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Getting Organized

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Coaching Minute: Coaching Groups of Teachers

Ruth Ayres offers a useful tip when planning your coaching calendar: Create groups of teachers.

Maintaining an Inquiry Stance: Seeking to Enhance the Practice of Questioning in Leadership

Heather Fisher cracks open some of her secrets to developing and maintaining an inquiry stance as an instructional coach. If you’re looking to  strengthen your listening and feedback, this is a great place to begin.

Picture It: When Material-Use Goes Awry

In this Picture-It, Ruth Ayres prioritizes nurturing relationships with students when material-use goes awry.

Redesigning Experiences for Parent/Guardian Conferences

Stella Villalba questions the traditional practices of parent/guardian-teacher conferences. She offers a reflection and a call to action for everyone to consider the possibilities for more connection and equity during conference nights.

35 Ways Leaders Can Improve School Culture

Matt Renwick shares 35 actions leaders can take to create a stronger school culture. If you are a new leader, you can use this list and implement one a week throughout the school year.

A 30-Day Coaching Challenge

Stephanie Affinito invites instructional coaches to engage in a 30-Day Coaching Challenge designed to bring renewed enthusiasm and effectiveness to our work. Grab a notebook and get started today!

Constantly Evolving Toward a Stronger Practice

In education much attention is paid to change and transformation. Cathy Mere challenges us to consider placing our focus on evolution and understanding that we are constantly evolving toward a new version of ourselves. In this personal essay, we will all find hope as we reach toward our strengths and use them to find our next steps forward.

Coaching in Community: Co-Creating Learning Spaces (Part I)

Stella Villalba suggests that we consider how to continue creating spaces where learning is co-created with a community. She encourages instructional leaders to share the ways they are learning (and unlearning) ideas for stronger literacy practices.

How Do You Show Up?

Brian Sepe encourages instructional coaches to engage in self-reflection to better meet the needs of teachers. Using a simple matrix, Brian leads us to powerful realizations for showing up in meaningful ways.

Using a Checklist for Powerful Post-Conferences

Lisa Mazinas gives a structure for post-conference conversations. These talking points are the perfect place to begin.

Coaching Minute: Taking Time to Plan

David Pittman encourages the importance of instructional coaches taking the time to plan.

Creating a Culture Where Everyone Leads

Ruth Metcalfe shares four ways to develop shared efficacy and leadership.

Coaching Minute: Creating a Sign-Up for Coaching

Kate Mills and Tara Barnett streamline the sign-up system for working with a coach.

Give Yourself Time to Prepare

David Pittman encourages instructional coaches to take time to prepare for the day and then to reflect at the end of the day.

Remaining Connected as a Coach

David Pittman offers practical advice and inspiration for instructional leaders to intentionally connect to students on a school-wide scale.

Coaching Minute: Set-Up Coaching Plans

Tara Barnett and Kate Mills share an important first step for instructional coaches to help teachers feel invited into the coaching relationship: Make shared coaching plans.

Coaching Minute: Welcoming Students as an Instructional Coach

David Pittman reflects on ways instructional coaches can help create an atmosphere of belonging for students.

How to Respond When Books and Curriculum Resources Are Challenged

Jen Schwanke addresses the fact that educators, books, and curriculum resources are under increased scrutiny. She offers practical and wise steps to take when resources are questioned by concerned stakeholders.

Changing Positions? How to Rethink Your Community (Download)

Cathy Mere offers practical steps to finding a new community when you switch positions. Download a copy of a guided reflection to intentionally seek a new community.

Reshaping Personal Narratives with Awareness, Reflection, and Support

Matt Renwick shares a candid personal story of his own diagnosis of ADHD, and then encourages us to consider the way the narratives we create about who we are and who we might become are based on how we perceive our pasts. Matt challenges us to resist these narratives and reshape them with awareness, reflection, and support.

Five Books to Launch Discussion About the Coaching Role

Stephanie Affinito recommends five picture books to launch discussions about an instructional coach’s role. This helps ensure success by giving all stakeholders an opportunity to define and understand the role of a coach.

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