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Welcome to the new members of the Emerging Teacher Institute 2024-2025
Instructional Coaching has become a mainstay in many school districts across the country for many reasons. To help teachers participating in EdCo's Beginning Teacher Institute understand the role of the an instructional coach (IC) here is a quick overview.
Most ICs work to help teachers hone skills, sharpen strategies, and gain greater success in the classroom. An IC, often assigned by a principal or the school's administration, not only helps teachers become better at what they do, but also serves schools, administrations, and most importantly, students.
It is important to note that EdCo's IC does not report to school administrators and is not part of a teacher's evaluation process in any way. EdCo's IC is solely there to support the teacher.
So What Does an Instructional Coach Do?
In many fields, working with coaches has become a popular way to seek personal and professional development. For example, surgeons seek to improve their skills or master new methods by enlisting the expertise of a surgical coach; life coaches, meanwhile, help individuals navigate difficult decisions or to work toward achieving personal objectives.
ICs work much the same way. ICs have extensive knowledge about teaching and learning and share that knowledge with teachers. Crucially, the function of an IC is not to lecture or provide one-way learning opportunities, but to partner with teachers and help them set and achieve the right goals to enhance student learning.
ICs empower teachers to create classroom environments in which their students thrive and succeed. In pursuit of this goal, ICs:
Work directly with teachers to assess their classroom and students
Identify specific, measurable goals
Choose proper and equitable pedagogical strategies to meet those goals
Ensure a teaching style that supports and embraces all students
Talk with teachers about their progress, troubleshoot obstacles encountered and help teachers grow their reflective teaching practice.
Thinking of a coach as a collaborative partner is key. A good coach doesn’t observe a classroom and dictate how the teacher can make improvements. Instead, the coach talks with the teacher as a peer, collaborating on strategies to address problems and create a healthier learning environment.
Instructional Coaching Cycles
Instructional Coaching Cycles
Course Cohorts – these are open to all new teachers at participating EdCo schools, as well as past, interested ETI participants. Second year participants may be matched to first year participants who teach same discipline to act as support peers.
Coaching Cycle/Cohort
IC will coach 6 teachers per a 3-4 week cycle at 2-3 schools. For instance, School 1 is Monday and Wednesday one week and then Tuesday and Thursday Week 2. School 2 is the opposite.
IC makes the two schools “home base” (have a spot in the school library or faculty lounge), and will then have more opportunities to record lessons, meet other teachers, host Lunch and Learns, provide quick-hit sessions for teachers before or after school, attend school DEI meetings, etc.
Teachers in the coaching cycle will keep a reflective journal to track their progress and to evaluate their goals and data. IC will model this for them and teach them what this means as a way for them to begin and maintain a reflective teaching practice.
After 3-4 week cycle, IC will move to two more schools. IC will still be available to speak with and support other teachers in the Cohort at this time though. Could assist with providing resources, reviewing instructional materials, helping prep for teacher observations, etc.
In short, a coaching cycle is a specific program for a classroom teacher or pair of co-teachers. Coaching cycles last 3-4 weeks, and are aimed at improving each element of instruction by cycling through:
Unit/Lesson planning
Observation during instruction
Feedback after observation
Student work evaluation
Teacher reflection
Assessment Development Support
Assessment Development Support
Assessment is one of the most important, yet complicated, components of instruction. As educators, we must develop assessments that accurately reflect student learning, and can be scored in a timely fashion while providing meaningful feedback to students, families, and teachers alike. As such, the IC works with individual teachers to create assessments rooted in culturally responsive practices and approaches. No matter the content, the IC can help teachers develop assessments that provide a holistic and formative view and are indicative of what students can do. These assessments also will help teachers discern where and when targeted, supportive instruction is required.
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