This week we covered the importance of trust and taking the time to develop teachers, how questions are at the core of coaching interactions, why it's important to encourage risk-taking among staff, activities that promote collaboration during PD sessions, and more!

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Time & Trust

Andrea Stringer emphasizes the importance of trust and taking time to develop your teachers' learning by increasing self-awareness.

"For me, coaching is a belief and faith in another’s ability and capacity for growth. I view coaching as a process that provides autonomy, relatedness and competence. Place your confidence and faith in someone and you expect honesty, integrity, loyalty, and respect in return. This is trust. . . . Without trust, you may have two educators that are wasting the valued time of both, by entering into a conversation that is not authentic."

Great Questions for Instructional Coaches

Jim Knight breaks down his "Impact Cycle" for coaching and provides example questions to guide the process.

"When I’m coaching, I don’t know exactly what I’m going to do until my partner in the process says what they have to say. I ask a question, they say something, I respond, and so on. . . . Asking questions is a crucial task for any coach. However, every teacher, coach, and situation is unique, and they each have their own needs. There will never be any one set of predetermined questions that will be perfect for every coaching situation."

Why?

Vicki Collet considers questions as the core of all coaching interactions and the chief tool for promoting full effort from teachers.

"When questions are at the core of our thinking, we can engage the intellectual curiosity of the teachers we are working with. . . . Teachers will give their full effort when coaches ask questions and challenge them to find answers, rather than when we tell them what to do. Asking question shifts the thinking to teachers, creating energy and intelligence. Teachers are interested and immersed in the work."

How Administrators Can Support Teacher Leaders

Christina Podraza shares her 5-step plan to help better encourage teacher risk-taking and innovation.

"For me, supporting innovative ideas of educators is one of my absolute favorite parts of my job. . . . Innovation in schools is critical to the success of our students. Our kids are constantly changing and we need to make sure that we are regularly reflecting and shifting instruction to ensure their needs are met and their strengths are grown. This starts with administrators supporting staff in taking risks. This is more than saying we are innovative, it’s taken action steps and following through by supporting them through the process."

6 Must-Use Strategies for Professional Development

Chrissy Beltran provides activities to help engage teachers and promote collaboration during PD sessions.

"Adults can be a tough crowd. If you're not engaging them, adding to their learning, giving them the exact right amount f time to talk and think, challenging them just enough,and making learning relevant and purposeful, you're toast."

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