If more schools took the time for collaborative planning rather than top-down PD, we'd be in a better place.
This year I had the amazing opportunity–thanks to an extremely supportive administration team–to be a part-time instructional coach in the high school where I’ve taught for 9 of m…
The authors of The Coach Approach provide insight into their favorite technology tools for instructional coaches and best practices for school coaching.
Tips to help you prepare for instructional coach interview questions and answers, and some quick tips to make sure you stand out in your interview.
The 11 Things Coaches Can Give Teachers Feedback On Infographic presents the areas of feedback teachers find most helpful.
Moving into a coaching role as a teacher can be daunting for anyone. You spent years in the classroom perfecting your craft and all of a sudden you are in a new role and feel like a first year teacher all over again. But, you don’t have to. This post serves as a guide for…
Now that we’ve prepared ourselves with research and gathered materials, it’s time for that 1ST MEETING! But let’s be real, whether this is your first year, or your tenth year as a coach, getting the “teacher buy in” can be tricky. So, after trying to decide HOW I could get the trust of my teachers, and begin to build that relationship, I came up with this ~ Cupcakes with the Coach!
Earlier this week, I broke out the cool new pens I got for Christmas and got to work on putting together my coaching cycle schedule for this next quarter. Creating new schedules throughout the year is a cool opportunity for us coaches. It’s kind of like having a mini beginning-of-school-year kick off more than just […]
As an instructional coach, there are certain items that can make supporting teachers easier. Each of the items shared here are highly recommended by myself as a teacher leader working in multiple buildings across a large district. Grab a binder and fill it with essentials like your standards, pacing guide, and teacher performance rubrics. Below…
Tips to help you prepare for instructional coach interview questions and answers, and some quick tips to make sure you stand out in your interview.
When I first started coaching, I just...started. I was introduced during a faculty meeting, I gave a professional development day on shared reading, and I set up my room. When I met teachers, I said,
I met someone at a conference who recently reached out to me because she got hired as a Math Coach for her district. She asked for some advice on how to get started in her first year. I thought others might be interested as well ... 1. Develop a Shared Vision with your Administrator Get administrators on board with the understanding that research does not support deficit-model coaching and that working with you should be mostly voluntary for teachers. Principals should not expect that you will go in and "fix" teachers. That is not an effective plan and will keep teachers from wanting to work with you. Along this same vein, I would recommend that the coach and the principal develop a Contract of Understanding to address Communication (set meeting dates/times), Expectations, Time & Resources, Confidentiality, and Feedback (between principal, coach, and teachers). 2. Build Relationships with Teachers Every teacher has a story, and it's your job to learn it. It takes time to know them on a personal level and a professional level, but I'm learning that both are essential in moving teachers. When I began my work, I thought it would be "all business," but one thing I've learned is that coaching is deeply relational. I was new to my building, so I started by asking groups of teachers if I could crash their lunch and eat with them since I didn't have a group of my own. I found teachers were incredibly gracious and it allowed me to get to know them personally. I also started both semesters with drop-in visits (5 minutes each) and leaving positive notes to give teachers a positive first experience with my role. 3. Be Visible to Teachers Since I support 150 teachers, many of them will never seek me out so I try and initiate contact with them regularly. I do things like create 2-Minute EdTech Tip videos every few weeks, and my counterpart and I send a monthly newsletter just to try and get resources into their hands. At this point in the tech-age, I believe that people do not expect to have to go looking for resources as much as they prefer to have them arrive at their doorsteps (or inboxes). Another tip worth noting is that it's definitely easier and more efficient to work on projects or answer emails in my office, but (after reading The Innovator's Mindset by George Couros) I've been swayed to the belief that it's more important for me to sacrifice a little bit of efficiency so I can be in classrooms. I asked for teacher volunteers who wouldn't mind me sitting in the back of their rooms working on administrative tasks so I could still be part of the school, and several volunteered. I do this as often as I can. 4. Follow-Up is Powerful Last year I learned the value of following up with teachers. I didn't do it enough at the beginning of the year because I just felt like they asked for help with a problem, we solved the problem, and I would sit back and wait until they had another problem. I have since changed my strategy because I've learned that the majority of the work I do with teachers should fall in line with the Coaching Cycle, so rarely should I have a "one and done" encounter with a teacher. Now, after I work with a teacher, I make a note in my planner for a week or two later to casually check in and see how things are going. That often leads to more work with that teacher, and they appreciate the gesture of me reaching out to follow up. Subscribe for INSTRUCTIONAL COACHING Resources * indicates required Email Address * First Name * Choose all that describe your role(s). Teacher Instructional Coach K-2nd 3rd-5th 6th-12th
The role of an instructional coach has rapidly become a well-sought after commodity in most schools. The position is ideally held by a veteran teacher with a proven track record for success in the classroom and in the leadership of other teachers. This means that success in the classroom is due to consistent growth in…
Have you recently landed a coach interview? Congrats! Prepare for your interview with these key instructional coach interview questions and avoid this...
I have been perusing Pinterest these past few weeks in search of not only some quality instructional coaching tools, but also som...
Throughout this blog series, we have talked a lot about collecting and organizing data. A major reason why we collect and organize data as instructional coaches is simple; it helps...
Suggested reading about instructional coaching and adult learning. Prepare for an interview by reading about education, leadership, and coaching.
Becoming an instructional coach is exciting, but when you are moving into a leadership role on the same campus where you were a teacher, it can bring forward mixed emotions. There are certainly benefits and drawbacks from being promoted within the same organizational structure. Before diving into the list of benefits and drawbacks, I first…
Every Sunday afternoon, I figure out in advance everything that I need to do for the week ahead and create a time blocked plan to work from. Instead of trying to be generally productive or working off a random task list, I thoughtfully organize my work according to what must be done this week, divide […]
“>The incorporation of Instructional Rounds, also known as Learning Walks by some, has been a huge hit at our school. I highly recommend these be something you try with your teachers. We, as educators, are so confined to our own classrooms that we do not get to see the great things happening right next door or...Read More
Last week I gave a feedback survey to my teachers, asking how they would like to spend our end-of-year wrap-up. More than half of them responded that they wanted an...
Suggested reading about instructional coaching and adult learning. Prepare for an interview by reading about education, leadership, and coaching.
Hello Everyone~ Welcome to The Elementary Entourage Back to School Bash! This is just 1 stop where you can grab some great tips & FREE resources! Make sure to visit the entire Entourage family at the bottom of this post. I know everyone is in the mist of the hustle & bustle of back to […]
Lately I hear more and more people describing themselves as instructional coaches, so I thought it was time to take a closer look at the work they do.
If you are an instructional coach, you probably have a huge binder of coaching forms and data you keep for your campus and on your teachers. I love a good, sassy, chic looking coaching binder! It's something about flipping through your cute tabs of teachers, data, student evidence and professional development that creates an energy within ourselves as professionals. But lets face it....Google is taking over! Technology is always and forever evolving. So I'm trying to evolve with the current time
“PD in a Box” has become a new, engaging way for teachers to learn at their own pace and on their own timetable. Professional Development usually occurs in-person as an onsite meeting among staff. Teaching best practices or new instructional initiatives are introduced and expectations for implementation are described. These meetings are usually jam packed…
We recently set off to engage in a third-party impact study to determine how Student-Centered Coaching impacts teaching and learning in the K-12 schools.
Every Sunday afternoon, I figure out in advance everything that I need to do for the week ahead and create a time blocked plan to work from. Instead of trying to be generally productive or working off a random task list, I thoughtfully organize my work according to what must be done this week, divide […]
Kayleigh Wright, technology coach in Oregon, teaches us how to whip up a coaching menu to help explain your coaching role to teachers and share all of the different ways you can help support them. Bon appétit!
Define your role as an instructional coach to these 3 important people. Be clear on what instructional coaching is and is not to have a greater impact.
A data chat with a professional learning community can be a powerful tool to increase teacher proficiency and student achievement. Having a process in place to lead a productive and successful discussion is imperative to achieving the change you desire. Get Ready for a Data Chat Before diving into a data chat, there are…
Don't Be the Facilitator you Complained About!As an instructional coach, we have ALL had to sit through some type of PD (Professional Development). Oh yea, PD....On thing I always thought as a teacher was. "If I went back and taught my class they way I am being taught right now, it would not be pretty."I know you thought that too at some point. We are constantly told to engage students in the learning but here I am with a college degree getting a PowerPoint read to me. Sitting in PLC's as a teac
In this episode, Kasey interviews author and instructional coaching guru, Jim Knight. Tune in to hear them discuss the evolution of the coaching role in schools, treating teachers as the professionals they are, becoming learning partners, and the power of the Impact Cycle to improve teaching and learning.
Menu Pick anything you want on our menu. Maybe you want a light snack or dive in deep for a full course meal!
If you're a new instructional coach, and you're reading this in real time, it's November. Even if you're not a new coach, but you're re...
It's been awhile since I have blogged...I think this is the longest blogging break I have ever taken, yikes! This is my first year as an I...
During the year, I always keep a running list of books I want to read. They’re an assortment of titles I hear about on podcasts, come across online or in other books I read, or are recommended from friends and colleagues. I may not have time to read them right then, but I know I’ll want to come […]
I am about to start my fourth year as a literacy coach at my elementary school. This has been an exciting journey and I love my job. Like...
