Knowing as a teacher what goes into planning each lesson and unit and as a coach knowing the benefits of having another set of eyes on the mechanics of what happens in the classroom, I have become a certified organizational coach through the University of British Columbia.
In my teaching position this year, I have also become an instructional coach where I blend my experience of being in the classroom for 18 years with my knowledge and experience of being a personal coach.
A tenet of my coaching practice is to meet people where they are, no matter where that is, without judgement. As an instructional coach this same principle holds true. Each teacher has their distinct flare and approach to teaching and as a coach my goal is never to bend someone to how I do things in my classroom. The focus, always, is helping the teacher in an area they identify, and providing the best learning environment and practices for students.
After a teacher has identified an area to focus on, there is observation and communication between the teacher and the coach. A dialogue of generative questions and teacher reflection follow as the teacher explores where they would like to see changes that are meaningful and sustainable. As an instructional coach I may make suggestions, but this happens only if and when the teacher indicates they would like suggestions. These suggestions, made with the teacher’s intentions in mind, are made without attachment, meaning if the teacher declines the suggestion, there are no hard feelings or resentment from the instructional coach.
Staying up-to-date. As a way of staying up-to-date with instructional coaching trends and topics, considerable research and reading is conducted regularly. From April 8 – 12, 2024, I will be attending a week-long intensive conference of the Instructional Coaching Institute in Lawrence, Kansas. I look forward to networking with other instructional coaches, learning with other instructional coaches, and sharing this knowledge on this site.