Them: “Hey, I heard you got a new job! That’s cool! What do you do?”
Me: “I’m an instructional coach.”
Them: (insert puzzled face and awkward silence) “So, what do you actually do?”
For the first few weeks of this past summer, this was a weekly occurrence. And honestly, I didn’t really know how to answer.
But we’re through the first quarter, and I’m eager to answer that question! “I’m an instructional coach, and I help teachers set their own goals for growth, and help them meet those goals.”
The Coaching Cycle
What is it?
The coaching cycle has been popping up in the world of education recently, though it definitely isn’t a new concept. While researchers have studied instructional coaching, and its various forms, it is still widely unfamiliar to many teachers. The coaching cycle is a structured procedure in which a teacher works with a coach to set a goal they have for their classroom. What kind of goals or interests might a teacher have?
- How many students are ACTIVELY engaged in my lesson?
- Am I asking thought provoking questions, or am I just trying to get them to guess what answer I’m looking for?
- Who is doing more talking, me or the students?
- My class gets super chatty, but only during certain times…what is setting them off?
- They do all their classwork and homework, but completely fail the tests…what gives?
- I’m not quite sure what I want to work on, but I just want to grow as a teacher
So then what?
Reach out to your instructional coach! The coach meets with the teacher to talk about the goals they want to accomplish through the coaching cycle. The coach will often observe the class, and the coach and teacher will discuss different strategies that could help the teacher meet their goal. The observation isn’t for the coach to pick apart everything the teacher is doing. The coach makes NO judgments! This isn’t about “right” or “wrong” practices! This is about giving the teacher the tools they need to improve in the areas they want to work on.
So this is only for teachers who are struggling?
No way!!! EVERY single teacher, even the absolute best, can benefit from coaching! Do pro athletes still go to practice? Yup. And who do they see when they get there? Coaches.
Have I piqued your interest?
(YCSD) In addition to all the benefits of the coaching cycle, you’ll get a jeans pass as a Tuesday Tech Teacher (wear jeans any Tuesday that Mrs. Anthony deems Tech Tuesday) AND re-certification points! Email me to let me know you are interested!
