The Top Seven Ways To Shape And Implement a Coaching Plan For The Year

It can be challenging for Instructional Coaches to select a focus for the year. Yes, an Instructional Coaching agreement with your administration can help, but what if the principal changes their vision throughout the year?  Does this mean that your focus has changes?  Coaches who work and collaborate closely with their administrators in shaping their vision typically find out they have the support of and sustainability to expand their program. 

Do coaches need to first start the district? 

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What is the district’s focus?  What are their goals?  In schools, funds are allocated for the selected focus. Take a look at the Coaching Focus graph by Meyer.  The outer layer is the first start, align your coaching focus with the district goals should be your first step.  Many times there are resources and funds allocated for district initiates.  The school benefits from the district and the coach and uses professional development to work on specific content areas and grade-level data dives.  Although, alignment is clear some administrators change during the year.  If this happens, revisit your discussion and bring data to support reasons to change the focus or continue on your current path.

Work with teachers that are excited to receive support

With three teachers, you will have a small community present to get started.  Make sure you complete the full cycle with each teacher and give them the resources needed for them to be successful.  Once the word gets out that you are helping and providing support, others will come around. Your roles and responsibilities have already been determined but it is good to get clarity.  The term “other duties assigned” is a statement that can take you away from your main priority, Coaching Teachers.  Make sure you still have time to support your educators in a coaching cycle.  Try to define your role and coach responsibilities so your principal knows how you are allocating your time.  With your role being defined make sure there is a check-in system with the administration that has been developed as well.  How will you measure the success of your teachers? How often will you meet with your principal to give teacher updates?

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Make sure you have clarity on these questions before you leave the meeting with the principal

Allocating resources, establishing a coaching cycle, and engaging in professional development are the last three areas to focus your effort.  Making sure you are available and ready to support teachers while making suggestions that are best practices is key.  The full coaching cycle is pre-planning the lesson, observing the lesson, debriefing observation within 48 hours, and setting new goals. 

It sometimes may be hard to complete a full cycle of coaching

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It is impossible to take on every teacher, the maximum amount of teachers a coach can provide the full cycle to would be eight.  Every part of the coaching focus should include Professional Development.  Once a topic has been selected, provide professional development on the skill or content area. Next practice the skill and last role play.  Now your targeted classroom walk-though relates to your professional development which in is guided by the district focus.  It is a linear system with alignment throughout your coaching program.

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