Differentiating Instructional Coaching (Time for Teachership Podcast)
We differentiate for students every day. So why do we sometimes expect every teacher to need the exact same kind of coaching? That’s what differentiating instructional coaching is all about.
I joined Dr. Lindsay Lyons on the Time for Teachership podcast (episode 243) to talk about differentiating instructional coaching, building trust with resistant teachers, and why visiting a colleague’s classroom is such a powerful move.
Watch the full conversation below, or listen to episode 243 of Time for Teachership here (you can also search for Time for Teachership wherever you listen to podcasts).
“We are not responsible for the system. We can’t fix the system tomorrow.”
Keep the Purpose of Instructional Coaching in View
Everything we do as coaches is ultimately about helping kids grow into the adults they’re going to become. We can’t fix every part of the system, but we can steer small conversations toward bigger growth.
Define Your Coaching Vision First
Before you can explain your role to anyone else, get clear on it yourself. One idea I shared: sketch a pie chart of how you want to spend your time (in classrooms, facilitating teams, in meetings). Then align with your administrators before you introduce coaching to teachers, so no one gets mixed messages.
Differentiating Instructional Coaching with a Strategy Toolbox
Some strategies are more impactful in creating classroom change, and some are less so. And that’s okay! A differentiated coaching toolbox lets you match the strategy to the teacher’s readiness and goals:
- Relationship-building moves like listening, being a sounding board, or sharing a resource
- Knowledge-building moves like collaborative planning or looking at data together
- High-impact classroom moves like co-teaching, modeling, and video coaching
Differentiating Instructional Coaching for Resistant Teachers
Respect, persistence, and follow-through build trust over time. And for teachers who aren’t ready to have a coach in their room? A visit to a colleague’s classroom can be a low-pressure entry point that opens the door to so much more.
Grab the Free Book Pass PD Strategy
Want an easy way to start differentiating professional learning with your teachers? I shared my Book Pass PD strategy with Lindsay’s listeners, and you can grab it free, too!
Tools for Differentiated Coaching
A coaching menu is one of the easiest ways to show teachers all the ways you can support them. And if you’re working with a teacher who isn’t ready yet, my Coaching Resistant Teachers PD video can help.
Keep Reading
- Coaching Resistant Teachers: 5 Days to Rebuild the Relationship
- Strategies for Coaching Teachers: #NewtoCoaching Livestream Replay
Want More Coaching Strategies Like These?
Everything I shared in this conversation connects to my new book, Expand Your Coaching Toolbox (ASCD + ISTE). It’s packed with practical, differentiated coaching strategies for building relationships, building knowledge and alignment, and building classroom skill, so you can meet every teacher right where they are.
