CS Coaching Toolkit

Instructional coaching supports the ongoing development of teachers. Instructional coaches partner with teachers to improve their ability to plan and deliver effective instruction for all students. Through iterative cycles, coaches work to improve outcomes for students by providing differentiated, collaborative, and reflective support to their teachers. Together, coaches and teachers build on a foundation of mutual trust and respect while building toward the goals of building teachers’ content and pedagogy and increasing students’ engagement and learning.

Coaching is situational and differentiated, and conversations occur in a non-evaluative, no-risk, and reflective environment. To facilitate these intentional conversations, coaches use a process that invites teachers to share about their practice while identifying areas of strength and need. This toolkit follows this approach and philosophy, offering an opportunity for the coach and teacher to engage in cycles of open, deliberate, and honest coaching that increase the opportunity for every student in the class to experience success in CS.

The intent is not to supplant other coaching models that are currently being used; rather, it is to supplement these coaching models by providing guidance aligned to the Standards for CS Teachers and the CS Instructional Practice Evidence Guide (look-for tool). This toolkit, therefore, is designed to enhance and add to any existing suite of resources that any instructional coach can use in their work with CS teachers.

Instructional coaches who work with computer science teachers will find this toolkit useful in supporting their CS teachers along their journey of teaching. CS teachers with varying backgrounds have diverse needs that need to be met through multiple cycles of personalized coaching. For example, some CS teachers may be at the initial stages of developing their CS content knowledge, but are experienced teachers. These teachers may need greater support and direction in developing their expertise with CS content. Other CS teachers may be new to teaching, but possess a high degree of CS content knowledge. These teachers may need more coaching in areas related to creating an optimal CS learning environment and implementing strategies related to equitable student engagement and participation. Those working with preservice teachers who are embarking on student teaching experiences in CS classrooms may also find this to be a useful tool. 

Equity should be part of each and every coaching conversation. It is not only the focus of one of the five Standards for CS Teachers (Standard 2. Equity and Inclusion), but it is also woven throughout each of the other standards. Similarly, whether teachers are planning for their lessons (Standard 4. Instructional Design), teaching in the classroom (Standard 5. Classroom Practice), or reflecting on their own professional growth (Standard 3. Professional Growth and Identity), they should be thinking about equity.

CS coaches play a critical role in the types of support that the teachers receive in order to meet the needs of their diverse students. In order to do this aspect of the work effectively, coaches must focus on their own continuous learning in this area and developing a deep understanding of their own cultural perspectives and implicit biases. In turn, coaches work with teachers from a place of compassion and curiosity in order to cultivate teachers’ internal awareness and growth. When the conversations that occur during coaching cycles focus on meeting the needs of every student in the class, there are opportunities to intentionally design, plan, implement, and reflect on inclusive and equitable practices. Coaches ask questions that prompt meaningful teacher reflection and intentionally unwrap how the CS teacher plans to meet the varied learning, cultural, linguistic, and motivational needs of individual students. Coaches look for and unpack with teachers potential equity issues in CS curricula and during classroom implementation. When teachers successfully meet these diverse needs, students increase both their self-efficacy and capacity in CS. Coaching, therefore, can directly impact the trajectory of CS instruction and help CS teachers to set and work towards an intentional, equity-focused vision to improve access, engagement, and achievement for all of their students in CS, including those traditionally marginalized and underrepresented in computer science.

Reflecting involves identifying both strengths and areas for growth and grounding conversation in evidence. When first establishing coaching relationships, coaches may help guide teachers in completing the Self-Assessment Checklist aligned to the CSTA Standards for CS Teachers and use the Roadmap for Professional Learning to set specific goals for professional growth. The coach acts as a strong listener, asking probing and clarifying questions to help prompt effective reflection. Teachers and coaches use one or more of these goals to focus planning for their next coaching cycle.

In the planning stage, the teacher and coach plan for an instructional approach or strategy that the teacher will implement in a specific lesson or unit in the near future. This strategy should be aligned to one or more of the teachers’ goals. Likely before they meet, the teacher will identify an upcoming lesson to implement the strategy and collect evidence. Together, they will unpack the lesson to identify the student learning outcomes and plan the instructional approaches that will help students reach these outcomes. 

This stage often involves learning more about the instructional strategies that are aligned to the goals the teacher has set. The coach may present information or model the strategy, or the teacher and coach may explore books, videos, and training materials together to deepen their understanding of the strategy.

While co-planning the lesson, the teacher and coach will work to adapt the instructional strategy for the particular lesson(s). They define what success will look like and help the teacher become more competent and confident in implementing this strategy. They will also determine each person’s role in the lesson and identify the evidence to collect during implementation to aid in reflection. Refer to the CS Instructional Practice Evidence Guide (look-for tool) to identify specific student and teacher indicators aligned to the specific goals selected.

Implementation is when the teacher teaches the lesson using the planned instructional strategies. Coaches may co-teach with teachers or model teach a lesson, particularly when supporting less experienced teachers. They may also support by only observing and collecting data.

One of the most important elements of this stage is collecting data and focused, descriptive, non-evaluative feedback, which are generally specific to the teacher’s goals for the coaching cycle. Often, the coach’s role is to observe the lesson and record observations and analytic feedback about the instructional practices and student learning and engagement. We suggest using the CS Instructional Practice Evidence Guide, a tool for observing and reflecting upon the quality of computer science (CS) instructional practice, as aligned to the Standards for CS Teachers. Coaches should not expect to see all, or even the majority of, the actions listed in the look-for tool at any given time. Rather, they can be used collectively as a framework to define indicators of quality teaching and learning. They can also be used modularly to isolate specific areas of focus, based on teachers’ individualized development goals.

Evidence collected during implementation becomes the content of the next reflective stage of the cycle. 

They answer questions such as: Were the goals met? How do we know? If not, what practices need to be strengthened to accomplish those goals? What could the teacher have done differently in order to achieve those goals? What should the teacher do next to continue improving?

They make connections, question assumptions and habits, analyze evidence of student practice, and identify answers to challenges. Much of this happens through strategic questioning. Coaches help the teacher ground reflections in evidence and stay focused on solutions and actions within the teacher’s control rather than excuses or problems. Together, they discover new insights and unlock new ways of thinking and teaching. This reflection often sets the focus for the next planning stage. As the cycle continues, this stage may also merge with the planning stage for the next iteration.

• Instructional Coaching Cycles by EL Education
• The Coaching Cycle: Before, During, and After by Ellen Eisenberg 
• Best Practices for All 3 Steps in the Coaching Cycle by Annie Forest

Suggested questions to use when planning vary by the teacher’s (coachee’s) experience level. Click the relevant experience level below to expand the questions.

During instruction, the primary focus is collecting evidence based on teacher and student actions. Use the CS Instructional Practice Evidence Guide to reflect upon the quality of instructional practice, as aligned to the Standards for CS Teachers. Coaches should not expect to see all, or even the majority of, the actions listed in the look-for tool at any given time. Rather, they can be used collectively as a framework to define indicators of quality teaching and learning. They can also be used modularly to isolate specific areas of focus, based on teachers’ individualized development goals.

Here are some questions you may use in the implementing stage:

• Did we notice any misconceptions or breakdowns in understanding for the students? How will they be addressed?
• How does the information from sorting student work inform our instruction; whole group, small group, and conferring? 
• How will feedback be provided to students? 
• What did you notice the students doing? 
• Why do you think they’re doing that? 
• How are students progressing towards the goal? 
• What evidence can we tease out that indicates successes or breakdowns in student learning? 
• What are the students’ strengths and needs as determined by the data? 
• As we sort student work what descriptors can we come up with for student work that meets the goal, exceeds the goal, or is not yet achieving the goal?

Questions to ask in the post-teaching conversation may include:

• What worked? What would we tweak? Where do we go from here? 
• What pieces(s) of the lesson need clarification? Do we have any questions about student learning?
• What evidence can we tease out that indicates successes or breakdowns in student learning?
• What are the students’ strengths and needs as determined by the data? 
• How can you follow up on the student takeaways from the lesson/activity?
• What are the next steps for student learning in this area?
• How would you evaluate the feedback you shared with the students during and / or after the lesson/activity and it’s reception?
• Did you notice any change in student attitudes towards computer science as a result of the lesson/activity?
• What claims can be made about the instructional strategies utilized?
• What do you consider to be your next / new goals?