1. Share Your Background and Experience
Some educators are adamant that coaches and other staff members who are not in front of students all day don’t understand the job of an educator.
If this is the case, and you never were a classroom teacher, that’s OK. Admit that you may not understand and look for an example of a time when you were in a similar situation.
If you have served as a teacher, draw from those experiences and share them. This may help others relate to you and encourage them to open up, knowing you understand the commitment a classroom position takes.
2. Be Honest with Your Team
Often, instructional coaches are viewed as experts. If you don’t know something, say so.
This not only shows humility and humanity but also allows others to see you as a continuous learner. Follow up by finding the answers to the questions your teachers bring to you.
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3. Know Your Audience
Coaches work with many different personalities. Some teachers prefer meeting in the morning before students arrive. Others may request you send an email instead of dropping by their classroom.
Ask.
Ask how teachers want to be supported, whether that’s one on one, through group professional development, by dropping in, via email, etc. Ask what their goals are and pay attention to personal information that can help you form relationships. Then, create a system for yourself with individualized notes on each educator you support.
4. Vary Your Resources and Approaches
In addition to knowing your audience, vary the ways you present information.
For example, you could communicate via an online messaging or communications application, where you can share ed tech tips or create newsletters with classroom examples and project ideas.
Some coaches even create resource websites and include the link in their email signature.
5. Model How to Use the Technology
Practice what you preach. If you are asking an educator to implement a specific technology or strategy, make sure you are modeling this before making the ask.
6. Reflect on Successes and Areas for Improvement
Coaching is a tough gig. Some days, you will feel on top of the world as a useful and respected member of your faculty. Other times, you will feel that the value of your position is not seen.
Reflect on this. Is it true? Is there something more you can do?
Be honest with yourself. Some of our greatest successes come from failure. If coaching isn't going the way you would like it to, consider where you could make changes.
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7. Introduce and Continue to Drive Initiatives
Try to avoid “one and done” professional development when possible. As a coach, look to bring ongoing opportunities to your faculty that they may not be aware of.
The Global Read Aloud project is one example of a recurring initiative. Coaches can step into the role of project manager and offer to do the heavy lifting the first year. Assist with finding global partners, scheduling and communication. Act as a true co-teacher. Encourage those who participate, and ask for their help next year in recruiting their colleagues.
Often, hearing a positive experience from a peer is all that’s needed for a reluctant teacher to get started. As time goes on and initiatives are kept alive and revisited, coaches can transition to the role of facilitators and work in a more hands-off capacity. In the life of a coach, that’s success.
8. Share Opportunities With Your Colleagues
Coaching is not just about modeling and problem-solving; it’s also about nurturing and building relationships.
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As a mentor to other educators, look for ways to increase leadership opportunities. This could be presenting at a conference or joining a professional learning network. If you walk into a room and see something you think would help another teacher, talk it up. One of the great perks of coaching is knowing what everyone is doing.
9. Find a Network of Like-Minded Peers
There are plenty of professional learning networks out there that support coaching. Find your people. Share your joys and frustrations, and before you know it, you’ll be writing tips for coaches too.
10. Water the Flowers, Not the Rocks
One of the few truths about coaching that people don't like to talk about is that not everyone will be interested in working with a coach. While you should never fully give up on those people, respect their wishes and focus on those who want your help.
Adult peer pressure is real. After viewing positive results and praise for colleagues, some resistant teachers eventually come around. For those who don’t, continue to remind them that you are available if they change their mind.
