- One district has that model but for core area coaching (not technology)
- Another district pays a stipend to classroom teachers to be first-line support to teachers in addition to their teaching duties.
- Another district has an on campus person who has a stipend and also core content specialists who teach two classes but use the rest of the time for coaching other teachers. At district level, now focus on building capacity in the core content specialists instead of working directly with teachers. Meet with content specialists and try to help them prepare for the next two weeks at school.
Another model - District-level coaches go to campuses and teach a class for teachers while they observe.
Another district shared they have six district-level people and prefers this over liaisons because there is inconsistency in a campus-based person's ability to devote time to the job. Campus based personnel are also more likely to be given campus duties such as covering classes, organizing science fair, creating and sending newsletters, etc.
Definite tension between coaches being fix-it people and instructionally focused repeated across school districts.
- Decision trees for whom to contact in what kinds of situations
- Use the 10 minute rule - if it's going to take more than 10 minutes for a fix, it's a technician problem
- Sometimes it's your instructional coaches who have the problem saying no
- Great resource from Brenham ISD: https://sites.google.com/a/brenhamk-12.net/bisd-new-hires/about-us
Changing what PD looks like: Would challenge based learning opportunities help with building capacity in to teachers who are already constrained for time? Could this be done in a blended or fully online space?
Apple has an online SAMR assessment survey (FREE) that will help teachers self-assess where they are in their technology learning. People are notoriously bad at assessing their own skills, however.
Bright Bytes Clarity for Schools - Not free, but allows teachers, students, parents, and administrators to assess where they are in tech integration. Region 11 has purchased this for all of their schools. Identifies gaps and offers solutions. Look for info videos on Vimeo.
http://www.brightbytes.net/clarity-for-public-school-2/
How can we stimulate binge learning? (Similar to binge viewing of videos on Netflix.)
- Appy Hours
- Potlucks
Be models of growth, not perfection.
- Share your own stories of how you learned something. Ex: Coach shares she used to take a picture of how her IWB was set up so when the cables got rearranged she could hook it back up herself.
Provide incentives for attending PD. Ex: Tech Bucks you can save up to purchase technology items. (Ann D. had this idea.)
Speed Geeking - Get some teachers who will share a snipit of something they are doing in their classroom. Set up in stations (Ex: in library) and have other teachers rotate through the stations for 10 minutes.
Book study recommendation for tech coaches - ISTE's Technology Facilitation and Leadership Standards
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