How to Use This Book

and although the district saw some gains in instruction, I can’t say with 100 percent certainty that these gains came from my coaching. But that same year, I learned how to be an instructional coach. I leaned on books about coaching, talked with other coaches, and even got myself a coach and started creating and developing a system for coaching. Throughout the next few years, I tested and fine-tuned skills and procedures to ensure my coaching could make an impact.

If my journey taught me nothing else, it was how to coach others. Because of my experience, I am able to relate not only to teachers but also to students. Over the past seventeen-plus years, I have experienced primary and secondary education, worked in the classroom and administration, and even held the position of turnaround and school-improvement specialist for the state of Indiana. My favorite role is instructional coach; it is in this position that I’m able to shine because I personally excel while coaching others to do the same. I have dedicated my life to ensuring my colleagues have the tools they need to be phenomenal in the classroom, and their effectiveness results in the success of their students.

That dedication further fueled the next step in my career. I was not content with impacting and influencing my district alone; I want to empower the world! Out of that determination grew this book. Simply Instructional Coaching is my way of sharing my years of experience with you.

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

First, let me say congratulations on your coaching position!

Are you ready to get in there and be the best instructional coach you can be?

Absolutely you are! That is why you purchased this book. However, this is not a typical instructional coaching book focused on research and theory; I don’t discuss instructional or classroom-management strategies to offer teachers to help them in the classroom, and I don’t go into deep details on research about teachers’ thought patterns. You can find all those wonderful things in other coaching books. I do think those books and that information are essential to being an instructional coach. However, as a coach of coaches, I know that so many things get lost when you are transitioning into the position. One day you are hired and the next thing you know, it’s the first day of school and you have no idea what you are doing, how your leader envisions your position, how to approach a teacher as a coach, or what a coaching cycle is. You don’t even know how you fit into the scheme of things because you are not an administrator or a classroom teacher; you are somewhere in the middle, straddling the fence, trying to find your place in the system. I have been there, and it took me some time to figure it all out, which is why I created this book.

Simply Instructional Coaching will help you create a plan and think through your next steps as you assume the role of a coach. It provides direction for how to get started as an instructional coach. This book includes answers to many questions new and seasoned coaches ask repeatedly on which you can reflect. The final goal is that you will be able to implement simple instructional coaching processes that have the greatest impact on your coaching efforts and, in turn, the greatest impact on teacher learning and student achievement.

I present this book in a question-and-answer format. Each chapter opens with a discussion about what the research says about the chapter topic. The rest of the chapter then presents the most commonly asked questions about that topic. I answer each question with suggestions and provide some step-by-step processes that can make the suggestions easy to implement. In addition, after each question, you will find a Coaching Reflection—prompts to jump-start your own thinking and define your immediate next steps. Visit go.SolutionTree.com/instruction to download reproducible versions of the reflection prompts for each chapter.

The book is divided into two parts. In part 1, “The Foundations of Instructional Coaching,” I answer all of the most frequently asked questions on foundational topics. These topics are what you must understand to create a solid foundation for coaching.

In chapter 1, you will read about what constitutes the position of an instructional coach. You will also discover there are many different instructional coaching models and roles coaches can play in schools and districts.

In chapter 2, you will find information on transitioning into an instructional coaching role. Whether you are a new or seasoned coach, you will find some takeaways. I share how to create a coaching philosophy, my top best practices and top coaching mistakes (and how to avoid them), how to be reflective, and more.

In chapter 3, I share strategies for staying organized as a coach—which is often harder than it sounds! This includes tips for organizing your space, time-management and scheduling strategies, and planning tools.

In chapter 4, I discuss building relationships and trust with teachers. This is the staple of your work as an instructional coach. I discuss fixed mindsets, dealing with conflict on a team, and even some strategies for building a strong relationship with your principal.

In chapter 5, I share the best practices I use to support teachers in the classroom. I delve into ways to create an environment that provides balanced support for teachers, how to set goals with teachers, and how to give meaningful feedback and constructive criticism. I also discuss what to do when a teacher doesn’t improve, how to

utilize communication strategies when working with teachers, and what coaching strategies work best.

In part 2, “The Tier, Coach, Grow Model,” I introduce my coaching model, which articulates the action steps to implementing a coaching program and answers all the most frequently asked questions about these steps.

In chapter 6, I discuss tiering teachers, which is one of the more critical components of the coaching process as it allows coaches to differentiate coaching support for change. I also discuss conducting a baseline observation.

In chapter 7, I identify the instructional coaching cycle—a process by which an instructional coach provides support to a teacher through goal setting, planning, observation, and reflection so that the teacher can ultimately improve student outcomes. I also define how to utilize a coaching cycle that will benefit teachers and students, how to increase the effectiveness of instructional coaching, how to conduct coaching conversations, and how to use data as part of the instructional cycle.

In chapter 8, I discuss delivering professional development sessions and working with teams. The chapter also includes how to create an effective professional development session.

As you reflect on your role as an instructional coach, realize you will be implementing change and that change requires courage and consistency: the courage to step out of your comfort zone of being a classroom teacher and to approach, celebrate, coach, and lead others to success; and the consistency needed to implement coaching cycles repeatedly until you see change happening. Don’t give up! You will have hard days, sad days, happy days, lonely days, and empowering days. Never forget why you started and never forget that, at heart, you and I were and always will be teachers who do what is in the best interest of students.

It’s time to get started!

© 2023 by Solution Tree Press