Instructional Coaching Foundations is a one-day learning experience designed to help instructional coaches, instructional leaders, and coaching teams establish a strong foundation for impactful coaching practices. Whether you are brand new to coaching, a veteran coach looking to recalibrate your work, or a district leader seeking a common coaching language across a team, this workshop provides the essential skills and conditions needed to build a thriving coaching culture.
Grounded in contemporary coaching research and influenced by the work of Jim Knight, Joellen Killion, Diane Sweeney, Steve Barkley, Elena Aguilar, Michael Bungay Stanier, and others, this session explores both the “way of being” and the practical skill set of effective instructional coaching. Participants will deepen their understanding of coaching roles, approaches, coaching cycles, and feedback practices while actively engaging in learning experiences focused on listening, questioning, paraphrasing, trust-building, and goal setting. Throughout the day, participants will explore how coaching conditions and coaching skills work together to create meaningful impact for teachers, teams, and ultimately students.
This workshop is ideal for:
- New instructional coaches beginning their coaching journey
- Coaching teams seeking to calibrate language and practices
- Districts creating onboarding experiences for coaches
- Leaders of coaches who want to strengthen coaching systems and culture
- Veteran coaches looking to revisit and refine foundational practices
Participants will:
- Explore the 10 Roles of a Coach and how coaching roles influence practice
- Examine different coaching approaches and when each approach is most effective
- Learn the four major types of coaching and how they function within systems
- Study contemporary coaching cycles and determine when and how to use them
- Practice active listening, paraphrasing, and questioning skills
- Explore strategies for building trust and maintaining strong coaching relationships
- Learn foundational feedback practices that support reflection and growth
- Develop coaching goal-setting practices aligned to teacher and student growth
- Understand the conditions necessary for coaching to thrive within schools and districts
- Build a shared language and vision for instructional coaching work
If you are looking for the essential starting point for instructional coaching—or a meaningful reset for your coaching team—Instructional Coaching Foundations provides the clarity, tools, language, and practice needed to strengthen coaching impact.