Coaching Journal

John Phillips, III

Date:
Participants:
Objectives:
February 26,
J. Phillips, D. Jabloner
Google Classroom
2015
Strategies
The strategies that I used during this coaching session included
using one-on-one coaching (Knight, 2007). I used this model
because I am working with a first year teacher that is very
nervous about this first year. The teacher described having
difficulty keeping up with all of the technology that is being
used in the fourth grade curriculum. Because of this, we chose
to work on Google Classroom and setting up her students.
I took my laptop into her classroom so that I could model how
to use the Google Classroom as she used her laptop
simultaneously.
During this time, I also took time to listen to every thought and
opinion that the teacher expressed. I wanted to make sure to
grow trust and a lasting relationship with the teacher so that
she would feel confident in my motives in helping her and my
ability to relate to her.
Skill and
Affective
Changes
Working with the teachers, I was able to see her feel more
confident in using the online resources. I could tell that she
was still intimidated and may not use the online classroom
immediately in her classroom. I intend to work with her more
on using the online tools to assign and grade student work.
Reflection on
Challenges
and
Solutions
The biggest challenge that I encountered as a coach during
this session was establishing consistency with the teacher. This
particular teacher has organizational struggles, and therefore
creating a weekly schedule for us to meet was imperative. I
also want to develop a note taking strategy for us to use in the
future. By incorporating notes, the teacher will have something

to reference back to in case she forgets. Which is highly likely.

Perhaps keeping a screencast of our sessions together would
give her some medium to refer back to. Doing so would also
give me the opportunity to reflect on our coaching sessions
and show to the principal if she so desires.

Date:
March 5, 2015

Participants:
J. Phillips, D. Jabloner,
K. Garner

Objectives:
Google Classroom
and Classroom
Implementation

Strategies
This session was a small group coaching session (Knight,
2007). The reason for this was so that as I helped D. Jabloner
become more confortable with the online classroom, the other
fourth grade teacher could interact and help demonstrate how
the online resource is being used in her classroom. This
sessions interactions presented themselves much more like a
PLC (Knight, 2007). By that, I mean that we worked as a
collaborative group instead of a training session. Everyone had
a role. My role was the hardware and logistics of working the
Google Classroom. Garners role was to demonstrate how
curriculum could be used in the classroom. Jabloners role was
to ask questions and practice the modeled practices.
Skill and
Affective
Changes
The change that I saw immediately was that Jabloner was more
timid with another teacher in the coaching session. Because of
this, I dont think that I will introduce another teacher into the
group anytime soon. I want to make sure that Jabloner is
confortable and confident in her abilities and questions that
she needs to ask.
I also noticed that Jabloner was more comfortable with the
Google Classroom since our last coaching session. This shows
me that Jabloner has been trying to experiment with the
classroom and has exposed her students to the resource.
Reflection on
Challenges
and
Solutions
The biggest challenge that I witnessed in this training session
was keeping everyone at peace. Because there were three
participants in this coaching session, the dynamics were
completely different from before. I worked very hard to be a
partner with D. Jabloner. The new teacher to the mix came in

with an attitude of why hasnt she been doing this all along? I
had to work hard to make sure that this attitude didnt disrupt
the conversations and the training. Although other fourth
grade teachers have used a lot of the practices that I am
working with Jabloner to learn all year, Jabloner is learning, just
behind the curve.
I will be sure to work in one-on-one situations with Jabloner in
the future to keep her feeling safe to ask questions and learn.
Date:
Participants:
Objectives:
March 12,
J. Phillips, D. Jabloner
Study Island
2015
Strategies
I decided that it was in the best interest of the teacher that I
am coaching to go back to the one-on-one model. The teacher
appeared more guarded and apprehensive with other teachers
in the session. To avoid this, I neglected to invite other
teachers to this session.
We worked on using Study Island in the classroom. Because we
have worked on using Google Classroom, we decided to start
listing assignments in the classroom for the students to
complete at school and at home. Today, we worked on
assigning specific tasks to students based on the needs that
have been determined in the classroom.
Again, I brought my own technology so that Jabloner could
work while watching me model the necessary technique
(Knight, 2007).
Skill and
Affective
Changes
Jabloner was able to bring documentation to the session so
that we could differentiate instruction based on the students
needs. Together, we grouped the students into four groups so
that we could create four different assignments and push them
out to the students that needed the remediation.
I was able to watch Jabloner get the hang of creating class lists
and pushing out the assignments. I also watched (after
modeling) Jabloner log into Google Classroom and write notes
to students that described the work that they would be doing.
Reflection on

Challenges
and
Solutions
Challenges were harder to determine during this session.
Because we went back to the one-on-one model, interaction
was much more graceful and fluid. The teacher and I have
developed a good working relationship were we can work sideby-side to discuss ideas and follow modeling. We still have not
found an effective note taking strategy, but the teacher has
started taking shorthand note to the side as I model. The
teacher practices reading and using the notes as she attempts
to reproduce what I have modeled.

Date:
February 19,
2015

Participants:
J. Phillips, D. Jabloner,
Fourth Grade Math
Class

Objectives:
Google Classroom

Strategies
Instead of meeting alone this week, I decided to model a
lesson with the students using Google Classroom and iPads in
the classroom. By modeling how to work with students, the
teacher will hopefully be more comfortable using the
technology in her own lessons in the future.
I was sure to make sure that the teacher knew how to log out
the iPad carts. We also went over procedures for how to assign
students numbers and make sure that they are accountable for
the technology.
I modeled the lesson, while the teacher observed the students
and me. The teacher took notes and tried to follow along with
the written lesson plan that I had provided her (Knight, 2007).
Skill and
Affective
Changes
There was no visible change in this lesson because I was the
one doing the work. I modeled the lesson for the teacher. Next
week, I hope to co-teach a technology based lesson with the
teacher so that she can get her hands dirty and start using the
technology in her curriculum.
Reflection on
Challenges
and
Solutions
The change that I saw in myself this time was a change from
working with just the teacher into a coach that can model a
lesson for the teacher in the classroom. It is important for me
to be able to make this transition. Feeling confident in my
ability to effectively model instruction is an important strategy
to have in my bag of tricks as a learning coach. Even though I
am half the age of most of the teachers at my school, it is
important for me to remember that I am a teacher and their
peer. I have something to offer the group and to teach. I think
that this is a mental barrier that I have been working to cross,

and that will take more time before I feel 100% comfortable
with the idea.

Date:
Participants:
Objectives:
March 26,
J. Phillips, D. Jabloner
Google Classroom
2015
Strategies
The teacher and I co-taught a math lesson using the Google
Classroom and Study Island resources that we have been
working on together (Knight, 2007).
The teacher took the lead of the lesson as I worked as a
helping hand when necessary. The teacher was able to
differentiate the lesson for students using the technology
based on specific skills the students needed.
I was able to walk around, monitoring the teacher and her
instruction as well as the students and their work.
The teacher was able to complete the lesson mostly on her
own. She did stumble from time to time with passwords and
small details, but overall the teacher did a great job of taking
the lead in a technology infused lesson.
The students worked on math skills and were able to use the
blog to leave comments and questions for the teacher. Doing
so, we were able to being our journey towards a Web 2.0
classroom.
Skill and
Affective
Changes
I was able to see a lot of changes in the teachers actions and
behaviors in this session. During this session, I took the
backseat role as the teacher led the lesson. During this time, I
saw the teacher introduce the lesson, monitor student
progress, and troubleshoot problems as they arose. Being able
to troubleshoot problems is important when implementing
these kinds of lessons. Problems will arise, whether they are
login in issues, connectivity issues, and student monitoring
issues. Teachers have to be able to act on the fly and solve
these problems as they come. An even more prepared teacher
would think about these problems before they arise, and have
a solution already prepared.
Reflection on
Challenges
and

Solutions
As an instructional coach, its important to remember that its
not the You Show. I constantly battle the temptation to praise
myself and remember that the reason for coaching is to see
the teacher succeed and the students learn. Today, I took the
backseat as I watched the teacher use the tools that I have
worked to teach her so that she can have a more effective
classroom. Watching her teach, I feel like I was able to
accomplish that goal.
The victory is in watching the teacher teach effectively and
confidently, and watching the students grow and learn. Being a
coach is about the growth of others and not myself. Although I
have grown tremendously as a coach through these five
sessions, it is more empowering to see how the teaching
strategies of the teacher Ive worked with have changed over
these past five weeks. Now, the teacher has the tools that she
needs to effectively incorporate technology into her math
curriculum. In doing so, the student have more resources and
more opportunities to learn and grow.

References
Knight, J. (2007). Instructional coaching: A partnership approach to
improving instruction. Corwin Press: Thousand Oaks.