TL;DR: Sometimes all we need is someone who will listen to us. As an instructional coach, listening matters—it is essential for building relationships. Coaches should share ideas, but ultimately, the teacher needs ownership in developing an idea and implementing it. In the last coaching blog, we discussed the importance of relationships. Relationships are the foundation for strong and effective instructional … Read More
Lessons Learned: From Surviving to Thriving
TL;DR: School districts can go from surviving to thriving by shifting from isolation to collaboration. Other ways to go from surviving to thriving include assessing for learning and shifting the focus from teaching to learning. In mid-March, school districts across the United States began adjusting the school schedule and learning environment. Due to a global pandemic, several schools closed for two … Read More
Using the Backwards Design to Reach Your Goals
TL;DR: Use the backwards design in your life to move toward your goals in a clear way. Plan your journey by creating a list of manageable steps to get to your goal. Write out your list, create a timeline, and give each task a reasonable deadline. A goal-setting template PDF download is shared. Welcome back to our ‘Begin Better’ series … Read More
Certainties During an Uncertain Time
TL;DR: There are a number of certainties during this uncertain time that we can count on. Some certainties we can count on are that we are resilient, communication is key, relationships matter, and partnerships between stakeholders and parents help students thrive. Hybrid instruction. Zoom. Virtual open house. Remote learning. Material distribution. Virtual instruction. Synchronous learning. Asynchronous learning. Hyflex instruction. Google … Read More
3 Important Lessons I’ve Learned as a First-Year Instructional Coach
TL;DR: This post shares important lessons learned as a first-year instructional coach. Being a good listener shows that you care. Teachers are all at different places emotionally, technologically, and with their teaching styles. It’s important to get to know each teacher and meet them where they are at. Give yourself grace in knowing that some days will be tougher than … Read More