Simply Instructional Coaching Sample

©2025 Grift Education. All rights reserved.

© 2025 Grift Education. All rights reserved.

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Originally published in 2022 by Solution Tree Press

In loving memory of my father, Perry T. Turner Sr. Although you are no longer physically present in my life, I still feel your impact every day. Thank you for instilling in me that anything is possible with faith, hard work, and determination.

In loving memory of my big brother, Monte G. Johnson Jr. Thank you for all of the beautiful memories of growing up and your words of wisdom; they have stayed close in my heart and given me hope when I had nothing to pull on.

To my oldest son, Josh Having you was one of the best decisions in my life. As your mother, it is my job to teach you about life, but you have taught me what life is all about. When God blessed me with you, my life changed, and it was one of the greatest days of my life.

To my one and only daughter, Kristyn You are one of the most beautiful miracles in my life and one of the greatest joys I know. You are the true meaning of persistence and determination. You may have outgrown my lap, but you will never outgrow my heart.

To my youngest son, Maurice Justin You are so smart, funny, and full of life. You have made this family complete. You have helped to create some of the happiest memories of the past, the most joyous moments of the present, and the hope and promise of the future.

To my best friend, Rick Thank you for believing in me when I was too weak and exhausted to believe in myself, for always knowing who I am and reminding me of that when I forgot, for pushing me beyond all measures, for not judging me when I did something crazy, and for always being honest.

I have no doubt that you are genuinely concerned with the outcome of my life and my children. Thank you for doing all the things a genuine best friend does. I could never repay you for being you.

Last but not least, to all of the wonderfully dedicated teachers and instructional coaches in this world who have made a commitment to being a special part of children’s lives forever—continue the work, this is for you.

©2025 Grift Education. All rights reserved.

To my mom, Helen It’s impossible to thank you adequately for everything you’ve done, from loving me unconditionally to raising me to have values and celebrate and embrace life. Thank you for pouring yourself into me; I could never understand a mother’s love until now.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix FOREWORD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

My Journey to Coaching. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 How to Use This Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

PART 1: THE FOUNDATIONS OF

INSTRUCTIONAL COACHING

7

CHAPTER 1: UNDERSTANDING THE INSTRUCTIONAL COACHING ROLE . . . 9

What the Research Says . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 What Is an Instructional Coach? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 ¸ďƉǝŨďóǝGİšŨśŭçŨĒĹİËĨǝ ĹËçďĒİĉǞbĹíóĨǀ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 ¸ďËŨǝ śóǝŨďóǝ#ĒƖóśóİŨǝGİšŨśŭçŨĒĹİËĨǝ ĹËçďĒİĉǝbĹíóĨšǀ . . . . . . . . . . 14 ¸ďËŨǝ śóǝŨďóǝ#ĒƖóśóİŨǝ ĹĨóšǝĹĈǝËİǝGİšŨśŭçŨĒĹİËĨǝ ĹËçďǀ . . . . . . . . . 16 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

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Table of Contents

SIMPLY INSTRUCTIONAL COACHING

CHAPTER 2: TRANSITIONING TO THE INSTRUCTIONAL COACHING ROLE 19

What the Research Says . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 How Do You Transition to Your First Coaching Role? . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 How Do You Create a Coaching Philosophy? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 What Are the Top Instructional Coaching Best Practices? . . . . . . . . . 27 What Are the Top Instructional Coaching Mistakes, and How Do You Avoid Them? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 ¸ďËŨǝ#Ĺóšǝ>ĹËĨǝ óŨŨĒİĉǝZĹĹĥǝZĒĥóǝËšǞËǞ ĹËçďǀ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 CHAPTER 3: STAYING ORGANIZED AS AN INSTRUCTIONAL COACH . . . . . 43

What the Research Says . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 How Do You Organize Your Space? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 How Can You Manage Your Time as an Instructional Coach? . . . . . . 46 How Do You Develop a Coaching System? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 How Do You Use a Planner? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 How Do You Create an Instructional Coaching Schedule? . . . . . . . . . 56 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 CHAPTER 4: BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND TRUST WITH TEACHERS . . . 61

What the Research Says . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 DĹƃǝ Ëİǝ¾Ĺŭǝ ŭĒĨíǝ óĨËŨĒĹİšďĒŘšǝ¸ĒŨďǞ íŭĨŨšǀ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 How Can You Work With Teachers Who Have a Fixed Mindset? . . . . 66 What Is the Best Way to Shift Your Relationship With Your Former Teammates? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 DĹƃǝ#Ĺǝ¾Ĺŭǝ#óËĨǝ¸ĒŨďǝ ĹİƜĒçŨǝ įĹİĉǝ óËçďóśšǝĹİǝËǝ óËįǀ . . . . . 71 How Do You Build a Relationship With Your Principal? . . . . . . . . . . . 73 What Are Some Strategies for Encouraging the Administration to Hold Teachers Accountable?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

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How Can You Get Feedback to Become a Better Instructional Coach? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 5: SUPPORTING YOUR TEACHERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

What the Research Says . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 How Can You Create a Supportive Environment for Teachers? . . . . . 83 DĹƃǝ¸ĒĨĨǝ¾ĹŭǝGíóİŨĒĈƉǝ óËçďóśšǝ¸ďĹǝcóóíǞ ŭŘŘĹśŨǀ . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 How Do You Build a Library of Resources to Support Teachers? . . . . 88 How Do You Hold Beginning-of-the-Year Meetings With Teachers? . . 90 How Do You Help Teachers Set Goals?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 How Do You Best Provide Meaningful Feedback for Teachers? . . . . . 96 How Can You Balance Providing Resources and Helping Teachers Learn Where to Find Resources Themselves? . . 103 What Do You Do When You Coach a Teacher Who Doesn’t Improve?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 What Are Some Communication Strategies You Can Use as a Coach? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 What Are Some Coaching Strategies You Can Use With Teachers? . . 113 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

PART 2: THE TIER, COACH, GROW MODEL

121

CHAPTER 6: TIERING TEACHERS FOR SUPPORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123

What the Research Says . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 ¸ďóśóǝ#Ĺǝ¾Ĺŭǝ óĉĒİǝ¸ĒŨďǝ ĒóśĒİĉǞ óËçďóśšǀ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 How Do You Conduct a Baseline Observation? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 Should You Thank the Teacher After You Conduct a Baseline Observation? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 CHAPTER 7: COACHING TEACHERS USING COACHING CYCLES . . . . . . . 137

What the Research Says . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .137 What Is an Instructional Coaching Cycle? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 What Is the Purpose of the Instructional Coaching Cycle? . . . . . . . . 139

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How Can You Provide Constructive Criticism to Teachers? . . . . . . . . 100

SIMPLY INSTRUCTIONAL COACHING

What Are the Components of an Instructional Coaching Cycle and How Do You Use Them? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140 How Does the Gradual-Release Model Inform )ƖóçŨĒƂóǝ ĹËçďĒİĉǝ ƉçĨóšǀ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 DĹƃǝ#Ĺǝ¾ĹŭǝDËƂóǝËİǝ)ƖóçŨĒƂóǝ ĹËçďĒİĉǝ ĹİƂóśšËŨĒĹİǀ . . . . . . . . . .147 How Does Being Data Driven Fit Into the Coaching Cycle? . . . . . . . 150 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155 CHAPTER 8: GROWING TEACHERS THROUGH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157

How Can You Gather Ideas for Professional #óƂóĨĹŘįóİŨǝŨĹǝlƖóśǝ ŨËƖǀ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 How Do You Develop a Professional Development Calendar? . . . . . . 161 ¸ďËŨǝ śóǝŨďóǝ ĹįŘĹİóİŨšǝĹĈǝËİǝ)ƖóçŨĒƂóǝ Professional Development Session? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164 How Does Being Data Driven Fit Into Professional Development? . . 168 How Do You Set the Mood for Collaboration Within a Team? . . . . . .172 DĹƃǝ#Ĺǝ¾Ĺŭǝ ĨËİǝĈĹśǝËǝ ĹĹĥǝ ŨŭíƉǝ¸ĒŨďǞ óËçďóśšǀ . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174 DĹƃǝ#Ĺǝ¾Ĺŭǝ¡šóǝ·ĒíóĹǝĈĹśǝ śĹĈóššĒĹİËĨǞ#óƂóĨĹŘįóİŨǀ . . . . . . . . . . .177 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179 EPILOGUE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181 REFERENCES AND RESOURCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183 INDEX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187

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What the Research Says . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .157

Nicole S. Turner is a K–12 educational coach, an author, a professional development trainer, and founder and CEO of Simply Coaching and Teaching Inc. She is also the founder of the Simply Coaching Summit™—the first virtual summit exclusively for instructional coaches and teacher leaders.

Nicole specializes in helping instructional coaches master their roles and helping teachers teach using hands-on learning activities. She has more than seventeen years of K–12 classroom and leadership experience in positions such as classroom teacher, lead teacher, differentiated accountability coach, district- and building-level instructional coach, assistant principal, dean of students, AdvancEd diagnostic review team member, and school-improvement and turnaround specialist for the Indiana Department of Education.

Nicole has worked with thousands of educators, instructional coaches, and administrators across the United States through conferences and custom professional development sessions. Her professional memberships include Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated, National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa, Indiana State Teacher Association, Indiana State Reading Association, and the Indiana Council of Teachers of Mathematics. She is the author of The S.I.M.P.L.E. Framework for Instructional Coaching™ Workbook and the creator of the Track My Coaching Planner™ and the Simply Learning Hub™.

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About the Author

SIMPLY INSTRUCTIONAL COACHING

Nicole is pursuing a doctorate in curriculum and instruction at Oakland City University with research focused on the professional development of instructional coaches.

When Nicole is not serving in various educational roles, she can be found spending time with her family, which consists of a supportive fiancée, three biological children, and three “bonus” children.

To learn more about Nicole’s work, visit www.simplycoachingandteaching.com or follow her @coachandteach on Twitter.

©2025 Grift Education. All rights reserved.

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Want to get great at something? Get a coach! That’s the title of a TED Talk by Atul Gawande (2017), a surgeon, writer, and public health professor. Gawande (2017) shares that when he explored how professionals get better or get great, he found two historical approaches: (1) in professions like medicine, law, and music, you study, learn, practice, get certified, and then manage your own improvement, and (2) in sports, the tendency is for everyone to have a coach. The world’s best have a coach— usually coaches.

Gawande (2017) shared his surprise when he discovered after interviewing violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman that he had been coached by his wife, who was listening from the audience and providing feedback.

“Itzhak, in that middle section, you know you sounded a little bit mechanical.

What can you do differently next time?”

Having a realization that he might no longer be getting better, Gawande (2017) hired a coach to observe his surgeries and provide feedback.

Gawande (2017) describes what coaches do: “They are your external eyes and ears, providing a more accurate picture of your reality. They’re recognizing the fundamentals. They’re breaking down your actions.” Describing how it feels he adds, “It was painful. I didn’t like being observed, and at times I didn’t want to have to work on things. I also felt there were periods where I would get worse before I got better” (Gawande, 2017).

That’s a pretty accurate description of why being an instructional coach is not an easy task. It explains why many teachers are not standing in line to sign up for more Grift Education • 9781923198661 • SOT8661 | x

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Foreword

SIMPLY INSTRUCTIONAL COACHING

of a coach’s time. Too many educators have not experienced the benefits of making the investment in being coached. Successful coaches create experiences where the benefit of being coached outweighs the time, energy, and emotional costs. Gawande (2017) found that after two months of coaching, he was getting better again. And after a year, he saw complications in his surgeries drop even further (Gawande, 2017). As teachers observe their students benefiting from the teacher’s engagement in quality coaching, quality professional development, quality professional learning communities, and reflection with a coach and peers, the line for coaching forms.

In Simply Instructional Coaching, Nicole provides answers to many questions instructional coaches have raised with her as they accepted and, in many cases, built their roles in schools. Part 1 examines questions concerning the foundations of instructional coaching. Definitions of coaching and the roles instructional coaches play are critical for clarity so coaches can build a partnership with administrators and trust with teachers.

Coaches need to consciously implement verbal communication skills based on effective listening, questioning, and paraphrasing. Nicole addresses questions such as, How do you assist teachers in setting goals? and How do you use data in coaching? with skills and strategies.

As a coach, you will find teachers may approach the need to change: •

Unaware (They think they are already achieving the desired student outcomes.)

•

Getting ready (They know they need to change, but not yet.)

•

Starting (They enter the learning dip as they start to change.)

•

Developing (They are seeing the payoffs of the change being implemented.)

•

Unwilling (There are no attempts or plans to change.)

Nicole answers coaches’ questions for all these situations.

In part 2, Nicole provides a model for tiering teachers to guide personalization and effective grouping for coaching services. Administrators often call on coaches to provide both formal and informal professional development, as well as support for existing or newly forming professional learning communities (PLCs). These are critical activities because they provide opportunities for the coach to model the

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I have had the pleasure of working with Nicole Turner over the past several years as partners for webinars and podcasts. I know her commitment to students and the teachers who serve them. That commitment guides her writing, teaching, and facilitating support for instructional coaches.

FOREWORD

model. How do you model the practices that engage students in rigorous inquiry in professional development activities? How does a coach show her vulnerability and risk-taking as a participant in a PLC and model the actions she desires of students in classrooms and teachers during collaborative problem solving? Nicole addresses professional development and PLC questions in this section of the text.

As you begin, Nicole provides lots of questions and answers to ponder. It’s your turn to decide: Now what?

Best wishes on this important work!

Steve Steve Barkley (2010, 2011) is chief learning officer of PLS 3rd Learning (https:// pls3rdlearning.com) and author of Quality Teaching in a Culture of Coaching and Instructional Coaching With the End in Mind. Visit to www.barkleyPD.com to find his weekly blogs and podcasts for school leaders at all levels.

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I believe an exciting reason to be an educator is there is no mountaintop to our careers. As I pass year forty of my career, I’m amazed at all there is to learn about teaching and learning. As an instructional coach, you are in a great position to continue your learning while guiding others to do the same. What are the strategies you will use to build a continuous improvement culture? What opportunities do you provide for the best to grow? How do you model your personal continuous development?

I N S T R U C T I O N A L C OAC H I N G S H O U L D B E I M PAC T F U L , N O T OV E RW H E L M I N G .

—NICOLE S. TURNER

MY JOURNEY TO COACHING Mine is a story of overcoming trials and tribulations. Born to two loving parents, I wasn’t naive about success. With my mother, a business owner turned elementary teacher, and my father, a steelworker, I knew what hard work looked like and what it could get you.

However, after graduating from high school, I wasn’t prepared for the road ahead.

My home was comfortable, perhaps too much so, as my transition to adulthood came with quite a few hurdles. From not taking college seriously to being convinced that a degree in business was my chosen path, I made my share of wrong turns. But what one could see as bad decisions were actually a cultivation of greatness. It’s a common misconception that one can achieve greatness without a few bumps in the road, but bumps were what I encountered.

I didn’t let anything or anyone stop me; even when my path became rugged and almost unbearable, I found inspiration to keep going. I mothered two beautiful Grift Education • 9781923198661 • SOT8661 | 1

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Introduction

SIMPLY INSTRUCTIONAL COACHING

children while figuring out that business school wasn’t my destined route, and shortly thereafter came my youngest child. My children are the source of my strength, and I frequently refer to them as the Threes. After all, good things come in threes!

I fought the urge to teach on several occasions, but you can’t fight what’s inside you. I’m a natural coach and a born leader and, after a long reflective conversation with my mother, I knew I would become a teacher.

One of my internship assignments was to work one on one with a teacher to improve instruction. My mentor principal paired me with a teacher who was struggling with creating strong lessons in the classroom. I doubted myself because this was high school and I knew high school teachers are strong in content knowledge.

How would I help a high school teacher? I was a good teacher, but my background was at the elementary school level. However, my elementary school knowledge on developing lessons for all content helped me guide this teacher in the right direction.

I used my knowledge of instructional strategies, and the teacher’s lessons turned around. We met on Tuesdays and Thursdays for two hours after school. We worked on lesson plans and on practicing and talking through how to deliver the lessons.

The feeling of helping a teacher improve also helped me identify the type of leader I want to be. I want not only to lead a school to success but also to help teachers in classrooms be better teachers and improve their instructional delivery, which would ultimately benefit their students.

As my career went on and I began to gain leadership experience, I was hired as a district differentiated accountability coach. It was a great opportunity, but I didn’t know exactly what I was doing; I was trying everything. I hosted weekly data meetings and entered data into spreadsheets; discussed lesson plans and their implementation; met with the principal; and covered lunch duty. I was trying my best,

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My journey in education was no different from my journey to it, as I encountered hurdle after hurdle. When I became a teacher, I never sought to be an instructional coach; I never even knew the position existed. But I remember the day I fell in love with helping teachers. It was my fourth year of teaching, and each year I had been moved from school to school and position to position. There was a surplus of teachers, and I was what my leaders called an RIF (reduction in force) teacher each year.

This particular year was no different from the other years, except I was in my principal preparation program and had to do my “internship” hours outside the classroom. I began the school year in my district’s high school. Even though my license was for K–6, I took the position temporarily, and it worked out great. I got a chance to get high school experience from the classroom perspective and work with one of the high school vice principals. For those three months, I learned a ton, and finally understood what leadership is all about.

INTRODUCTION

and although the district saw some gains in instruction, I can’t say with 100 percent certainty that these gains came from my coaching. But that same year, I learned how to be an instructional coach. I leaned on books about coaching, talked with other coaches, and even got myself a coach and started creating and developing a system for coaching. Throughout the next few years, I tested and fine-tuned skills and procedures to ensure my coaching could make an impact.

That dedication further fueled the next step in my career. I was not content with impacting and influencing my district alone; I want to empower the world! Out of that determination grew this book. Simply Instructional Coaching is my way of sharing my years of experience with you.

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK First, let me say congratulations on your coaching position!

Are you ready to get in there and be the best instructional coach you can be?

Absolutely you are! That is why you purchased this book. However, this is not a typical instructional coaching book focused on research and theory; I don’t discuss instructional or classroom-management strategies to offer teachers to help them in the classroom, and I don’t go into deep details on research about teachers’ thought patterns. You can find all those wonderful things in other coaching books. I do think those books and that information are essential to being an instructional coach.

However, as a coach of coaches, I know that so many things get lost when you are transitioning into the position. One day you are hired and the next thing you know, it’s the first day of school and you have no idea what you are doing, how your leader envisions your position, how to approach a teacher as a coach, or what a coaching cycle is. You don’t even know how you fit into the scheme of things because you are not an administrator or a classroom teacher; you are somewhere in the middle, straddling the fence, trying to find your place in the system. I have been there, and it took me some time to figure it all out, which is why I created this book.

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If my journey taught me nothing else, it was how to coach others. Because of my experience, I am able to relate not only to teachers but also to students. Over the past seventeen-plus years, I have experienced primary and secondary education, worked in the classroom and administration, and even held the position of turnaround and school-improvement specialist for the state of Indiana. My favorite role is instructional coach; it is in this position that I’m able to shine because I personally excel while coaching others to do the same. I have dedicated my life to ensuring my colleagues have the tools they need to be phenomenal in the classroom, and their effectiveness results in the success of their students.

SIMPLY INSTRUCTIONAL COACHING

Simply Instructional Coaching will help you create a plan and think through your next steps as you assume the role of a coach. It provides direction for how to get started as an instructional coach. This book includes answers to many questions new and seasoned coaches ask repeatedly on which you can reflect. The final goal is that you will be able to implement simple instructional coaching processes that have the greatest impact on your coaching efforts and, in turn, the greatest impact on teacher learning and student achievement.

The book is divided into two parts. In part 1, “The Foundations of Instructional Coaching,” I answer all of the most frequently asked questions on foundational topics. These topics are what you must understand to create a solid foundation for coaching.

In chapter 1, you will read about what constitutes the position of an instructional coach. You will also discover there are many different instructional coaching models and roles coaches can play in schools and districts.

In chapter 2, you will find information on transitioning into an instructional coaching role. Whether you are a new or seasoned coach, you will find some takeaways. I share how to create a coaching philosophy, my top best practices and top coaching mistakes (and how to avoid them), how to be reflective, and more.

In chapter 3, I share strategies for staying organized as a coach—which is often harder than it sounds! This includes tips for organizing your space, time-management and scheduling strategies, and planning tools.

In chapter 4, I discuss building relationships and trust with teachers. This is the staple of your work as an instructional coach. I discuss fixed mindsets, dealing with conflict on a team, and even some strategies for building a strong relationship with your principal.

In chapter 5, I share the best practices I use to support teachers in the classroom.

I delve into ways to create an environment that provides balanced support for teachers, how to set goals with teachers, and how to give meaningful feedback and constructive criticism. I also discuss what to do when a teacher doesn’t improve, how to

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©2025 Grift Education. All rights reserved.

I present this book in a question-and-answer format. Each chapter opens with a discussion about what the research says about the chapter topic. The rest of the chapter then presents the most commonly asked questions about that topic. I answer each question with suggestions and provide some step-by-step processes that can make the suggestions easy to implement. In addition, after each question, you will find a Coaching Reflection—prompts to jump-start your own thinking and define your immediate next steps. Visit go.SolutionTree.com/instruction to download reproducible versions of the reflection prompts for each chapter.

INTRODUCTION

utilize communication strategies when working with teachers, and what coaching strategies work best.

In part 2, “The Tier, Coach, Grow Model,” I introduce my coaching model, which articulates the action steps to implementing a coaching program and answers all the most frequently asked questions about these steps.

In chapter 6, I discuss tiering teachers, which is one of the more critical components of the coaching process as it allows coaches to differentiate coaching support for change. I also discuss conducting a baseline observation.

In chapter 8, I discuss delivering professional development sessions and working with teams. The chapter also includes how to create an effective professional development session.

As you reflect on your role as an instructional coach, realize you will be implementing change and that change requires courage and consistency: the courage to step out of your comfort zone of being a classroom teacher and to approach, celebrate, coach, and lead others to success; and the consistency needed to implement coaching cycles repeatedly until you see change happening. Don’t give up! You will have hard days, sad days, happy days, lonely days, and empowering days. Never forget why you started and never forget that, at heart, you and I were and always will be teachers who do what is in the best interest of students.

It’s time to get started!

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In chapter 7, I identify the instructional coaching cycle—a process by which an instructional coach provides support to a teacher through goal setting, planning, observation, and reflection so that the teacher can ultimately improve student outcomes. I also define how to utilize a coaching cycle that will benefit teachers and students, how to increase the effectiveness of instructional coaching, how to conduct coaching conversations, and how to use data as part of the instructional cycle.