Instructional Coaching with Ms. B

Today, we’re exploring what instructional coaching is and is not, with educational consultant and coach Jasmine Abbey Bell. We look at what it takes to define your role, build strong relationships, and set yourself up for success. You’ll learn what instructional coaching is and the biggest misconceptions that can sabotage coaches. Jasmine also shares practical ways to clarify your role for adminis...

What is the purpose of instructional coaching, and how can you prove its value to your school community? In this episode, I sit down with Education Consultant Erinn Cottman to explore what instructional coaching is, why it is necessary, and how it supports both teacher development and student academic success. Erinn emphasizes the importance of establishing a culture of coaching in schools, develo...

Hey coach, been feeling all the feelings lately? You’re definitely not alone! In this episode, literacy coach and adjunct professor Leah Ruesink joins me for an honest conversation about instructional coaching: more feelings than you'd expect! We discuss the big feelings instructional coaches often grapple with, including feelings of imposter syndrome, isolation, and self-doubt. Leah shares her jo...

Ready for an inside look at a day in the life of an administrator who coaches? Discover how my guest, Jodi Wilson, balances teacher support, student learning, and administrative work! In this episode, Jodi shares what a day in the life of an administrator who coaches is really like. She emphasizes the importance of being an instructional leader, not just an administrator. Jodi reflects on her tran...

We’re taking you inside a day in the life of a high school instructional coach! In this episode, Allie Freeburg shares what a typical day looks like for her at an urban charter school. Allie offers an honest look at her coaching role, including how she supports teachers, overcomes common challenges, and drives positive change. She breaks down how she structures PLC meetings and discusses how she b...

Curious about what it’s like to coach at more than one school? In this episode, Mallory Martin gives us a glimpse into a day in the life of an instructional coach with multiple campuses. She walks us through her weekly coaching schedule and shares how she manages her time. You’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at her organizational system, including her top six tips for traveling coaches. Mallory al...

This week, we’re wrapping up our series on schoolwide behavior and management practices that work. In this episode, Sam Parmerlee, The ED Queen, joins me to talk about behavior de-escalation for instructional coaches. During the episode, Sam discusses the kinds of behaviors we are seeing in the classroom. We explore why equity is an important consideration when thinking about student behavior. Sam...

What does social-emotional learning (SEL) as a schoolwide approach look like in action? In this episode, I’m joined by Lana Penley, author and founder of Unlocking SEL, to explore this important topic. Lana shares her experience with SEL during a school crisis and how it supported both students and staff. We talk about what social-emotional learning is and what it’s not! She explains how SEL helps...

In this episode, we’re exploring MTSS school systems that support student behavior with Crystal Ceresani from the Behavior Alliance of South Carolina. We discuss how the Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) can be used to manage behavior more effectively, starting with proactive Tier 1 strategies. Crystal outlines why behavior needs to be explicitly taught, just like academics, and what that look...

This week we’re kicking off a new series all about behavior and management approaches that actually work! In this first episode, we’re focusing on how to create a schoolwide system for student behavior. We explore the complexities of classroom management and its impact on student learning. I walk you through what to consider when building a consistent, schoolwide approach to management. I share th...

Ever wonder why some teachers slip back into old habits after coaching cycles? It may be that the reflection piece is missing from your process! In this episode, Kim Cofino, host of the podcast #coachbetter, joins me to explore reflective questioning for teachers in instructional coaching conversations. She unpacks how to make reflective conversations a natural part of your coaching work and revea...

Giving more feedback isn’t the answer! Giving better feedback is! In this episode, Dr. Jo Lein reveals how to provide feedback teachers actually want to hear! She shares what the research tells us about coaching and feedback. Discover 7 powerful coaching personas that can transform how you support teachers and help you deliver more effective feedback. Plus, you'll hear what better feedback sounds...

Change is hard! As coaches, we often have to overcome objections and resistance from our teachers. But how can we do it effectively? In this episode, Becca Silver from The Whole Educator joins me to talk about breaking through resistance with difficult conversations. She offers practical strategies for overcoming resistance and shares real-life examples from her coaching conversations. During our...

For our coaching conversations to have a big impact, we need to remember what was discussed, the next steps, and any follow-up needed. With everything else we have going on, that’s often easier said than done! In this episode, I’m sharing ways to track your coaching conversations, from low-tech to high-tech. I’ll explain why tracking conversations with teachers is important and walk you through a...

When we work with PLC teams, we often find that teachers are operating from different philosophies, backgrounds, and experiences. This can be a huge challenge, but don’t worry, I brought help! Today Casey Watts, from Catching Up with Casey, joins me to discuss working with diverse PLC teams and how this work can support your coaching action plan. During the episode, she tells us about her new book...

How can instructional coaches help build a collaborative school culture that supports teachers working together for student success? In this episode, Kurtis Hewson of Jigsaw Learning joins me to explore collaborative team meetings. He emphasizes creating strong systems of collaboration to support our teachers and reduce isolation. He provides an introduction to collaborative team meetings and dist...

Selecting the right professional development topics for your school can be challenging! Helping teachers put what they’ve learned into practice can be even harder! That’s why I invited Monica Bennett to join me on the podcast. During our conversation, we discuss how to identify potential PD topics and narrow them down for the biggest impact. Monica offers practical ways to follow up on professiona...

What goes on an effective teacher survey? In this episode, we’re exploring this topic with my guest Amanda Sutera. During the conversation, Amanda explains how she uses surveys to get to know her teachers, understand their needs, and track progress. She tells us how she analyzes the results and the ways she uses the data to support her coaching work. We talk about the questions she asks, the tools...

Wondering what you should do each month as an instructional coach? This episode is for you! I share a year-long guide to coaching with actionable steps and PD topics for each month. You’ll learn what to do at the beginning of the year and how to create an action plan to support teacher growth. Plus, I explain how my coaching planner can make it easier to stay focused all year long. Whether you're...

I wanted to book Ted Lasso as a guest…but there was a small problem! Recently, I sent a survey to my audience asking who they'd like to hear from about instructional coaching, and one of the responses was Ted Lasso! That gave me a good laugh, but honestly, I loved the idea! Since he’s a fictional character and not a real person, I knew I couldn’t actually have him on the show. So, I decided to do...

Struggling to set coaching goals that you actually achieve? Katie Maciulewicz from EDU Coach Network joins me to discuss using the COACH acronym to write instructional coaching goals. If SMART goals haven't been working for you, this fresh approach might be the change you need! In the episode, we explore common challenges coaches face when setting goals. Katie introduces the COACH acronym: Clear,...

Let's talk about mindset! Being a coach isn’t easy! Some days you may feel like you're not making progress, or there’s just too much to do. But the way you approach these challenges can make all the difference! So, how do we develop a positive mindset around our coaching work? In this episode, Dr. Todd Whitaker joins me to discuss developing a positive coaching mindset. During the conversation, he...

We're kicking off Season 6 with a series about loving your work with a good coaching mindset. In this first episode, we're talking about positive breakthroughs in coaching you might be missing. Instructional coaches carry a heavy burden and deal with so many things. We're often looking for big changes and can sometimes miss the good stuff that's happening in our schools. This episode discusses the...

The current role of the Department of Education and how that could change has been a hot topic in the news recently. In the Season 5 finale, Dr. Jen Newton of Teaching is Intellectual joins me to discuss this important topic. She explains the Department of Education's responsibilities, including distributing Title I money and funds for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). We dis...

The spring semester will be here soon! So, how do you develop your spring action plan? In this episode, we’re discussing the three parts of your spring action plan. We talk about conducting a thorough needs assessment to gather information for the plan. This includes talking to administrators, hearing from teachers, visiting classrooms, and looking at data. Once you have those four pieces of infor...