New Instructional Coach? Start Here – Free Coaching Roadmap & Workbook
Starting your first instructional coaching role can feel exciting… and overwhelming at the same time.
There are so many questions:
- Where do I even begin?
- What should I focus on first?
- How do I build relationships with teachers?
- What does coaching actually look like in the first few weeks?
And when everyone around you seems to expect you to already know the answers, it’s easy to feel like you’re figuring it out as you go.
That’s exactly why I created The New Coach’s Playbook — a free new instructional coach workbook and roadmap designed to help new instructional coaches start with clarity and confidence.
A Roadmap for New Instructional Coaches
One of the hardest parts of starting a coaching role is knowing what to prioritize first.
There are always a million things you could do:
- create systems
- plan PD
- organize data
- visit classrooms
- support teachers
- start coaching cycles
But trying to do everything immediately usually leads to overwhelm.
This roadmap breaks the process into clear, manageable steps so you can build a strong foundation before diving into everything else.
What You’ll Learn in the Free Coaching Playbook
The roadmap walks you through the most important parts of starting your coaching role, in order.
1. Defining Your Coaching Role
One of the first things new coaches need to do is clearly define:
- what they do
- how they support teachers
- what coaching will look like on their campus
The workbook helps you reflect on the kind of coach you want to be and identify supports you want to offer teachers.
2. Communicating with Administrators
Strong principal-coach relationships matter.
This section helps you think through:
- coaching responsibilities
- communication systems
- shared goals and expectations
- how administrators and coaches can support each other effectively
It also encourages coaches to think proactively about structures that support school-wide change.
3. Sharing Your Role with Teachers
Teachers need to understand:
- what coaching is
- how you can support them
- what working with you will actually look like
The playbook includes reflection pages and ideas for introducing your role to staff in a way that builds trust and clarity from the beginning.
4. The First 20 Days of Coaching
The first few weeks of coaching set the tone for the rest of the year.
This section helps you plan:
- weekly priorities
- coaching goals
- systems and routines
- relationship-building opportunities
Instead of trying to do everything at once, you’ll focus on the actions that matter most early on.
5. Building Relationships with Teachers
Coaching works best when relationships come first.
Inside the workbook, you’ll reflect on:
- building empathy and credibility
- communication strategies
- planning 1:1 conversations with teachers
- ways to gather feedback and stay connected
These small relationship-building moves create the foundation for long-term coaching success.
6. Conducting a Needs Assessment
Before planning support, coaches need to understand what teachers actually need.
This section helps you think through:
- teacher surveys
- classroom walkthroughs
- data review
- identifying patterns across campus
It also helps you begin planning how you’ll respond to the needs you discover.
7. Starting Coaching Cycles
Starting coaching cycles can feel intimidating for new coaches.
The roadmap breaks the process into manageable steps and helps you think through:
- how to invite teachers into coaching
- what the coaching cycle process looks like
- how to structure support over time
The workbook pages help you begin creating a plan that feels realistic and sustainable.
Why This Playbook Helps New Coaches
What makes this resource especially helpful is that it doesn’t just give you ideas — it gives you a sequence. This new instructional coach workbook walks you through the coaching process step by step so you always know what to focus on next.
You’ll get:
- a step-by-step coaching roadmap
- podcast episodes organized in a purposeful order
- workbook pages to process your learning
- planning tools to help you implement what you learn
Instead of wondering what to focus on next, you’ll have a clear path forward.
Free Download: New Instructional Coach Workbook & Roadmap
If you’re starting out as an instructional coach and feeling unsure where to begin, this free resource will help you build a strong coaching foundation.
Coaching is slow, thoughtful work. You don’t have to figure everything out immediately.
Start with relationships. Build systems gradually. Focus on learning and listening first.
The goal isn’t to do everything at once — it’s to build a coaching practice that’s purposeful, sustainable, and supportive for teachers over the long haul.
