Any teacher will quickly tell you that the first few weeks of school always fly by in the blink of an eye. How did it get to be mid-September already? As the year begins, there’s a cadence and rhythm that the majority of teachers expertly slide into: learn the students, cover expectations, and begin lessons with the content and curriculum. But for instructional leaders and coaches, the structures for back to school are often varied and widespread.
So, where should instructional leaders start? Should there be a specific structure or rhythm to begin their coaching and support?
While there are no scientifically proven answers to those questions, our team has learned firsthand some instructional leadership moves that make a massive difference in learning outcomes. Here are our top four recommendations:
1. Know the instructional goal(s) you’ll be working toward with teachers as early as possible.
The most effective, impactful instructional coaching happens when there is a clear target that a school, subject, or grade level is trying to reach. Is your school trying to improve reading scores? Decrease the number of students in math interventions? Whatever the goal, that should be the focus of any instructional support.
“But what if teacher evaluations haven’t been done yet, and I’m not sure what coaching is needed? I’m just waiting and building relationships with teachers before jumping in.” This is exactly what I used to think until I learned from Jill Jackson that trust is a byproduct of coaching support that gets real results. And it all starts with knowing where you’re heading– the instructional goal.
Once you know the big goal, it’s time to think about the people who need the most support reaching it.
2. Connect with new teachers right away.
This may seem pretty obvious to some, but if you haven’t gotten around to your new teachers yet, you’ll want to move this action item to the top of your list. It might seem counterintuitive to schedule time with new teachers at the beginning of the year for fear of overwhelming them. After all, they probably have a lot to learn and tons to do in a limited amount of time, and as coaches we can feel like we don’t want to “add one more thing” to their plate. However, the beauty of instructional coaching support is that, if done well, it can feel like relief. Who is better equipped to give teachers the right guidance for curriculum, explain what coaching will look and sound like, and how you will work as a team to reach instructional goals?
After connecting with new teachers, level up your coaching by widening your lens and noticing instructional patterns.
3. Begin gathering instructional trend data as soon as possible.
Besides knowing the school’s instructional goals, a clear understanding of what instruction looks and sounds like in classrooms is arguably one of the most important tools in an instructional leader’s toolbox. Informal classroom visits will provide critical data on where to begin your coaching cycles and teacher support.
Instructional trend data helps coaches and leaders plan their support for teachers in getting quick instructional wins. You’ll want to organize your instructional trend data into two categories:
Which teachers need support in Priority Skills (Classroom Management, Student Engagement, Behavior Management, Lesson Planning, Delivery of a Basic Lesson)?
Which teachers are ready to jump straight into progressing toward the school’s instructional goal?
But data by itself doesn’t change instruction. The magic happens when teachers come together and reflect on that data and how they can support their students. So once you’ve gathered the trends, the next power move is turning that information into intentional planning time.
4. Begin scheduling and designing collaborative planning sessions.
One of the most critical currencies in a school is time. Because time is so limited, collaborative planning must be intentional and worth the investment. When teachers feel that planning is productive rather than “one more thing,” they lean in.
So how can leaders make that happen? By designing collaborative planning around instructional trends and school goals. Trend data can guide not only individual teacher support but also become the blueprint for planning by answering these questions:
What should our focus be?
How often do we need to meet?
- What data are we aiming to impact?
Intentional planning early in the year means teachers can meet student needs sooner and see progress toward goals. It’s the difference between a wish and a plan because, as one author put it, ‘a goal without a plan is just a wish.’ By setting the plan in motion now, leaders turn collaborative planning into a lever for real results.
To jumpstart your own work, grab the quick planner below and jot your thoughts. It’s your first step toward leveling up teacher support.
