I really learned a lot yesterday at the Coaching Workshop in Delmar, NY with Lizette Liebold, Rochelle Barry and guest coach Laurie Clarcq.
I have 2 special posts coming at the right time, but until then I would like to share honestly what happened in my particular coaching sessions. A few went fine, but then there were moments when I flubbed several times. Should I be surprised? Tired from air travel, anticipating in front of experts, trying to improv a story/PQA, targeting multiple skills, receiving the coaching, trying to process quickly and then continuing, contriving with colleagues (not students), working under limited time so that each participant can get a turn…Plus, I chose a more difficult structure to target “A ____ le gusta [ ___ likes]” because I felt I wanted the challenge.
We were targeting the 6 Steps to Personalization that they had posted on a chart. Then, we were to do the same with another student and compare and contrast. We were also challenged to Circle subject and verb, since people naturally tend to do the complement. 3 for 1’s and Comprehension Checks were also requested. And since I had never really tried the Thumb Technique, I also wanted to blindly do that with a Circling Template, in front of colleagues, not students. So, I worked all 12 things at once, and whew! I flubbed it a lot of times! Eager though I am, sometimes thinking I know more than I know, I believe next time I will turn my goals down a notch so as not to overwhelm myself. I learned a ton from everyone I got to watch, though! More on that later!
After lunch, we had a time where questions we’d written on index cards across the day were addressed. Many “aha’s” came out of this time, which I will also post very soon. Thanks to Lizette, Rochelle, Laurie and to all of the other Practitioners for the wonderful insights! Please stay tuned for details…
Michel,
You did a wonderful job! The hardest thing about being coached is that we are not in our natural element: the classroom!!!! We are in a room without our signs and props, with strange bilingual adults instead of our beloved students and trying to think about our skills instead of loving our kids with the language.
Yet…despite all of that…it is a valuable experience for everyone involved. We hate to use our classrooms as a “lab”, our time with our students is so short!! At a coaching session we can try things out and it won’t’ matter if we aren’t good at them or discover that we don’t like that particular technique.
What I love is that even though teachers are nervous and feel “clumsy” their beauty as human beings and teachers ALWAYS shines through. As teachers we are never aware of our own gifts. At a coaching session, coaches and other teachers get the opportunity not only to see our gifts, but to learn from them and to tell us what they see that we can not.
Saturday’s group was so passionate about teaching and so willing to ask questions, try new things and share what is working in their own classes. You were a wonderful part of that!!!!! I’m so glad that we got a chance to meet!!
with love,
Laurie
PS I love the picture!!!!!!!!!!!!
By: Laurie on November 14, 2010
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Laurie,
Every time I read something that you write or, as was the case the other day, hear something that you say, it puts a smile on my face. You are truly a gifted person, and I can not wait to learn more from you!
By: Michel Baker on November 15, 2010
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Wish I’d been there!! Would you be willing to share the six steps to Personalization? We worked a little on that at our last coaching meeting, and it might be helpful to know the steps for that! Of course, it might also make no sense, since no one was there…
Michel and Laurie, I learn something from BOTH of you every time I read or re-read your blogs and notes. I’m jealous I wasn’t there!!
By: MJ on November 20, 2010
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[...] Rochelle is a Workshop Presenter/Retired FL Teacher fromTrumansburg, NY. Rochelle also partnered with Lizette Liebold to organize the very first CI Coaching Workshop, which was held this past fall in Albany, New York. I was very thankful to have been able to attend that workhop, and you can see some of my commentary at: http://mmbaker1.wordpress.com/2010/11/14/coaching-workshop-in-new-york/ [...]
By: Rochelle Barry and Sara Kearns to Present at SCFLTA Conference « Michel Baker's Blog – TPRS™ and Beyond on February 4, 2011
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