Kicking Off Conversations About Coaching

As a new school year starts, conversations about coaching are critical. Have instructional coaches and principals engaged in sufficient conversations to align the coach’s decision- making about how to prioritize coaching activities? Are plans in place for a staff discussion about expectations for a coaching culture in the school and teachers’ engagement in coaching activities? Do teacher leaders understand their role in modeling and supporting a coaching culture?

I have recently prepared several one- to two- minute clips to support the roll out of my updated, facilitated, online modules on instructional coaching. I thought that you might find these mini clips useful in generating some of the coaching conversations you are looking to facilitate.

For an administrator and instructional coach conversation you can start with this clip.

Effective instructional coaches need to be making decisions daily about how their time is invested. School goals for student growth should guide those decisions. When teachers recognize the coach and principal alignment on priorities for student success, there is increased teacher confidence in coaching activities.

Here is a clip that can be used to discuss how a coaching culture is a learning culture. The same culture we’d want to establish in our classrooms.

I often describe the instructional coach as the “coach of coaching.” As teachers engage in peer coaching and peer observation (highlighted in this blog), collective teacher efficacy can be built.

This last clip examines the need to plan backwards from the desired student outcome goals to student learning production behaviors to teacher actions to the role of the instructional coach.

This diagram illustrates the backwards process connecting the work of the instructional coach to student outcomes.

I encourage you to set aside time as the school year begins for conversations about coaching benefits and expectations. Nearly every school has some changes in staff members who deserve a vision of “Why” coaching is being implemented. There are many resources in blogs and podcasts at BarkleyPD.com that can provide support. If you a specific message your want to communicate, feel free to email me and I’ll assist in find a resource.

Every Educator Deserves a Coach! Every Student Deserves a Teacher Who is Coached!