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Our Approach to Coaching

Coaching at NYC Outward Bound Schools is grounded in student evidence, relationships, discovery and reflection. Our coaches get to know and understand educators and school leaders holistically to help meet their individual needs. Educators are empowered to reflect on their practice, try new ideas, progress monitor and continue to build their skills. Together, we partner to develop and implement effective strategies that drive improvement on a school-wide systems level.

 

In both the Crew and Instruction for Deeper Learning pathways, our coaching focuses on:

Building capacity & growth

Coaches work with educators and school leaders to build capacity and collectively improve conditions for growth in Crew and/or Instruction for Deeper Learning.

Supporting your school’s vision & alignment to SEAD

Our coaches offer strategic guidance and support toward your school’s vision and improved, equitable outcomes for students aligned with social, emotional and academic development.

 

Engaging in teacher/leader coaching cycles

Our coaching is grounded in continuous improvement practices which involve short cycles of inquiry and problem-solving, progress monitoring, and data assessment to ensure realistic and sustainable change.

 

Building collective efficacy

Our coaches support shared learning and co-planning across teacher and leader teams, helping to build the mindsets and skills sets needed to achieve desired goals and outcomes.

 

The Coaching Continuum

All coaching takes place on a continuum at a pace that works for the educator’s readiness and growth.

Heavy guidance & modeling

Fostering of independence & ownership

Learn more about coaching specific to each pathway:

Crew Coaching

NYC Outward Bound Schools’ coaches:

  • Build the capacity of Crew Guides, teachers, and leaders to implement Crew and refine Crew practices
  • Offer strategic guidance and support towards the school’s vision and goal for Crew and improved outcomes for young people
  • Facilitate school team’s ability to understand and solve complex problems facing school connected to community and belonging
  • Support and facilitate improvement processes in order to make disciplined improvement and progress monitor at both the school and network level
  • Bring an external perspective on change efforts, help to develop inquiry capability, and foster a data mindset 
  • Focus on building collective efficacy at the school to create the conditions for young people to feel a sense of belonging and agency
Coaching happens through a mix of on-site visits and coaching calls:

On-site visits:

Each coach has a half-day site visit each month (9 visits total). Each site visit is made up of:

  • Meeting with Crew Guide to coach, progress monitor, and problem-solve 
  • Meeting with school leadership to progress monitor, discuss data and reflect on progress 
  • Walkthroughs 
  • Provide/support professional learning 
  • Support implementation of change idea determined by the previous convening

Coaching calls:

Each coach has 5 hours per month dedicated to 1-hour coaching sessions/school (45 hours/year). Each coaching session includes: Coaching Crew Guide in their leadership of implementation of Crew at the school. This includes:

  • Troubleshooting issues 
  • Brainstorming next steps 
  • Supporting Crew Guide in building capacity to move implementation of Crew toward the collective vision 
  • Coaching toward implementation of the change idea. This focus and action step is determined by the previous convening

Sample 3.5-hour Crew Site Visit

8:30 – 9:15am: Crew Coach and Crew Guide check-in and discuss updates and review the Crew observation plan

9:15 – 10am: Walkthrough and observe Crew classes 

10:05 – 10:50am: Walkthrough debrief to discuss noticings, wonderings, areas of improvement and action steps

10:55 – 11:40am: Meet with Leadership to check on coaching progress, present change idea updates and next steps, and discuss walkthrough and data dives

11:40 – 12pm: Remaining time is spent 1:1 with the Crew Guide to discuss the next steps and check-out, which involves sending feedback to observed Crew Advisors and leadership.

Instruction for Deeper Learning Coaching

 

NYC Outward Bound Schools’ coaches support the improvement of daily instruction through tailored support of teachers and leaders. Our coaches work with your school to decide on an annual scope of coaching (including who receives the coaching) based on how leaders envision instruction changing within 1-3 years, as named in their strategic plans and vision for deeper learning.

From there, teachers are identified to participate in teacher coaching cycles, where teacher and coach:

  • Set a focus area 
  • Establish goals that can be monitored using relevant student evidence 
  • Explore new strategies 
  • Plan together and debrief class observations
Scope

Schools opt into a range of coaching days based upon anticipated scope of work. There are a variety of ways that a coaching day can be structured, but always includes a mix of 1:1 time with teachers, and observation of classes and meetings with leaders to engage in planning and monitor the impact of coaching and professional learning at the school.

Sample 7-Hour Coaching Day

8 – 9:30am: Observe 3 teacher classes for feedback purposes

9:30 – 10am: Reflect on notes and synthesize feedback

10am – 12:15pm: Engage in three 45-min teacher meetings

12:15 – 2:15pm: Meet with leadership to check in on progress of coaching, co-planning and school-wide instructional shifts

2:15 – 3pm: Remaining time spent on joining instructional leadership meetings, team meetings, walkthroughs, data dives, 1:1s with additonal teachers or leaders

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