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Tools for Effective Teaming:

Coaching Families and Colleagues in Early

Childhood

Barbara Hanft MA, OTR, FAOTAChapel Hill, North Carolina

July 2008

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Goals for today

Illustrate how coaching families and colleagues promotes children’s participation in home and community life

Discuss the key components of coaching- observation-action-reflection

Review communication and interpersonal skills that support effective coaching partnerships

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Coaching, through reflection, emphasizes learning to:

“do with”

instead of

“do to” partners.

Mattingly & Fleming, 1994

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Your role as coach…

Building partner’s competence by refining a partner’s skills/knowledge through guiding and self-discovery

and

Assisting partner to identify and implement strategies to help a child participate in early childhood settings/programs

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Continuation

Observation

Action

Reflection

Initiation

Evaluation

Key components of Coaching (Hanft, Rush, & Shelden, 2004)

Resolution

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Readiness for coaching.

I offer objective feedback to colleagues.

I am open to suggestions from colleagues.

It’s helpful when a colleague sees what I do and gives me feedback.

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Process is interactive and cycles back and forth between….

Observation

Action

Reflection

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Visual learning

partner observes coach partner observes peers

partner watches video partner reads an article and/or looks at illustration

Auditory learning

partner summarizes feedback from coach partner narrates actions watching a video partner listens to audiotape partner talks to another partner

Kinesthetic learning

partner keeps journal of actions/reflections partner rehearses actions in mind

partner practices actions partner demonstrates actions to others

Actions……

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Coaching skills… supporting observation, action & reflection

Observe: actions, reactions, interactions

Listen: attend, acknowledge, associate

Respond: probe, summarize, feedback/info, problem solve

Plan: clarify, identify action/strategies

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Video Vignette: Jacob

Observe how Heidi (PT) interacts with Holly (mother) using-

Observation:

Action:

Reflection:

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Observations are outcome related and include-

Colleague’s behaviorNonverbal communication, comments, interaction and actions in response to events, others and the coach

Reactions of others to the learneracceptance of learner’s actions

Physical and social environment # 1-3 on Coaching Self Assessment

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Listening …

Attending to present interactions direct eye contact, positive facial expressions, an open body posture, close proximity to the speaker, being quiet

Acknowledgingrespond verbally and nonverbally without agreeing or disagreeing with colleague

Associatinglink colleague’s communication to desired outcomes, your ITP mission and guiding principles www.nectac.org

# 4-9 on Coaching Self Assessment

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Respond to learners by:

Asking probing questions

Facilitating problem-solving/coping

Summarizing discussion and actions

Sharing information, resources, support and feedback

# 10-18 on Coaching Self Assessment

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Ask open-ended questions (#11)

Invite discussion: “What do you think might work to help us

develop functional outcomes with families?”

Rather than decide direction: “This is what I think we should do…..”

When it’s time for direction, start with what’s going right.“I’ve noticed --- is really working well.“When you ---, Carly really sits still longer.”

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How professionals talk affects How professionals talk affects caregiver participationcaregiver participation

Indirect behavior: praise/encouragement, ask ?, accepting feelings/ideas

Encourages caregivers to initiate and structure interactions- BUT-

95% of praise was about child, not caregiver actions

96% of questions were close-ended

Direct behavior: giving info, directing, criticizing

Leads to professionals giving more info Brady et al, 2004. JEI, 26(2), pp.146-159

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Responding: Examples of open-ended questions

1. Recall or gather information

Tell me about…

Tell me more….

What did you want to happen?

What happened when …..?

What did you do/say when……?

What went well?

Where does that most often occur?

When did you first notice this?

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2. Compare new info/experiences with previous ones

How did you decide to do this?What types of support will you need?What do you think about…?How do you feel about….?

3. Apply new info to change behavior

What would you do differently next time? How might you go about doing that?What would happen if…..?

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GROW questions → decisions (# 19-20 on Coaching self-assessment)

G- goal oriented: situation specificWhat did you plan for? What happened?

R- reality: partners state what they saw, heard, feltWho was involved? What triggered Cory’s outburst? How did you react?

O- options: explore alternativesWhat have you tried? What else might work? What actions could lead to a different outcome? How can I support you?

W- Who is going to do what by when?Be careful about asking “why” questions

Whitmore, 1996

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Planning

Clarify the purpose and mutually agreed upon outcomes for the coaching relationship

Determine who needs to do what, before and during the next coaching conversation

Identify strategies for how colleague will acquire/refine knowledge

# 19-21 on Coaching Self Assessment

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Coaching colleagues….

Peer coaching is a confidential process through which two + colleagues work together to:

Reflect on what they are doing

Refine current skills & build new ones

Share ideas with one another

Solve problems Robbins, 1991, p.1

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Components of effective peer coaching….

Voluntarily supported by entire team as part of life-long learning.

Flexible formats (expert/reciprocal approaches; spontaneous/planned)

Colleagues desire for additional knowledge/skill are matched with appropriate coach.

Peer coaches understand adult learning and interaction.

Chapter 7 in Hanft, Rush & Shelden, 2004

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Reciprocal peer coaching:

Colleagues observe one another and reflect together by sharing feedback re: a mutually agreed upon topic

Colleagues are at similar levels of learning and want to learn/apply new info/skills

Can be planned or spontaneous

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Spontaneous peer coaching

Look for opportunities-

Team meetings

Informal talk during lunch (“bump-intos”)

Planning home & community visits

In-services and other PD events

Use video, audiotape, phone, email

to ask probing questions to prompt reflection-Wh questions- Who, what, where, when

Be careful asking “Why”

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Peer Coaching Vignette: Jason’s Play time

Spontaneous coaching in team meeting

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Expert peer coaching:

Coach shares specialized knowledge & experience with others

May be external consultant or internal staff

Usually time and place is planned

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Align coach-colleague experience and knowledge

Do I know what my colleague really hopes to master?

Do I understand a colleague’s context for applying the skills/knowledge I plan to prompt him or her to acquire?

Do I have the expertise to guide this colleague?

knowledge of evidence-based practices and experience using them?

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Assist colleague to refine knowledge/skill.

What frequency and intensity of coaching sessions are needed to help a colleague reach his or her goals?

How often will a colleague need follow-up once his or her goals are met?

How will the principles of adult learning be addressed for each colleague?

What mix of coaching strategies will help? e.g., demo, observation, print resources

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(1+1) Coaching…..

Based on conversations of personal discovery

Improves an individual’s performance within a specific context

Process for improving skill, trying new approaches, resolving challenges and building collegial relationships

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Cramer & Stivers. (2007). Practical strategies for challenging collaborations. Teaching Exceptional Children, 39(6), 4-8 Hanft & Shepherd. (2008). Collaborating for student success. Bethesda, MD: AOTA.Hanft, Rush, & Shelden. (2004). Coaching Families and Colleagues in Early Childhood. Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing. Fisher, R. & Shapiro, D. (2005). Beyond reason: Using emotions as you negotiate. NY: Penguin Books.Hollingsworth, H. (2001). We need to talk: Communication strategies for effective collaboration. Teaching Exceptional Children, 33(5), 4-8.Mattingly & Fleming. (1994). Clinical reasoning. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis.Robbins, (1991). How to plan and implement a peer coaching program. Reston, VA: ASCD.Whitmore, J. (1996). Coaching for performance. London: Nicholas Brealery.