Indulge in the top articles from August's weekly coaching roundups below and learn about tips for new instructional coaches, navigating difficult conversations, the causes of coaching reluctance, how coaches prepare for a new year, and more.

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Say This, Not That: Growing as an Instructional Coach

Chrissy Beltran highlights the stages of a coaching cycle and provides questions for best practice.

"The coaching cycle [...] It's a best-practice approach to working with individual teachers, honoring that they are learners in their own place in a learning process and valuing that we are all constantly growing."

5 Tips for New Instructional Coaches

Eric Sandberg asks veteran instructional coaches to share advice for new coaches entering the field.

"There are a lot of variables in the growth of the relationship, but the kind of trust that enables true coaching only comes when the bridge of relationship has been cultivated."

Questions: The Currency of Coaching

Ellen Eisenberg covers the importance of giving your coachee a voice and how to use questions to drive conversations.

"Let the teachers voice their thoughts, opinions, hopes, and goals by asking questions about what goals are important to achieve and in what order it makes the most sense to accomplish them."

The First Few Weeks of School

Kristin Houser reflects on thinking like a teacher to prepare for the role of an instructional coach.

"One of the most important things teachers can do in the first few weeks of school, is get to know their kids. [...] And the same is true for coaches working with teachers. Get to know the teachers you’re going to work with, like really get to know them."

Navigating Difficult Conversations

Amy Foley discusses four types of coaching conversations and how she plans to grow her skill set this year.

"During my first year as an instructional coach (within a newly-adopted coaching model), I found myself involved in–and sometimes facilitating–many difficult conversations. Perhaps surprisingly, these difficult conversations were rarely with the teachers I am responsible for coaching. [...] More often, the difficult conversations I found myself in happened when collaborating with peers, other colleagues or administrators."

The Causes of Coaching Reluctance

Cailin Minor dissects the causes of teachers often feeling "stuck" when working with coaches.

"To support that person in becoming unstuck, we need to explore what is beneath the surface to learn what motivates them, engages and excites them, their values, needs, and their identity as an educator."

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