Connecting Data/Learning Standards/Actions to Practice

Prompts the practitioner to think about and question the extent to which their instruction and interaction matches the targeted developmental or learning objectives

• Definition: The coach can help the practitioner connect the developmental purpose or learning objectives to their instruction/interaction. A coach may begin by asking the practitioner to reflect on the learning objective or developmental purpose. This can lead the  coach to then ask the practitioner to describe how the instruction or interaction supported the learning objectives or developmental purpose. Exploring the connections between the two can help the teacher to continually reflect on how their activities or interactions accomplish the learning goals that they set.
  • Example prompts:
    • “Let’s think back to the objective of this lesson. What exactly did you want the children to know by the end of this lesson?”
    • “How did the children respond to the lesson?”
    • “What child responses indicate that the lesson objective was met?”

Incorporates conversations about learning standards into reflective discussions to help the practitioner think about how their lessons and interactions align with key child outcomes

• Definition: A coach may include learning standards (from guidelines, lessons, etc.) in their conversations with practitioners to help them make connections between how the lessons or interactions promote key child outcomes. For example, a coach may incorporate specific literacy skills within the Pre-Kindergarten Learning Guidelines in their conversations with practitioners to help the practitioner understand how a literacy activity supported a specific skill. Alternatively, a coach may incorporate language from the Texas Rising Star guidelines to help an administrator understand how specific interactions relate to child outcomes (e.g., language development).
  • Examples of learning standards that a coach may incorporate into reflective discussions:
    • “Looking at the Pre-K Learning Guidelines, we can see that…” 
    • “According to the Texas Rising Star guidelines, we know that…” 

Connects reflection opportunities to child data and progress monitoring results to strengthen the practitioner’s ability to recognize opportunities to adapt instruction and interactions to individualize support

• Definition: A coach may use child data (e.g., developmental checklists, assessments) and/or progress monitoring to help the practitioner identify ways to individualize support for children. This can help the practitioner focus on adapting instruction and interactions in ways that are more individualized to children’s needs. A coach should be familiar with the child data source prior to this conversation, in order to guide the practitioner as needed.
  • Types of Child Data Sources:
    • Developmental checklists
    • CIRCLE Progress Monitoring Pre-K
    • Texas Kindergarten Entry Assessment
    • Texas Primary Reading Inventory (TPRI) 
    • Tejas LEE

Supports the practitioner in articulating specific action steps (e.g., lesson adaptation) that align with their reflections on or conclusions about events and interactions

• Definition: Typically, the conclusion of the reflective conversations include specific action steps that the practitioner can take based on key conclusions about events or interactions. That is, this competency helps tie it all together. The coach helps the practitioner identify specific takeaways for their own practice and learning that ultimately help to improve future instructional activities and/or interactions. It can be helpful if the specific action steps are documented so that there is an ongoing record of what the practitioner and coach have worked on.
  • Sample action steps:
    • On your own:
      • Watch the video on CLI Engage
      • Prepare materials for the activity. There are cards you can download from the CAC or you can gather manipulatives (physical teaching tools)
      • Identify 3‐5 students who are on the same academic level who will do this activity together
    • During the activity:
      • Remember to follow the lesson cycle (Introduce, Model & Explain, Guide Practice, and Summarize).
      • Provide scaffolding to children as needed. (Upward scaffold: Have the student provide another word that rhymes with the pair.)
    • With support, the coach will:
      • Review phonological awareness teaching goals, the lesson cycle, and the activity procedure
      • Support teacher’s phonological awareness teaching by giving video feedback with comments, suggestions, and next steps
      • Follow up with a coaching call to reflect on implementation and session content