In this episode of “Ask the Tech Coach,” Jeff and Susan talk with Kathy Perret and Kenny McKee about their new book, Compassionate Coaching, and how to overcome barriers, which in turn, will help you to become a more effective coach to your teachers.

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Weekly Topic

New book, Compassionate Coaching: How to Help Educators Navigate Barriers to Professional Growth

(https://www.teachercast.net/compassionatecoaching)

Twitter chat on Wednesday #educoach 8 pm

Digital Coaching Menu –

Lays out what coach can do for teacher and how they can work with them and assist
https://achievethecore.org/peersandpedagogy/digital-coaching-menu-four-reasons-need-one/

How do we start the process of leading teachers, PLCs?

Build things together with teachers buy-in; have teachers come up with ways of how they can be supported

Coach / Admin relationship –

Meet together early to get a handle on vision of the school. Set up regular meeting times to keep up with on-going goals.

Coaching Through Isolation – What is it like to be on your own?

Twitter Chats for connecting with other coaches globally
Regional agency in your area to support coaches

Gathering Feedback from Teachers

Google Form

Conferences & Support Groups

Compassionate Coaching for Educators FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/906233233270375

Coaching Success

Coaching feedback survey from a teacher’s work with you and share with – Example supervisors/coordinators to discuss results
Impact on student learning
Collaboration efforts
Set goals with the teachers and keep track / reflect on where you are with the teacher within the cycle.

How do you “train” / introduce administrators and later new administrators to what your job is?

District training principals
Beginning of year meeting – Ask “Have you ever worked with a coach before?” “What did that coach do?”
Use those answers to explain your role and exactly what you do

About our Guests

Kathy Perret

Kathy Perret is an instructional coaching consultant and co-author of The Coach Approach to School Leadership (ASCD 2017) and Compassionate Coaching (ASCD 2021). As the founder of Kathy Perret Consulting, she empowers school leaders, instructional coaches, and classroom teachers in their professional growth. With over 30 years of experience in the field, Kathy hosts onsite and virtual professional learning for educators across the world. Educators directly impact student growth and performance, and Kathy is dedicated to improving experiences and outcomes for both adults and students. She believes everyone deserves a coach – and that includes teachers, instructional coaches, and school leaders! Find out more at https://www.kathyperret.org/. Kathy is also the co-founder of the longest-running Twitter chat for Instructional Coaches. Join #educoach every Wednesday at 8pm CST. You can find Kathy on Twitter @KathyPerret.

Kenny McKee

Kenny McKee, is a National Board–certified teacher who works as a high school literacy and instructional coach for Buncombe County Schools in Asheville, North Carolina.

He supports classroom teachers and other school faculty in professional growth and instructional practices. He has 20 years of experience in education as a secondary English language arts teacher, instructional coach, independent consultant, and undergraduate instructor. In addition to his day job, he also works as a social media consultant with Student Achievement Partners. You can learn more at his website kennycmckee.com.

Compassionate Coaching

When we embark on a journey, every action revolves around the destination. Of course, not all trips are smooth sailing. We inevitably hit distractions, obstacles, and detours. These challenges threaten to blow us off course, but when we stay focused on the destination rather than the barriers, we can move forward.

The same is true in education. Barriers to effective teaching are neither permanent states nor character traits. Rather, they are temporary challenges successful coaches help teachers overcome by connecting them with the right methods and keeping them focused on the destination.

In Compassionate Coaching, Kathy Perret and Kenny McKee identify the six most vexing challenges teachers face—lack of confidence, failure, overload, disruption, isolation, and school culture challenges—and the six corresponding ways that coaches can help teachers surmount them, dubbed the compassionate coaching focus areas.

Coaching with compassion is a process focused on partnership, empowerment, prioritization, routine, connection, and openness. Done well, it can result in transformational improvements to student achievement and teacher work satisfaction. In some cases, it can even shift the trajectory of whole schools.

Roadblocks and detours can get in our way when we are coaching just as they can during any journey. Instead of grumbling about the setbacks, we can open our eyes to the possibilities of a new and better route. That’s what compassionate coaching offers. Let’s go!

Amazon Links https://www.teachercast.net/compassionatecoaching

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