5 Ways to Create a Strong Coaching Climate (Part 1/3)
In this 3 part series, guest writer Amber Brewer introduces 5 ways to build a coaching climate in your context. Here’s Part 2. and Part 3.
Introduction
Regardless of your longevity in education, this year, like most, is promising something new. It’s another opportunity bringing familiar and unfamiliar pressures and ever changing needs of staff and students. Maybe your school or district has announced a new “coaching initiative” and it’s now up to you to implement it? Maybe you’ve heard about the promising positive impacts of coaching like those described by Elena Aguilar in her 2013 edutopia.com article How Coaching Can Impact Teachers, Principals, and Students and want to give it a try? Maybe you came from a school or district with a healthy relationship with coaching, but don’t know how to get it started in a new place? Maybe you are skeptical, but have pressure to “get this thing rolling” from various outside influences? Regardless of your situation, here are five steps to help set your new instructional coaching up for success – and positively disrupt the feedback (or lack thereof) status quo.
1. Reflect on the Goals & Desired Outcomes
Before any classroom observations or feedback sessions take place a clear vision of, goal for, and the desired outcomes for coaching are essential. These should be rooted in the mission and vision of the school. If possible, involve various levels of stakeholders in creating the vision, goals and desired outcomes. Administrators, coaches, and teachers should know expectations related to the coaching process. Be sure to frame the vision, goals, and desired outcomes using asset based language. Pain points, district or school goals, or concerns can be guides; however, the final statements should be framed using asset-based, person-first language. Take a look at the following example:
Have realistic ideas of the outcomes coaching can and cannot produce and the goals associated with each. Coaching will positively impact students - and this should always be the main focus. However, when implementing coaching in a new context, the first outcome should measure the effectiveness of implementation. Think of the goals as “what you want coaching to do” and the target outcome as the “how coaching will do it.”
Put into a real-world context: we know the rotating tires every 6,000 - 8,000 miles can greatly benefit the life of the tire. However, if a driver waits until 20,000 miles, and then rotates them - can you really say that tire rotation itself is ineffective? Or was it the implementation of the tire rotation? Similarly, using the same example - if a driver’s goal is to improve the handling of the car (the what), it isn’t realistic to go and replace the windshield wipers (the how). Replacing the windshield wipers might be important and greatly improve visibility - but ultimately it doesn’t align with the driver’s goals of improving the handling.
Check back tomorrow for the next 2 key ways to create a climate of coaching!
Download Amber’s amazing Planning Template for creating a strong coaching climate, available for free through October 2022! Check it out:
From eastern North Carolina, Amber Brewer has worked in education for 10+ years serving in a variety of teaching and school leadership roles K-12, as well as an independent educational consultant & mom-prenuer. Mrs. Brewer holds a Bachelor’s degree in Hispanic Studies Education from ECU (go Pirates!), a Master's Degree in Elementary Education, and a Graduate Certificate in Executive Leadership and is a licensed NC Principal. She has worked in both the traditional public and charter school settings. Most recently she served in K-12 Public Charter as a teacher, Elementary Dean of Instruction, and subsequently Director of Curriculum and Talent Development, where she was named Administrator of the Year.
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