The instructional coach’s goal is to impact instructional
effectiveness and help raise students’ achievement. Therefore, instructional coaches are a vital
component in the school and school system as they can collaborate with and assist
teachers in both the delivery of instruction and implementation of
researched-based practices. All teachers
have a vested interest in improving their craft as their goal is to improve students’
learning and achievement. In order to
allow teachers to have some control over and choices about their professional
learning, instructional coaches provide on-going and continuous learning
opportunities. These professional learning activities are aligned with
performance outcomes. This type of professional development is focused on the
purpose of both, teacher and student success.
Through on-going and continuous professional development, opportunities
are provided in which teachers can gain a deeper understanding of and address
problems associated with their practice.
To improve their craft, teachers need resources, support, and
feedback. Working with an instructional
coach who can help teachers incorporate researched based practices in the
classroom setting helps to promoting student achievement and improve teacher
performance.What does an instructional coach do? Below is a short video about what they do from the the perspective of actual instructional coaches.
By having instructional coaches assigned to each school
within my school’s district, teachers are provided with opportunities for peer
coaching and collaboration as well as co-planning, modeling, observation, feedback,
and reflection all of which leads to effective teaching strategies. In our
school and district, Instructional coaches work alongside the teacher as they
co-plan lessons and differentiate teaching strategies that support all learning
styles and modalities. Our instructional
coach promotes a collaborative environment where teachers feel valued and
appreciated. Furthermore, our coach supports and encourages teachers. She is also viewed as a peer. In addition, she is someone who collaborates
and reflects with us in regards to our teaching and learning practices in a
non-threatening and supportive manner. Through
a partnership, our coach makes it seem easy and possible for us to successfully
implement new instructional methods into our practice. The nature of the instructional coaching
process allows for continuous communication between our coach and teachers.
Thus, everyone is learning from one another. Because our instructional coach
has a deep understanding of content as well as pedagogy, she is able to use
conferences, workshops, and meetings along with data to initiate conversations
and reflection (Marzano & Simms, 2016, p. 213). All of the efforts of the
teachers and instructional coach are accomplished through the mindset of improving
our teaching practices and increasing student achievement.
Marzano, R., & Simms, J. (2013). Coaching in the classroom: The classroom strategies series. Indiana: Marzano Research.
Thomas, E, Bell, D., Spelmen, M., & Briody, J. (2015). The growth of instructional coaching partner conversations in prek-3 grade teacher professional development experience. Journal of Adult Education, 44(2), 1-6.
Marzano, R., & Simms, J. (2013). Coaching in the classroom: The classroom strategies series. Indiana: Marzano Research.
Thomas, E, Bell, D., Spelmen, M., & Briody, J. (2015). The growth of instructional coaching partner conversations in prek-3 grade teacher professional development experience. Journal of Adult Education, 44(2), 1-6.
Instructional Coaching Image retrieved from http://stetsonassociates.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/instructional-coaching.png
I love how you mentioned that your instructional coach is viewed as a peer. That is such a wonderful compliment to the level of comfort she makes people feel in working with them. Another point you made that resonated with me is that it is important for us to remember that the purpose of coaching is to help the kids. This ties into something mentioned by Marzano and Simms (2013) regarding teachers reluctant to being coached. Marzano and Simms categorize teachers into four groups regarding their expertise and willingness to coach, and the category that struck me the most is the “Low Skill and Low Will” group who are described as teachers who are “neither motivated nor knowledgeable about how to improve. These teachers are difficult to coach” (p. 215). This category of teacher stresses me out in terms of coaching. It is both unfair to the coach and the students for teachers like this to continue working in the classroom. They would potentially bring negativity to the value of the coaching experience and are doing their students a disservice. In terms of myself and coaching, this is the area that I would be most uncomfortable with as I tend to avoid conflict.
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Marzano, R., & Simms, J. (2013). Coaching in the classroom: The classroom strategies series. Indiana: Marzano Research.
From what you are describing in your blog post, it appears that either your district, your school, or both, have a very good idea of how the coach/teacher relationship should work. Marzano and Simms (2013) mention coaching behaviors in chapter 6 of "Coaching Classroom Instruction", and on page 218, get very specific regarding TRUST. Just as Crystal mentioned in her comment, your coach is viewed as a peer, and then you go on to say that she collaborates with you, supports and encourages, and is non-threatening and supportive. What this says to me is that your coach is a "star" in the area of this particular coaching behavior. While it is never indicated that one behavior is any more important than the other, I do believe that "trust" is fairly foundational for either of the other two behaviors to exist. If a teacher does not trust the instructional coach, then he or she will certainly not be interested in the coach doing any modeling for them, and accepting any feedback, whether timely or specific, would certainly not be a comfortable situation. As a Principal, I always encouraged my instructional coaches (and I do as a Tech Coordinator, as well) to make SURE that teachers do not see them in an administrative or evaluative role. I also made it clear that the teachers should not perceive that the coach made a pathway to my office to highlight the areas of growth the teacher needed to focus on. I had to make it a priority to get into the classroom myself to observe. This way, I had the opportunity to see for myself, and this kept the teacher from ever having a reason to mistrust the coach.
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