By Miriam Plotinsky
As schools navigate an ever-changing educational landscape, instructional coaches are increasingly in demand to help teachers not only refine their craft but also weather complex circumstances.
In education, providing beneficial support to colleagues demands empathy, adaptability, and a toolbox of actionable strategies. Furthermore, coaching is often a process that teachers are “voluntold” to do, which adds reluctance or resentment to an already challenging process.
The key to facilitating growth involves being prepared, patient, and persistent.
Listening for Context and Subtext
Effective coaching begins with a deep understanding of the context in which teachers work. Middle grades educators confront a complex mix of academic pressures and adolescent needs, which can be further complicated by district initiatives, evolving curriculum standards, and unpredictable or frequent interruptions to instruction. In such scenarios, coaches must become expert listeners.
Taking time to genuinely hear teachers’ concerns – including those spoken in both informal and more structured situations – sets the stage for trust. In The Art of Coaching, Elena Aguilar emphasizes the importance of listening with curiosity rather than judgment, thereby positioning the coach as a partner rather than a more intimidating authority figure.
For example, when a teacher expresses frustration about any challenge, it can be hard to avoid jumping straight to solutions. But making the time and space for their voice to be heard is crucial. Where appropriate, we can build strong relationships by validating feelings with a statement like “I can see why this transition feels overwhelming right now,” and then following up with questions that uncover root challenges.
Such approaches help coaches gather critical information while demonstrating respect for teachers’ expertise and emotional state.
If a teacher is openly resentful of being coached, it is still possible to provide the space for them to express their feelings while remaining resolved about desired outcomes. For example, if the teacher is angry or mystified about their need to be coached, it helps to explain that everyone can benefit from coaching and feedback, and nobody has to be doing anything “wrong” (for lack of a better word) to be supported. If the time and resources have been provided, why not get the most out of the process?
Build Trust
Trust is not a given – especially in situations marked by change, conflict, or uncertainty. Coaches must take deliberate steps to earn trust, which means balancing empathy with professionalism.
Acknowledging difficult topics head-on but with compassion reassures teachers that the coach has some level of sympathy, no matter what the situation. For example, if a teacher shares that they feel targeted by school administrators, the goal is not necessarily to invalidate those feelings; rather, the idea is to focus on what is being cited as most problematic within classroom practice in order to set goals for measurable growth.
At the same time, maintaining the boundary between productive interaction and straight-up venting is important. Coaches need to avoid becoming the outlet for all sources of dissatisfaction or struggle; if that starts to happen, it may be wise to redirect the conversation to what can be controlled, focusing on student success or professional growth.
To make these distinctions clear, try sharing Stephen Covey’s circles of control, popularized in his bestselling book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. In a nutshell, teachers can be more successful when they seek to make changes within elements that are fully within their control, rather than constantly worrying about factors that fall beyond that scope (think district initiatives or large-scale mandates). When we coach individuals who try and veer toward those futile areas, it helps to redirect their thinking by saying, “Let’s look at what we can control and discuss where to go next.”
Set Clear, Attainable Goals
When there are many possible areas for growth (as is often the case), it helps for coaches to help teachers prioritize needs and narrow the focus to clear, achievable objectives. Most of all, teachers will approach any change more openly if they have a role in developing goals.
Consider the following steps to get things off on the right foot:
1. Break down bigger actions into manageable and specific chunks: Instead of vaguely telling a teacher to “differentiate instruction,” set micro-goals like, “Select two assignments this month and develop both scaffolds and extensions for them.”
2. Co-create goals: Ask teachers what they feel most motivated (or worried) about, and design strategies together. If teachers do not have a say in working on their own areas of growth, they will be less inclined to invest in the process altogether.
3. Prioritize the “must-dos” over the “could-dos.” With time at a premium, it helps to concentrate on non-negotiables that most impact student learning. For example, if the daily objective is unclear, then students are likely at sea about not just what they are learning, but why it matters.
The bottom line is that no matter what goals are co-created by a teacher and coach, the desire to follow through must be mutual; otherwise, the process becomes a waste of time.
Model Instruction
It’s easy to talk about what works in theory, but teachers need concrete support rather than vague ideals. Coaches can model desirable practices by working shoulder-to-shoulder with mentees. This process might include co-planning a lesson, conducting instruction in the teacher’s classroom, or sharing video exemplars of experienced teachers in action.
Suppose that the coach and teacher agree to prioritize “equitable calling” over the next several weeks. Rather than just set the goal and leave it there, the coach can go a step farther.
For example, they might guest teach a music class one day and model a strategy, like having students write a favorite song on an index card and collecting the cards. Then, the coach can pull cards randomly from the pile to increase equitable participation and also give the students an additional opportunity to talk about their song (or listen to a verse), which builds relationships.
By staying connected to practice and getting into the classroom with teachers, coaches stand to gain a lot more respect and demonstrate that they are not just all talk.
Normalize Mistakes
When teachers become defensive about having areas for growth pointed out and addressed, this behavior may require explicit conversations about learning from mistakes and reframing failure as a step in the larger process. Otherwise, whenever a coach points out what needs to be improved, they might be met with a knee-jerk response that resists any efforts toward positive change.
Rather than sharing examples that only represent unqualified success, it helps to be vulnerable about our own missteps. When I work with new or struggling teachers, I am very honest about the many cringeworthy moments I’ve been responsible for over the years.
For example, I share in this Edutopia article that I had to learn a hard lesson about using humor in classroom instruction. When I thought I was being funny, “a student of mine gathered the courage to tell me that I was upsetting her. I was shocked and horrified and asked her to explain. As it turned out, my deadpan sense of humor was being perceived as straight-up snark.”
By sharing examples of my own failures with those I coach and explaining how I learned to do better as a result, the whole notion of mistakes being pathways to success becomes a lot more welcome.
Address Resistance with Respect
As coaches gain experience, they learn to be adept in handling resistance, discomfort, and a possible lack of closure. Some teachers may be upset about working with a coach because they’re exhausted or skeptical of the process, while others see it as a judgment about their professional abilities. Rather than viewing any pushback as an affront, it is more productive to learn more and get to the root cause of resistance with these open-minded moves:
1. Seek to understand, not persuade: Ask, “What concerns you about this approach?” or ask, “What have you tried that worked before, and why did it work?”
2. Identify the source of any pushback: Is it a lack of time, hurt feelings, previous negative experiences, fear of technology, or something else?
3. Draw a line: If a teacher expresses an idea that can be construed as offensive, directly address the issue. If there may have been a misunderstanding, ask them to elaborate by asking, “Can you explain what you mean?” If the statement is more blatantly troubling, try something like, “What you just shared is problematic because…”
Regardless of the root cause of any challenging interactions, the key to making progress is to avoid making resistance personal. Instead, clarify the non-negotiables and invite teacher autonomy wherever possible.
Use Data Thoughtfully and Compassionately
When a coaching relationship is fraught with difficult or emotional moments, data becomes a coach’s best friend and removes perceptions of bias from the equation. If a teacher feels that a coach is targeting them with a less than favorable observation report, it helps to point to specific areas of the lesson that highlight particular issues.
For example, suppose a coach notes that the teacher is only paying attention to certain students. If there is evidence to back up that assertion (like a tally of who the teacher has talked with throughout the period, and how many times), then the conversation is based on fact rather than perception.
Ideally, we can also frame data collection as a tool for growth, not evaluation. For example, if test scores dip for a teacher we coach, it might be helpful to place more focus on regular analysis of formative assessments and evidence of student progress on all assignments instead of fixating on the next round of high stakes testing so that the focus remains on high-quality instruction.
In addition, focusing on data allows us to celebrate small wins – a student’s improved participation, consistent homework completion, or a well-executed discussion. A coach might help set up simple progress monitoring system, offering to build spreadsheets or graphs with the teacher, making sure to always contextualize data: Was this a tough week for everyone? Did external events impact student focus? What went well, and how can we use that information to build on success?
Remain Flexible and Knowledgeable
Flexibility is a two-way street in a coaching relationship; to be effective, we must model resilience and agility. In education, situations constantly change, priorities shift, and both students and teachers undergo continuous growth. Understanding and accepting the need to pivot is therefore an essential part of ensuring that the coaching process doesn’t stagnate.
Furthermore, coaches need to be alert and stay knowledgeable about any shifts that occur, from district initiatives to new curricula. It can be challenging to help teachers when we lack key information about what is being taught and what their leaders have prioritized in terms of instructional focus. To remain connected to the work, coaches can invest in their own growth by attending regular professional learning or curriculum training sessions, joining coach communities online, and staying current with instructional research.
Servant Leadership
When teachers face difficulty, instructional coaching is most powerful not simply as a mechanism for improvement, but also as an act of servant leadership. Coaches can help create environments where teachers feel seen, supported, and empowered to respond to whatever challenges arise. By remaining rooted in the tenets of serving those we support, coaches become anchors in turbulent times.
In the words of Jim Knight, founding senior partner of the Instructional Coaching Group, coaching is “about helping people do things they didn’t think they could do.” When situations are hard, this mission is more important – and more rewarding – than ever. All educators deserve caring, committed coaches who walk alongside them, even when the path is rough.
Miriam Plotinsky is an instructional specialist with Montgomery County (MD) Public Schools and the author of Writing Their Future Selves: Instructional Strategies to Affirm Student Identity (WW Norton, 2023), Lead Like a Teacher: How to Elevate Expertise in Your School (WW Norton, 2023), and Teach More, Hover Less: How to Stop Micromanaging Your Secondary Classroom (WW Norton, 2022).
Miriam’s latest book Small but Mighty: How Everyday Habits Add Up to More Manageable and Confident Teaching (2024) is available from ASCD.
Miriam is also a National Board Certified Teacher and certified administrator. Her articles have appeared at MiddleWeb, Edutopia, ASCD Express, Education Week, EdSurge and other outlets. Visit her website and follow her on X/Twitter @MirPloMCPS and on Bluesky @mirplo.bsky.social.
