Instructional Coaching

Instructional coaching is for everyone! Take advantage of this valuable resource!

What is an instructional coach?

Instructional Coaches work directly with teachers to increase student learning through jobembedded professional development promoting a culture of professional inquiry, reflection, and ongoing learning.

Instructional Coaches serve as a bridge between building and district initiatives and the classroom demonstrating an extensive knowledge of the district’s curriculum, including, but not limited to Illinois Learning Standards, Balanced Literacy, Illustrative Math, Next Generation Science Standards, Social Studies Standards, grade level progressions, and pedagogical approaches.

Instructional Coaches work with teachers to better meet student needs while providing limited direct services to students.

Instructional Coaches are also teachers and they are NOT evaluators. Their priority is to maintain the confidence and privacy of individual teachers.

How can Instructional Coaches support teachers?

Instructional Coaches can (this is not an exhaustive list):

• Coach teachers on best practices in culturally responsive teaching, student engagement, and data-based decision-making at all grade levels, in all disciplines, for all students.

• Set instructional goals with teachers that reflect a process of collecting, analyzing, and responding to data.

• Provide model teaching lessons and side-by-side coaching through a gradual release process.

• Help develop differentiated lessons to meet the needs of students in all tiers of instruction.

• Collaborate with teachers to review formative assessments and analyze data in order to identify students’ strengths, needs, and misunderstandings, and determine next instructional steps.

• Introduce teachers to technology integration, research-based methods, materials, and instructional strategies that have proven to increase student achievement.

• Encourage teachers to participate in peer observations that lead to professional conversations about instructional practices and student learning.

• Videotape and then share teachers teaching model lessons in order to showcase the many forms of successful differentiated instruction taking place.

• Develop, prepare, implement, and assess building-level professional development alongside the building Principal(s) and School Improvement Team.

• Work closely with special education educators, literacy interventionists, ESL/bilingual teachers, and general classroom teachers to find ways to best meet the needs of all students in the general education classroom.