The challenges of kindling a desire in students to focus on mathematics and science are numerous. Helping teachers overcome those challenges and instill a love of math and science in their students is the goal of Coaching for Excellence. The training program uses coaches and mentors to encourage teachers to become creative problem solvers and think conceptually about mathematics and science content.
Coaching for Excellence is a series of eight one-day training sessions that extend over several months. Coaches and mentors gain understanding and develop strategies to build solid relationships with teachers. They address questioning, data collection and other intervention techniques that assist teachers in developing their own successful approaches.
First-year performance evaluations showed the program has great promise. The 2006-07 series, supported by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, consisted of 69 instructional coaches who attended the training sessions over a four-month period. The Kauffman Foundation subsequently initiated a survey of coaches, teachers and principals, and results were consistently positive.
Principals and coaches felt a positive impact on their school districts and reported improvements in three crucial areas:
- General classroom strategy
- Positive feedback and constructive criticism
- Evaluating/meeting student needs
In addition,
- 98 percent of coaches indicated they were very satisfied or somewhat satisfied with the series.
- 94 percent of teachers indicated they were very or somewhat satisfied with the CFE-trained coach.
- 99 percent of teachers said they were either very likely or somewhat likely to apply the concepts, principles, techniques and activities shared by the coach.
- 92 percent of teachers agreed or strongly agreed that they felt more prepared for teaching after working with coaches.
- 98 percent of coaches reported the series made them feel more prepared for coaching.
Change of Heart (www.heartofchange.com) conducts the daylong sessions from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., dates for which will be determined soon. The Change of Heart Team has worked in organizational and instructional improvement for nearly 20 years, and for more than 10 years has worked with school districts and businesses throughout the world providing systems and individual change training.
The eight day series extends over several months. The session will last from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. each day. Continental breakfast and lunch will be provided. The dates for the cadre follow:
2008
September 10-11
October 20-21
December 2-3
2009
January 12-13
Please have your completed registration form returned to pmarkley@kauffman.org or fax 816-751-5833 by Friday, August 8, 2008.
The registration form is available here >
