Find out how you can publicize and promote your coaching role, help teachers better plan for parent-teacher conferences, why it's so important for you to stand by and support teachers as they take instructional risks, and more. Enjoy!

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PRing Your Coaching Role

Brandy Alexander shares four ways to publicize and promote your coaching role—a must for any coach working in a less-than-perfect coaching environment.

" Being an instructional coach, or a part of a campus or district leadership team, should come with pride. Sometimes we put that aside so that we come across humble or meek with our teams. But take a minute (often!) to remember the hard work you do and find time to get together with the other coaches—you can also consider getting some coaching shirts to PR your specialized roles. . . . By being transparent, accessible, proud, and bold I know that you will be taking the best next step in your coaching role."

Supporting Teachers in Successful Parent Conferences

Steve Barkley outlines five steps teachers can take to plan conversations on student success during parent-teacher conferences.

" Conferencing with parents is most often not addressed in teacher pre-service education and rarely included in the focus areas for mentors to address with new teachers. Most teachers learn through trial and error, often having to repair communications or relationships after an unplanned comment. . . . Identify growth that has occurred. Even if the growth is insufficient and needs to increase, start with identifying learning that has been achieved."

Design Your Coaching Life

New year, new you! Stephanie Affinito challenges coaches to find ways to improve their current organization and management skills to kick-start the new year.

" Most instructional coaches have the honor of working with multiple classrooms, districts and even schools to support instruction and learning. We meet diverse educators, collaborate across multiple grade levels and content areas, plan professional development for a range of teachers and learning goals and create personalized coaching cycles throughout the year. . . . The success of coaching depends on the success of our organization and management skills, but it can be HARD to juggle so many tasks and tools as we move about our days, let alone adding a busy family life on top of that. The power of design gives us the power to take back control over how and what we fill our days with."

Change and the Hire Wire

Vicki Collet suggests coaches act as "spotters" to stand by and support teachers to take risks in their instructional practice

" Although not a life-or-death situation, teachers may push the boundaries of what feels safe to them as they try new instructional approaches. . . . Some of us naturally avoid risk, never wanting to step too close to the edge. Others enjoy the excitement of leaping into the unknown. Whether teachers have a natural aversion to risk or an affinity for adventure, coaches can provide assurance as 'spotters' ready to assist when teachers are unsteady."

Self-care for Teachers

Adam Drummond explains how teacher well-being is not only beneficial for them but also their students.

" Self-care for teachers matters because unhealthy educators can’t help students. . . . Remember, your goal is to be a better person today than yesterday. When you are well, you can be the educator with shoulders up and face smiling—and being the change so many of our students need."

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