Big Ideas

  • Coaches should be very clear in their own minds and with teams and individual educators about their roles.
  • Coaches should be well-versed in the school improvement process, so, if requested, they can quickly & discreetly diagnose where the school is and what the appropriate next steps should be (based on current and relevant data).
  • Coaches should NOT be directive, pushing for certain solutions; instead, they should be facilitative, helping schools identify their own values, goals, opportunities, and approaches.
  • Effective coaches are confident, committed to team collaboration, inspiring and hopeful, disciplined, honest but confidential, credible, passionate about learning, well-versed in using data, comfortable asking hard questions, patient but persistent, self-motivated, curious and assertive.
  • Coaches need a toolbox of strategies and techniques to facilitate teams and individuals; therefore, they must continuously learn & network with other coaches.
  • Coaches should aim to build capacity within the school so that new leaders emerge who can sustain improvement.