You are here

Supporting a System-wide Coaching Structure

Monday, June 13, 2022

Written by: Joseph Kanke - Statewide Coaching Coordinator

Many coaches I’ve talked with over the years share a common struggle. It is often clear that there is little structure in their work environments that helps guide their work as a coach. Coaching still frequently occurs in pockets and lacks a system to support it holistically. This can cause frustration and job fatigue. And, in an environment where the need for coaching support is ever increasing we want to be able to support Wisconsin’s coaches.

The Coaching System Development Worksheet is a tool, adapted from the National Implementation Research Network, which supports the development of a system of support for coaches. The tool is broken down into implementation stages and is meant to act as a self-assessment to drive action towards establishing a strong coaching system. Essentially, the tool facilitates teams to consider key components of a coaching system and assess if these pieces are fully in place, partially in place or not at all in place. Each item is paired with resources and examples to help teams develop their own coaching supports. In a perfect world, a district or building looking to install coaching would use the exploration stage worksheet to build out supports as they begin the hiring process. In reality, many buildings and districts that already have coaches would likely benefit from revisiting the exploration stage to see if there are any missing or partial components.

The exploration stage is a critical starting place when regions, districts and schools are considering change. Taking the time to explore what to do, how to do it, and who will do it saves time and money and improves the chances for success. The overall goal of the exploration stage is to consider the extent to which coaching meets the needs of the community, and whether it is feasible. This stage is also the time to assess potential barriers to implementing coaching related to funding, staffing,, and system changes. The result of the exploration stage is a clear plan with tasks and timelines to facilitate the installation and initial implementation of a coaching system. The plan creates “readiness.

During the installation stage, teams actively build their own capacity to support coaching within the system. At this stage, teams work together to ensure the necessary resources are available. Teams actively develop the supports needed to initiate coaching and use it as intended. Teams put necessary supports into place (such as funding, human resource strategies, new policies and procedures, materials).

In facilitating the use of this tool with several buildings and districts, I recognized that while the embedded resources were helpful, some guiding questions for team discussion yielded stronger action plans. The following set of questions are intended to be used alongside the Coaching System Development Worksheet. For those items which the team indicated were partially in place, or not at all in place, the team can access the bank of questions below to generate dialogue.

Coaching Model Selected and Coaching Vision

  • What role does coaching play in disrupting systemic inequities?
  • What is the district’s vision for coaching and how will it be communicated to staff at large (what will coaching do/provide)?
  • What role will coaches play in coaching instruction/leadership/teams/systems?

Coach Job Description

  • If you were to hire a coach tomorrow and they were to ask what knowledge they needed to be effective in the job, what would you say?
  • What do coaches need to know about historical marginalization, self-awareness, emotional regulation, identity, and implicit bias?
  • What coaching and content knowledge do coaches need to have?
  • What beliefs and values does the district hold that you would want to see a coach possess?
  • What will the coach’s responsibilities be?
  • What responsibilities do coaches have in noticing and surfacing dominant narratives and supporting the creation of counter narratives with staff?
  • Outside of the responsibilities of coaches engaged in instructional coaching, what other responsibilities do coaches have? Is this consistent from building to building? If not, what are some potential barriers this could cause to moving a coaching system forward?
  • What roles do coaches play in collecting and using data?
  • How is this role connected to continuous improvement efforts in your school/district?

Feedback report structures determined (Enabling policies)

  • Who should coaches be communicating with? What method(s) should they use to communicate? How often?
  • If a coach is being asked to perform duties outside the scope of their job description, how is this concern communicated and with whom?

First generation of coaches selected

  • What philosophies/mindsets/beliefs and attributes are necessary for coaches to have?
  • If you were tasked with hiring a coach tomorrow, what district guidance would you look to?
  • If there is no coaching specific guidance, what resources could you draw from to create guidelines?
  • How will the hiring team ensure all stakeholders' voices are included?
  • How will the group remove bias from the process?

Coaching procedures developed

  • How much total FTE will the district/building allocate to coaching staff? Of this total, how much will be dedicated to individual coaching? Team coaching? Systems coaching?
  • How much time will be allotted to planning and reflection?
  • How will data be collected on how time is spent?
  • What can coaches make decisions on and what can they not (e.g., methods used, personal learning, how they spend their time-training, getting training, subbing, in classroom, with teams, etc., frequency/intensity/duration of coaching, who they coach, what they coach around, etc.)?

Accountability structure of the individual coach detailed

  • Who is responsible for supervising coaches? What method is used?
  • If there are multiple supervisors, how are they communicating to ensure consistency in coaching practice and evaluation?
  • What evaluation system will be accessed for coaches?

Supports provided to coaches

  • What foundational resources, professional development, coaching, and networking opportunities are available to coaches?
  • How do these align/not align with coach knowledge and responsibilities (above)?
  • If a coach encounters a barrier they are unable to address on their own, what is the mechanism for lifting it up?

Coaching Tags