If you are an instructional coach or school-based administrator, have you wanted to pause and reflect with the teachers you support at this time of year, but are not sure how to engage in meaningful reflection?
Or, if you are a classroom teacher, do you like to reflect at this time of year on your students’ progress with your co-teachers, but struggle to figure out a way to structure this reflection time so it can be constructive and propel you toward an even better second semester?
If the answer to either of these questions is “yes,” the PRO Co-Reflective Protocol will help you get started with the process of engaging in collaborative reflection. This strategy was created in 2017 by Romain Bertrand, Instructional Coach and Senior Manager of Innovative Learning Models at BetterLesson, and offers a 3-step collaborative protocol to support meaningful reflections: Positive reflection or a proud moment, then Reflect on what each person can do better, and then be Open for feedback.
The PRO strategy has been tested and improved by several coaches, including BetterLesson coaches Monica Washington and Kristi Orange (now the Director of Leadership Development at Teach For America Charlotte-Piedmont Triad). The following short videos offer insight into why and how these three coaches use this technique.
Romain Bertrand
In this video, Romain Bertrand, BetterLesson Instructional Coach, explains the purpose of the PRO Co-Reflective Protocol, when to use it, and how to implement each step to maximize its impact.
Monica Washington
In this clip, Monica Washington, 2014 Texas State Teacher of the Year and BetterLesson Instructional Coach, shares her thoughts on the PRO Co-Reflective protocol, which she used to reflect with many of the teachers she coached during their virtual calls in the last year.
Kristi Orange
In this video, Kristi Orange, who used this strategy with the teachers she coached in-person at Greenway Park Elementary, a Charlotte Mecklenburg School, reflects on how using this protocol with the teachers she coached allowed her to better support the teachers at a crucial time of year (the beginning of the second half of the school year).
The weeks leading up to the New Year are a great time to start reflecting on what practice shifts you can make moving into 2020. Whether you’re a teacher, coach, or administrator, the PRO strategy can help you start to look back on the fall in order to look ahead to the second half of the school year.
