Questions in a Learning Focused Conversation

February 1, 2013Academic Coach-Math Training

Bernard RahmingCynthia Cuellar Rodriguez

Learning IntentionSuccess Criteria

Learning Intention: We are learning how to create and refine

our coaching questions. Success Criteria

We will know we are successful when we can respond to a concern with a coaching question containing the essential elements.

Why Can’t I Just Tell Them? Questions hold the power to:

cause us to think, create answers we believe in, and motivate us to act on our ideas

Asking moves us beyond passive acceptance of what other say, or staying stuck in present circumstances, to aggressively applying our creative ability to the problem

Redefining Relationships Advising, mentoring or consulting

I am the expert Role makes me superior (knowledge)

Questioning, asking for their ideas Peer Honors coachee as a person Communicates coachee is valued as an

equal

Questions leads to listening

Less about my thoughts, my inputs, and how to steer the dialogue around the answers I think will work

Leads to really listening The more you listen, the more you see

how capable they are, how much they can do with a little encouragement and what wonderful individual they are

5 Reasons to Ask Instead of Tell

1. All information is with the coachee Always know far more about the situation than

the coach2. Creates buy-in

Key to change is being motivated to do More motivated to carry out own ideas and

solutions3. Empowers

Often know what to do, lack of confidence to do

“you have great ideas. I believe in you. You can do this.”

4. Develops Leadership Capacity Leadership is ability to take responsibility Moves people from depending on you for answer

and toward taking leadership in that situation5. Creates authenticity

Relationship building; trust Asking significant questions, listening to the

answer communicates that we really want to know who a person is at a deep level

Coaching Questions: A Coach’s Guide to Powerful Asking Skill by Tony Stoltzfus

Turn and Talk I wonder….

I am concerned with….

I am excited to….

Questioning (Lipton & Wellman, pp. 58-62)

Opening Thinking (Inquiry) Questions that extend and illuminate thinking Invite multiple responses Support a colleague in exploring issues,

problems, concerns and ideas Communicate an exploration of information and

ideas

“As you reflect on this unit, what are some ways you might assess students on their understanding of the concepts and terms?”

Questioning (Lipton & Wellman, pp. 58-62)

Focusing Thinking (Probing) Questions that intend to focus thinking for

increased specificity of information Elicit examples, criteria, details that

support precision of language and thinking

“As you think about your assessment practices, how do these practices assist in meeting the diverse needs of your students?”

3 essential elements Invitation to engage and think

As you reflect Content to think about

Unit planning and assessment Cognitive focus for thinking about the

topic what are some ways (list, explain,

evaluate)“As you reflect on this unit, what are some ways you might assess students on their understanding of the concepts and terms?”

Elements of the invitation… Attending Fully Approachable voice Plural forms Exploratory language Positive Presuppositions Nondichatomous forms

Presupposition Presuppositions are the hidden meanings in

sentences, phrases, or individual words that work covertly or indirectly (Churches & West-Burnham, 2008).

Presuppositions are hidden messages in language that impact motivation, confidence, and action. They are assumptions about human behaviour, experience, communication or potential that engage emotions and influence behaviour (Love, 1998).

Negative Presuppositions “Maybe you could try one new thing with your

class” Statement contains many negative

presuppositions in addition to the meaning of the actual words being spoken.

In addition to the words, this sentence suggests many limiting things. “Maybe” suggests that the teacher may not try. “Could try” suggests that there is a good chance

of failing. “ “One new thing” suggests that the teacher

doesn’t try many new things.

Contrast Negative Presupposition

“Maybe you could try one new thing with your class”

Positive Presupposition “Of the many new things you are considering,

which one will you implement first because you are familiar with the needs of your class?”

Adding Positive Presupposition

“Of the many new things you are considering, which one will you implement first because you are familiar with the needs of your class?”

“ Of the many things you are considering” you consider many things; you think about things in advance.

“which one will you implement first?” you have a choice; you will use others later; you get to choose.

“because you are familiar with the needs of your class” you are competent; you understand the needs of your class.

Our Beliefs Influences Our Use of Positive Presuppositions

Belief that all teachers care about students “When you think about the needs of your students, what

guides the decisions that you make? Belief that all teachers plan lessons using the

curriculum guide and correlate student outcomes to state standards and appropriate resources or want to learn how to do that

“As you planned this lesson, which planning documents—the curriculum guide or the state standards was the most helpful to you?”

Belief that all teachers interact with the parents of their students. 

“What was the parent’s reaction when you talked with her?”

Blog By Edna Harris, PCC Coaching for Results Global

Restate the QuestionExamples Non-ExamplesAs you examine the data, what are some of your findings?

Did you look at the data?

When you think about your students’ needs, what strategies might be most appropriate?

Do you know what your students need?

While you monitor student learning, what are some indicators of success you look for?

Are you planning to assess student learning in this lesson?

In considering multiple instructional strategies, how did you decide cooperative learning was best for this lesson?

Did you think cooperative learning was the best strategy for this lesson?

Tables 1 and 5

Tables 2 and 6

Tables 3 and 7

Tables 4 and 8

Learning IntentionSuccess Criteria

Learning Intention: We are learning how to create and refine

our coaching questions. Success Criteria

We will know we are successful when we can respond to a concern with a coaching question containing the essential elements.

Responding to Concern Pick out one of the teacher concerns Respond with a coaching question

Invitation Plural forms Exploratory language Positive Presuppositions Nondichatomous forms

Topic Cognition

1. “Do we really have to do the winter CR when my school doesn't even collect the scores? Why do it then?”

2. “I'm looking at the Navigations lessons and there are not any math problems for practice. When do my kids do practice problems?”

3. “I don't have time for kids to log into ST Math, because we are going over on our time and I just can't get to interventions.  The math instruction is more important than the intervention time.”

4. ”I don’t know how we are supposed to do all of this when the pacing guide dictates we need to “keep” moving through the book!  Plus, when the principal is expecting us to teach a new lesson each day AND turn in all our exit slips…I mean really this is all nice in theory but what are we to “really” do?”

Learning IntentionSuccess Criteria

Learning Intention: We are learning how to create and refine

our coaching questions. Success Criteria

We will know we are successful when we can respond to a concern with a coaching question containing the essential elements.

Reflection As we reflect on the coaching

conversations you have engaged in so far this year, what are something you are noticing about your conversations?

Milwaukee Public Schools:Questions in a Learning Focused Conversation

MPS Board of School DirectorsDr. Michael Bonds, PresidentLarry Miller, Vice PresidentMark Sain, District 1Jeff Spence, District 2Annie Woodward, District 4Dr. Peter Blewett, District 6David Voeltner, District 7Meagan Holman, District 8Terrence Falk, At-Large

Senior TeamDr. Gregory Thornton, SuperintendentNaomi Gubernick, Chief of StaffDarienne Driver, Chief Innovation OfficerTina Flood, Chief Academic OfficerDr. Karen Jackson, Chief Human Resources OfficerMichelle Nate, Chief Operations OfficerGerald Pace, Esq., Chief Financial OfficerAnita Pietrykowski, Chief School Administration OfficerDenise Callaway, Executive Dir., Community EngagementPatricia Gill, Executive Director, Family Services Sue Saller, Exec. Coord., Superintendent’s Initiatives