Putting It All Together

Chapter 13 ties the essential elements of virtual coaching together by presenting four different coaching scenarios. Examining these scenarios allows the reader to delve deep into virtual coaching as it applies to different coaching programs, geographical locations, and district mandates. In this chapter, the authors offer examples of how virtual coaching is effective across varied districts, educator expertise, and educational programs. They also provide reflective questions for assisting the reader in discovering what steps they can take to implement virtual coaching.

Committing to Change

Committing to change is the “C” phase of the VECTOR virtual coaching process, and it focuses on collaborative goal setting. The authors share anecdotes of other virtual coaching goal-setting sessions and tips for setting goals based on the experiences of other virtual coaches. They also offer a goal-setting acronym—DREAMS—to help readers understand the components of a good goal and a goal-setting template that they have found works well for ensuring virtual coachees are able to make meaningful progress toward goal completion.

Picking Platforms

Chapter 11 is about picking the platforms needed for successful virtual coaching. The authors first define the types of interactions that need to occur virtually including asynchronous, synchronous, and file management. Included is a table that offers examples of each type of interaction organized within each of the VECTOR phases. The authors then include a section that highlights the technology use habits of successful virtual coaches and practical checklists to support reader implementation and use of suggested tips and strategies.

A Virtual Solution

The authors tell the story of how the VECTOR virtual coaching process was developed. They share some of the data and tell about the iterative process of working with virtual coaches to develop and refine the virtual coaching process to work better for coaches and coachees. They introduce each phase of the VECTOR process as well as the ACTIVATE acronym that defines the qualities virtual coaches should develop and foster in order to be successful in their work. This chapter acts as a preview to the chapters to follow – one for each phase of the VECTOR process and a full chapter devoted entirely to ACTIVATE.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Chapter 12 highlights several challenges some virtual coaches have experienced when implementing a virtual coaching program or when working as virtual coaches. The authors provide scenarios as examples of situations that virtual coaches have faced, and for each challenge, they then share possible solutions to the issues virtual coaches could explore to either avoid or solve each problem or challenge. The chapter is intended to provide readers with the opportunity to think about challenges they may face in their local context and prepare to overcome those challenges.

Resources

Chapter 14 contains many of the resources that virtual coaches can use to facilitate coachee progression through the VECTOR phases. The VECTOR Process Guide breaks down each of the six VECTOR phases and offers coaches a summary of key components, a skeleton agenda, potential strategic questions, and sample activities. A coach can pull up the appropriate guide before their virtual meeting and feel confident knowing that they can lead their coachee toward professional learning success. Additionally, this chapter includes sample coaching logs and a blank template, as well as an administrator report sample and template to further support coach implementation of VECTOR virtual coaching. Throughout the book, the authors referred to the VECTOR Process Guide, coaching logs, and the administrator reports. This chapter describes these three coaching resources in-depth. They also offer examples as well as blank templates for readers to use in their own coaching practice. These templates can also be downloaded at http://vectorvirtualcoaching.org.

Examining Influence

Examining influence, the “E” phase of the VECTOR virtual coaching process, focuses on locus of control. Many conditions and circumstances influence an educator's life and practice; however, the external influences are often outside the educator's control. In this chapter, the authors describe a variety of these influences, and they use examples and anecdotes to guide the reader to a better understanding of this phase. They also offer practical tips for working with educators to determine the things in their sphere of influence so that precious coaching time is not wasted on issues, circumstances, and conditions outside their control. Finally, the authors explain why this phase is essential before a goal can be set in the C-commit to change phase.

Verifying Perspectives

Verify perspectives is the “V” phase of VECTOR virtual coaching and focuses on establishing a relationship of trust between the coach and coachee. Professional learning requires a degree of vulnerability and empathy between the coach and coachee that can be achieved by purposefully spending time getting to know one another using the questions, strategies, and activities embedded in this chapter. Included anecdotes help elucidate why this phase is critical to support future virtual coaching efforts.

Taking Action

Chapter 8 introduces the VECTOR phase of “Taking Action.” The authors share rationale and theory behind inclusion of this phase, highlighting the ways that coaches and coachees can collaboratively and remotely research, share, and discuss possible strategies to meet a goal. The authors share anecdotes highlighting coaches' and coachees' experiences in this phase in order to show what it looks like in a virtual coaching setting. The chapter concludes with practical recommendations including questions to ask, strategies to employ, and activities that can best facilitate the work of a coach and coachee as they prepare to take action.