Who do you coach/mentor?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Annie Palmer on April 10, 2011 at 9:25am

I am a lead teacher, which means that I am a classroom teacher and with whatever time I can find, I do some degree of instructional coaching.  I work with grade-level colleagues across our district (4 elementaries) and within my K-5 building. I've been in this role for three years now and though it has its limitations due to the fact tha I am a classroom teacher, it has offered me great PD and knowledge of how to work with adults.

Permalink Reply by Carole Fuller on April 13, 2011 at 9:32am

Hi Annie! What would you say is the most common area you work on with your teachers in coaching? Is it student behavior?

Permalink Reply by Scott H Snyder on April 29, 2011 at 12:20pm

I'm a part time English teacher, part time instructional coach and part time department head. Somehow, I think those parts add up to more than 1 whole person at times, but I digress.

I coach other teacher on our staff of approximately 100 with the end goal of improving student learning; this year specifically, the other coach and I focused on literacy skills across all content areas. Teachers work with us on a voluntary basis; some choose to work with us while many others do not. Hoping as we move in to year three of coaching in the building, we can start to swing that tide.

Permalink Reply by Carole Fuller on April 30, 2011 at 1:23pm

Hi Scott - yes that sounds like a one-and-a-half-person job at least! The teachers at my school also work with me as a coach voluntarily, so it might be good for us to share ideas about how to get them on board and buy in to the process. It would be great to plan a strategy for the beginning of the next academic year too. I'm thinking about having teachers who worked with me this year, share testimonials focused on what they got out of coaching. Any thoughts?

Permalink Reply by Sarenawati Jaafar on May 7, 2011 at 6:50am

Hi,I'm  a principal.So, I'm coaching my teachers who are mostly not from teaching background,but they are willing to learn.My school was set up 3 years ago.Still learning about instructional coaching.

Permalink Reply by Scott H Snyder on May 16, 2011 at 1:37pm

I think it's critical to have your staff clearly understand your role as an instructional coach and how that differs from the evaluative nature of an administrator. In fact, my co-coach and I would ideally like not to have our principal in the room when we talk about our roles and responsibilities to show we are not attached to their collective hips.

I like your idea of teacher testimonials too!

Permalink Reply by Shannon Panzo PhD on January 29, 2013 at 7:54am

I teach Speed Reading/Photographic Memory of all ages.We help others with Dyslexia, ADHD,doctors, teachers, psychologists, corporate professionals, lawyers, parents and students.