Pennsylvania Institute for Instructional Coaching — A Partnership Between the Annenberg Foundation and the Pennsylvania Department of Education
PIIC Finishes 2012-13 School Year with Statewide April Professional Learning Opportunity PDF Print E-mail
Monday, 13 May 2013 10:47

PIIC hosted the final Professional Learning Opportunity (PLO) for the 2012-13 school year on April 22-24, 2013 at The Penn Stater Conference Center in State College, PA.  Over 130 participants attended the conference from 18 PIIC-participating Intermediate Units (IU) across the state.

PIIC Executive Director Ellen Eisenberg formally welcomed the participants, which was followed by conversations with fellow coaches, mentors, and Regional Mentor Coordinators (RMCs).  The format of the table talk session created networking opportunities for participants across IUs.

After the table talk, participants attended breakout sessions. Participants preselected one of the following breakout sessions via an online registration form: Using Protocols to Grow Reflective Practice and Implementation of Literacy-Based Practices, facilitated by IU 14 PIIC Mentor Pam Wolff and Wyomissing Junior/Senior High School instructional coach Melissa Devlin; Coaching to the Core: Supporting Implementation of PA Common Core Math, facilitated by IU PIIC Mentors Missy Petrilak and Mike Derman; Part I Instructional Learning Visits: How Coaches Lead the Process, facilitated by PIIC Associate Director Bruce Eisenberg and Educational Consultant Skip McCann; Part II – Formative Assessment and Feedback: Planning for Action, facilitated by IU PIIC Mentors Diane Hubona and Bethann McCain; Coaching to Distinguished: Unpacking the Components of Educator Effectiveness, facilitated by IU 28 PIIC Mentor Jeremy Gabborin and PIIC RMC Kathy Gori; and Understanding Text Complexity: Coaching Teachers to Identify and Support Complex Texts in their Classrooms, facilitated by IU 4 PIIC Mentor Amy Walker and Mohawk Elementary School Instructional Coach Cindy McCullough.

Participants reconvened for The Process of Coaching… What Happens During the "During" Cycle of Coaching? facilitated by IU PIIC Mentors Chris Caton, Nancy Neusbaum, and Christina Steinbacher-Reed.  The day concluded with strategic reflection in which coaches and mentors identify and plan strategies from the day's sessions to use when they work one-on-one and in small groups.

Day 2 began with a brief agenda review and self reflection.  Participants then moved into their preselected breakout sessions, which included: Supporting Rigorous Mathematics Instruction Aligned to the Common Core, facilitated by IU PIIC Mentors Nancy Neusbaum and Loriann Ruddy and PIIC RMC Gen Battisto; Coaching to the Core: Supporting Implementation of PA Common Core Reading, facilitated by IU PIIC Mentors Pam Wolff and Terri Lewis; Looking at Data Through the Human Lens, facilitated by IU PIIC Mentors Evelyn Wassel and Cindy Shaffer; Anticipation Guides as a BDA Coaching Tool, facilitated by Woodland Hills High School Instructional Coaches Heather Moschetta, Christyn Coles, and Jason Coleman; Coaching to Distinguished: Unpacking the Components of Educator Effectiveness, facilitated by IU 28 PIIC Mentor Jeremy Gabborin and PIIC RMC Kathy Gori; and Teachers as Writers: A Creative Writing Approach for Coaches, facilitated by Hampton High School Instructional Coach Andrew Halter and IU PIIC Mentor Diane Hubona.

The breakout sessions were followed by Questions from the Core: Close Reading, Augmentative Writing, Authentic Research – Connections and Implications, a general session facilitated by Joe Ginotti, Director of The Penn Literacy Network (PLN).  The day concluded with a panel discussion that focused on Building Relationships: Coaches and Administrators as Partners.  Panelists included Cathy Groller, Milton Area School District Superintendent, Peggy Grimm, Dauphin County Technical School Assistant Director, Al Johnson, Woodland Hills School District Deputy Superintendent, Karen Macartney, Bradford Area School District Instructional Coach, and Mike Reed, Williamsport High School Principal.  Participants met briefly with their IU team prior to dismissal.

Day 3 of the PLO started with preselected breakout sessions following a short agenda review. Many of the sessions were repeated from the first two days of the conference. Participants selected one of the following: Using Protocols to Grow Reflective Practice and Implementation of Literacy-Based Practices, facilitated by IU 14 PIIC Mentor Pam Wolff and Wyomissing Junior/Senior High School instructional coach Melissa Devlin; Looking at Data Through the Human Lens, facilitated by IU PIIC Mentors Evelyn Wassel and Cindy Shaffer; Part II – Instructional Learning Visits: Setting the Environment, facilitated by PIIC Associate Director Bruce Eisenberg and Educational Consultant Skip McCann; Anticipation Guides as a BDA Coaching Tool, facilitated by Woodland Hills High School Instructional Coaches Heather Moschetta, Christyn Coles, and Jason Coleman; Part II – Formative Assessment and Feedback: Planning for Action, facilitated by IU PIIC Mentor Bethann McCain and PIIC RMC Kathy Gori; and Teachers as Writers: A Creative Writing Approach for Coaches, facilitated by Hampton High School Instructional Coach Andrew Halter and IU PIIC Mentor Diane Hubona.  Breakout sessions were followed by Birds of a Feather, an activity where topics evolve throughout the PLO for participants to continue their conversations with colleagues, honoring their choice and voice. 

PIIC has received positive feedback:

"Coaches help to keep the importance of literacy across all content areas in the forefront.  CCSS is not a fad, and the demands on teachers and students alike are going to cause some challenges and growing pains.  Coaches can be the support that schools need.  They can help to unpack the many changes that are currently taking place in Education. Teachers needn't work in isolation.  In fact, we know through research that collaboration is key.  While many teachers would love more time to meet with colleagues, their schedules often make that impossible due to increasing demands.  Coaches can create those collaborative opportunities."
-Part-Time Instructional Coach

"I liked the collaboration and collegiality.  I realized how very much there is to do and I felt part of a great and worthwhile effort."
-District Administrator

"This is a great opportunity to bring the masses of coaches together to share and learn. For me, the time with fellow coaches and mentors brings renewed excitement for the way in which instructional coaching can and does transform education."
-Full-Time Instructional Coach

"The amount of talent among and commitment expressed by all of the PIIC participants, as well as the real life success stories, really stood out to me with regards to my role in impacting coaches who impact teachers who impact student achievement."
-IU PIIC Mentor

You can read more feedback from this event by accessing the Testimonials page.  The agenda from this event is available on our Past Professional Learning Opportunities page.  You can also find photos from this event in our PIIC Photo Gallery. Our next PIIC Professional Learning Opportunity will be October 29-31, 2013 at The Penn Stater Conference Center in State College, PA. Details can be found on our Events page.