I worked as a classroom teacher for many years. The main feeling I have about those years of full-time teaching? Never enough time. I had so many dreams, ideas and goals for my teaching and my students, but the amount of work and the intensity of the job made it too hard to get it all done in a way that felt good. It was painful to keep falling short of my vision.

 

Traditional instructional coaches train teachers with a specific curriculum and approach in mind. Often they are evaluating teachers as well, which can bring some tension to that relationship.

 

There’s a place for this type of coaching for sure, when it is done skillfully. I provide teachers with a different kind of support. I  help them set and meet their own professional goals. I also help them prepare materials for their classes, so that they have more energy to give to their students.