Pennsylvania Institute for Instructional Coaching — A Partnership Between the Annenberg Foundation and the Pennsylvania Department of Education
PIIC Starts the New Year with Timely PLO PDF Print E-mail
Wednesday, 22 January 2014 15:50

PIIC hosted its second Professional Learning Opportunity (PLO) for the school year from January 8-10, 2014 at The Penn Stater Conference Center.  Over 140 coaches, mentors, administrators, and Regional Mentor Coordinators (RMC) from 20 PIIC-participating Intermediate Units (IU) traveled to State College for the conference.  In addition, PIIC hosted an administrator workshop on January 9 that allowed time for administrators to work with each other and attend two sessions in conjunction with coaches during the PLO.

PIIC Executive Director Ellen Eisenberg welcomed the participants on January 8, which was followed by mixed conversations among coaches, administrators, mentors, and RMCs.  Participants were randomly assigned to tables which created networking opportunities for participants across IUs.

When the table talk ended, participants attended preselected breakout sessions.  Participants registered for breakout sessions prior to the conference through an online registration form.  Participants new to PIIC attended Coaching 101: PIIC Instructional Coaching Model, the BDA Cycle and the 4 Quadrant Framework, facilitated by Ellen Eisenberg.  Returning PIIC participants attended one of the following sessions: Coaching the Brain Beyond Surface Comprehension, facilitated by IU 18 PIIC Mentor Loriann Rudy and PIIC RMC Gen Battisto; Instructional Learning Visits, facilitated by PIIC Associate Director Bruce Eisenberg; Establishing a Culture of Coaching: Building Blocks to BDA, facilitated by Woodland Hills School District (SD) Instructional Coaches Joanne Krett and Justin Rodrigues; Planning Purposefully for the "Before" Conversation, facilitated by IU 23 PIIC Mentor Dorie Martin and Perkiomen Valley SD Instructional Coach Tara Parr; and Let Me Print That Out First! (Digital Text vs. Traditional Text), facilitated by PIIC RMC Virginia Glatzer and IU 28 PIIC Mentor Jeremy Gabborin.

To end the first day of the conference, participants regrouped for But, I don't Have the Time! Helping our Teachers Understand the Importance of Processing and Formative Assessment, a general session facilitated by Joe Ginotti, Director of PLN.

Following a brief introduction and agenda review, January 9th started with preselected breakout sessions.  Participants new to PIIC attended Literacy: Building a Foundation through PLN, facilitated by Joe Ginotti.  Returning participants attended one of the following sessions: Building Language-Based Activities Using Primary Sources and Informational Text, facilitated by IU PIIC Mentors Stevie Kline, Mike Derman, and Lori Ceremuga; Literacy and STEM: a Recipe for 21st Century Success, facilitated by IU PIIC Mentors Missy Petrilak and Evelyn Wassel; Understanding the Coach's Role in the Educator Effectiveness SLO Process, facilitated by IU 14 PIIC Mentor Melissa Devlin and Jeff Rothenberger, IU 14 Program Administrator for the Office of Professional Development and Curriculum; PA Core Implementation: The Goal is Clear; The Pathway is Not, facilitated by IU PIIC Mentors Bethann McCain, Diane Hubona, and Cindy Shaffer; and The Principal Principle: Effective Collaboration for Successful Change, facilitated by Altoona SD Superintendent Tom Otto, Principal Patty Burlingame, and Instructional Coaches Mike Baker and Kelli Livermore.

While the breakout sessions were taking place, 20 administrators from across the state joined Ellen Eisenberg for PIIC's first Administrator Day.  After a short introduction, administrators shared expectations for the day and learned about the PIIC framework and BDA model.

PIIC PLO and Administrator Day participants then convened in five rooms for concurrent sessions, Educator Effectiveness Rubric for Coaches. IU PIIC Mentors Chris Caton, Diane Hubona, Terri Lewis, Amy Walker, and Loriann Ruddy were lead facilitators in each room while other IU PIIC Mentors provided support.

Following time for reflection and lunch, the session-packed day continued with Collaboration and Conversation, a panel discussion that featured four school administrators: Brian Toth, Bellwood-Antis SD Superintendent; Alan Johnson, Woodland Hills SD Superintendent; Peggy Grimm, Dauphin County Technical School Administrative Director; and Brian Parise, Milton Area SD Principal.  PIIC PLO and Administrator Day participants used the interactive format of the panel discussion to share their experiences in developing administrative support for instructional coaching. A Q & A session followed. Day 2 of the conference concluded with sharing highlights from the Educator Effectiveness concurrent sessions and a story from Tara Young, Sun Valley High School Instructional Coach.  Tara shared her experiences from her first day as a coach and her journey that led her to where she is today.  Administrators stayed to share their next steps and expectations for developing more support from other site-based administrators.

The final day of the PLO started with preselected breakout session following a short agenda review. Participants attended one of the following breakout sessions: Literacy and STEM: a Recipe for 21st Century Success, facilitated by Missy Petrilak and Evelyn Wassel; Let Me Print That Out First! (Digital Text vs. Traditional Text), facilitated by Virginia Glatzer and Jeremy Gabborin; Planning Purposefully for the "Before" Conversation, facilitated by Dorie Martin and Tara Parr; Understanding the Coach's Role in the Educator Effectiveness SLO Process, facilitated by Jeff Rothenberger and Melissa Devlin; Coaching Teachers to Support Complex Text, facilitated by Amy Walker and IU 17 PIIC Mentor Todd Moyer; and Building Language-Based Activities using Primary Sources and Informational Text, facilitated by Stevie Kline, Mike Derman, and Lori Ceremuga.  Breakout sessions were followed with a Birds of a Feather session, 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:

"I like the pace and organization of the PIIC PLO.  The sessions are nicely balanced with enough time to reflect both on our own and with our colleagues.  The content of each session is very worthwhile.  It's pure gold!"
-Full-Time Coach

"I think many coaches become revitalized and energized by attending the PIIC PLO, and it is imperative to support coaches and administrators in moving districts forward with coaching."
-IU PIIC Mentor

"I get so much out of small group discussions with other coaches and with PIIC Mentors and leaders.  The networking and discussions that take place during these moments are unmatched!"
-Full-Time Coach

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 May 5-7, 2014 at The Penn Stater Conference Center in State College, PA. Details can be found on our Events page.