Instructional coaching of teachers has become a promising form of high quality professional development over the past few decades. Yet, after nearly 40 years of schools investing in instructional coaching, the role still varies drastically in everything from title of the position, to job responsibilities, and to coaching models in which the role is carried out with teachers. So then, how do we know if we have a successful instructional coaching program?
This can make it tough for schools just getting their coaching programs off the ground and running to provide a clear direction in which the coaching should happen. Luckily, a 2018 meta-analysis of 60 causal-research studies on coaching found five common traits in each of the 60 studies, outlined below. Each of the 60 studies used in the Kraft at al., 2018 study defined a successful coaching program as one that could prove the coaching lead to improved teacher instruction and increased student achievement.
If you’re just getting your coaching program up and running, or if you’re looking to improve your current instructional coaching practice, you should make sure that it includes the following five components in some way to increase the likelihood of a successful coaching program in your school.
Successful instructional coaching programs are:
- Individualized, meaning the coach and teacher meet one on one. Questions to ask yourself about the coaching program in your school: do you have an opportunity to meet one on one and/or in small groups with teachers, or are you only providing group PD? When you meet one on one with teachers, is it a quick fly-by, or are you able to engage in deeper work in this setting?
- Intensive, where the coach and teacher meet every couple of weeks at a minimum. Questions to ask yourself about the coaching program in your school: how frequently do you meet with teachers? How do you know (is this a gut check, or do you track your interactions with teachers to be sure)? Do you have a set schedule of meetings that teachers can expect to meet with you, or do you just drop in on them when you meet?
- Sustained, where the meetings take place over an extended period of time, such as a semester or year. Questions to ask yourself about the coaching program in your school: Are you working with teachers on a goal or problem that requires multiple meetings to work together to achieve success? Do you have a set schedule of meetings that teachers can expect to meet with you, or do you just drop in on them when you meet?
- Context-specific, meaning the coaching takes place in and about the teacher’s own classroom. Questions to ask yourself about the coaching program in your school: does the teacher’s problem of practice drive your coaching work, or does the coach (or an admin) set the goal? Are you able to get in to observe the teacher’s actual classroom or setting their goal revolves around to tailor your recommendations? Do your recommendations shift as a result of seeing the teacher’s context in action?
- Focused, where the meetings are focused on practicing and implementing specific skills. Questions to ask yourself about the coaching program in your school: do you work on a single skill over a duration of multiple meetings or do teachers just want to learn new tools? Are you able to hone in on a single goal or how might we statement when working with teachers?
If you’re reading those descriptions and feeling overwhelmed with all you have to do as a coach, or like you’re pulled in too many directions, don’t worry. Coaches are often responsible for group PD, and tech coaches in particular are usually responsible for supporting an entire building (or district!). How can you possibly weave those five components into your coaching practice?
Not to worry. If you haven’t looked into coaching cycles yet, stop what you’re doing now and check out Google’s Coach Curriculum. It will walk you through a five-step model that will essentially guarantee your coaching will embed the five key components to a successful coaching program.
How do you ensure your coaching includes the five key components from the study?
Tech To You Later!
-Katie
Reference
Kraft, M. A., Blazar, D., & Hogan, D. (2018). The effect of teacher coaching on instruction and achievement: A meta-analysis of the causal evidence. Review of Educational Research, 88(4), 547–588.