As a coach, it can be hard to know if your coaching is having an impact and how teachers feel about working with you. We know it’s important to make time for feedback, and usually that time is right about now, at the end of the year.
3 Levels of Feedback
There are lots of different ways to collect feedback. We’ve heard many different strategies here on the #coachbetter podcast. Today, I’m going to consolidate that thinking into 3 levels that you can use at all different stages of the school year.
Level 1: Individual Feedback
You can make feedback a regular part of every coaching conversation! This is a simple strategy that I use every time I have a coaching conversation. Before we wrap up our conversation, I always ask: “What was most valuable for you today?” This is a great way for your coachee to recognize that there were valuable elements to today’s conversation. It’s also a great way for you to see what stood out to them, as compared to what you might have thought was most impactful.
Another easy “add on” to the question above, is to ask “Is there anything you would like me to do differently next time?” Especially when you’re early on in your coaching relationship, this lets you tailor and adjust your conversation practice right on the spot.
When I’m asking these questions, I always note them down in our shared meeting agenda, so that I have a record of what was requested and what I was able to adapt from meeting to meeting. (Psst! If you’re not documenting your coaching conversations, you should be! Check out our last post for more on how to do that.)
What’s YOUR level of coaching mastery?
All coaches go through various stages of coaching mastery. Once you identify where you’re at, you can begin to build the skills needed to move to the next stage.
This quiz is based on real-life case studies compiled from years of working with coaches inside The Coach Certificate & Mentorship Program!
When you receive your results, you’ll also get your matching case study from the STRIVE Case Studies to see where you fit in the stages of coaching mastery.
Ready to tackle your challenges and move on to the next level in YOUR coaching practice?
The STRIVE Model of Coaching Mastery quiz will help you identify your level of coaching mastery by matching you with case studies compiled from years of working with coaches inside The Coach Certificate & Mentorship Program so you can easily see where you fit!
When you complete the quiz, you’ll get:
- Your matching case study,
- Specific strengths & challenges aligned to your result;
- Suggested next steps for each stage;
Plus the Case Study Document includes:
- Case studies leveled by coaching mastery;
- A framework to identify essential stages of professional growth & key areas to focus on in your professional learning;
- Alignment with the THRIVE Model for a Successful Coaching Culture;
- Space for you to reflect & prioritize so you can take action immediately!
You’ll go straight to the Quiz, and get the Case Study Document via email.
Level 2: Small Group Feedback: Express Action Research
It can be good to get feedback from a small group, to allow them to share and connect around their experiences with you to really flush out their thinking. You can do this by asking a group of colleagues who’ve worked with you to share their feedback with you as a team.
To facilitate their conversation, you can ask a trusted colleague to use some question prompts that you (or they) design together. The great thing about this method is that they have the opportunity to bounce ideas off of each other. Plus, you know who the people are, so it’s not totally anonymous, but it’s also distant enough from you to get honest feedback.
Level 3: Wide Scale Feedback: Survey
This is probably the most obvious and commonly used form of feedback gathering. Usually it makes sense to do something like this once a year, or even once a semester. This is a great way to get a pulse of the school in terms of their work with individual coaches, as well as how the school feels about coaching. This is an important way to get a broader perspective.
Don’t Forget About Students and Parents!
You can use all of these feedback methods with both students and parents, although the small group and wide scale might be the most appropriate. It’s important to remember that if you’re in the classroom, students are seeing you coach too, and they will have a different perspective that’s worth hearing. It’s likely that you’re working with parents in a variety of settings, seeking their feedback and input can help you support that particular stakeholder group even better!
Gathering data from all different areas of the school will allow you adjust your coaching to the needs of your school community.
Watch the Video
Level Up Your Coaching!
If you’re ready to dig deeper into being more intentional in your coaching practice – or if you’re new to instructional coaching and you’re curious about getting started, join us for one of our courses for coaches!
To learn more about these options, I have two FREE workshops to share with you today.
New Coaches:
If you’re just getting started as a coach, and you want to be successful in your early years, watch our New to Coaching Workshop, which highlights the key mindset and skill set shifts you’ll need when moving from the classroom to a coaching role. The workshop will also tell you all about our course for new coaches, Getting Started as a Coach.
This short course is specifically designed for classroom teachers that are moving into a coaching role so you’re prepared for the transition. It’s focused on exactly the skillset & mindset shifts you need to so you can be successful in your first years as an instructional coach.
Experienced Coaches:
If you’re already a coach & you want to think about being more intentional & strategic in your practice, watch our workshop on the Thrive Model for Coaching Success which will help you evaluate your program and your practice to see where you may have room to grow. You’ll walk away with a clear picture of exactly what you need to focus on to build a thriving coaching culture – and help you decide if our year-long mentorship and certification program, The Coach, is right for you, right now. This program is designed for current coaches who are focused on building a coaching culture through intentional and strategic coaching work at all levels – with teachers and school leaders.
Wherever you are in your coaching journey, we can support you!
For All Coaches
Connect with us!
- Subscribe to the podcast iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher
- Follow us on social media: Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn
- Join our #coachbetter Facebook group
- Explore our courses for coaches
Recent Comments