Making Excellent Writing Teachers through Individual Coaching
The penultimate option in this training series promotes the development of excellent writing teachers through individual coaching. IEW’s Observation and Coaching Day supports teachers and administrators as they implement the Structure and Style® methodology after their initial training has taken place and teachers have had time to practice the techniques in their classrooms.
How does it work?
An IEW Implementation Coach visits your school to observe teachers (typically four or five) as they teach a writing lesson and provides individual feedback and coaching. To include more teachers, schools should purchase two consecutive Observation and Coaching Days. Like IEW’s Demonstration and Coaching Day, the Observation and Coaching Day helps a school build and sustain progress as it implements IEW’s Structure and Style methodology.
What are the benefits of the Observation and Coaching Day?
- It provides individual coaching for teachers to fine-tune their understanding of the Structure and Style method and enhances their instruction of IEW’s Structure and Style for Students and theme-based writing courses.
- The teacher-coach relationship provides opportunities for self-reflection and facilitates improvement in each teacher’s practices as they implement the Structure and Style method.
- By reinforcing teachers’ successful attempts in the right direction and building on them through positive feedback and helpful suggestions for improvement, the focus is aimed at steady and continual progress.
- It demonstrates a school’s commitment to its teachers that outstanding writing instruction is important and that effective professional development is ongoing.
- The Implementation Coach assists the administrator to develop a team of teacher leaders and writing mentors who provide ongoing support to the rest of the staff. Potential mentor teachers learn effective practices and the language of impactful mentorship, modeled by the IEW Implementation Coach.
- After the Observation and Coaching Day is complete, the Implementation Coach consults with the administrator to provide feedback about the teachers’ progress (Who is doing well? Who needs additional support? Which teachers are potential mentors?) and makes recommendations about next steps. This maintains momentum and promotes sustainability.
- The Observation and Coaching Day promotes accountability and fidelity in a school’s writing instruction.
What are the challenges to consider?
- Live professional development may be too expensive for small schools or those with a limited budget for training. However, private schools, charter schools, and small school districts may take advantage of funding through their local school district or county office of education or seek out grant money for professional development. Many schools implementing IEW across the United States have made what seemed impossible possible by taking advantage of Title funds for professional development.
- The trainer’s travel expenses are not included in the seminar price.
- The day requires some advance planning; however, IEW provides instructions via email approximately four weeks before the event, including templates to create a schedule.
The Institute for Excellence in Writing consistently demonstrates a coached practice model as a fundamental component of our methodology. When administrators choose a live Observation and Coaching Day for their school, the IEW Implementation Coach is their partner in supporting teachers as they teach Structure and Style effectively in their classrooms.
For more information or to schedule an Observation and Coaching Day, contact your IEW Educational Consultant or email Schools@IEW.com for assistance.
Explore other blogs in the Teacher Training Method Options series.
Video Training through Individual Streaming
Video Training as a Group
Virtual Teaching Writing: Structure and Style Workshop
Live On-Site Professional Development
Live On-Site Professional Development: Demonstration and Coaching Day
by Jean Nichols
Originally posted September 19, 2022
