Jenni Keith

Cognitive Coaching Sessions for Jenni Keith & Sherry Brott
Saturday July 28, 2004

Session 1 – Sherry Brott, Coach and Jenni Keith, Mentor

9:55PM

Sherry Brott: Jenni, have you decided on your goals for this next mentoring field experience?

Jenni Keith: I have two teacher goals and two mentor goals - all preliminary. I have only spoken on the phone with my teacher and we will meet to formalize plans next Monday when you will be in attendance.

Sherry Brott: I'm looking forward to it.

Sherry Brott: Let's talk about your teacher goals.

Jenni Keith: My teacher is Donna Rafferty, World History. I chose to keep one teacher goal the same as I had with Jenny because it is such a worthwhile one and covers both diverse learners and classroom management.

Jenni Keith: Use instructional strategies that support diverse learners and address classroom management strategies AND

Sherry Brott: Will you be doing anything differently as you work with her on that goal?

Jenni Keith: Develop confidence in creating technology integrated lesson plans.

Sherry Brott: Will you be approaching this experience any differently that the last?

Jenni Keith: I would like to focus on one lesson instead of an entire unit. Although the lesson might span two or three class periods and will ultimately be part of a larger unit, I only intend on focusing on one lesson.

Sherry Brott: Do you anticipate any similarities between how you will mentor Donna and how you worked with Jenny?

Jenni Keith: Donna and I have worked together before but not creating whole lessons as Jenny and I had and not in as much detail as this project requires.

Sherry Brott: What plans do you have for Monday?

Jenni Keith: She is a very strong person and experiences great frustration when technical difficulties arise, as they always do. Hence the confidence teacher goal and one mentor goal addresses this as well.

Sherry Brott: How have you handled her frustration in the past?

Jenni Keith: I intend to have an agenda that we will stick to strictly. We will briefly go over content, instructional strategies, technology integration, diverse learners, classroom management, and assessment, but not go into great detail on a

Jenni Keith: I would like to get a general overview of the entire plan and then have as many follow up sessions as necessary to fill in the blanks.

Jenni Keith: I have handled things for her more than I should have probably. She has made great strides forward using technology over the last year and I have gotten to know her better - trust building you know - so that has helped.

Jenni Keith: I intend to anticipate problems and prepare her in advance as much as possible. I will encourage her to “punt” keeping students busy while she troubleshoots any problems during the lesson, and of course, I will be there for her. The most important thing is that the lesson goes well and she learns from any technical issues that might arise.

Sherry Brott: You mentioned that one of your mentor goals covered this issue. 

Jenni Keith: Help teacher to develop confidence in troubleshooting technology issues that occur during student lessons.

Jenni Keith: AND

Sherry Brott: It sounds like you already have a plan in place.  Are you thinking of doing something differently?

Jenni Keith: Use questioning strategies to guide teacher in creating learner-centered lessons that maximize positive impact on students.

Sherry Brott: What can I do to help you?

Jenni Keith: Well, I have a plan for what I'd like her to accomplish and what I'd like to accomplish, but I have NO IDEA what she wants students to accomplish or how she intends on going about it.

Sherry Brott: What would you like for me to look for on Monday?

Jenni Keith: I really would like to guide her to make good choices about learning and teaching strategies. Will you make note of when I guide by questioning AND when I TELL.

Jenni Keith: I might have to do some telling about technology, but the teaching strategies and assessments should all be guided.

Sherry Brott: Sure, I can do that.  Would tally marks work or do you want me to also keep track of the questions and statements?

Jenni Keith: You might also make note if and when I try to "teach" her something about learning strategies and how they relate to technology.

Sherry Brott: okay. Let me see if I understand what you want.

Jenni Keith: Just talley unless you feel it was extremely good or extremely not so good. That will help me remember during post ob. conference

Jenni Keith: I don't think we will address my other goal during this first conference, so focus on what we've already discussed.

Jenni Keith: It is the hardest thing for me to do anyway. I want to give my opinion too much.

Sherry Brott: You would like me to keep track of when you guide Donna by questioning and when you tell her instead of guiding.  I understand that you might have to tell her something concerning technology issues.  I can make a note of those. You also want to address only this goal on Monday.

Jenni Keith: Yes and also... make note if and when I try to "teach" her something about learning strategies and how they relate to technology.

Sherry Brott: Have you thought about the kinds of questions you will use to guide her concerning learning strategies and how they relate to technology?

Jenni Keith: Not really, but that is on my list of things to do this weekend when developing the agenda for our meeting. BTW, I did speak with her about the format of our meeting already so she'll be prepared for it.

Sherry Brott: Great!  Was she one of those teachers knocking on your door wanting to work with you?

Jenni Keith: Yes. She went to a week long conference in Austin this summer and is full of ideas. The leader told the group that the Tech person in their bldg should be their best friend. We should find out who he is and send him Choc Chip cookies:)

Sherry Brott: That will be fun.  I can't wait.  I'm sure I'll get all pumped up as well.

Session 2 – Jenni Keith, Coach and Sherry Brott, Mentor

10:44PM

Jenni Keith: I do have your teacher and mentor goals in front of me. Can you fill me in on some of the details and your plans for the development of this lesson plan?

Sherry Brott: Well, this will be a bit different than the last time even though I'm mentoring the same teacher, Melody.  The last lesson we worked was actually started in my Intel class, so I was familiar with where she was going.

Jenni Keith: I only see one mentor goal. Can you help me to understand how this lesson plan will help you work toward your goal of  - Develop relationship with teachers at additional campuses based on trust, availability, and knowledge of their

Sherry Brott: This time we are starting from scratch.  I do know that she wants this  to be a math lesson.  I know she's got some goals, but she hasn't formally shared them with me yet.  Since she's in a workshop right now, I'm going to talk to her on the phone to get those goals. This time I really want her to come up with the goals for her students totally on her own...well with some clarifying help from me. She has see alot of the things I've created over the years and I'm afraid she will want to take some of those and use them instead of come up with her own ideas.

Jenni Keith: How exactly are you going to help her meet her goals? And how can you encourage her to match her student needs/content & technology?

Sherry Brott: I guess I am just going to have to help her feel safe in brainstorming all the ideas she has.  She's so enthusiastic.  I don't want to be judgmental if something is not "doable", but gently steer her in a more appropriate direction. The first thing I need to do is find out what they have in the way of technology at RES.  They are woefully lacking over there.

Jenni Keith: Can you help me to understand how this lesson plan will help you work toward your goal of  - Develop relationship with teachers at additional campuses based on trust, availability, and knowledge of their needs.

Sherry Brott: For one thing, Melody is going to be my way "in" at RES.  She wants me to meet with the 4th grade team and help them come up with a plan.  As for the availability that worries me because of the way Janet has scheduled Gay and me at the schools. I've got to gain their trust and one way to do that is really get familiar with their needs and concerns. This K-4 stuff is all very new to me. But, that is a long term goal that won't happen overnight.

Jenni Keith: You'll do great! Get familiar, but be wary of getting bogged down in needs and concerns...specially in our district, now.

Sherry Brott: I know.

Jenni Keith: How can I help you while observing a session with you and Melody?

Sherry Brott: The main goals I want you to help me with are my goals for her. I will probably need you to observe a session with her after school starts.  She will have her class list and can identify her diverse learners by then. My goal - "Reflect and design a technolgoy rich lesson that supports higher order thinking skills" is probably the one I'd like to address.  Do you have any ideas? ;)

Jenni Keith: These are the items you have expressed so far... Develop goals for her students totally on her own with clarifying help from me, help her feel safe in brainstorming all the ideas she has, and gently steer her in a more appropriate direction when something is not "doable."

Sherry Brott: However, those things I'll probably do over the phone this week so I can get my goals turned in.  You won't be able to observe those.

Jenni Keith: These do fit with that goal. Definitely have Bloom's available for you both to look at while working together.

Sherry Brott: I think I'd like you to watch for how I help her design her lesson.  I'd like to guide her with questions instead of making too many suggestions.

Jenni Keith: Would you like to develop a mentor goal for that?

Sherry Brott: Well, duh, that would make sense wouldn't it?

Jenni Keith: Sounds familiar;) Let me see if I understand correctly

Sherry Brott: How about - "Facilitate the mentee's lesson plan development by using guiding and clarifying questions rather than suggestions."

Jenni Keith: Excellent!

Sherry Brott: hee-hee and it's only 11:15 pm.

Jenni Keith: You would like me to tally instances of guiding and clarifying questions you ask while I'm observing. Anything else?

Sherry Brott: And you can bring donuts for us.

Sherry Brott: ;)  It's getting late.

Jenni Keith: Now, now. I'm supposed to be the inconspicuous, impartial observer. Krispy cremes would make me the life of the party:)

Sherry Brott: We can overlook that.