The authors of The Coach Approach provide insight into their favorite technology tools for instructional coaches and best practices for school coaching.
If you don’t have an entry plan going into your role as an instructional coach then the first thirty days on the job can be taxing. This post will provide a roadmap for those who have recently been hired as an instructional coach, are switching campuses or are looking for a stronger way to begin…
If more schools took the time for collaborative planning rather than top-down PD, we'd be in a better place.
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…
“>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
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…
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…
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.
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…
Have you recently landed a coach interview? Congrats! Prepare for your interview with these key instructional coach interview questions and avoid this...
This product has everything an instructional coach needs to facilitate a data chat with teachers.This product is an editable Google Slide form that can be printed or used digitally. Two pages include space pre-meeting reflection, data analysis, and action planning.The "Reflection" section provides g...
I'm not embarrassed to say that one of the main reasons teaching first perked my interest was the office supplies. I remember sitti...
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...
The 11 Things Coaches Can Give Teachers Feedback On Infographic presents the areas of feedback teachers find most helpful.
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…
Just like athletes get ready for the big Friday night game, by running, throwing catches, and rehearsing plays, teachers who want to be an Instructional Coach should practice before the big game (i.e. interview) for the position. Sometimes the practice may be sitting in front of the mirror rehearsing potential "pushback" from teachers, leading a
As part of my summer reading this year I read the recently published book, “The Art of Coaching: Effective Strategies for School Transformation” by Elena Aguilar. Elena writes a great blog over at edweek that I enjoy reading so I knew her book would be a good one to spend some time with. She offers […]
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 […]
The model of instructional coaching supported by Diane Sweeney Consulting (DSC) is known as “student-centered coaching.” According to the organization’s website, student-centered coaching is able to achieve a higher degree of impact on students because of its focus on student learning rather...
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.
I have been perusing Pinterest these past few weeks in search of not only some quality instructional coaching tools, but also som...
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...
So, if you're an instructional coach, and this is your first year, congratulations. You've made it...at least a week. Around this time in ...
Once I took a silly personality test on Facebook. I answered a bunch of questions about which flower appealed to me and if I could be any...
So now you've got data. What do you do with it? You PLC! A PLC is a professional learning community. This is a group of faculty...
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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
I just finished reading a really good memoir called, “Born to Rise.” It’s the story of educator Deborah Kenny, and her journey as the founder of Harlem Village Academies. I finished the book feeling inspired and renewed. Reading this book made me think about the importance of sharing stories. And then a podcast interview I heard […]
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.
Just like a teacher sets up a classroom, an instructional coach needs to set up their coaching space. The process is very similar in terms of what you must consider about those you lead, whether it be students or teachers. Not every coaching space is identical in size and shape. Most commonly, instructional coaches utilize…
Are you an instructional coach, tech coach, or in another instructional leadership role? This page is loaded with FREE resources to help you and your teachers make an impact!
I recently finished my first MOOC (Massive Online Open Course) offered on Coursera and man oh man, am I glad I signed up! Talk about a saw sharpening experience. I had never even heard of Coursera or knew that MOOC’s existed, before a friendly reader {thanks, Deb!} notified me of the course Coaching Teachers: Promoting Changes […]
"The best intervention is a good book." Stephanie Harvey & Annie Ward; From Striving to Thriving (Scholastic 2017) What you need to offer...
