my blogs
While instructional coaching has been a part of education for a while now, I believe the role of an instructional coach needs to be valued more in so many ways. I have served unofficially and officially in this role for a few years and I feel very moved to share my story, my experience and my voice in advocating for valuing the role of an instructional coach. I am a strengths-based, personalizing learning and growth mindset coach and a lifelong learner, so I am always open to alternate and contradicting thoughts and ideas, which I also gain from research, articles, and others through collaboration discussions and networks. Instructional Coaching Job Description It is extremely important that the role of an instructional coach is properly defined. HR in connection with other leaders must ensure that they are defining and outlining the true role of a coach, if the job is being classified and advertised as an instructional coach, and being funded accordingly. Many times instructional coaching jobs are classified as an instructional coach, but the description aligns to that of an interventionist or purely a full time teacher. Do not get me wrong, I have the greatest respect for teachers, interventionists, and others who are in the classroom facilitating learning fulltime. I believe they are the most important people who provide our students with an education, and we need to do everything we can to support them; I was a teacher for 24 years. However, the role of an instructional coach entails different responsibilities and skillsets and as such should be outlined in ways that the coach will be supporting teachers. Some of these are co-planning lessons, co-teaching when needed, providing feedback, engaging in coaching cycles, engaging in coaching conversations, providing professional development, developing and supporting teacher's goals, using one's content knowledge and instructional coaching skillset to profoundly impact teaching and learning, and so much more. If a district/organization/school is in need of a teacher (teaching and coaching students), co-teacher, interventionist, then advertise accordingly. When we advertise for an instructional coach, but need another role, we minimize the role of a coach and we set this role up to be an "other duties as assigned" role. When the role of an administrator, director, supervisor, or others in higher roles in education are advertised, these are correctly outlined to honor the great duties that they serve, as they should. Why not do the same for instructional coaches? Also, do not advertise for a specific instructional coaching role and then unofficially change the job duties, responsibilities and conditions when the person accepts the job; this is not professional and is no longer aligned to the grant funding. We also need to think about whether "other duties as assigned" should be in an instructional coaching job description as this gives poor leaders the opportunity to dishonor the role of an instructional coach even more. |
Cherry-Anne GildharryOn this page, you will find blogs on educational connections and my life's experiences. Ideas, thoughts and views are my own and are not representative of my employers. References/sources used are public articles found on the internet to support my blogs. Archives
April 2024
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