Educator Activities

Educator Information

Coaching and Demonstration

Coaching

Coaching has been defined as a confidential process through which two or more professional colleague's work together to reflect on current practices; expand, refine, and build new skills; share ideas; teach one another; conduct classroom research; or solve problems in the workplace. (Dalton and Moir, 1991)

Coaching should be need-specific to the individual, the mentoring relationship, and the district and should be viewed as an ongoing process - a focused, specific effort in skill development or problem solving for developing instructional expertise and change that occurs throughout the year. The role of the coach is to provide assistance, not to assess the beginning teacher.

Goals of Coaching | Coaching versus Evaluation | Coaching Strategies

Demonstration

Demonstration is a coaching strategy that occurs when an experienced teacher shows a beginning teacher the proper use of a strategy, technique, or skill by incorporating it into an actual setting/situation.

Why Ask for a Demonstration
Demonstration is an effective way to see how a strategy, technique or skill is used in a real setting on situation. Research has shown that teachers are better able to master a skill and acquire the skill faster after they have seen the skill demonstrated by someone who is competent in the skill.

When to Request Demonstration
1. When the use of a new technique is suggested

2. When you mutually agree it would be beneficial.

3. As part of the beginning teacher's professional development plan

Where to Use Demonstration
- The mentor teacher's classroom
- Other experienced teacher's classroom in an area of expressed needs
- Conferencing with regular teachers or parents
- IEP meetings