#Summer Patio PD Book #5: Differentiated Coaching

Differentiated Coaching was a heavy read for my final Patio PD book of summer, 2017. However, as an instructional coach for staff in grades 6-12, it was a very important read.

I first met the author, Jane Kise @JaneKise last December at a winter summit for local instructional coaches. She's an educational consultant who has authored over 20 books and trains educators around the world on coaching, collaboration and differentiated instruction.

At the time, my fellow coaches and I had all just discovered our four-letter personality types, using TypeCoach. Since this web-based, interactive tool was designed in such a way that we CHOSE the letters that fit our approach to gathering information and making decisions, we found them eerily accurate. TypeCoach is similar to the Myers Briggs Type Indicator, although Jane cautions about that one being a self-reporting, not diagnostic tool. At the winter summit I mentioned earlier, Jane shared lots of information about the idea of differentiated coaching and the usefulness of knowing our own personality types.

I hadn't read her book until now, and I'm excited by the opportunity discuss it later this week with other members of my instructional coach book club.

Before reading this book, as suggested, I took the TypeCoach inventory. Not surprisingly, I am an ENTP.
The E means I lean more towards extroversion than introversion. I gain energy through action and interaction.
The N signifies that my preference for gathering information uses intuition rather than sensing. I'd rather consider what could be (imagination), than focusing on what is (facts).
Then there's the T (Thinking), indicating that I make decisions more through objective principles and logic, rather than considering the feelings of all involved (sensing).
Finally, the P demonstrates my Perceiving approach to life. I prefer staying open to the moment, and I do my best, most creative work with a looming deadline. Those with a judging personality prefer to work their plan and have closure.

There's no "best" personality type. However, when I read up on my letters, I was excited that ENTPs are natural entrepreneurs and excel at big, fast-paced projects that call for imagination and creative problem solving. Even better, ENTPs enjoy taking risks and thinking as far outside the box as they can.Finally, they thrive in a "never give up" environment and are driven to see what's possible, often engaging in playful debate: challenging others to think deeply.

Yes. Totally me.

As important and interesting as it was to learn about my personality and how it influences my coaching style, equally important was learning how to best coach other educators according to their preferred coaching style. Not only do I have fellow staff members who share many of my letters, I have many who may share one or two, or may even be the complete opposite of me. That last part is not surprising, since ENTPs comprise only about 1% of all teachers and school principals.

Since 99% of educators don't share my exact personality type, and likely gather information and make decisions differently than I do, understanding how to coach them is critical to helping them grow professionally.

Here's where Jane's book is an excellent resource.

It's divided into two parts.

Part One is broken into five chapters, focused on coaching that's both student AND teacher-centered. Topics include: understanding why teachers believe what they do, meeting teachers' needs during times of system change, identifying and helping with the problems teachers want to solve, collecting ideas for gathering evidence that inform the coaching cycle, and identifying and supporting conditions for Level III Collaboration.

Part Two is where Jane offers ideas for developing a language for teacher and system change. This is broken into four chapters. The first one highlights the creation of a common framework and culture where change is possible (and includes charts and a breakdown of the 8 personality preferences-16 types), and is followed by a chapter about how to utilize these cognitive processes to more effectively coach others. There are numerous charts and other visuals to help readers understand the four coaching styles. These are: coach as a useful resource, coach as an encouraging sage, coach as a collegial mentor and coach as an expert. Jane asserts that coaching to match a teacher's needs can accelerate the changes a teacher hopes to make in their classroom. In addition, she offers tips for coaching your opposite (and those with different personality preferences). These later chapters also present case studies, and a practical tool for organizing coaching strategies that will ideally lead to more effective coaching partnerships.

I'll be honest. At first, it was quite overwhelming to grasp the wide scope of using teachers' personality types to influence my coaching style. I began to wonder if I'll be able to understand each of my staff members' letters and preferences well enough to be the coach they need (and deserve). I'm passionate about helping others tap into their strengths and become better versions of themselves so they are able to best meet the needs of their students.

How was I going to internalize these 16 personality types, apply them to the many staff assigned to my caseload, and coach all of them in their preferred style?

Well, Jane has a few suggestions to avoid panicking. The first is understanding my own style and which adjustments I can make for the others. Second is taking time to ask relationship-building questions to understand teachers' strengths and beliefs. Third is considering teachers' preferred coaching roles and which forms of evidence are easiest to use.

I understand the important role an instructional coach plays. It's not an easy position, if it's done well.

Thankfully, Differentiated Coaching is an excellent resource for understanding coaching styles and utilizing the personality types from TypeCoach to grow as a coaching professional.

I highly recommend this book if you coach in any capacity.

And I recommend checking out TypeCoach if you want to learn more about your own personality in order to apply the concepts to your work and other aspects of your life.

We are all so very different, and that's exciting.