Child360 first conducted a feasibility study in 2016‐17 and the outcome suggested that online coaching had the potential to be highly effective. As a result of that first study, Child360 initiated a more robust two-year, full-scale study of online coaching with a larger sample of teachers and coaches. “We decided to continue using TORSH [Talent which was a part of the original feasibility study] in this study because of anecdotal evidence that it allowed teachers and coaches to build trusting relationships through virtual face‐to‐face interactions, to set quality improvement goals, and to track progress toward goals.”

Over the 24 month period, six coaches worked with 215 teachers from 121 child care provider locations to provide resources, offer advice, and collaborate with them to create goals for their early learning programs. In Child360’s traditional coaching model, coaches typically conduct in‐person visits, in which they work one‐on‐one with teachers and administrators to help them improve their early learning programs through a cycle of appreciative inquiry, process consultation, feedback, reflection, and goal setting. The organization sought to determine if the adoption of an online coaching platform could positively impact reach, coaching dosage, and affordability while maintaining the level of quality achieved with their in-person model. 

Participants of the study were involved in all methods of coaching which included in-person, online and a hybrid of in-person and online. Online or hybrid participants engaged through the use of videos, allowing coaches to remotely observe teachers and their classrooms. They also added the use of video conferencing or online chats to conduct conversations in real‐time with teachers to provide feedback. All online activity was captured and tracked within the TORSH Talent platform. 

While most participants were new to the online coaching platform and had a bit of a learning curve when it came to incorporating video into their routines, as the study progressed, both coaches’ and teachers’ increasing familiarity and comfort with technology resulted in a positive overall experience. 

Child360’s 35-page report provides the raw data used to calculate time and cost savings, feedback from coaches and teachers, as well as the protocol documents used by participants. The organization also answers questions related to the impact of adopting an online coaching platform in relation to these key areas:

• Expanding Access to Coaching Supports
  • Online coaching offers the considerable advantage of allowing teachers and coaches to collaborate regardless of the physical distance between them. Unfettered by the constraints of having to meet in person, Child360 coaches could potentially serve a much wider pool of providers. 
• Building Better Relationships Between Teachers and Coaches
  • All teachers reported having positive relationships with their coaches. Through the expanded use of communications platforms  – text, phone, and email – Child360 helped some participants reduce initial worries about transitioning to an online coaching program. Teachers reported that their coaches were encouraging, supportive, and flexible.
• Providing More Affordable Coaching Supports
  • This study prove that online coaching was more affordable for providers than face‐to‐face coaching, resulting in a 22% reduction in total cost compared to traditional coaching.
• Increasing Coaching Dosage for Child360’s Providers
  • Partially due to a reduction in drive time of 68% for online coaches versus in-person, coaches reported that online coaching enabled them to accomplish more in a shorter period of time.

 

Click here to read the full Child360 Online Coaching Program Report.

 

Angela Daliet manages Business Development specializing in Early Education at Torsh. After earning her B.S. from the University of New Orleans, Angela successfully worked as an investment advisor and financial planning firm coach for several years. Upon learning her children’s public school had no immediate plans to reopen post-Katrina, she established the non-profit Save Our Schools NOLA to help leverage students, parents, teachers, and residents as informed, effective advocates for equitable access to local, high-quality schools and programs.

The post Online vs In-Person Early Education Coaching Models: Results From Child360’s Two-Year Study appeared first on Torsh.

Prior to embarking on a career in education, Davis worked as a business analyst spending her days looking for ways to break models and programs, in an effort to make them better. She now applies those skills, coupled with her advanced researching prowess on her quest to constantly improve educators and mentors, while also pursuing her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction.

Ursula is constantly pushing the limits of learning and boundaries, all in pursuit of improving the teachers and peer-to-peer mentors within her district.

The soon-to-be Dr. Davis recently shared some of the resources that have inspired her during the buildout of the K-12 teacher induction program at RCPS, many of which will also be cited in her dissertation – “Impact of Video Coaching with Elementary Induction Teachers“, which will examine how elementary school induction teachers perceive video coaching as a job-embedded professional development strategy.

The Distance Learning Playbook, Grades K-12
By Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, & John Hattie

The pandemic teaching of mid-2020 was not really distance learning, but rather crisis teaching. But starting now, teachers have the opportunity to prepare for distance learning with purpose and intent – using what works best to accelerate students’ learning all the while maintaining an indelible focus on equity.

Harnessing the insights and experience of renowned educators Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, and John Hattie, The Distance Learning Playbook applies the wisdom and evidence of VISIBLE LEARNING® research to understand what works best with distance learning. Spanning topics from teacher-student relationships, teacher credibility and clarity, instructional design, assessments, and grading, this comprehensive playbook details the research- and evidence-based strategies teachers can mobilize to deliver high- impact learning in an online, virtual, and distributed environment

Hattie Model of Feedback
John Hattie – Visible Learning

Performance Feedback plays a critical role in the coaching cycle.  It is when the coach presents data on the teacher’s performance they obtained from the Observation they performed.  Feedback can be formal or informal and is thought to be so important to achieving a successful outcome from the coaching experience that some researchers consider it to be an evidence-based practice in and of itself.  Feedback is said to be most effective when it is specific, timely, positive, and corrective if necessary. There are a few ways a coach can deliver their feedback to the teacher; written, face-to-face, or via a video – all of which have their own advantages and disadvantages. 

Davis is currently digesting the wealth of knowledge that is this feedback structure. She is working on a way to deliver this information through a series of trainings for administrators, that they can then redeliver to teachers to apply it to the district’s peer-to-peer feedback model.

Get Better Faster: A 90-Day Plan for Coaching New Teachers
by Paul Bambrick-Santoyo

There are many different coaching models in existence, but most are based on similar principles and are applicable to teachers in Early Education, Early Intervention, K12, and Higher Education.  These models showcase the best practices for improving an individual teacher’s performance. There are 4 broad categories of an effective coaching cycle for teachers: Observation, Modeling, Performance Feedback, and Alliance Building Strategies.

The Beginning Teacher’s Field Guide: Embarking on your first year
By Tina Boogren

The joys and pains of starting a teaching career often go undiscussed. This field guide dives deep into the personal side of teaching, offering crucial advice, empathy, and new-teacher support. The author details six phases every new or first-year teacher goes through (anticipation, survival, disillusionment, rejuvenation, reflection, and second anticipation) and outlines targeted classroom strategies, teaching tips, and self-care practices for each.

* Ursala says: It is as important for administrators who are coaching and working with new teachers, as it is for new teachers to read.

Supporting Beginning Teachers: Classroom Strategies
By Tina Boogren

Give new teachers the time and professional guidance they need to become expert teachers. Investigate key research, and examine the four types of support-physical, emotional, instructional, and institutional-that are crucial during a teacher’s first year in the classroom. Discover essential strategies for K-12 mentors, coaches, and school leaders to develop an effective mentoring program schoolwide. 

Jim Knight, Founder of Instructional Coaching at Learning Forward 2017

Learning to integrate video into instructional coaching takes practice. One mistake that Jim Knight originally made in his own instructional coaching was not utilizing the video strategically and at the right time within the coaching process. Jim reveals his best practices and worst mistakes for instructional coaching with video. Read the entire blog from Edthena here.

* RCPS secured permission from Jim Knight’s Instructional Coaching to incorporate the Watch Yourself and Watch Your Students rubric into their program.

Teaching in the Online Classroom – Surviving and Thriving in the New Normal
By Doug Lemov

A timely guide to online teaching strategies – School closures in response to the covid-19 coronavirus pandemic resulted in an immediate and universal pivot to online teaching. More than 3.7 million teachers in the U.S. were suddenly asked to teach in an entirely new setting with little preparation and no advance notice. This has caused an unprecedented threat to children’s education, giving rise to an urgent need for resources and guidance. The New Normal is a just-in-time response to educators’ call for help. Teaching expert Doug Lemov and his colleagues spent weeks studying videos of online teaching and they now provide educators in the midst of this transition with a clear guide to engaging and educating their students online. 

Video in Teacher Learning: Through Their Own Eyes
By Laura Baecher

Video recording is the only feedback method that allows educators to view their teaching through their own eyes. Video in Teacher Learning provides guidance on how to get started and how to engage in nonjudgmental, descriptive analysis using this powerful tool.  Written for instructional coaches, administrators, supervisors, and individual teachers.

Ursala Davis and the RCPS administration are constantly seeking ways to enhance their teacher induction program, exploring every opportunity to improve and support the educators within the district. We at Torsh are proud to be a part of those efforts, by providing a platform that is flexible enough to support their ever-evolving needs.

Hear what mentors within the RCPS have to say about the value of TORSH Talent to the program.

Interested in how Torsh could improve your school or district’s professional learning program? Click here to connect.

The post 8 Resource Recommendations for Improving K-12 Teacher Retention appeared first on Torsh.

Our online platform, a staple in the professional development toolkit for coaches, mentors, and administrators, for years, has seen the bulk of its access from computers. As more of our users have incorporated phones and tablets into their observation routine, parity between the online and mobile experiences was no longer an option, but a necessity.

We’re excited to present the new and improved TORSH Talent Mobile App. Highlights of the updated app include:

Record and Photograph

Snap photos in a flash. Stay in one app to both record video and take pictures.

View & Rename Artifacts

All of our most popular features, including viewing and renaming videos, photos, and documents, are now available from any device.

Share Artifacts & Set Permissions

Share videos and files with peers, mentors, and coaches easily from your mobile device. 

Comment & Collaborate On-the-Go

Easily leave feedback on videos. Collaborate and coach at any time and from anywhere.

Check out What’s New

Visit the menu bar to see updates, adjust settings, switch systems, and reach out to support!

The team at Torsh is excited to provide users of the app with the ability to give and receive on the go feedback, stay in sync with all their devices, record and upload videos, along with other artifacts straight from their mobile device, and even share videos and files with peers, mentors, and coaches. 

Bringing desktop features to mobile devices, Torsh puts the power of professional development in the palm of each coach, administrator, and educator’s hands.

Like what you see, but not using
TORSH Talent yet?

Already a TORSH Talent User?
To view the complete how-to guide on the new & improved mobile app, visit the help center in your TORSH Talent system.

The post Torsh Mobile App Gets an Upgrade appeared first on Torsh.

Feedback on Virtual Classes

With the shift to virtual learning, a large K12 public school district is using their LMS to provide coursework to their students. Students are required to attend office hours and live classes with their teachers. Teachers conduct and record these classroom sessions using Microsoft Teams. Once a month, they upload a virtual lesson to TORSH Talent and share it with mentors for feedback using our time-stamped video commenting tool. Based on the feedback, coaches create goals for their teachers in TORSH Talent so the teachers can easily see what needs work and their progress as they achieve goals.

Self Reflection & Evaluation 

A state department of education uses TORSH Talent to encourage teachers to upload videos of their classes once a month. Using our time-stamped video commenting feature, the teacher self-reflects and contextualizes the video to request feedback from their coaches in growth areas. Every other month, teachers attach a lesson plan and corresponding student work to their video so facilitators can perform a comprehensive evaluation using their customized evaluation rubric on TORSH Talent. 

Rubric Adaption for Remote Instruction

One charter school network adapted their in-person observation rubric to meet the needs of remote instruction. Teachers record their virtual classes and upload them to TORSH Talent. Teachers then share the videos with their coaches, who conduct a rubric-based observation. 

Using these adaptations, teachers can receive the same high-quality coaching, in a remote world. Being virtual does not mean anyone has to give up valuable mentorship, and those examples highlight only a few of the amazing TORSH Talent features that facilitate remote workflows. 

More features our users love:

In-Person (Virtual) Observations

Coaches can join a live virtual classroom session to conduct an observation using our in-person observation tool.

Exemplar Library

Share virtual classroom resources and examples of best practices for teachers to view and grow their virtual teaching skills.

Forums

Since it is not as easy for teachers to collaborate in-person, create virtual learning communities using our forums feature as a way to share resources, and facilitate discussion.

Zoom Integration & Chat

Integrate with Zoom to host coaching sessions on TORSH Talent. The recordings will automatically upload and share with the meeting participants. Use our chat feature to stay connected and collaborate via an easy to use direct messaging tool. 

Want to learn more about the benefits of TORSH Talent?
Let us give you a personalized walk-through of the platform.

The post How to Provide High-Quality Virtual Coaching in a Remote World appeared first on Torsh.

Whether you are tracking all of this information using digital files or paper ones, the result is a lot to manage. 

Coaches that utilize TORSH Talent have a distinct advantage. Instead of a desk (or desktop) covered with folders filled with documents for each teacher, they have a system that provides one place to not only capture interactions, it also makes sharing with teachers and their administrators much easier. Their secret – Coaching Corner. 

Coaching Corner is a dedicated space within TORSH Talent where coaches can view and manage all of the educators they coach. This area of the platform also provides coaches with quick access – making it easy to initiate or continue common coaching activities.

Whether you are already using TORSH Talent or exploring platforms to help you improve your efficiency and effectiveness as a coach, here are just a few ways that Coaching Corner can help you get there. 

1. Quickly Access Mentee Records

No more digging through for files. TORSH Talent presents you with a quick and easy way to find information on those you are currently coaching. The system also provides a Recent Interactions list which is automatically populated with users you frequently interact with in order to make working with them easier.

2. Easily Track PD Paths

View everything about a specific user all in one place. The user’s page allows you to see artifacts shared between you and that user, projects with the user, and feedback that they have received and/or given. The page also tracks observations that have been completed or are pending, goals that have been created for that user, activity in the system, and you can access reports for that user.

3. Assess with Insights

Coaches are provided with access to both raw and visual data to effectively monitor and track teacher progress over time. For each teacher, set primary and secondary goals, as well as tag goals to competencies, then use the Insights function for reports. Beyond individual progress, you can also view performance and activity metrics across all of your teachers.

4. Allow Administrator Access 

Access to performance and activity metrics is not limited to coaches. Administrators can also be provided with access to view progress on teachers, as well as to view coach performance.  

These are just a few of the capabilities provided to coaches using TORSH Talent. Explore other features and benefits of Coaching Corner here.

Interested in learning more about the platform and how it could up your effectiveness as a coach?

Request a personalized demonstration with one of our education experts.

The post Four Features of TORSH Talent that Increase Coaching Efficiency & Effectiveness appeared first on Torsh.

While we don’t think you need anything other than a smartphone or tablet to capture quality videos (and the TORSH Talent App to make video recording and uploading seamless), these tips and hardware recommendations will only optimize the outcome.

Audio is Imperative

As visuals that accompany lessons are presented using platforms like Google Classroom, Flipsnack, Animoto, Scratch, and other platforms, being heard during the initial presentation and recording are vital to student engagement. If using a phone or tablet, it is important to note that mobile devices are not designed for the best possible audio recording quality. Even laptops have less than stellar built-in microphones. We suggest using an external microphone when recording video on your smartphone or tablet. This is particularly useful when recording large groups or in large rooms.

• Easily connect to any smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth – no adapters necessary
• Works with iOS and Android devices
• Enhance and improve the audio quality of your classroom recordings
• Ensure better audio transcription

Other Microphone Recommendations:

• Zoom iQ6 Stereo X/Y Microphone for iPhone/iPad ($99.99)
• Rode VideoMic Me Wired Microphone ($59.00)
• Hey Mic! Bluetooth Microphone ($112.00)
• Ampridge MightyMic W+ Wireless Bluetooth Multi-Function Microphone ($59.99)

Capture Steady, Hands-Free Shots with the Help of a Tripod

Make sure you are keeping your camera steady when recording. Incorporating the use of a tripod or stand to hold your mobile device will help you to achieve a much smoother result.

Tripod Recommendation: AmazonBasics Tripod with Accmor Adapter ($30)

This lightweight tripod allows educators to record high quality “hands-free” video recordings of entire classroom sessions. With the addition of a tripod adaptor, educators can use any smartphone, tablet, or camera to record video.

• Record stable video using a tripod-adapter combination
• Support hands-free video capture even when recording solo
• Use tripod on desk/table, or expand up to 60” tall to use without a desk/table
• Ensure optimal recording with the built-in level to adjust the frame

Other Tripod Options:

• Rienar Octopus Style Portable and Adjustable Tripod Stand Holder ($10.89)
• AmazonBasics 60-Inch Lightweight Tripod ($25.99) 
• Tablet Tripod 53 inch iPad Tripod ($39.99)

Go for the Wide Shot

Whether capturing video in a classroom environment for teacher observations or self-recording; be sure to set the camera to film in landscape. In the classroom, you’ll want the widest angle to show on film. When it’s just you on camera for a self-recording session or when presenting class online, be sure that your head, shoulders, and elbows are in the frame. This allows you to have hands showing, in the event that you are using any form of sign language. If you are using a phone or tablet, be sure to film horizontal and that your screen rotation is turned off when recording.

If you’re having trouble capturing a complete view of the classroom using just a tripod, consider adding an external lens to your setup. Wide-angle lenses can allow you to capture a larger view of a room, expanding the viewing angle up to 4x. These lenses can be detached from the device, so you can remove it when it’s not in use. 

Wide-Angle Lens Recommendations: Luxsure® Universal 3-in-1 Clip Cell Phone Camera Lens Kit ($29.99)

This kit comes with a fisheye, macro, and wide-angle lens. The wide-angle lens will probably be most useful in capturing a classroom. 

• Expands the viewing angle 4x.
• Macro lens is used for taking footage of details up close. 
• Fisheye lens also expands the viewing angle but captures round images instead of square ones
• The lenses are compatible with most mobile phones and can be detached.

Best Practices – No Additional Hardware Required

Engage Airplane Mode 

Keep incoming calls, text, and app messages from cutting off or impacting your recording by putting your phone in airplane mode. 

Lights (before Camera, Action)

Avoid placing the subject in front of windows or other direct sources of light and make sure the room is well-lit. If the lighting is too direct or if there is not enough light, you will lose detail in the video. 

Digital Zoom Discouraged 

Using a phone or tablet’s digital zoom can significantly decrease the quality of the video. Instead, try moving the device closer to what you are trying to capture. 

Make It Quick 

Try not to record the whole lesson, but to keep videos between 15-20 minutes. Videos should focus on one topic or concentration area. This helps your coaches and fellow educators provide constructive feedback. If you need to record the entire lesson, you can then clip smaller portions for self-reflection, coaching, and feedback purposes.

Whether you’re capturing classroom interactions for observation to upload to TORSH Talent, presenting lessons online, or just capturing for self-reflection, these tips should serve you well in any of these scenarios.

PLEASE NOTE: All pricing and availability of recommended hardware is accurate as of the date this article was published. Torsh does not have any affiliation with Amazon or the brands suggested.

>> Click here to read tips for teachers on overcoming video anxiety <<

The post The 2020 Educator’s Guide to Video: Recording Tips & Hardware Recommendations appeared first on Torsh.

Who are Teacher Coaches?

There seems to be no debate that coaching is important for teachers, but who are these special people who can help make a teacher better?  Frequently, a special education teacher who has expertise in cutting edge instructional practices will become a coach. School psychologists also have the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to be a coach and often are.  Teachers with years of in-classroom experience who also are up-to-date on the latest best practices for teaching can transition a coaching role as well.    

There are a few common traits among these groups of coaches.  One is that they are experts in the field. They are also experienced and are highly educated on best teaching practices.  They are committed to helping other teachers deepen their practice and identify areas from growth. Finally, they work collaboratively with their mentees and are good relationship builders.  

Coaching Cycle

There are many different coaching models in existence, but most are based on similar principles and are applicable to teachers in Early Education, Early Intervention, K12, and Higher Education.  These models showcase the best practices for improving an individual teacher’s performance. There are 4 broad categories of an effective coaching cycle for teachers: Observation, Modeling, Performance Feedback, and Alliance Building Strategies.

Observation

Observation refers to directly watching a teacher perform in their learning environment and is the entry point into a coaching relationship.  The main purpose of observation is to give the coach a baseline on the teacher’s practices and how they apply them in a real-world setting. By familiarizing themselves with how the teacher operates in the classroom the coach is then able to suggest areas for improvement, provide further information on evidence-based practices or another area of performance feedback, or to model evidence-based practices with the teacher.   Observation can be performed in-person or by video for review at a later time.

Modeling

Modeling is also referred to as demonstrating or learning and is a coach showing a teacher how to properly use a practice that the teacher has been using incorrectly or in a less than an ideal manner.  The purpose of modeling goes beyond simply demonstrating the best way to deploy an evidence-based practice; it is a way for the coach to show how the practice directly impacts the student.  

Performance Feedback

Performance Feedback plays a critical role in the coaching cycle.  It is when the coach presents data on the teacher’s performance they obtained from the Observation they performed.  Feedback can be formal or informal and is thought to be so important to achieving a successful outcome from the coaching experience that some researchers consider it to be an evidence-based practice in and of itself.  Feedback is said to be most effective when it is specific, timely, positive, and corrective if necessary. There are a few ways a coach can deliver their feedback to the teacher; written, face-to-face, or via a video – all of which have their own advantages and disadvantages. 

Alliance Building Strategies

The final step in the cycle is Alliance Building Strategies which references the interpersonal interaction between the coach and mentee.  Creating and maintaining a strong and positive relationship can ultimately lead to higher quality work and progress from the coaching event.  The success of the teacher/coach relationship is dependent on the coach’s interpersonal skills, collaboration skills, and expertise in the subject matter they are coaching.  In summary, an alliance is a collaborative partnership that encourages and reinforces the teacher’s goals and needs in a positive way which helps them be more receptive to the information presented by the coach and to learn to be better at improving student outcomes.

The post Coaching Teachers appeared first on Torsh.

How has the addition of Coaching Corner fundamentally changed Torsh TALENT? 

I like to say that we’ve moved from a video-centric platform to a teacher-centric platform – one that enables an organization to support and coach teachers in person, virtually or remotely. With this new launch, we’ve broadened our product to facilitate and optimize the coaching process. Our customers can now capture important data about a teacher even if they don’t use video or they aren’t ready to use video. Previously if you didn’t want to use video in the teacher professional development process, you couldn’t find value in TALENT. That’s no longer the case. 

Was this shift always part of the plan for TALENT? Or did it come about because clients were requesting certain features or capabilities? 

A bit of both. It’s always been the plan, but we wanted to focus on video first. Then as we started talking to schools, we realized that we had to get broader to accommodate non-video interactions. So our way of doing that was building out Coaching Corner, which now puts the teacher at the center and allows a coach or administrator to organize the information they need, to really give that teacher good feedback and coaching. 

So what can a coach do within Coaching Corner, that wasn’t possible in TALENT prior to this launch? 

Well, a coach can store their observations (video or in-person), and assessments and assessment results, from our rubric tool, all in one place. They can also collect supporting materials like lesson plans, student work, and teacher planning materials so they can get a good overarching view of what’s going on with a teacher. They can schedule meetings, whether in-person or by video. And then, they can show progress over time as the teacher es specific goals. They can create these goals, modify them and work with the teacher to master them. The reason we call it Coaching Corner is that if you’re doing all of this and providing good feedback, you are helping teachers achieve their goals. Then, you are truly coaching, mentoring and growing your teachers, which should be the goal of each organization. 

Would you say that Coaching Corner is a compilation of input from a large variety of clients? Or would you say that one specific client really helped shape the product? 

It is an aggregation of ongoing feedback from a variety of clients and research from what was going on in the marketplace. When we started, there were companies that just allowed you to capture in-person feedback data. They didn’t do video. Then there were companies like us, that just did video-based feedback and observation. Then there were companies like Teaching Channel that created videos of best practices in an exemplar library, where teachers could go see what great practice looks like. Then there were companies that just focused on evaluation, goal setting and tracking compliance with PD requirements. What I’ve observed over the last four years is that customers want all of these things, and they’re increasingly asking for them in one platform. So all these companies will ultimately merge, or some will add these features. We are adding features that the market is telling us it wants so that customers don’t go somewhere else. It’s hard to do and do well in a cohesive online platform, but we got it done. 

Okay, give me a glimpse behind the scenes. What’s the process for creating a product like this? Do you have a list of which features you want to add, then sit down with the development team and say “make it happen”? 

We have a formal product roadmap that we create at the beginning of the year. It includes at a high level all of the major features and products we want to build for the year. We then have a meeting with the development team where we walk through all of the things we want to accomplish and outline when we want to get them done. Our lead developer, David, then take these big ideas and breaks them down into a bunch of much smaller cases that the developers will work on. We put all of these cases in a “backlog” and then we give them a priority from “critical” to “if time permits.”  We then aggregate a bunch of high priority cases into a sprint, which means those are the specific cases the dev team will work on for a period of time. Our sprints tend to be two-week sprints, but sometimes they’re shorter or longer. We periodically revisit the product roadmap to see how we’re doing and how much of what we wanted to get done in a year actually got done.

Wow, that sounds complicated. Now that the developers have done their jobs and Coaching Corner has launched, what has the customer response been like so far?

I’m not sure yet. I think we need more time. We have to talk to a lot of the new customers who came on board because they knew we had this, and get their feedback. We also have to do a better job of letting our existing customers know that we have these features now. Just putting out a press release and sending them an email isn’t enough. We are still working on better ways to communicate all of the exciting features that are built into Coaching Corner. We feel confident that once our current clients start to play around with the tool, they will be very pleased by all of the new functionality at their disposal. 

The post Conversations with Courtney: Coaching Corner appeared first on Torsh.

1. Fill out your profile

Filling out your profile lets teachers know a little more about you. You can add a photo, a short about me, your education, how long you have been coaching, and even a short introductory video.

2. Create a coaching session 

You can create a session with a teacher you are coaching to organize all artifacts, observations, supporting documents and goals, and provide feedback on a coaching cycle. When creating a coaching session, you can also use the scheduling feature to set up a feedback conversation.

3. Conduct an in-person observation 

When you want to visit a classroom, you can conduct an in-person observation on the TALENT platform – using notes or a rubric/framework. To start an observation, go to your coaching dashboard and then select ‘Teachers’. Select the teacher’s page and then ‘Observations’. Select ‘In-Person observation’ and then choose between ‘informal notes’ or a ‘rubric/framework’. Both include a running record but selecting ‘informal notes’ will prompt you with an open-ended notepad and selecting ‘rubric/framework’ allows you to provide notes and evidence against a rubric or framework.

4. Conduct a video observation 

If you have uploaded a video of one of your teachers or they have uploaded it to the TALENT platform, you can provide feedback by conducting a video observation. First, go to the video, you would like to observe. Under the video, select ‘Observations’. Click ‘Start an Observation’ and then choose between informal notes and using a Rubric/Framework.

5. View reports on observations 

Once you have completed an in-person or video observation against the rubric, you can see some preliminary data. Go to ‘Observations’ from the navigation bar and find the observation you would like to review. Click on the ‘+’ symbol next to details and you will see graphs display below. You can see all of the individual scores as well as top level information, such as the teacher’s highest and lowest performing domain.

6. Send a quick message 

Sending a quick message is a great way to send a reminder to a teacher. You could ask the teacher to schedule a meeting with you for next week. You could also remind him or her to upload a supporting document, such as a lesson plan. Once the teacher logs in to the platform, the teacher will see the message on their dashboard. The teacher can also send quick messages to you that will appear on your dashboard.

7. Add a to-do 

On your coaching dashboard, you have the ability to add to-do’s. This can be helpful for reminding yourself to provide a teacher with feedback or set goals for a teacher. Every time you log in, you will see your to-dos. Once you complete a to-do, click the box next to the item to mark it as complete.

8. Add artifacts 

Both teachers and coaches can attach artifacts to sessions. Artifacts can be an observation, a lesson plan, student work or a resource. You can attach any url, video, document, image, or TALENT observation. To add artifacts, go to an active session and click the green ‘enter’ button, scroll down and you will see a section for artifacts and resources.

9. Set goals for your teachers

You can now effectively monitor and track teacher progress over time. For each teacher, you can set primary and secondary goals. For secondary goals, you can add specific action steps. You can also tags competencies to goals by first selecting a rubric/framework, and then applying the desired dimension. You can edit goals at any time from your teacher’s page.

10. Provide feedback and publish a session

Once you have added artifacts, conducted observations and set goals for your teacher, you can provide feedback on the cycle. When you go to the feedback section within a session, you can pull up all the relevant information and provide comprehensive feedback against a rubric or framework or using informal notes. When you are done reviewing the session, select ‘publish’ and all of the feedback will be sent over to your teacher.

 Want a downloadable version of the blog post with screenshots?
Click here to download the resource as a PDF.

Have customized coaching strategies that you would like uploaded?
Let us know!

I hope this overview provided you with some helpful information for getting started and exploring the new coaching features.

As always, if you have any questions or need help navigating the new features, feel free to send us an email to support@torsh.co.

The post 10 Steps For Getting Started With Coaching Corner appeared first on Torsh.

A key player who is credited with making the new Coaching Corner intuitive, highly useful and also stylistically beautiful, is our Lead UX and UI Designer, Shaun Herron. To celebrate this launch, we asked Shaun to share with us his design process, and fill us in on how he applied his skills to the latest version of Torsh TALENT. 

When Courtney Williams (Torsh CEO) first introduced you to the idea of designing Coaching Corner, what were your first thoughts?

I thought it was a great idea. The TALENT platform we had was good, but I knew we could make it even better. From playing with TALENT, I was aware that some of the workflow needed to be ed, and I knew we needed to be less tied to video observations. I also saw it as an opportunity to position Torsh better in the market.

Before we get started talking about the new coaching tool, can you tell us what exactly is UX/UI design?

UX is about understanding the needs of users, what they are trying to accomplish, and why. It also considers their limitations. It also incorporates the needs of the business, and it’s of course, beneficial when those two things are aligned. UI design is about maximizing a human’s interaction with our product, and keeping patterns consistent and intuitive. When the two are combined properly, our clients can stay in a state of flow and accomplish what they need to, without friction.

So, what motivated you to become a UX/UI designer?

I grew up in art. If you gave me an etch a sketch I’d be happy for hours. I also studied commercial lettering in grade school. The trend continued through college. I’’m not sure I ever sat down and decided to become a designer. Design is something I’m passionate about and something that I’m intrinsically motivated to do. It’s an art, a science, a puzzle and a solution.

An art, a science, a puzzle, and a solution… that’s interesting. Would you say that you have a design process that you follow?

Definitely. At a very high level I use: Discover, Decide, Make, and Validate. For this particular project, we interviewed our users. We had them walk us through their current processes, pinpointing common frustrations and also highlighting things that work well. We also looked at the artifacts and tools they use. During these types of sessions, I take lots of notes, and also put lots of post-it notes on the wall, which I later group into an affinity diagram. After this, I typically have a scoping meeting where we decide what to make. I also do user flow diagrams to help chart the user journey from a variety of different paths. 

How do you transition from these conversations about big ideas to designing the specific interface of the product?

After this, I typically start wireframing concepts, which provides a rough visual representation of all the information in my head. It can be hand drawn or quick vector designs. Then, I start moving into visual design and prototyping. Prototyping for this particular project was very important. For one, there are hundred of parts and it’s hard to communicate the totality of the experience when everything is in pieces. The prototype becomes an artifact that can be used internally and externally. Internally, it brings folks from different groups up to speed, for example, business developers, developers, marketers, and account reps. We also use it for user testing and showing clients, which helps validate our design thinking. Parallel processes also include competitive analysis, research into instructional coaching, evaluation tools currently used, etc. When I start to hand off designs, I use Zeplin and tag artifacts in a way that they can be found. Zeplin has replaced the use of traditional redlines and had streamlined the production process. Then, we start seeing parts being created by our developers and eventually, near completion, I start doing a visual QA to make sure we are staying consistent. When we get ready to release, everyone attempts to break it and expose bugs. After that, you hopefully high five your teammates.

Wow, that sounds like a lot of work! You said prototyping was very important for this particular project. How did this differ from other projects you’ve done?

This project was much more comprehensive than others. We are pivoting the product and laying the path for a new future. What we are creating now should scale, and allow us to layer on new experiences. It’s also is a more comprehensive view of coaching, and should enable coaches and teachers to have rewarding interactions.  

Did you receive inspiration for the design from other apps, platforms or websites?

I’ve known for a while that I wanted to simplify and unify the design. I also wanted to make it more contemporary and clean. The product we have today has a history, so it was nice to have a large project that afforded me the opportunity to move toward that vision. As far as inspiration, I’m always looking for apps that have breath and have a good hierarchy, that don’t frustrate me, and that allow me to get things done. But they need to feel beautiful – I hate using an ugly product! I’m a fan of Google, Apple, Trello, Infogr.am. I also find lots of inspiration on Behance and Dribbble.

What was the most challenging part of designing a product for educators?

Being new to edtech has its challenges, but you apply a similar process regardless. I think we can always benefit from learning from our customers, either the products we’ve created for them or ones we could make. There are times when I am designing and I don’t have access to them, so you have to find other ways to solve the puzzle.

What do you hope users will get out of the experience?

I hope it improves education by giving teachers, coaches, and admins a centralized and integrated place to work. Right now, it seems coaches and teachers work using a variety of unintegrated tools. We are aiming to change that with the latest launch of Torsh TALENT, especially with the addition of Coaching Corner. I’m excited to see how our clients respond to it!

To learn more about Coaching Corner, please visit torsh.co/coaching. 

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