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Coaching Journal
Teacher: Vanesia Huff Observer: Chrissia Haughton
Practice: Using the online web tool ConnectED to gather student data and create lesson plans.

Session Start Time: March 2, 2017 Session End Time: March 30, 2017

Session 1: (introduction) MODEL March 2, 2017

Today Mrs. Huff and I sat down to discuss what some of her needs in the classroom were. She is

a veteran teacher but is new to our school. I decided to start with reviewing her survey. From the

survey she took, I was able to gather that Mrs. Huff knows lots about technology and if she

could, would use it more in the classroom. She is very well aware of Microsoft Tools such as

Power Point and Excel, and uses both quite often in her classroom. She shared how technology is

a lot easier for her but she also needs time to build her confidence with new materials. I think this

is great to know. With this information I can gather that Mrs. Huff is willing and ready to be

coached on the new material.

We currently have several online tools set up for both student and teacher use. One of the items

is McGraw Hill Education for Math. Every teacher has access to this portal and can create and

assign lessons for students. She expressed how she would like some help in this area.
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We also use another tool called Splashmath which is more child friendly. Both tools can be used

by both teacher and student. But only one (splashmath) grants parent access. Because Mrs. Huff

wanted to focus more on creating a lesson, we both decided that ConnectED would be a better

tool to use while Splashmath can be used as more of a practice for student.

After meeting with Mrs. Huff, I came back to my thinking area and thought of my first lesson

that could be taught. I went through the ConnectED account and found many tools for teachers

and students. I found lessons via slideshows that could be used during opening math time and I

thought I could start there.

Session 2: (Introduce Presentation and Find Resources) MODEL March 6, 2017

Today we met to start our first session. I modeled for Mrs. Huff what and how I found through

ConnectED. Including this model provides a chance for teachers to learn many teaching

techniques that are not written in teachers’ manuals (Knight, page 119). We were both in the

classroom. I had my computer connected to the docking station while she had her laptop at desk

following along my steps. First I explained to her that we always have access to this website on

and off campus and lessons can be planned according to what is available on the site. I shared

with her that every chapter and lesson has a presentation with an essential question.

Every presentation has tools found on the side of the screen that can be used throughout the

presentation. I told her to think of it as an interactive power point. There are Problems of the day,
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interactive tools used through the Smartboard, a See and Show page that allows students to see

how the tens and ones adds together to make a new double digit number. At the bottom of each

screen there is an option to use an interactive manipulative board and an option to show the

answers.

Here is an image of the interactive manipulative board.

I explained to Mrs. Huff that this board has a variety of tools and backgrounds and manipulatives

that the teacher can use during each lesson. Ten frames, number lines, and balance beams are just

a few that can be found as manipulatives. I also shared with her the homework, videos and

games that can also be found within the PowerPoint. I explained how all these items can be used

throughout the entire lesson and she can return at any time to reteach a lesson.

After going over a slideshow and showing Mrs. Huff an easier way to introduce her lessons I

asked Mrs. Huff if she had any questions or thoughts on the website. What she likes and doesn’t

like. I asked her if it was something she think she could use. Allowing her to ask her questions

and share her thoughts serves as creating dialogue. Dialogue is a partnership that shares two

equal ideas (Knight, page 126). We then shift gears to the actual lesson provided from the

website. I directed Mrs. Huff to the Plan and Present tool. Each tab shares information for the
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lesson, from standards, vocabulary, differentiation, games, worksheets, and extra work for early

finishers.

After going through each tab with Mrs. Huff, I closed my lesson with reviewing how to get to

each area of the website. The focus was to introduce what the website had to offer and where she

could find the resources she needed before teaching a lesson. I allowed Mrs. Huff to go through

the website on her own and see if she could find the materials on her own. She was successful. I

left her with some homework to explore the site and I asked if she could review the school’s

curriculum map for math to see what is needed to teach next week and we will plan our lesson in

our next session so that she may begin to use this tool in the classroom. We both were excited to

use this tool and we are both looking forward to creating a lesson together.

Session 3: (creating lesson plan) MODEL AND OBSERVE March 9, 2017

I came to Mrs. Huff today to collaborate on next week’s math lesson. We are subtracting while

problem solving. Mrs. Huff came to me with many questions, some of which I wasn’t prepared

for. She wanted to know: How to assign work to students? How can the worksheets be printed

off? Is there audio available for the lessons? How can she use SplashMath with the ConnectED?

WHOA! So I have some homework myself. I was able to answer all questions except how can

SplashMath be used with the ConnectED and how to assign students. I told her I will get back

with her on that.

As we began to plan our lesson, I sat back and watched Mrs. Huff maneuver through the website.

I monitored from the start of login to getting to the Plan and Present tool. She needed some help

locating the tool but was successful after a couple of tries. From this tool she was able to prepare

her lesson for next week by gathering all the materials that were mentioned in the lesson and
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specific questions that focused on ELL students and differentiation. While she was preparing for

her lesson with me close by, I was searching to find the answers to her questions. I was then able

to share my findings.

As for SplashMath, I suggested that this tool could be used after students have mastered the

lesson. We both thought it would be a great idea to allow students to use it during math center

times. Similar to ConnectED, SplashMath also allows the teacher to set up a classroom and

assign students lessons on the math website.

This session was great. There was lots of dialogue and we were able to work as a team. She

showed that she was willing to learn and shared her concerns. I felt I was and affective IC while

providing Mrs. Huff with the support she needed through this session.

Session 4: (Performing the lesson) OBSERVE AND MODEL March 13, 2017

Today I met with Mrs. Huff during our planning time to see a practice run before she gave the

lesson to the students. She was able to pull up the website and get the presentation with no

issues. I met with Mrs. Huff again after school to discuss what went well and what did not. She

shared that she was able to pull up the presentation and go through the slides with no problem.

She did share that she was not a huge fan of the interactive manipulative board because it lacked

certain items. There were some games presented on the board, but you cannot play the game, you

must print them out and use as hardcopies. She would have liked the game to be played while it

is being presented. I shared that that was just how this company decided to make their tool and
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we have no control over that. I was able to find some online games that she may be interested in

using for future reference.

I asked her if she was able to assign lessons to students so that data could be collected. She

shared that she was still unsure on how to do that, so we spent some time setting that up for

tomorrow’s lesson.

This session allowed me as an IC to model some uncertainties Mrs. Huff had. I was happy to

know she needed my assistance so that I could perform to my best ability.

Session 5: OBSERVE WITH FEEDBACK March 14, 2017

Today I had some time to observe Mrs. Huff in the classroom as she set her students up to work

on their assigned work from the two programs. While observing, the IC should especially attend

to the collaborating teacher’s efforts to use the critical teaching practices (Knight, page 121).

While in the classroom I observed most students being able to login, find their assigned work,

and complete the task. Some students still had a hard time finding their way through the website.

Mrs. Huff quickly assisted those students. The transition was smooth and students were very

engaged.

I met with Mrs. Huff again afterschool to talk about the lesson. I used the collaborative

exploration of data as a partnership method to discuss what was observed. I shared with her what

I saw based off my observation sheet. I asked her how she felt about performing the task. She

shared that she was happy that I was there to help out. She also enjoyed the amount of

technology used during the lesson. She saw how independent her students could be.
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I asked Mrs. Huff if she will continue this method for the week so when we meet again at the end

of the week we can see the student’s progress. From there we will be able to collect data and

work from there.

Session 6: SUPPORT March 17, 2017

Today during our planning time, we were able to see some results of student’s progress in the

lesson. Mrs. Huff was able to group her students according to the data that was collected from

ConnectED and SplashMath. From there she could see which students mastered the lesson and

students that still need some small group time. I saw a change in my colleague today. She has

become more comfortable using the ConnectED and SplashMath tool. I do believe my support

and partnership that we share has effected this change. I’ve been open with Mrs. Huff and she

has been willing to try something new. I believe her love for technology has opened up her views

on using this new tool. For the next two weeks Mrs. Huff will continue to create lesson plans

through ConnectED and assign student practice drills through ConnectED and SplashMath while

collecting data. My assistance will always be available for Mrs. Huff when she needs it. The IC

provides as much support as necessary, but no more (Knight, page 129).

Session 7 March 24, 2017

This week I let Mrs. Huff explore on her own. I visited her a couple times this week and she was

working like a champ! She was able to create lesson plans for this week and the following week

in advance. Her students now have a routine and are able to start their assigned task right away. I

will meet with her next Thursday to discuss data and growth.

Session 8 March 30, 2017

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Today was our last session and final view of student progress. Mrs. Huff shared how she really

enjoyed the tools provided from the ConnectED site. She was very pleased to know so much

information that helped her with her math lessons. She really enjoyed the interactive presentation

and she felt her students learned a great deal from the presentation. She liked how the

presentation connected with the student’s workbook. She felt with the connection of the two, her

students progressed very well during the past weeks. With the assigned work she saw a great

improvement in her students.

As I thanked her for allowing me to work with her, she returned the favor and thanked me as

well for sharing something new with her and working with her through the weeks. She shared

that she will plan her lessons like this for the remaining of the school year. I was happy to hear

this and was flattered that she thought I did a good job. I was happy to help and she was a

pleasure to work with. I thought our partnership worked well and we were able to work together

the entire time. The connection I had coaching was very positive. I really enjoyed helping

someone that wanted the help. I could see how this process could have went a different way. I

believe because Mrs. Huff wanted to learn something new, my coaching skills were easily

transmitted. She wanted to expand her teacher skills and be able to use a new tool that would

help her with her lessons. I wish I could have observed more lessons and provided more

feedback but with me having my own class and not having anyone to cover, it was hard to do so.

I do however really enjoy being able to introduce something to someone and coach them through

till mastery. I know that being a coach will have its issue and somedays the work that is pushed

against unwanted learners can lead to resistance of a new way of teaching. I hope that when that
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day does come, because it will, I will be prepared enough and be able to build a relationship with

my viewers that will make them want to learn.

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Reference

Knight, Jim. (2007). Instructional Coaching: A Partnership Approach to

Improving Instruction. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Images from

https://connected.mcgraw-hill.com/connected/login.do

https://www.splashmath.com/