Episode Notes:

-Teacher, H.S. Administrator, worked for the State Department in Kentucky, and a middle and high school expert, and worked nationally with schools on instructional improvement and instructional leadership.

-Coaching Redefined Book- instructional leaders can have a guide book of how to set it up effectively and all of the components that go into it: growing yourself to growing your school and thinking of the culture of the school. It came from a desire to make it work and from real experience in a coaching and admin role.

-Intentional Instructional Moves Book- it sets up what classroom instruction should look like based on research and the intentional steps to get there. The audience is to teachers because they are the ones who will make these shifts. It is also powerful for admins or coaches, but it starts with the teacher shifts.

-Actions speak louder than words, teachers see what we are doing as coaches. We need to be humble in our position, and know we are all learners. We are not the people who know it all. Coaches can show that they are still learning too.

-Ask reflective questions. Have a listening tour prior to meeting with a teacher. Constantly ask questions, ask for feedback, and all the nuances in between. See the best in people as coaches.

-We need to believe in the teachers’ ability to grow constantly!

-Listening Tour - when schools try it, they think it is the best thing. It shapes the coaching within our school. A respectful approach to how we lead. It can change your trajectory in how teachers in your school see coaching.

-Get clarity around your role as a coach. See the website for questions to ask and the admin when entering that role. They understand the parameters and protocols within that role.

-Recognize the positive part of the instructional methods. There is a lot of research as to how individuals are recognized for their positive work, engaged deeper in the work, and is connected to retention. All is important for us in education right now. We need to recognize the positive things teachers do.

-Provide timely, honest, and consistent feedback.

-Honest conversations can go a long way. Critical conversations grounded in the third point of data can also be powerful.

-When we look back, we can remember which teachers believed in us, respected us, and loved us - and we know the ones who didn't. And for those who did, we would do anything in the world they asked us to improve.

-We need to have collaborative goals set with our teachers. Research shows that goals can bump our productivity from 11 to 25 percent. Think about that per classroom. A clear goal set with that teacher could make a huge impact. That has to be a collaborative goal.

-We need to differentiate as coaches for educators. If we expect teachers to model differentiation for our students, we also have to model that differentiated learning.

-Research shows that our walk-throughs should take between 3- 10 minutes. If the goal is right you will be able to see it in that amount of time. Sometimes we can spend too much time. Then they miss out on other classrooms. If we can get in more often but for less time we will see greater growth in those educators we are coaching.

-We have to be very intentional with our time and our feedback. We have to think about the small steps.

We have to be mindful of their next step, not necessarily where we want them to be. Those can at times be two very different places, but focus on the small steps. Think about not the end mark, but the next small step in that learning progression.

-Intentional Instructional Moves - it outlines those big concepts of effective instruction, and breaks it down to intentional steps, and a virtual guide to have all the resources for each strategy.

-Human growth and psychology research and podcasts can be helpful. Listen to the podcasts and it can impact your work.

-Take accurate notes- so we can see what we are doing so we can get where we are trying to go.

-Coaches are collaborators of content and that partner for growth, that understands teachers do not come to school as a blank slate. They have other things going on outside of the school. We all need the support of other humans.

-Embedded coaching has the largest impact on student learning. It is hard because it is so important. It is also equally rich and rewarding.

-Find yourself a community of coaches and latch onto them. It is how people see things they need to see within themselves.

Connect with Sherry:

-reflecttolearn.com - newsletter sign up there

-Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Episode Notes:

-Served in a wealth of roles within education from teaching, coaching, to administration.

-Contract work for curriculum companie and Senior Consultant for Learning Forward

-Mentoring Program through Learning Forward- a learning cycle with three parts. 1. Diagnose 2. Coaching Support 3. Monitoring Progress and Reflect

-The mentors only goal is to help the mentee grow professionally. You have to communicate effectively through listening, paraphrasing, questioning, and giving quality feedback.

-Work life balance and time management are two big factors that can be barriers for new teachers, as well as big behaviors.

-We can support and retain teachers through the use of a specifically assigned mentor. Also having a good, collaborative team can be a huge difference in morale and make you not feel alone in this difficult job.

-Monthly mentor/mentee check in meetings are also powerful in supporting our newest educators.

-This job does not get easier, you just get better - because you have more tools and resources in your toolbox.

-Establish strong and trusting relationships. Develop partnership agreements to foster that strong relationship- sets the purpose of the relationship.

-We assign mentors as soon as is possible. We want to be proactive in building that relationship and that they are part of a team and a culture.

-Mentor check ins - agenda - and tailor to strategic points in the year to ensure we are checking in and providing support. Your success is our success!

-Observation and feedback are essential to growing as an educator. Utilize SMART goals between mentor and mentee. Make it timely and attainable, so the mentee can feel that success in a timely manner.

-Coaching is a way to scale your impact, a way to impact more students through educators. Every educator needs a coach.

-If you could fix one thing about this situation, what would it be? If you could wave a magic wand and it would fix the hardest parts of this situation, what would it be? In a perfect world, what would this look like?

Connect with Leslie:

-X: @ldhirsh

-Learning Forward Consulting Services

-Mentoring New Teachers: A Learning Cycle Approach go to LearningForward.org —> Bookstore