If you follow my blog, you know I am a huge believer in the importance of positive working relationships between instructional coaches and school administrators, especially building principals, to really maximize the impact coaching can have. Research shows us that coaching is most effective when district and building leaders work together with the coach(es) to align their efforts to school goals and encourage teachers to work with the coach 1,2,3,4, and that district leaders need to provide more guidance, resources, and time for coaches to support teachers, especially when coaching teachers on the use of instructional technology 5.
I have previously written a few blog posts on the topic, including ways that instructional coaches can work to support the principals in the buildings they serve, as well as four key things that admin can do to support the coach. The podcast I co-host, Restart Recharge for coaches just wrapped up a three part series on the admin/coach relationship. These three podcast episodes will provide you with great ideas to help you continue to clarify your role and seek admin support, which will ultimately maximize the impact an instructional coach will have. There are some excellent takeaways from each episode!
1. Paving Your Way to Success: The Admin/Coach Relationship. This episode talks about how a healthy partnership with building & district leadership can make all the difference when it comes to instructional coaches’ success. Tyler Erwin talks about the key traits of a healthy admin/coach relationship, how to establish that relationship as a coach, and what you might do if you think your admin/coach partnership is derailing your success. Listen at restartrechargepodcast.com, wherever you listen to podcasts, or below.
2. Spotlight on Monroe: The Admin/Coach Relationship. This episode shares how one SW Ohio school district is making major waves and creating systemic change because of an awesome admin/ coach partnership between Andrea Carovillano and Logan Stanger. Learn how they’ve streamlined their success and are transforming their district, and how you can emulate their achievements! Listen at restartrechargepodcast.com, wherever you listen to podcasts, or below.
3. Start the change; Be the change! This episode talks with Michael Roush & Lisa Kuhn about how admin & instructional coaches can work together to create a culture that supports the transformation we want to see in our districts. This episode explores how you can capitalize on that partnership to create a culture of growth and systemic change. Listen at restartrechargepodcast.com, wherever you listen to podcasts, or below.
After you give them a listen, I’d love to hear your ideas for developing positive working relationships between school admin and instructional coaches. Share in the comments below!
Tech To You Later!
-Katie, Ed.D.
References
- Gallucci, C., DeVoogt Van Lare, M., Yoon, I. H., & Boatright, B. (2010). Instructional coaching: Building theory about the role and organizational support for professional learning. American Educational Research Journal, 47(4), 919–963.
- Russell, J. L., Correnti, R., Stein, M. K., Bill, V., Hannan, M., Schwartz, N., Booker, L. N., Pratt, N. R., & Matthis, C. (2020). Learning from adaptation to support instructional improvement at scale: Understanding coach adaptation in the TN Mathematics Coaching Project. American Educational Research Journal, 57(1), 148–187.
- Shanklin, N. (2007). What supports do literacy coaches need from administrators in order to succeed?. Literacy Coaching Clearinghouse, National Council of Teachers of English 1111 West Kenyon Road, Urbana, IL 61801.
- Stein, M.K., Russell, J.L., Bill, V., Correnti, R., & Speranzo, L. (2021). Coach learning to help teachers learn to enact conceptually rich, student-focused mathematics lessons. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education.
- Hashim, A. K. (2020). Coaching and districtwide improvement: Exploring the systemic leadership practices of instructional coaches. Teachers College Record, 122(10).