Instructional Coaching with Ms. B

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...

This week we’re starting a new series that will help you set up your second semester instructional coaching action plan. But before we can create our new plan, we need to reflect on what we’ve accomplished so far this year. In this episode, Dr. Kim Ramadan joins me to discuss reflecting on your fall semester of instructional coaching. We chat about how coaches should think differently about the up...

Coaching teachers can be overwhelming, especially if we try to coach them all the same way! When we differentiate our work based on a teacher’s current needs, we make it much more meaningful! This past semester, I worked with several coaches to apply strategies from my Instructional Coaching Strategy Toolbox to their work. Today, I invited one of these coaches, Gina Armstrong, to talk about her ex...

How can we turn our interactions with teachers into more meaningful coaching work? Today, we’re continuing our series about Your Coaching Strategy Toolbox. In this episode, we’re looking at differentiating coaching strategies to meet teacher needs on campus. I share different coaching situations and offer suggestions for what to do in each. You’ll get ideas for leveraging low-level strategies into...

Today, we’re discussing five high-impact coaching strategies that make change happen in the classroom! During the episode, I outline the key characteristics of high-level coaching work. I provide an overview of the five high-impact instructional coaching strategies: visiting a colleague, classroom visit, modeling, co-teaching, and video coaching. I also review the three parts of a coaching cycle:...

Is your time spent in PLCs and team meetings actually translating into changes in classroom instruction? If not, this episode is a must listen! Today, we’re looking at why you’re not seeing classrooms change with PLC meetings. This is the second episode in our series about Your Coaching Strategy Toolbox! During the podcast, we explore moderate-level strategies, reasons they may not be as effective...

Today we’re starting a new series about instructional coaching strategies! In this episode, we’re looking at how to leverage low-level coaching strategies into coaching work. I introduce the concept of The Coaching Strategy Toolbox and explain why we need to differentiate support for teachers. You’ll hear about four low-impact strategies, some benefits of using them with teachers, and how to lever...

Turnover rates are really high in schools right now! We have a lot of new people in the field, and many don’t have experience in the classroom. As instructional coaches, we need to provide special support for these new teachers. In this episode, author and associate professor Dr. Bryan Harris joins me to discuss coaching new and unlicensed teachers. We talk about the reasons for high turnover rate...

Today Dr. Jason Andrews of Solution Tree joins me to discuss how to use PLCs to support culture and change. During the episode, we talk about some challenges facing schools right now and how they affect our PLCs. Dr. Andrews shares how professional learning communities can foster a collaborative environment and support teachers, especially new ones. He explains how to use PLCs to build a thriving...

How can instructional coaches support teachers who are burned out and not excited about teaching anymore? I’ve been getting this question a lot, especially in the last few years! To provide some answers, I invited an expert on teacher burnout to help guide us! In this episode, Amber Harper from Burned-In Teacher joins me to discuss strategies for supporting burned out teachers. We explore the thre...