Take a look inside my office as a PreK-5 literacy coach! Get a free science of reading bulletin board to use in your own literacy coach office, too!
As an instructional coach, there are certain items that can make supporting teachers easier. Each of the items shared here are highly recommended by myself as a teacher leader working in multiple buildings across a large district. Grab a binder and fill it with essentials like your standards, pacing guide, and teacher performance rubrics. Below…
Every Sunday afternoon, I figure out in advance everything that I need to do for the week ahead and create a time blocked plan to work from. Instead of trying to be generally productive or working off a random task list, I thoughtfully organize my work according to what must be done this week, divide […]
Take a look inside my office as a PreK-5 literacy coach! Get a free science of reading bulletin board to use in your own literacy coach office, too!
I'm not embarrassed to say that one of the main reasons teaching first perked my interest was the office supplies. I remember sitti...
So, if you're an instructional coach, and this is your first year, congratulations. You've made it...at least a week. Around this time in ...
Learn the dos and don'ts of creating high quality coaching surveys. These are the perfect reflection tool for growing your practice.
These positive feedback instructional coach's notes are a great way to leave a piece of feedback after a classroom visit. They are designed to help grow positive relationships between coaches and teachers. This resources include 5 pages: The first page includes all 4 notes designs The following 4 page include 4 of each specific design This way you can print out whichever notes work best for you and your staff!
Impact Cycle - Instructional Coaching The Impact Cycle Document is fillable! Fill, save, and use again! This document includes: Types of Coaching Styles Video Impact Cycle Identify Questions Video Rubric - Activity PEERs Fillable Activity All relating to Jim Knight's amazing IMPACT CYCLE for Instructional Coaching.
A big part of being an effective instructional coach is using data driven information to help your help teachers do more for their students. While data can be your best friend in the classroom, it can be hard to know exactly what kind of data you need to be tracking. Between teachers and students, there is so much to observe. In addition to knowing what to track, it can be difficult to find a way to track your data effectively. So how can we ensure we are tracking the right data?
Impact Cycle - Instructional Coaching The Impact Cycle Document is fillable! Fill, save, and use again! This document includes: Types of Coaching Styles Video Impact Cycle Identify Questions Video Rubric - Activity PEERs Fillable Activity All relating to Jim Knight's amazing IMPACT CYCLE for Instructional Coaching. Principles to live by when you are an instructional coach. Let these principles and questions guide you on your journey as a coach. Great way to decorate an office and always be reflective on coaching practices. Perfect for printing on 11x17!
Once I took a silly personality test on Facebook. I answered a bunch of questions about which flower appealed to me and if I could be any...
“PD in a Box” has become a new, engaging way for teachers to learn at their own pace and on their own timetable. Professional Development [PD] usually occurs in-person as an onsite meeting among staff. Teaching best practices or new instructional initiatives are introduced and expectations for implementation are described. These meetings are usually jam…
Now that we’ve prepared ourselves with research and gathered materials, it’s time for that 1ST MEETING! But let’s be real, whether this is your first year, or your tenth year as a coach, getting the “teacher buy in” can be tricky. So, after trying to decide HOW I could get the trust of my teachers, and begin to build that relationship, I came up with this ~ Cupcakes with the Coach!
“>The incorporation of Instructional Rounds, also known as Learning Walks by some, has been a huge hit at our school. I highly recommend these be something you try with your teachers. We, as educators, are so confined to our own classrooms that we do not get to see the great things happening right next door or...Read More
Define your role as an instructional coach to these 3 important people. Be clear on what instructional coaching is and is not to have a greater impact.
I met someone at a conference who recently reached out to me because she got hired as a Math Coach for her district. She asked for some advice on how to get started in her first year. I thought others might be interested as well ... 1. Develop a Shared Vision with your Administrator Get administrators on board with the understanding that research does not support deficit-model coaching and that working with you should be mostly voluntary for teachers. Principals should not expect that you will go in and "fix" teachers. That is not an effective plan and will keep teachers from wanting to work with you. Along this same vein, I would recommend that the coach and the principal develop a Contract of Understanding to address Communication (set meeting dates/times), Expectations, Time & Resources, Confidentiality, and Feedback (between principal, coach, and teachers). 2. Build Relationships with Teachers Every teacher has a story, and it's your job to learn it. It takes time to know them on a personal level and a professional level, but I'm learning that both are essential in moving teachers. When I began my work, I thought it would be "all business," but one thing I've learned is that coaching is deeply relational. I was new to my building, so I started by asking groups of teachers if I could crash their lunch and eat with them since I didn't have a group of my own. I found teachers were incredibly gracious and it allowed me to get to know them personally. I also started both semesters with drop-in visits (5 minutes each) and leaving positive notes to give teachers a positive first experience with my role. 3. Be Visible to Teachers Since I support 150 teachers, many of them will never seek me out so I try and initiate contact with them regularly. I do things like create 2-Minute EdTech Tip videos every few weeks, and my counterpart and I send a monthly newsletter just to try and get resources into their hands. At this point in the tech-age, I believe that people do not expect to have to go looking for resources as much as they prefer to have them arrive at their doorsteps (or inboxes). Another tip worth noting is that it's definitely easier and more efficient to work on projects or answer emails in my office, but (after reading The Innovator's Mindset by George Couros) I've been swayed to the belief that it's more important for me to sacrifice a little bit of efficiency so I can be in classrooms. I asked for teacher volunteers who wouldn't mind me sitting in the back of their rooms working on administrative tasks so I could still be part of the school, and several volunteered. I do this as often as I can. 4. Follow-Up is Powerful Last year I learned the value of following up with teachers. I didn't do it enough at the beginning of the year because I just felt like they asked for help with a problem, we solved the problem, and I would sit back and wait until they had another problem. I have since changed my strategy because I've learned that the majority of the work I do with teachers should fall in line with the Coaching Cycle, so rarely should I have a "one and done" encounter with a teacher. Now, after I work with a teacher, I make a note in my planner for a week or two later to casually check in and see how things are going. That often leads to more work with that teacher, and they appreciate the gesture of me reaching out to follow up. Subscribe for INSTRUCTIONAL COACHING Resources * indicates required Email Address * First Name * Choose all that describe your role(s). Teacher Instructional Coach K-2nd 3rd-5th 6th-12th
Do you have a hard time remembering what comes next in your structured literacy or Orton-Gillingham lesson plans? This resource was created as a tool for educators who are following an Orton-Gillingham structured literacy lesson plan. The cards were specifically created to follow the sequence that my OG Fellow from the Orton-Gillingham Academy recommended for our lesson plans. The cards can be used for any structured literacy lesson! I created the poster cards so that I can display them near my small group reading table, as a visual of what I need to teach and implement, and in what order. This visual aide is helpful for both educators and your students! It helps with routine and consistency. Click here to check out the preview file. Cut out and arrange the cards in whatever order you are teaching your lesson. Some days, you may not have time for every part of the lesson sequence. Simply remove the parts of the lesson that you won’t be completing that day. Pages 6-10 reflect the order of the lesson plan I will be using from the training I received with the Orton-Gillingham Academy. (Handwriting can also be written into your lesson plan within the auditory drill or dictation section of your lesson. However, I have included a separate card that you can use if you choose to isolate that section.) I have included additional options for wording for the title of your lesson, spelling portion, sight word portion, and the phonemic awareness portion. Choose and print which cards you wish to use! *Cards are available in both color and black and white!* EDITABLE VERSION INCLUDED: I have added a unique "drag and drop" PowerPoint slide to this resource. You can now customize and create your own smaller bookmarks for your lesson schedules! Simply drag and drop the small cards onto the bookmark template in Powerpoint, and print! Create a customized schedule for Day 1's lesson, Day 2's lesson, or a general schedule that works for you. The smaller sized bookmark is a great addition to your teacher binders, lesson plan book, and more! What cards are included in this resource? •Orton-Gillingham Lesson Sequence •phonemic awareness •visual drill •auditory drill •blending drill •reading words •reading phrases/sentences •spelling words s.o.s. procedure •dictate phrases/sentences •sight words •teach new concept •connected text •handwriting •Structured Literacy Lesson Sequence •Small Group Lesson Sequence •Small Group Reading Lesson •warm-up •phonological awareness •spelling words •dictation •word mapping Quick Tip for Teachers: Use magnets or Velcro in order to easily swap out and rearrange your lesson cards! You can see a photograph of the cards that are on display in my small group reading classroom within this preview. Stay on track with your lesson routine! These visual aides are great for teachers and students! I hope you love them! Miss DeCarbo Christina DeCarbo-Wagers Copyright 2022
What does a day in the life of an instructional coach look like? This is one post of many in the Instructional Coach Blog Series. Catch up on the series below: Preparing the behind-the-scenes tasks of an instructional coach How to set up your instructional coaching space Conducting a classroom observation with clarity and precision Providing models of expert teaching through…
I received a handout at a workshop I recently attended on different factors coaches can look for in classroom observations. Collecting quality evidence during observations and presenting it in a clear manner to teachers is such an important piece of improving teacher practice and student achievement…so this handout really got me thinking about what I look […]
You’ve been given the job of a new coach and your excitement is now breeding anxiety. One thing I was nervous about was my room set up. Initially, I didn’t know where I was going to set up shop. So…
If more schools took the time for collaborative planning rather than top-down PD, we'd be in a better place.
Looking for a way to brighten up your coaching office/space? These 12 inspirational quote posters are a perfect option! You can print and place them in frames, or print and laminate before hanging in your office space. What is included in these files? 12 Colored Posters 12 Black & White Posters Do you need this resource for more than one instructional coach? Sharing and collaborating can make coaching so much easier! In order to make this easy and legal for you to share with your team, you may buy additional licenses at a discount. How? Go to your My Purchases page on TpT and find the resource. Then, click Buy Additional Licenses. This is the best way to buy for your team or grade level without violating copyright. Thank you for respecting my work! Interested in purchasing more than one? I accept PO’s! Email me at [email protected] A few tips: ~ Click the green star to follow me! Find out about new products. ~ Get credit for future purchases by leaving a review for this one! Go to "My Purchases" and next to each purchase, you will see a "Provide Feedback" button. Simply click and you will be taken to a page where you can provide feedback and give a quick comment about the product. I would really love it if you could rate my item after downloading. Feedback makes a difference! Thanks for stopping by... Happy Coaching! Feel free to contact me with any questions about this product! Nicole [email protected]
Knoster's Model for Managing Complex Change is a great strategy for instructional coaches. We can use this model to help teachers make changes.
Simple and Straight-forward Tools for Teachers, Coaches, and Leaders.
“I just need something that gives me a quick sense of a coach’s skills,” wrote a coach from Florida.
Suggested reading about instructional coaching and adult learning. Prepare for an interview by reading about education, leadership, and coaching.
