Each summer I post a blog encouraging instructional coaches to request a conversation with their principals. Scheduling the time, especially uninterrupted, for the necessary coach/principal conversations is often difficult. Summer may provide the perfect opportunity for the instructional coach to call the principal and request a coffee hour to catch up and/or establish a plan […]

Throughout my many years studying teaching and learning and the coaching of teachers, I have frequently looked to the performing arts and athletic fields in search of insights. I recently reviewed a paper titled The Coach-Athlete Relationship and pulled some elements for my continued pondering. Intrinsic motivation and self-determined extrinsic motivation The phrase self-determined extrinsic motivation […]

While facilitating a group of coaches, I explored the role of using empathy statements and supporting statements to respond to teacher statements that coaches might describe as “challenging.” Teacher: “The district has given us a new curriculum which causes a great increase in planning time on our part and now we have to attend these […]

Crystal Frommert, a middle school instructional coach, recently shared,” Coaches can do a lot to help even veteran teachers improve, especially when teachers know what kinds of support they’re looking for.” Her article presents 4 Ways to Maximize the Benefit of Having an Instructional Coach. She proposes that a start is for teachers is to: […]

My wonderings are at that spot where several of my experiences, conversations, readings, and social media messages are overlapping and connecting. Not sure I have a clearly thought-out message yet, so I decided to share them in this blog and see where it takes me. Reading: I just completed a thorough reading of The End […]

I recently received this request from an instructional coach: “I wanted to reach out to you for some resources. We are in the process of adding an extra coach to our building. I wanted to know if you have any interview questions, we can ask the interviewee? Since we know that many candidates will likely […]