I had the pleasure of being on Cool Cat Teacher Vicki Davis‘ renowned 10 Minute Teacher Podcast. If you’ve never listened to the show before, Vicki interviews educators and provides practical tips, ideas, motivation, and information in just a few minutes. It’s super easy to get a quick PD fill in about 10-15 minutes!
As a guest on the 10 Minute Teacher Podcast, I shared my top 10 tips for instructional technology coaches. Really, just about all the tips apply to any type of instructional coach. If you have 15 minutes, I’d love for you to give it a listen, but a quick summary of the tips I provided are below! Vicki also made this awesome infographic (to the right) that summarized the 10 tips.
1. Find your tribe! It’s too hard to do this job alone.
2. Seek out training specifically for coaches. It’s rare, but oh so necessary to support all the teachers we serve.
3. Build positive relationships with administration, especially building principals. They can make or break your success.
4. Align your goals with district and building admin. Swimming up stream is a battle, make sure you are rowing in the same direction.
5. Focus on improving instruction, not the tech tool. One will bring you to the table, the other will keep you there.
6. Focus on the bright spots. Change is hard and long and slow. Celebrate all the small wins.
7. See yourself as the Chief Culture Changer. “Culture is every interaction with every person every minute of every day!” – Deb Houser
8. BE the bright spot for your teachers. You catch more flies with honey than vinegar. Be someone that makes other people light up.
9. Get all the feedback. Sometimes it’s hard to take, but it’s the only way we’ll get better.
10. Keep Going! No doubt this year is tough. Your work matters. Don’t give up.
You can listen to the the 10 Minute Teacher Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Stitcher or give it a listen below.
So what top tips would you give to instructional coaches? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Drop them in the comments below!
Tech To You Later!
-Katie, Ed.D.