Real-Time Coaching Provides Instant Feedback To Tulsa Teachers

A new kind of coaching started this week for teachers in Tulsa Public Schools.

The normal process has principals watching teachers occasionally and giving feedback later; now that's being compressed into teacher coaches in the classroom giving instant feedback.

Krystal Medina just started her second year teaching eighth grade science at Clinton Middle School. She's one of the pioneers for real-time coaching.

She wears an earpiece, and her teaching mentor has a Walkie-Talkie and gives instructions while Medina teaches.

If the coach says something, Medina responds. It's a new kind of teacher training the district believes can help almost any level of teacher.

"It's about going into the classrooms and seeing what the teachers are doing on their own and recognizing some next steps to really push their practice would be," said new teacher mentor, Kerri Bury.

A key part of the training is to narrate positive behaviors; instead of pointing out someone doing the wrong thing, teachers point out students doing the right thing.

"Just to boost the morale a little bit, to let them know I see them doing the right thing, the class knows they're doing the right thing and for some students, it helps," Medina said.

The real-time coaching model comes out of a consulting firm hired to help teachers keep students involved.

CT3 trainer, Karen Smith, said, "How do you make that more engaging and push the conversation and help students engage at higher levels?"

Medina said it's helped her and the students to have extra eyes in the classroom - and a bug in her ear - with advice on how to get better.