What Will Coaching for Learning Do?

Coaching for Learning defines, advocates and supports the work of coaches as they:

  • support a clear, trusting, collaborative culture within schools in which the coach is a facilitator of the continuous school improvement process
  • assist school teams and individual educators with transformational learning as well as with implementation of particular strategies
  • advocate and model a culture of inquiry and of a collective commitment to learning at high levels for ALL students
  • facilitate the work of teams and serve as a model for collegial reflection about instructional practices by focusing on and analyzing student work and assessment results
  • assist teacher teams with providing technical assistance, modeling or seeking external
  • assistance as professional learning needs are uncovered by team data, often tapping into the expertise within their own team or building
  • build capacity of teachers and teacher collaborative teams to peer coach/peer assist one another in improving practices that result in increased student learning

Given the varied roles of coaches, how should we begin?

  • Presently, the work and roles of coaches in West Virginia school districts vary a great deal.
  • Coaches have expressed a need for assistance with their own professional learning and to be afforded opportunities and platforms to network with other coaches.
  • Therefore, Coaching for Learning will begin its support work with creating networking opportunities and venues and with training in critically important foundational areas.