Instructional Coaching
What is it really?
The Cycle
Identify- determine what the teacher has decided is an area of personal improvement through video tape or reflective discussion alone or with the coach and set a student centered goal
Learn- the instructional coach supports the teacher with new learning or tweaking of current instruction, coming up with a plan to monitor the practice using checklists, observations, video taping, etc.
Improve- when the teacher implements the teaching strategy and the coach and teacher innovate and problem solve until the goal is hit using observations and data collection done by either the coach or the teacher
Reflection- did student achievement increase?
Quick, pop in observations are definitely good, but not if done exclusively in the coaching cycle to see student growth!