Week 3: How to affirm promising literacy practices
Instructional Walks: The First Four Weeks
This is the third of four emails to help you get started with instructional walks, the primary practice in my new book. You can access Week 1 here and Week 2 here. More information is available at the bottom for Wednesday’s webinar on making coaching a habit, plus a virtual chat with Regie Routman on September 29. Take care, -Matt
This week, we will learn:
what an affirmation is,
the impact of affirmations on teacher improvement, and
how to use a framework to extend an affirmation to a deeper discussion.
Affirmations are not just a bridge between building trust and communicating feedback; they have the potential by themselves to accelerate professional growth.
In the classroom…
In a previous school, I recall trying to persuade a teacher to increase student involvement in co-organizing their classroom library.
I offered more texts.
I asked what the obstacles were to meeting this expectation.
I even demonstrated it with a book stack.
The teacher, feeling frustrated, finally stated, “You never notice anything that I’m doing well.”
At first surprised, I quickly realized that they were right.
Affirmations: A Definition
As I stated in yesterday’s post, an affirmation is the noticing and naming of instructional strengths that are already occurring in our classrooms. They are:
based on our observations of teaching, learning, and the environment,
aligned with the tenets of a school’s instructional framework, and
shared publicly, either in the classroom or in conversation with teachers.
To engage in revisionist history, I might have instead shared the following with that teacher I was trying to persuade:
“You have several books available for your students to read in the classroom. That is such an important first step for building readers. What have you noticed?”
This is as accurate as my initial perception, that the students were not engaged in managing this essential resource.
The difference is, I am starting from where the teacher is currently at instead of where I want them to be.
The Impact of Affirmations
In a study on principals’ feedback to improve teacher practice, Dr. Edit Khachatryan found a surprising outcome.
“Though a large amount of feedback led teachers to talk about reflecting and thinking deeper and more about their practice, only a minority of the principal’s feedback comments was taken up by teachers as areas to improve in their practice. Some of the items teachers chose to concentrate their improvement efforts were actually commendations made by the principal, not recommendations.” (my emphasis)
In other words, some feedback that led to actual change in teachers’ practice were the observations of what was going well. Teachers wanted to improve in the areas perceived by their principal as a strength.
A.C.E.: A Framework for Expanding on Affirmations
A colleague, former principal Dave Gluch, helped me create a simple framework for using affirmations as a entry point to more constructive coaching conversations.
Affirm - What was observed and how it aligns with promising practices
Clarify - Seek to understand the teacher’s perspective, including any challenges
Extend - Invite the teacher to discuss this topic further with colleagues or you
Going back to the affirmation I wish I would have communicated, here is how I might have expanded upon the initial observation using the A.C.E. framework.
“You have several books available for your students to read in the classroom. That is such an important first step for building readers.” (affirm)
“Is this what you are noticing? Anything you find challenging?” (clarify)
“Let me or a colleague know if you would like to explore this further.” (extend)
Starting with the teachers’ strengths, they are more inclined to share what’s working, what’s not, and what they might want to discuss further for improvement.
Try this: Document your conversations with teachers using the Affirm-Clarify-Extend framework.
As shared previously, a reason leaders don’t engage in instructional walks is they don’t know what to do with the information that gather during classroom visits.
For your second round of instructional walks, collect, organize and analyze teachers’ perceptions using the linked template below. This is similar to the first round.
I am in my second round of instructional walks right now, and what I am learning has already changed how we are approaching professional learning schoolwide this year.
This information is feedback for leaders, helping us better respond to teachers’ needs.
🙌 As you start your second round, share a win in the comments and/or a question you have going forward.
In the final session next week, you will learn how to communicate feedback teachers find respectful and useful.
Instructional Walks Email Course Checklist
Week 1: How daily classroom visits can build trust with facultyWeek 2: How to see literacy instruction through a learning (vs. judgment) lensWeek 3: How to affirm promising literacy practicesWeek 4: How to communicate feedback teachers find respectful and useful
“I can live for two months on a good compliment.”
― Mark Twain
Encore: How to Create a Coaching Habit
Due to technical difficulties, some readers who signed up for last week’s virtual session with me were not able to join us. My apologies.
I will try this again on Wednesday, September 21 at 4:30 P.M. CST.
You will see how I use the Ivy Lee Method along with digital tools to ensure classroom visits and coaching conversations are prioritized. (Note: if you registered for the previous webinar, I will send you a calendar invite with the Zoom information. No need to sign up again.)
Celebration Zoom Call with Regie Routman
Join me on Thursday, September 29, 2022 at 6 P.M. CST for a live video conversation with Regie Routman, author of Read, Write, Lead: Breakthrough Strategies for Schoolwide Literacy Success and many other books.
We want to celebrate your first four weeks of instructional walks! I will also be asking Regie to share her wisdom on becoming a literacy leader.