The Complete EdTech Coach – Part 1: Philosophy

*Part 1 of a 4-part series

My Chapter Notes

As I moved into my role as Coordinator of ICT I recognized very quickly that there were many similarities between teaching in the classroom and teaching adults. Many of the strategies that I employed in the classroom continue to be essential in my work with educators:

• establishing relationships first is key to your message being heard and accepted
• understand who you are working with, their interests, their motives, their starting point
• cross-curricular, project-based tasks, and hands-on opportunities helps strengthen understanding
• knowledge is one thing but the ability to transfer that knowledge to different scenarios is the goal
• we know we’ve reached our students when they can complete a task without us present, they know how to find supports if they need, and they’re proud of their accomplishments

I appreciated that the authors stress that focus has to be on learning and that technology is second; and sometimes technology isn’t the best fit at all.

Questions for Reflection

Why is edtech coaching a vital part of your organization?

• Edtech coaching provides opportunity for educators to bridge the gap between PD and successful implementation of strategies into the classroom

How might you communicate the value of an edtech coach with stakeholders?

• I feel that communicating my value would be communicated to stakeholders by my educators, not myself

In what ways have you personalized learning for those you serve?

• MVSD has 16 schools in 7 different communities that all have their own unique stakeholder groups and edtech realities
  • ex: 4 of our schools are located in communities without access to reliable cell phone service, 2 of our schools have students that are bussed in from Indigenous communities and often have different access to community resources than their peers
• I strive to tailor my coaching to the community that I am in and build in opportunities for staff to provide feedback to our team to help ensure our work is relevant and meaningful to them
• My technicians keep detailed inventories of the available tech in each building as well as bandwidth graphs which I review before visits to ensure any tech-related conversations can be held within the context of their situation

How might you use an organic approach to improve the way you connect with your learners?

• I feel that this goal is challenging given the current Covid-19 restrictions
• While I previously had more open opportunities to go into buildings I am now “by appointment only” to help ensure there are considerations made for distancing, cohorting, and contact tracing
• The organic methods summarized in these chapters are difficult to accomplish given these parameters

Brainstorming Guide

List some ways you can show that you’re a teacher first:

• I’m not a teacher first, I’m a learner first….
• focused on forward progress centered on, “when you know better you can do better”
• “big picture” thinker that values a holistic approach accounting for multiple factors and connections

List some ways you can avoid being the “sheriff”:

• This reflection hits me hard as I feel that there has been times where I have most likely come across as this (especially within the past 9 months)
• While not all coaches/coordinators are in a quasi-admin role my position is and much of the work my team does directs our divisional goals, procedures, and policies
• I will be spending some time trying to find ways to ensure that the way this information is shared is done so in a way that does not undermine the coaching relationship

Quickly list edtech vehicles you admire and some reasons why:

• A coaching vehicle is a platform used to showcase the work of your teachers, students, and yourself to a wider audience
• Teach Like a Bosse Podcast
  • Accessible content
  • Innovative (I am unaware of other MB school divisions hosting their own podcasts)
  • Involves a variety of stakeholders
• Mitchell Middle School, HSD social media presence
  • Increased transparency between schools & communities
  • Strengthening capacity of all involved
  • Increased sense of community
  • Model for digital citizenship & literacy
• I strive to use my social media accounts as an edtech vehicle for our division

Describe a challenge you’ve encountered in your work with an administrator or a teacher. How did you handle it?

• There are still certain buildings that I have not yet been able to form a strong relationship with and, as such, I do not have many invitations to visit their classrooms/meetings
• Right now my approach has been to continue to reach out with:
  • opportunities to visit
  • supports that I feel could assist them
  • recognition for edtech accomplishments that I’ve been made aware of

How could you improve communication with those you serve?

• My first response to this question will go back to the “sheriff” response and finding balance between the different components of my role
• Focus on the “who” and developing relationships
• Understanding when to use a particular method of communication (email, phone, video meeting, etc)