I was eager to take this class, because I am very interested in coaching teachers in the use of technology. In fact, one of my major goals in completing this degree program is to be able to coach other music teachers in technology use that is specific to our content area, because much of the professional development we receive in our schools is not applicable in our classes. Completing this course was a major milestone towards being able to fulfill that role.
One of the major takeaways from this class is using the instructional coaching model for professional development. This model is centered around the Partnership Approach, which, according to Knight (2007), is "a dialogic approach to professional development built on seven principles of human interaction: equality, choice, voice, reflection, mutual learning, dialogue, and praxis" (p. 14). Knight (2007) quotes his own research when he reports that teachers who learn from the partnership approach "learned more, were engaged more, and enjoyed themselves more than in the traditional sessions. Additionally, they were four times more inclined to implement teaching practices they learned during partnership sessions than those learned during traditional sessions (Knight 1998)" (p. 39). I was able to learn first-hand how effective this approach is to professional learning through the completing the Coaching Journal assignment. In this assignment, I was able to hold five different one-on-one sessions with the same teacher to help build her capacity for technology implementation in her class. Through these coaching sessions, I was able to watch her enthusiasm and knowledge blossom; something I'm certain would not be as prominent from a stand-alone workshop. I plan to combine my knowledge of the partnership approach to instructional coaching with Learning Forward's Standards for Professional Learning in order to ensure that my future professional learning endeavors are as effective as possible.
One of the major takeaways from this class is using the instructional coaching model for professional development. This model is centered around the Partnership Approach, which, according to Knight (2007), is "a dialogic approach to professional development built on seven principles of human interaction: equality, choice, voice, reflection, mutual learning, dialogue, and praxis" (p. 14). Knight (2007) quotes his own research when he reports that teachers who learn from the partnership approach "learned more, were engaged more, and enjoyed themselves more than in the traditional sessions. Additionally, they were four times more inclined to implement teaching practices they learned during partnership sessions than those learned during traditional sessions (Knight 1998)" (p. 39). I was able to learn first-hand how effective this approach is to professional learning through the completing the Coaching Journal assignment. In this assignment, I was able to hold five different one-on-one sessions with the same teacher to help build her capacity for technology implementation in her class. Through these coaching sessions, I was able to watch her enthusiasm and knowledge blossom; something I'm certain would not be as prominent from a stand-alone workshop. I plan to combine my knowledge of the partnership approach to instructional coaching with Learning Forward's Standards for Professional Learning in order to ensure that my future professional learning endeavors are as effective as possible.
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