We want to give you a peek inside our Coach Certificate & Mentorship Program. Coaches taking part in this academic-year-long journey have graciously given us permission to post some of their learning and reflections from the private coursework they are undertaking during this program. Where possible, we have shared the course and the action task to give context for the guest post.

Watch Andrew’s Video

Read Andrew’s Reflection

What goals did you set for yourself at the beginning of the program?

At the start of the program I wanted to gain a better understanding of the behind the scenes work of a coach. I have been in a few coaching conversations but I wanted to learn more about the legwork so to say of coaching and was very interested in the research behind different coaching models. I was probably most interested in the transferable skills of being a coach. In my experience I have worked with literacy and tech coaches but I was curious about if there could be a ‘general coach’ so to speak.

How did each milestone support you in reaching your goal?

The three phases helped to create a complete picture of who a coach is, what they do, and how they can be successful (or more successful). The milestones forced me to take on the aspects or the different roles of a coach. Watching the videos and completing the readings within each section leading up to the milestone helped me to feel confident to move on to the next section.

What has been your biggest area of growth in the program?

In terms of the course, my biggest area of growth has been the understanding of all that goes into developing a culture of collaboration. The idea that sometimes we have to be very clear and deliberate in how we introduce the ideas of coaching as to try to get as many of our staff onboard so to speak. From a skill standpoint, time management has been an area I have had to work really hard on during this course. Managing teaching, coaching (sports), and a new child alongside of this course was a lot to handle at times but it really helped me to focus and prioritize my time.

Which milestone had the most impact on your professional growth this year & why?

Milestone number two, as it ended up being the basis for my third milestone. The document intentionally meant for reflection and not observation (which can infer evaluation), similar to coaching this is non-evaluatory and aims to help teachers increase their capacity through personal reflection and collaboration. The first comment card is meant to show appreciation for student learning, and is in essence a complement to the teacher you are visiting. The second part of the document is a personal reflection and serves as a way to capture a teacher’s thinking after viewing a different classroom or learning space. My aim is to increase teachers comfort with others in their classroom and to enhance collaboration and thinking about the ways in which students learn.

Where do you still have room to grow?

As someone new to coaching, I think my work for a while will be in how I use paraphrasing and compose questions. I think these will just take more practice through practice conversations and cycles.

What surprises and/or challenges have you had along the way? * What would you do differently next time? What did you learn?

If I were to take this course again, I would try to have a few more systems in place to manage my time in a more efficient way.

How did the Coach support you in your learning journey?

The constant encouragement to make the course fit our context was very helpful. At times I felt like I could not relate to some of the milestone prompts but through conversations with Kim and Diana I was able to find a relatable task to fit the needs of the artifact prompts.

How has your learning inside the Coach impacted your coaching practice & program in your school setting?

The Coach has helped me to focus on the different opportunities we are providing for collaboration. What systems do we have in place for teachers to engage in coaching like scenarios and reflections if they are not actively seeking a coach from our school?

What’s next for your professional learning?

I am not currently a coach at my school but I am curious about ways that I can contribute to the coaching / collaborative culture at my school. Prior to the course I read a few leadership books that specifically focus on culture. The idea of developing cultures and mini communities within classrooms, on sports teams, teaching teams, etc is very interesting to me and something I am always on the lookout for. I will continue to seek out books or potential PD opportunities related to this.

On a bit of a random note, I am also really interested in finding more ways to incorporate cooking into my classroom. I would say we cook almost once a week but I would like to enhance my knowledge in the kitchen even more and find ways to share the benefits our class has seen through cooking.

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Level Up Your Coaching with The Coach!

If you are ready to dive deep into your coaching practice, to help you #coachbetter and build a thriving coaching culture in your school, please join us for our next cohort of The Coach!

Wherever you are in building a coaching culture in your school, The Coach will give you the strategies, skills and tools you need to make coaching a success and will empower you to confidently apply instructional coaching strategies in any situation – from building a coaching program, to having coaching conversations, to being a leader in your school community. We facilitate only one cohort each academic year so we can offer individualized support for each participant.

Coaches of all levels are welcome: you’ll start the program with a self-assessment to determine exactly what the next steps are for you!