Instructional Coaching
How does instructional coaching tie into the mission of PCSD?
Instructional Coaches in the Park City School District collaborate with teachers to help them identify and implement effective research and evidence-based instructional practices. Instructional Coaches provide a structure to guide all educators to excel in their teaching practice by providing:
- Professional development
- Collecting and reflecting instructional data
- Provide necessary resources
- Model best instructional practices
- Co-teach lessons
- Engage in reflective conversations about professional practices
- Evaluate student achievement data to help guide instruction
This allows teachers to empower the whole child in their development of knowledge, skills, and potential as critical thinkers.
An Instructional Coach’s goal is to improve student achievement across all content areas and student groups.
What is instructional coaching?
- Instructional coaches are site-based, professional educators who support teachers with proven pedagogical practices that better support student learning.
- Instructional coaches foster the development of trusting relationships between colleagues to improve student outcomes and to implement research-based instructional practices and varied assessments.
- With student achievement at the center of the work, coaches partner with teachers to ensure quality instruction through a process of reflective practice.
- Data analysis (provided from coaching observations) drives instructional practices.
How is instructional coaching professional development?
To be involved in a community of learners where reflection occurs on a regular basis is both powerful and a proven type of professional development. Coaches provide resources and support in a variety of ways, including observation, SIOP, data analysis, pedagogy. Coaches model professional behavior and teaching. Coaching is individualized and job-embedded to address each teacher’s needs based on their own goals for instruction. Coaches help teachers continually improve their practice, regardless of the length of time they have been in the classroom.
If the goal of professional development is to make ongoing gains in one’s profession, then coaching achieves this because it isn’t meant to be transitory. It’s ongoing and meets the needs of individual teachers in real time. It is teacher-centered and teacher-driven.
As the teaching profession is an ever-changing process, coaching cycles are imperative for the transitions that teachers must go through.
Coaching is whole group and individual in nature, designed to ultimately support the teachers so they may support their students.
How does instructional coaching work?
- Demonstration: Model lessons and teaching techniques
- Teacher Support: Provide many different types of support for the teachers
- Instructional Strategies: Provide teachers with guidance in planning of instructional practices and strategies
- Program Implementation Strategies: Guide program implementation and monitor additional support
- Collaboration/Grade-Level Planing: Facilitate meetings with teachers, administrators, and school staff
- Knowledge and Skills: Support the development of teachers’ knowledge and skills as a means of deepening and expanding their expertise
- Resource: Provide materials, information, and ideas for teachers’ specific needs
- Data Analysis/Assessment: Support and guide teachers in the area of data collection and analysis
- Professional Development: Provide professional development for teachers to foster growth
- Observation and Feedback: Conduct observation of instruction and help teachers improve by giving feedback