What it means:
Provide support and development to each educator, through co-planning, co-teaching or co-leading, modeling, observing and providing feedback, and coaching.
More Detail
Supporting and developing individuals includes planning, communicating, executing, and improving the following actions:
- Co-plan
- Co-teach, co-lead, or model for others
- Observe and give feedback
- Coach
Tools—For Multi-Classroom Leaders & Other Instructional Teacher-Leaders
These tools can help multi-classroom leaders and other teacher-leaders support and develop their instructional teams:
- Multi-Classroom Leader Action Planner (Word)—to see each season in its own document, click on the following links: Summer; Fall; Winter; Spring
- Team Meeting Sample Agenda—Analyzing Student Work (Word)
- Team Meeting Sample Agenda—Data Analysis (Word)
- Toolkits for Teacher Selection and Evaluation, including competencies and development planning (Web)
- School Turnaround Teachers: Competencies for Success (PDF)
Tools—For Principals & Multi-School Leaders
These tools can help principals and multi-school leaders support and develop their teams:
Videos—For Multi-Classroom Leaders & Other Instructional Teacher-Leaders
Watch these short videos of educators discussing the elements of Support and Develop Individuals, organized by action:
Co-Plan
As a Team Leader, Collaborate on PlanningMCL Jacqueline Smith explains what she learned about how to truly co-plan with her teaching team. | Make Co-Planning a Team ActivityMCL Jacqueline Smith focuses her team on advance work to make planning meetings efficient, in-depth, and effective. | Lead Teaching Team to Practice Lesson DeliveryPracticing how to teach a lesson helps prevent a loss of instructional time and incorrect instruction, MCL Sydney Mboob says |
Co-teach and model for others
Co-Teach and ModelNewer teachers find modeling and co-teaching especially useful, MCL Bobby Miles says. | Model Great Instruction and Provide Practice TimeSeeing a lesson delivery modeled or a video of great instruction from the school helps build teachers’ skills, Multi-Classroom Leader Molly Whelan says. | For Struggling Teachers, Model Good Teaching and Observe OthersFor struggling teachers, model strong teaching and have them observe others, MCL Nicole Pries says. |
Observe and give feedback
Provide Immediate FeedbackMCL Molly Whelan emphasizes the need for immediate feedback, formal and informal, for teachers to adjust instruction quickly. | Videotape Teaching and Coaching RoutinelyFor impactful feedback, make videotaping routine, of both instruction and coaching time so everyone can quickly see and improve any trouble spots, MCL Okema Owens Simpson says. | Paying it Forward by Supporting New TeachersMCL Lara Harris remembers how lucky she felt at the start of her own career to have a mentor who provided deep support—something Harris is thrilled to provide as an MCL at a high-poverty, high-needs school. |
Coach
Daily Coaching for New TeachersSupport new teachers daily for rapid growth, MCL Stephanie Roper says, explaining one technique she used. | Real-Time Coaching™MCL Molly Whelan details the protocol for doing in-the-moment coaching through headsets, from pre-conference through coaching through post-conference. | Greater Impact from Coaching OthersTeaching teachers how to teach has more power than individual student work, notes Multi-Classroom Leader Stacie Bunn. |
Videos—For Principals & Multi-School Leaders
Watch these short videos of educators discussing the elements of Support and Develop Individuals, organized by action:
General
Support Leadership Team to Reach All StudentsPrincipal Christian Sawyer says his time is best used supporting an instructional leadership team and removing barriers to their progress. |
Co-Plan
Ensure Time to Plan TogetherPrincipal Sarah Reeves stresses the need for ample co-planning time to improve lesson quality. |
Model for others
Create Process for Consistent CoachingTo focus on powerful instructional strategy improvements, create a consistent process that entire instructional team of leaders follows, Principal Erica Jordan-Thomas says. | Show, Don’t Tell, Leadership StrategiesFor deeper understanding, Principal Toni Perry models the instructional leadership practices she expects multi-classroom leaders to use with their teams. |
Observe and give feedback
Set Process to Coach Team LeadersPrincipal Meaghan Loftus explains her process for giving feedback on their coaching to her MCLs. | Use Videotaping as Strategy to Improve CoachingFrequent videotaping of MCLs coaching team teachers helps review and improve coaching and feedback, Principal Erica Jordan-Thomas says. |
Coach
Set Clear Coaching ProcessPrincipal Erica Jordan-Thomas talks about the ongoing professional development needed to create a clear, strong coaching process that all members of the instructional team of leaders follow. | Provide Immediate Feedback to Instructional Leadership TeamPrincipal Toni Perry coaches her leadership team by sitting in on meetings and coaching conversations to offer immediate feedback. | Focus on Leadership Skills for Instructional Leadership TeamPrincipal Christian Sawyer focuses on reaching more students by developing strong teaching team leaders. |
Discussion Questions
Use these discussion questions to help guide your team through the elements of Support and Develop Individuals:
- Do your team members have clear direction about what materials, teaching practices, and other actions are expected? If not, what needs to change?
- Do you have time and clear steps and tools for reviewing instructional practices of each team member? If not, what needs to change?
- Do team members get feedback routinely—for example, scheduled, weekly feedback? Do feedback and coaching result in changes in teaching on your team? If not, what needs to change?
- Does your team have time for team leader(s) to co-teach and model? Does that lead to changes in teaching? If not, what needs to change?
- Does your team give and receive difficult feedback with all team members to pursue instructional excellence and strong teamwork/collaboration? If not, what needs to change?
- Make a brief action plan with specific goals, roles, and time by which you will make specific changes!
- Did your changes produce better learning results? If so, keep them. If not, think again about what other changes to make!
Study Guides
See these printable study guides with discussion questions and real examples from educators:
- For Multi-Classroom Leaders—Key Element of Leadership Excellence: Support and Develop Individuals [pdf]
- For Principals—Key Element of Leadership Excellence: Support and Develop Individuals [pdf]
Other Developmental Resources
See the following developmental resources, provided by other organizations, related to the elements of Support and Develop Individuals:
The Skyrocket Teacher Coaching Rubric and The Skyrocket Leader Coaching Rubric (framework)
Get Better Faster Scope & Sequence, Uncommon Schools (framework)
Student Achievement Partners: Achieve The Core, Instructional Practice Guides Coaching Tools (tools)
The Art of Coaching Reader’s Guide (framework and tools)
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