Ready to embrace empowered, engaged learning? Come along as I share evidence-based instructional strategies and digital tools that engage learners.
Let's get started!
Session Resources
In this 50-minute session, instructional coaches will explore the TCEA EIIR Coaching Cycle, a structured framework for effective coaching.
Participants will learn how to use the coaching cycle to empower educators, improve instructional practices, and increase student achievement.
For Online Audience
For Remote Viewing audience, please feel free to participate in these activities. Access the Padlet.
What Does Effective Coaching Mean to You?
Many coaching models follow a traditional five-phase approach. See components below. TCEA offers an innovative four-stage cycle that streamlines these phases for maximum impact. The TCEA EIIR Coaching Cycle combines elements of these traditional phases into an alternate approach.
Got Your TCEA Instructional Coaching Certification?
Additional Resources
Get Coaching on TCEA EIIR Cycle
This custom GPT helps participants develop strong professional relationships through scenarios designed to improve trust, collaboration, and effective coaching.
It uses a universal rubric to assess interactions based on key areas like confidentiality, trust, empathy, and professional boundaries.
Participants are guided through various workplace scenarios and asked to reflect on their responses, focusing on building relationships while prioritizing student outcomes.
Key features include:
- Providing tailored feedback on handling professional situations.
- Leveraging coaching models like Diane Sweeney’s Student-Centered Coaching, the TCEA EIIR Model, and Jim Knight’s Impact Cycle.
- Supporting reflective learning to foster trust, reliability, and empathy in educational contexts.
Participants are encouraged to reflect on their choices and receive feedback aimed at strengthening relationship-building skills, particularly in educational coaching contexts.
A Free eBook for TCEA EIIR Cycle Adopters
In "An AI's Guide to Instructional Coaching," Juan Gonzalez offers an insightful exploration of the dynamic and evolving field of instructional coaching in K-12 education. Gonzalez provides a comprehensive roadmap for coaches looking to make a meaningful impact on teaching and learning.
This e-book delves into the core principles and practices of effective instructional coaching, from understanding coaching cycles and models to leveraging data and technology. Gonzalez emphasizes the importance of building trusting relationships, facilitating reflective practice, and fostering a culture of continuous growth.
Beyond the foundational elements, "An AI's Guide to Instructional Coaching" also tackles critical issues such as promoting equity and inclusion, supporting teacher well-being, and adapting to the ever-changing educational landscape. Practical strategies, real-world examples, and thought-provoking questions guide readers in applying these concepts to their own coaching practice.
Whether you are a seasoned instructional coach or just starting your journey, this e-book offers valuable insights and tools to enhance your impact and inspire transformative change in education. Join Juan Gonzalez on this exploration of the art and science of instructional coaching as you unlock your potential to ignite a passion for learning in teachers and students alike.
Overview of the Four Stages of TCEA EIIR
1) Empower and Engage. In this stage, the coach and teacher build trust and partnership. They set a clear, meaningful student learning goal together. This goal should follow the RISE framework — it should be relevant, impactful, specific, and energized.
2) Investigate and Innovate. In this stage, the coach and teacher learn and plan. They look at student data to better understand students’ learning needs. Then they gather more data to see progress and make changes as needed.
3) Implement and Improve. At this stage, the teacher and coach are teaching and adjusting. The teacher tries out planned strategies with the coach’s support. They continue to gather more data, adjusting as needed.
4) Reflect and Realize. In this reflect and grow stage, the coach and teacher review student growth data. They reflect together on what worked, identifying areas for improvement. They use their insights to guide teacher’s ongoing professional growth and plan learning opportunities that are relevant to supporting that growth.
Self-Assessment
Stage 1: Empower and Engage with RISE Goal(s)
Stage 1: Empower and Engage
Trust, mutual respect, and shared purpose are the foundations of a coaching relationship. It is critical that the coach and teacher build a collegial relationship. Together, they will develop a RISE goal:
Relevant. The goal fits what the teachers needs to grow and help students learn. It captures the most important things the teacher needs to work on.
Impactful. Achieving the goal leads to big changes in student learning that are measurable.
Specific. The goal focuses on one thing and says exactly what to do so it is assessable.
Energized. The goal connects to what the teachers cares about.
For example, a fourth grade science teacher and coach might set the following RISE goal.
“Over the next quarter, I will implement inquiry-based science activities in my lessons. This will result in at least 80% of my students demonstrating proficiency in scientific reasoning skills. I will measure this through the use of formative assessments.”
Get a copy (requires Canva)
Stage 2: Investigate and Innovate
In this stage, the focus is on learning and planning. Both the teacher and coach analyze student data to better understand the current learning needs. They will examine student work and assessment data and make classroom observations as they work together to identify areas of growth.
Once they have done that, they make a plan to implement innovative instructional strategies. These could be strategies that engage in flexible grouping aligned to Surface, Deep, and/or Transfer Learning.
In the science example of scientific reasoning, the coach and teacher might co-plan. This co-planning would include a series of hands-on investigations aligned to state standards and blending in questioning techniques. They would plan to model scientific reasoning for students.
ALDO Coach
This custom GPT, named ALDO Coach, assists educators in implementing effective teaching strategies using a framework called the Amazing Lesson Design Outline (ALDO).
It emphasizes five core steps:
Building relationships through Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) and brain-based activities to create a safe learning environment.
Pre-assessing students to identify their current knowledge and tailor instruction accordingly.
Selecting high-effect instructional strategies based on the phase of learning (e.g., surface, deep, transfer learning).
Post-assessing to measure student progress and adjust strategies.
Reflection, both for students and teachers, to improve future learning experiences.
The goal is to offer practical, research-based advice grounded in educational theory, focusing on visible learning and culturally responsive teaching. It also incorporates brain-based learning and high-effect strategies to enhance engagement and long-term retention.
Stage 3: Implement and Improve
After co-planning, the teacher puts the plan to work with the coach present to offer support. This support comes in the form of classroom visits for modeling and co-teaching. It could also include real-time feedback.
This results in monitoring and adjusting. The science teacher and coach might analyze student work from the inquiry lessons. They would applaud any success, and target support for struggling students.
illustrating each stage of the cycle (see right)
Feedback in the classroom can be defined as “information allowing a learner to reduce the gap between what is evident currently and what could or should be the case.”
A teacher providing feedback is effective when two conditions are met:
When the teacher shares specific learning goals
When the teacher discusses success criteria with students
Feedback works when:
Students learn and their work improves.
Students become more motivated. They believe they can learn, they want to learn, and they take more control over their own learning.
Your classroom becomes a safe space where feedback is valued and productive.
Stage 4: Reflect and Realize
In this final stage, both the coach and teacher measure the impact of their work. They do this by:
Examining post-assessment data
Reflecting on student growth in relation to the RISE goal
Engaging in reflective dialogue to surface insights
Identifying professional learning gains, and
Pondering next steps
For example, the science teacher might celebrate that 85% of her students demonstrated proficiency. She would reflect on how the coaching process assisted her in facilitating student-driven scientific inquiry.
She might decide to set a new goal, like integrating science notebooks as a tool to deepen student reasoning.
Supplemental Resources
Follow TCEA on Facebook
Scan the QR code on the left with your smartphone's camera to join the TCEA Facebook group.
Scan the one on the right to follow me on Facebook.
