How to coach staff and create a learning environment.

1. 7/12/2013
1
Please Renovate My Staff:
Ways to Increase the Level of
Implementation
Presented by
Angela Searcy, M.S.
asearcya@aol.com
708-845-2343
Angela Searcy asearcya@aol.com 708-845-2343
Angela Searcy M.S., D.T. holds a B.A. degree in English and secondary education
with teacher certification though the state of Illinois and a M.S. degree in early
childhood development from Erikson Institute, with a specialization in Infant Studies
and a credential in developmental therapy. Angela is a Diversifying in Higher
Education in Illinois Fellow at Argosy University in the Doctor of Education
Program
• Angela is the owner and founder of Simple Solutions Educational Services, has
over 20 years of experience in the field of education, is an approved professional
development provider by the Illinois State Board of Education, an educational
consultant for Teaching Strategies, LLC, , Lakeshore Learning, Carson CA and Center
on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL) at
Vanderbilt University. Angela is also a professor at Rasmussen College and PDI
coach at Ounce of Prevention
A former associate at the Neuropsychology Diagnostic Center in Orland Park,
Illinois, Angela has specialized training in the neurosciences and is a nationally
recognized speaker with extensive experience working with professionals, young
children, and their families as an early childhood teacher, child development specialist,
staff developer, mental health consultant, parent educator, language arts teacher,
college professor and tutor. Her expertise encompasses developing behavior
modification programs from a neuropsychological perspective, and creating
professional development grounded in neuroscience research related to adult
learning.
She has been featured on Chicago Public Radio’s Chicago Matters, Chicago Parent
and Chicago Baby Magazines and is a regular speaker for the Learning and the
Brain Conference Sponsored by Harvard, Yale and Stanford Universities.
Angela Searcy’s Simple
Solutions Show! EVERY Sat
at 11am CST @
www.globalnewsforum.com
Simple Solutions Educational
Services
on Facebook
Activity: Reflecting on Our Own
Relationships
Think about a satisfying relationship in
your life. Name three things that make it
satisfying.
5
Mother in Law Logic!
Talk about what
happened in 1960
Give advice without
permission
Never ask what I
NEED! Information?
Examples? A
shoulder to Cry on?
To Vent?

2. 7/12/2013
2
When you hear a situation you May
want to perform some corrective
surgery!
Changing adult behavior is often not
an option!
BUT Changing our approach is! We
only have the power to change
ourselves. As you can see…
OUTCOMES
% of Participants who Demonstrate Knowledge,
Demonstrate New Skills in a Training Setting,
and Use New Skills in the Classroom
TRAINING
COMPONENTS
Knowledge Skill
Demonstration
Use in the
Classroom
Theory and
Discussion
10% 5% 0%
..+Demonstration
in Training
30% 20% 0%
…+ Practice &
Feedback in
Training
60% 60% 5%
…+ Coaching in
Classroom
95% 95% 95%
Joyce and Showers, 2002
Coaching Impact
Coaching
Coaching Is
Collaborative
Iterative
Focused on skill-
building
Reliant on observation
and feedback
Goal-directed
Outcomes-driven
Coaching Is Not
Just providing
advice/tips
Supervision
Training with
classroom observation
Coaching Teachers
Occurs between the teacher and someone
with specific expertise based on:
Goal setting
Skill development
Actions that produce results (i.e., behavior
change)
What are Mirror Neurons?

3. 7/12/2013
3
Coaching is Reflective..
It’s all about teaching and learning
90 Percent of the Problem Is Under
the Surface…
1. What is the ‘‘‘‘tip of the
iceberg’’’’ behavior?
2. What you don’t see on the
surface!
3. Asking OPEN-ENDED
questions to find out all that is
underneath!
Advice it just a TIP of the iceberg! Personal reaction/professional action!
Managing Personal
Stress: Thought Control
Calming Thoughts
“My job is to stay calm and try to better
understand his/her perspective”
“I can handle this. I am the professional
and I am in control.
“
Upsetting Thoughts
“This teacher is horrendous!
This is getting ridiculous. ”
“I’m sick of putting out fires!”
17
Managing Personal
Stress: Thought Control
Calming Thoughts
“Let me calm down and seek some
support from my colleagues”
“
Upsetting
Thoughts
“Is Wal-mart
hiring!”
18

4. 7/12/2013
4
Strategies for Reframing
Take deep breaths
Relaxation and meditation exercises
Focus on what you can do; think about the
messages of your behavior
Find support
19
Strategies for Reframing
Notice your own feelings, step back
Observe the behavior
Ask “I wonder questions” about the behavior
Further educate yourself about a child’s age
and stage of growth
20
You Hit a Nerve!
What Gets on Your
Nerves
Take their
perspective…think of
possible reasons behind
this behavior
What you can do as a
professional
Staff that don’t follow
through
What might they be
feeling?
What are possible
reasons why?
Parents in denial
Values don’t always match actions
Do you value eating healthy ?
Do you value exercise?
Do you value being economical ?
Think of a time when you had a situation to
address or a problem to solve in the center
and you sought staff perspectives on the
issue and their ideas to address or improve
the situation
How did you seek their perspectives and ideas?
Why did you seek their perspective and ideas?
What happened? What surprised you?

5. 7/12/2013
5
Coaching: Starts with Relationships
Partnership with teachers
Equality
Choice
Voice
Dialogue
Reflection
Reciprocity
Look for common ground
Surprises? Practice
Perspective taking takes practice. It is one thing to
imagine another’s perspective, but it’s a more
sophisticated skill to integrate that perspective with
one’s own.
This requires holding more than one perspective in
our minds at the same time, and developing strategies
that acknowledge the concerns of each perspective. This
is a skill that is more complex than simple compromise,
and must be practiced to encourage its development as
a professional ability.
Strategies to Build Relationship With
Staff
Seek knowledge of that person’s strengths,
needs and interests
Get to know staff members as individuals
Share something personal
Communicate daily with staff and offer
multiple ways to share information
Invite conversation, listen and follow up
29
Strategies to Build Relationships With
Staff
Have regularly scheduled times for face-to- face
meetings
Respect staff views
Seek staff evaluations of the program and of
your performance
30

6. 7/12/2013
6
Brag Boards Scenario:
It seems like every time I walk by this room the babies are
crying.
Traditional Reaction:
Within the traditional mindset, methods, and practices, what
would the typical supervisory reaction have been?
Embedded PD Mindset, Methods and Practices
During supervisory dialogue and feedback, my intention is to
provide teachers with opportunities to learn, grow, and improve.
Reflection and Preparation for Interaction
(a) How would I as the supervisor feel in this situation?
(b) What does this make me wonder about?
(c) What might the teachers be experiencing?
(a) stressed, frustrated, overwhelmed….
(b) What is happening with this team? With these babies? Are
teachers being as responsive as they can be? Do they need more
help?
(c) stressed, frustrated, overwhelmed…
Regard for Learner Perspective
How could I elicit the teacher’s perspective to
increase my understanding of his/her point of
view?
Write three open ended questions to elicit the
teacher’s perspective:
“What have you noticed about the babies’
crying?”
“Is this a concern for you?”
“How are you and your team doing?
“How do you think the babies are feeling?”
“Why do you think the babies are crying this
much? (or Why do you think the babies cry
when they do?)”
“Tell me about the times when things are calm.”
Quality of Feedback (Encouragement and
Affirmation)
How could I affirm the teacher in his/her
strengths and efforts in this situation?
Write three affirming or encouraging statements
relevant to the situation:
“I appreciate how hard you are working to meet
all the babies’ needs.”
“I see how secure you make these babies feel
when you hold them and talk to them.”
“I appreciate your efforts to collaborate with me
and your team to make things better for the
children and for yourselves.”
Quality of Feedback
(Prompting Thought Processes)
How could I elicit/prompt the teachers’ thought processes to
help him/her improve the situation?
Write three open ended questions to prompt the teacher’s
thinking:
“Let’s think, what do we know about children’s social-
emotionaldevelopment at this age?”
“When things are calm, what do you think you and your team
are doing that makes things calm?”
“Let’s look at the GOLD/CLASS/CC. What do you think about
the emotional supports they say babies need to learn and
develop?”
“How might your team be able to provide these supports

7. 7/12/2013
7
How to Handle Angry Parents or Co-
workers
Learning how to defuse negative emotions is
a critical professional skill that is apart of
our job as educators
It doesn’t matter if the problems are real
or imagined—what matters is the fact a staff
memeber perceives a problem and there
needs to be an agreed upon solution
Okay, what should I say?
Say, “I’m sorry that happened.”
You’re admitting no guilt.
You’re not suggesting any change in plan.
“How can we work together to make sure this doesn’t happen
again?”
As the professional it is your job to stay calm and resolve school
problems with both adults and children and the only person’s
behavior you can control is yours!
Reflect Back what person is saying ---
show you listening!
The Best Way to Get in the Last Word
The best way to get in the last word is to
APOLOGIZE.