Suggested Coaching Techniques for Cooperating Teachers

  • ●Familiarizes him/herself with and employs the Teacher Performance Expectations (TPEs) as the criteria for measuring a teacher credential candidate’s progress.
  • ●Incorporates and empowers the teacher credential candidate as a part of a classroom environment that is conducive to learning.
  • ●Encourages the teacher credential candidate to be reflective in the process of expanding their skills. Cooperating Teacher employs the three (3) question debrief:
    • ○“What do you think worked well?”
    • ○“To improve the lesson, what would you do differently?”
    • ○“How can I help you with that?”
  • ●Uses probing questions such as, “Did the transition to independent work go as smoothly as you would have liked?” “Why do you think some students were confused?”
  • ●Phrases suggestions and/or recommendations as, “You might consider…”, “Another way to do this might be …” Or “Something that works for me is…” Rather than, “You need to do it this way!”
  • ●Uses specific examples when providing written feedback.
  • ●Assists teacher credential candidates in identifying strengths and weaknesses.