Well, here it is... June! Many of our instructional coaches from around the state are focusing on tying up loose ends for the year and thinking about how to begin in September. As you reflect on your practice, think about the questions you need to ask yourself as you plan for school opening... Should I assemble teachers into cohort groups to coach so everyone can practice the B, D, A cycle of coaching? How should I recruit teachers to work with me? How can I hit the ground running and build partnerships with staff members who may be very comfortable doing what they have always done in class? How do I remove the stigma of working with teachers where coaching is mandated and not developed through a collaborative process?  How do I support teachers in a part-time position? These are all process questions: how do I engage teachers, support their diverse needs, and provide ongoing professional learning that is tied to CCSS, teacher practice, research, and student outcomes? In planning how to start, however, don't forget the essential questions that influence your actions: 1) What am I doing as a coach to help teachers change and improve their practice; and 2) What am I doing as a coach to help teachers improve student engagement and outcomes?

As you enjoy your summer and re-energize your spirit, think about this poem (The Heart of the Transformational Coaching Process) written anonymously:

My Five Basic Needs

I need to be seen.

                I need to be heard.

                                I need to be respected.

                                                I need to be safe.

                                                                I need to belong.

When all of my basic needs are met... then...

                                                                                I'm ready to learn.

Think about these words as you plan the work with your colleagues. Remember, instructional coaches are responsive without being judgmental, persuasive without being dogmatic, compassionate without being suffocating, and focused without being overbearing. Coaches must nag and nurture with a pat and push to help teachers recognize their potential,
identify ways to become more effective practitioners, and support them in sustainable, participatory professional learning that results in improved student growth.  It doesn't happen overnight... as with all things, growth is a process and instructional coaching is something that is developmental, situational, and collaborative.  

Think ahead and generate your action plan. That, too, is a process and a "living" document. You are change agents who understand the responsibilities of instructional coaching and the gradual release of responsibility that enables your colleagues the opportunity to take ownership of learning, both individually and collectively.

Have a great summer.

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