
B/C 6iddle <chool Euilding#:
<chool Na)e A'erage Euilding
Culture Le'el
> o! re#-ondent#
+ith a lo+ culture
#core H no u#e o!
coaching
> o! re#-ondent#
+ith a high culture
#core H u#e o!
coaching
Ea#t 6iddle <chool 4 13> A3>
O,E, Dunc&el 6iddle
<chool
4 3> AA,A>
High <chool Euilding#:
<chool Na)e A'erage Euilding
Culture Le'el
> o! re#-ondent#
+ith a lo+ culture
#core H no u#e o!
coaching
> o! re#-ondent#
+ith a high culture
#core H u#e o!
coaching
?ar)ington High
<chool
( ==,=> 11,1>
Harri#on High <chool ( 4=,B> (C,=>
North ?ar)ington
High <chool
4 1(,=> A(,=>
I al#o loo&ed at all o! the +ritten co))ent# that re#-ondent# le!t to loo& !or the)e#
related to ) inquir que#tion#, There +ere a nu)%er o! #ugge#tion# !ro) re#-ondent# on ho+
to increa#e the u#e o! coaching % teacher# in our di#trict, ?ir#t o! all* there +ere )an
re#-ondent# +ho !elt that i# +a# nece##ar to ha'e at lea#t one coach in the di#trict +ith a #-ecial
education %ac&ground to hel- %oth our #-ecial education teacher# a# +ell a# general education
teacher# +ho )a %e #truggling )eeting the need# o! our #-ecial education #tudent#, Another
#ugge#tion +a# to coordinate relea#e ti)e !or teacher# to )eet +ith coache# #o the did not ha'e
to gi'e u- their -re- ti)e to +or& +ith a coach, 6an teacher# are #tre##ed +ith the a)ount o!
CULTURE AND COACHING 11
ti)e the ha'e to -re-are !or their cla##e# in our current #chedule #o the thought i# that relea#e
ti)e )a alle'iate #o)e o! that #tre##, Ho+e'er* the other #ide to thi# i# that there +ill %e added
#tre## o! lea'ing #u% -lan# to )eet +ith a coach i! relea#e ti)e i# gi'en, 6an o! the re#-ondent#
+ere loo&ing !or coache# +ho had a %road range o! e;-erience# and %ac&ground, ?or in#tance*
one #ugge#tion +a# that teacher# need to under#tand ho+ a coach could hel- the) in their
content area i! the coach ha# not taught that -articular content area in the -a#t, Another
#ugge#tion !ro) the ele)entar %uilding# +a# that coache# #hould ha'e taught a 'ariet o! grade
le'el#* not .u#t lo+er ele)entar or u--er ele)entar, La#tl* there +ere #e'eral #ugge#tion#
that coache# #hould ha'e taught in the cla##roo) +ithin the la#t t+o ear# #o the are current on
teaching -ractice#,
Co))unication +a# another the)e that +a# -re#ent in the co))ent# !ro) thi# #ur'e,
There +ere )an #ugge#tion# !ro) re#-ondent# that coache# #hould reach out to teacher# to #et
u- a--oint)ent#, Right no+* the coaching -hilo#o-h in the di#trict i# that coaching i# a teacher
choice and that coaching cannot %e )andated % anone 7including ad)ini#tration unle## the
teacher i# on an ID@ !or e'aluation -ur-o#e#8, There +ere al#o #ugge#tion# that coache# #hould
-ro'ide regular co))unication +ith the #ta!! in the %uilding on +hat the could o!!er to
teacher#, Another #ugge#tion +a# to #end out good teaching ti-# to teacher# on a regular %a#i#,
Tru#t continue# to %e an i##ue !or coache# in the di#trict, There +ere )an #ugge#tion#
!ro) a !e+ -articular #chool# that the relation#hi- and tru#t need# to %e i)-ro'ed %et+een the
ad)ini#trator# in the %uilding and the teacher# +ho +or& there, $e ha'e a !e+ %uilding# in our
di#trict that reall need to +or& on their culture and thi# i# a direct connection to tho#e re#-on#e#,
Another re#-ondent #ugge#ted that a coach )u#t %e tru#t/+orth and +ell/&no+n to #ta!! in order
!or teacher# to engage in coaching, There +ere #e'eral re#-ondent# +ho al#o #aid the +ould
CULTURE AND COACHING 1(
li&e )ore choice in +hich coach to +or& +ith, Thi# +a# e#-eciall true at the ele)entar le'el
+here there i# onl one coach in each %uilding and in -re'iou# ear# ele)entar teacher# +ere
allo+ed to -ic& a di#trict coach to +or& +ith on literac in#truction, La#tl* teacher# need a
%etter under#tanding o! the coaching -roce## %e!ore the +ill engage in coaching,
Concluding Thoughts
In order !or coaching to %e #ucce##!ul in ?ar)ington @u%lic <chool#* there +ill need to %e
continued attention -laced on the need# o! the teacher# in the di#trict, Coache# +ill need to +or&
on %uilding tru#t and relation#hi-# #o that teacher# !eel coaching i# a 9#a!e #-ace: to ta&e ri#&#
and i)-ro'e -ractice, $ith a co)-lete change in leader#hi- in our di#trict* it +ill %e the .o% o!
the coache# in the di#trict to co))unicate tho#e need# to the ne+ #u-erintendent and a##i#tant
#u-erintendent #o that there i# continuit in the i)-le)entation -roce## o! thi# initiati'e, I
%elie'e that a #ur'e li&e thi# #hould %e done on an annual %a#i# to chec& the #tatu# o! coaching
in the di#trict and to !ind +a# that it can %e i)-ro'ed !or teacher#,
CULTURE AND COACHING 14
Re!erence#
6a#den/Co-a#* @, H $agner* C, 7(33(8, An audit o! culture #tart# +ith t+o hand tool#, Journal
of staff development* (4748* 5(/=4,