Coaching Goals

For Students

• Learning about their own learning profiles as a precursor to understanding the range and diversity of learning. 
• Recognizing their strengths and putting boundaries around their struggles 

For Teachers

• Understanding the component parts of learning as well as the diversity of learning profiles.
• Developing skills in the observation of students.
• Recognizing the importance of their students’ strengths.
• Communicating non-judgmentally with students.
• Becoming familiar with Hidden Sparks Principles and the Teacher Resource Guide. 

For Coaches

• Demonstrating comfort and proficiency in the skills of student observations, debriefing with teachers, and facilitating monthly meetings with teachers. 
• Presenting and supporting through their coaching the understanding of learning as composed of component parts as well as the diversity of learning profiles. 
• Developing ease and authority as a mentor among peers. 
• Facilitating the partnership between the school administration and Hidden Sparks. 

For Schools

• Accepting its role in partnership with Hidden Sparks with the ultimate goal of sustaining the Hidden Sparks program independently. 
• Supporting scheduling of Hidden Sparks meetings within school as well as the attendance of Internal Coaches at Hidden Sparks meetings out.
• Endeavor to add a new Internal Coach each year with the goal of each school division having at least one coach. 

For Students

• Developing skills in metacognition awareness and self-advocacy.
• Developing understanding for the diversity of learning.
• Learning the precepts of collaborative problem solving.

For Teachers

• Understanding their own personal learning profile and its impact on what and how they teach.
• Understanding their lessons and the cognitive demands inherent in each lesson.
• Setting up classrooms to reflect diverse learning profiles within that classroom. 
• Teaching/modeling/incorporating metacognitive skills in their lessons. 
• Reinforcing their ability to communicate non-judgmentally with students by introducing the precepts of collaborative problem solving to their students.

For Coaches

• Working with teachers to preview and adapt their lesson plans based on the range of learning profiles in their class. 
• Focusing teachers on the importance of students learning about their own learning, i.e. teaching metacognition awareness. 
• Guiding teachers in talking with students about their learning.
• Guiding teachers in coaching students in collaborative problem solving.
• Providing guidance when and where needed to administrative leadership.

For Schools

• Using professional staff development and communications with parents to help the school community focus specifically on understanding learning profiles. 
• Utilizing Hidden Sparks Coaches as resources for the entire school with the capability of giving workshops to teach and integrate Hidden Sparks language and perspectives into the school culture. Topics for such workshops include:
  • The central role of student observations in understanding neurodevelopmental constructs and developing metacognition awareness.
  • The tenets of collaborative problem solving and talking with students.
  • Teaching social cognition skills.
  • Setting up classrooms to meet diverse learning needs.
  • Communicating with parents at parent-teacher conferences and throughout the year.

For Students

• Deepening metacognition skills and self-advocacy.
• Understanding of collaborative problem solving skills.

For Teachers

• Collaborating with other teachers in the observation of students in classrooms other than their own, and sharing Hidden Sparks approaches with one another. 
• Continuing the focus on learning profiles and teaching students about their own learning.

For Coaches

• Reinforcing the use of Hidden Sparks ideas as agents of change within the classroom by deepening work with teachers in:
  • Learning profiles  
  • Strategies to meet individual learning profiles
  • Metacognition and self advocacy  
  • Collaborative problem solving

For Schools

• Increasing the collaboration and mutual observation of teachers within the school consistent with the critical friends model.
• Increasing the number of Internal Coaches as preparation for sustainability when both the Hidden Sparks formal programming and the presence of the External Coaches end after year five.
• Beginning discussions on the transition from coaching by External Coaches to coaching by Internal Coaches. Increasing the number of grades being supported through an Internal or External Coach.

By the fourth year, schools with External Coaches begin stepping back from formal Hidden Sparks programming. A team of Internal Coaches should now be in place, defining their role as classroom coaches, with the administration well-versed in Hidden Sparks principles to provide strong support.

For Students

• Reinforcing their understanding of how knowledge of metacognition has an impact on their lives and behavior outside the classroom walls.

For Teachers

• Emphasis on the use of Hidden Sparks ideas beyond the classroom walls and the classroom teacher, such as within child study teams or resource rooms. 
• Using Hidden Sparks principles in teacher meetings and conferences with parents. 
• Continued and deepened use of metacognitive language and lessons and planning for the range of learners. 

For Coaches

• Working with the educational leadership wherever possible to reinforce Hidden Sparks sensibilities outside the classroom. 
• Beginning the review of students and developing plans for sustaining their support after the 5th year.

For Schools

• Increasing the number of Internal Coaches in preparation for the departure of the External Coaches after year 5.
• Supporting multiple classrooms working with the Hidden Sparks model. 
• Continuing to integrate Hidden Sparks into the culture of the school through classroom observations and staff development workshops. 

Year 5 marks the transition year as the External Coaches phase out of the school.

For Students

• Consolidating an internal recognition of their own learning strengths and struggles. 
• Understanding and creating their own metacognitive tools to assist themselves in learning. 
• Using collaborative problem solving skills.

For Teachers

• Continued collaboration with teachers and where relevant planning with assistant teachers for a range of students. 
• Application of Learning Lenses to the classroom, lesson planning and previewing, the school day, and communication with and about students. 
• Making the shift from working with External Coaches to working with Internal Coaches on the school faculty.

For Coaches

• Continued working with the educational leadership to reinforce Hidden Sparks sensibilities outside the classroom and joint planning to help position the school for continuity of the program and approach beyond the ECP program. 
• Preparation of teachers to help continue the program and approach- emphasis on helping facilitate peer observations, increased teacher leadership in Hidden Sparks monthly meetings, continued and planned opportunities throughout the year for joint workshops between the ECP coach and ICP coaches and mentoring to ICP coaches in this role.

For Schools

• Developing a plan for sustaining the precepts of Hidden Sparks, specifically, the emphasis on student observation, the diversity of learning profiles, and the need for communicating nonjudgmentally with students. 
• Use of Hidden Sparks resources if helpful for staff meetings and continued professional support. 
• Continuing to review students systematically so that appropriate support can be provided.