Instructional Coaching Video

      Albemarle County Public Schools in Charlottesville, VA developed an instructional coaching model on the foundation that teachers who have another person to collaborate with and discuss new practices with are more inclined to embed those practices in their everyday work.  The model is distributed across the district as described below.

• 24 coaches in 27 schools within the district
• Each school has 3-4 coaches.
• Every coach works between at least 3 schools.
• Teachers choose their instructional coach to work with.
• After 3 to 5 years, a coach moves to another role within the district. 
• Instructional coaches meet on a regular basis to discuss their work and best practices.

 The district's purpose of the instructional coaching model is to:

• Support teachers with implementing more innovative practices.
• Connect school cultures across the district.
• Promote a collaborative systems approach to professional development.
• Address teachers' diverse learning needs. 

      These supports from the instructional coach are built from the teacher's goals and may be in the form of conversations, modeling instructional plans, observations, and/or reflections on strategies.  When a teacher makes a decision to work with an instructional coach, the pair begin to work through the five phases of the coaching model. 

     1. Establish the Need
The teacher needs to clearly state his or her goal and the reason behind the goal.
     2. Create Partnerships
Teachers are able to form a partnership with a coach of their choice.  This allows for personalities to match and a positive collaborative environment. 
     3. Target Differentiated Technology Projects
The coach helps the teacher brainstorm what is the most effective method of teaching to achieve the goal and helps develop an implementation plan to address the goal.  The coach could model strategies for the teacher, help during the lesson, or simply observe while the teacher leads the instruction. 
     4. Access the Progress
Reflect on the process along the way.  Are the goals of the teacher being met?  Is the coaching process allowing the teacher to be more self-sufficient in meeting his or her goals?  Is the teacher comfortable implementing innovative practices without aid from the coach?
     5. Reflect on the Implementation
The coach and teacher meet together to reflect on the process, the initial goal, the challenges faced by the teacher, and what will happen next.  This needs to be an open, honest conversation for the coach and teacher to benefit from the process and collaboration that occurred. 

      By implementing this model, Albemarle County Public Schools created positive results throughout the district.  Collaborative relationships across the district were built, graduation rates increased and dropout rates decreased.  The district also experienced growth in reading, math, and science. 

      As I study the five phases of collegial coaching and Albemarle County Public Schools instructional coaching, it is important to note the coaching is a judge-free approach.  The coach is there to empower the teacher to implement technology, try a new strategy, or any other goal set forth by the teacher.  The coach helps the teacher think through the process, can offer materials or models, or extend ideas from other teachers in the district.  The coach is not there to criticize, critique, or grade the teacher.  Building a trusting, positive relationship between coaches and teachers will make the instructional coaching model successful in any school district. 
     
      Watch the video below to hear first-hand accounts from the instructional coaching model at Albemarle County Public Schools.

 Reference

     Albemarle County Public Schools. (2015, September 17).  Instructional coaching: seeding district-wide innovation.  Retrieved November 16, 2016, from Edutopia website: https://www.edutopia.org/practice/instructional-coaching-seeding-district-wide-innovation