Maximizing the
Impact of
Instructional Coaching

No matter how well trained people are, few can sustain their best performance on their own. That’s where coaching comes in.
-Atul Gawande

Participants will identify ingredients of successful
Instructional Coaching programs to implement at their district or home campus through discussion, sharing, note-taking, reflection, and questioning.

Cazilda Steele, Ed.D.
Principal - Mayde Creek High School (2009 - present)
• 1 of 7 traditional High Schools in Katy ISD
• Approximately 2700 students
• Approximately 180 teachers
• 4 Instructional Coaches
 ELA and Math – full time
 Science and Social Studies – part –time – (shared with 2 nd campus)

Dora Daniluk
Instructional Coach Facilitator, Katy ISD 2012-2014
• 131 District Instructional Coaches for 2013-14 school year
 35 elementary schools with 70 ICs (ELA/SS, Math/Science)
 13 Junior Highs with 36 ICs (ELA/SS, Math, Science)
 9 (7 traditional) High Schools with 25 ICs (ELA, Math, Science,
Social Studies)

Research on Instructional Coaching
Recent Research
Indicates That With
Classroom Coaching,
Implementation rates rise…
85% - 90%
University of Kansas Center for
Research on Learning

“Without coaches to provide precise instructions, to model in the classroom, to provide positive and motivating honest feedback, few new practices get implemented, and those that get implemented are usually implemented poorly.”
(Cornett & Knight, Coaching: Approaches and
Perspectives, 2009)

Objectives of the Coaching Model
• Promote collaboration and communication to support the delivery of instruction
• Assist teachers with district-promoted instructional strategies by demonstrating and modeling
• Analyze data and facilitate data discussions
• Build campus & teacher capacity
• Plan and Facilitate on-site professional learning
• Participate in on-going and extensive professional development
• Promote and model effective use of instructional technology

Major Responsibilities
KatyISD Instructional Coach
• Collaboration and Communication
• Curriculum
• Data
• Professional Development
• Technology
• Other 

“Coaching is all about helping transport someone from where he or she is to where he or she needs to be.”
Gauthier & Giber, 2006

Percentage of Principals who considered the following criteria “to a great extent” when hiring an IC
Knowledge of content instruction & best practices
“people skills”
Classroom teaching experience
Oral presentations skills and ability to lead teacher groups/reflection
Experience with students of similar population
91%
79%
78%
70%
68%

Mentor
Learner
Change
Agent
Instructional
Specialist
Resource
Provider
Coaching
Hats
Content
Specialist
Data Coach
School
Leader
Learning
Facilitator
Classroom supporter
Killion & Harrison

Mindset of the Instructional Coach
From
Directing
To
Inquiring

Mindset of the Instructional Coach
From
Correcting
To Providing
Constructive
Feedback

Mindset of the Instructional Coach
From
Accepting
To
Empowering

Mindset of the Instructional Coach
Making
Excuses
Generating
Possibilities

Mindset of the Instructional Coach

The Role of the IC
Does NOT Include
• Evaluating Teachers or Providing information for evaluations
• Serving as a substitute teacher
• Taking primary responsibility for instruction of a specific student group
• Disciplining students in an administrative capacity
• Performing clerical duties outside job criteria

• Supporting coaches and teachers
• Implementing school/district initiatives
• Meeting with ICs and leadership team on a regular basis
• Advocating the use of data
– to interpret strengths and weaknesses
– to determine instructional focus
• Sharing best practices

• Articulating the purpose and components of the coaching model to staff
• Sharing building and district initiatives/expectations
• Implementing district curriculum, i.e. unit plans
• Maintaining the fidelity of the Instructional
Coaching Model
• Repeating expectations when needed

• Promoting a safe, trusting environment
• Sharing data is valued and transparent
• Supporting collaboration and team work
• Developing a community of learners

• Promoting continued professional development for all stakeholders
• Participating actively in campus PD
• Walking the talk

• Setting personal goals
• Prioritizing time commitments – weekly schedule
• Promoting self-reflection
• Supporting professional development
• Providing IC support network

IC Support?????

• Promoting Teamwork
• Moving along the Continuum
• Getting Into the Classroom
• Revisiting Teams
• Working with Resistant Teachers
• Project CRISS Update/Review
• Taking Review to the Next Level
• Preparing for Next Year

“Next to the principal, coaches are the most crucial change agent in a school.
Without it, many comprehensive reform efforts will fall short of real improvement.”
Michael Fullan

Campus Vision
• Belief that all students can succeed if opportunity is available
• Student-centered learning
• Building teacher capacity
• Academics and learning are a priority

Campus Readiness
• Data is understood and used to measure student success and plan for enrichment as well as intervention
• Growth mindset
• Time is available for process
• Professional Learning Communities utilized

Campus Expectations
• The coach and team leadership work closely together (DC and team lead)
• Quality 1 st Teach
• Common assessment
• On-going Professional Development
• Positive, Supporting Relationships

The coach and principal’s communication is essential to implementing coaching effectively.
-Coaching Matters, p. 104

Pick Your
Mix-Ins

Campus
Professional
Development

An Instructional Coach is someone whose chief professional responsibility is to bring evidencebased practices into classrooms by working with teachers and other school leaders.

• PLC meetings
• Faculty meetings & Professional
Development days
• Planning of curriculum
• Lunch and Learn
• 6 week snippet
• Tip of the Week
• Video’s of implemented practice

Data

• Facilitate Data Conferences
• Discuss data as a team and share what is working and what needs improvement
• Analyzing student work
• Developing grading rubrics
• Discussing and “tweaking” strategies

• Student Engagement
• Transition Time
• Questioning
• Instructional vs Non-instructional Time
• Ratio of Interaction

Video Taping

“Used effectively, in a way that honors teachers’ professionalism and learning, video can be the most powerful improvement we have experienced in our schools in a long time.”
– Jim Knight, Focus on Teaching: Using Video for High-Impact Instruction

Video Taping – A Window of
Reality
• Highlighting Positives
• Documenting Practice
• Assisting struggling teachers
• Promoting Reflection
• Monitoring progress
• Create your own Teaching Channel

Blue Ribbon Recipes

At MCHS
• Consistency in instruction across classrooms
• Strategies that promote student engagement
• Reflective conversations in PLCs
• Planning for delivery, not the calendar
• Improved Assessment writing
• Common language across contents
• Awareness and Understanding of state accountability

In KatyISD
• Consistency in instruction across schools
• Strategies that promote student engagement
• Reflective conversations in PLCs
• Planning for delivery, not the calendar
• Improved Assessment writing
• Common language across contents
• Awareness and Understanding of state accountability

Award Winning Recipe for Success
Instructional Coach
Principal
Campus
Working, learning, growing together

CazildaCSteele@KATYISD.ORG
DoraDaniluk@gmail.com