Unpacking the Cognitive Load for Instructional Coaches with Kim Porter

In this #coachbetter episode we’re talking about what coaching looks like in schools where it’s been implemented well.  This is a highlight from one of our favorite episodes from a previous season, featuring Ji Han, Associate Director of School Evaluation and Support at the Council of International Schools (CIS). Ji has such a wide experience with coaching in so many schools, hearing her description of what coaching looks like when it’s working well can provide a powerful vision for school leaders, or coaches advocating for instructional coaching.  We're sharing this specific clip because it addresses several of the most common questions we hear when we speak with school leaders about coaching, they wonder: If they should mandate coaching to ensure that every educator takes advantage of that support. If leaders should do the coaching (perhaps part of Professional Growth Plan) How to celebrate the success of coaching if it is confidential  Ji clearly articulates how coaching can grow, when we ensure that we have some essential structures in place: coaching is invitational, coaching happens with a peer, and we see coaching as an experience for all teachers, rather than viewing it as a way to “fix” teachers (or a deficit model). These are three big components that come up on the show all the time, so if this is interesting to you, please be sure to check out the other episodes: Untangling Instructional Coaching, Evaluation & Appraisal with Samantha Olson-Wyman and Stephanie Cifuentes What is coaching and why is it important? Find the show notes for this episode here. Let’s Connect: Our website: coachbetter.tv EduroLearning on LinkedIn EduroLearning on Instagram EduroLearning on YouTube Subscribe to our weekly newsletter Join our #coachbetter Facebook group Learn with Kim Explore our courses for coaches Watch a FREE workshop Read more from Kim: Finding Your Path as a Woman in School Leadership (book) Fostering a Culture of Growth and Belonging: The Multi-Faceted Impact of Instructional Coaching in International Schools (chapter) The Landscape of Instructional Coaching in International Schools (chapter)

18 Feb 11min

This #coachbetter episode is another in our series of coaching case studies, with one of Kim's amazing clients, Lana Yashchyna, 4th grade classroom teacher at the American International School in Kuwait. Lana is a graduate of The Coach Certificate & Mentorship Program and when they recorded this episode she had just finished the program. These case study episodes are designed to share the story of a coach, and the development of their coaching program and practice in their unique setting.  In this conversation Kim and Lana talk about ... Why coaching was so impactful for her as a classroom teacher How she decided to make the move from classroom to coach How she’s been building a coaching culture in her 4th grade team What prepared her to be ready to build a coaching culture in a teaching role Why coaching is so essential in a high pressure school environment If coaching is sustainable as a full time classroom teacher All the steps it took her to build a coaching culture on her team This episode is a fantastic example of all of the ways that classroom teachers can influence a culture of coaching at the team level - and why this is ultimately not a sustainable combination of roles for the long term! If you’re curious about building a coaching culture at the team level - this episode is for you! Find the show notes for this episode here. Let’s Connect: Our website: coachbetter.tv EduroLearning on LinkedIn EduroLearning on Instagram EduroLearning on YouTube Subscribe to our weekly newsletter Join our #coachbetter Facebook group Learn with Kim Explore our courses for coaches Watch a FREE workshop Read more from Kim: Finding Your Path as a Woman in School Leadership (book) Fostering a Culture of Growth and Belonging: The Multi-Faceted Impact of Instructional Coaching in International Schools (chapter) The Landscape of Instructional Coaching in International Schools (chapter)

11 Feb 54min

In this #coachbetter episode we are talking about the importance of measuring the impact of instructional coaching - and sharing that data with all stakeholders. This topic is one of the most common concerns we hear from senior leaders or school boards is: How do you know coaching is making an impact? How can I see the return on investment when I hire instructional coaches? When schools are choosing to invest in non-teaching positions, it is essential to understand how that work is positively impacting student (and in this case, teacher) learning.  This can come as a surprise to new and even experienced instructional coaches, because as educators we are not required to formally “prove” our value on a regular basis. That process is already “baked in” to the structure of the school. However, for instructional coaches, this is not the case. If coaches are not measuring their impact, there is likely no one else on staff who will be doing this work. Which means, it can become very easy to say that no impact has been made. Instead, it is essential for instructional coaches to recognize that intentionally collecting data to measure their impact, and then sharing it within the school community is part of their role. Find the show notes for this episode here. Let’s Connect: Our website: coachbetter.tv EduroLearning on LinkedIn EduroLearning on Instagram EduroLearning on YouTube Subscribe to our weekly newsletter Join our #coachbetter Facebook group Learn with Kim Explore our courses for coaches Watch a FREE workshop Read more from Kim: Finding Your Path as a Woman in School Leadership (book) Fostering a Culture of Growth and Belonging: The Multi-Faceted Impact of Instructional Coaching in International Schools (chapter) The Landscape of Instructional Coaching in International Schools (chapter)

4 Feb 18min

In this #coachbetter episode we’re talking about developing a learning organization through coaching from a systems lens.  This is a highlight from one of our favorite episodes from a previous season. If you’re a longtime #coachbetter listener, you know we often talk about how to develop structures and systems for sustainable coaching practices (in fact there are a few recent QuickTips episodes that highlight this topic - see list below). This clip is another great example of that, featuring Carla Marschall, currently Head of School at Dresden International School. We really appreciate this specific clip because of Carla’s focus on systems thinking. She describes the ways that coaching can shape the culture of a school, when we think about the school as a system, rather than a hierarchy. (If you like this clip, make sure to listen to the full episode with Carla). Here are a few recent episodes that feature this concept: Creating a Sustainable Coaching Culture 3 Steps to Growing a Thriving Coaching Culture Making Instructional Coaching Sustainable with Ellen and Bruce Eisenberg Untangling Instructional Coaching, Evaluation & Appraisal with Samantha Olson-Wyman and Stephanie Cifuentes   Find the show notes for this episode here.

21 Jan 12min

This #coachbetter episode is part of our special series featuring real-life coaching conversations with one of Kim's amazing clients, Sara Wilkins, who, at the time of recording, had just graduated from our course for classroom teachers moving into a coaching role called Getting Started as an Instructional Coach. HUGE thank you to Sara for being willing to record this session to share with all of you! This episode is such a great example of the power of coaching - and how a single coaching conversation can help you get unstuck. In this conversation Kim and Sara talk about how Sara can… bring her existing training and experience to her role as a middle leader use her coaching skills to connect with others in the school community that have similar goal better understand the potential resistance to the work she’s trying to do bring this conversation to a leadership level consider how to shift her language to help others embrace a coaching mindset use existing structures at her school to create a bridge to coaching Find the show notes for this episode here. Let’s Connect: Our website: coachbetter.tv EduroLearning on LinkedIn EduroLearning on Instagram EduroLearning on YouTube Subscribe to our weekly newsletter Join our #coachbetter Facebook group Learn with Kim Explore our courses for coaches Watch a FREE workshop Read more from Kim: Finding Your Path as a Woman in School Leadership (book) Fostering a Culture of Growth and Belonging: The Multi-Faceted Impact of Instructional Coaching in International Schools (chapter) The Landscape of Instructional Coaching in International Schools (chapter)

14 Jan 53min

This #coachbetter episode is about the essential elements for developing a collaborative school culture.  Kim talks a lot about creating a thriving coaching culture, and that kind of culture doesn’t just support more coaching, it builds a sense of collective efficacy that creates an environment where teachers want to stay and grow. Of course, this doesn’t happen in isolation, we need many different factors working together, and this clip from her conversation with Tavia does a great job of highlighting 8 of those key elements. This is a highlight from one of Kim's favorite episodes from a previous season. She's been wanting to share this clip because it’s a participatory and collaborative culture that will help make coaching thrive. When educators want to work together, when we can see our colleagues as people who help us become better educators, it’s a lot easier to opt in to coaching. Find the show notes for this episode here.

10 Dec 202414min

In this #coachbetter episode, Kim talks with Jordan Benedict, one of our Research Team members at AAICIS (Association for the Advancement of Instructional Coaching at International Schools) for the and Learning Coach at the International School of Kenya. Jordan and Kim are both so excited to share the results of the first landscape study of instructional coaching in international schools, conducted by our AAICIS research team in March of 2024. There are so many interesting findings that we think will resonate with you, and we’d love to hear your thoughts after listening to the episode. Please leave a comment for us so we can hear what aligns with your thinking and experiences - or what diverges! In this episode, they talk about the background of where the research started, how they conducted the study, the primary findings, the Reported Reasons for Establishing a Coaching Program, the reported outcomes - which will not surprise YOU as a listener of this podcast - plus what they think schools and coaches can do with this new research. This episode is a fantastic overview of all of the key findings from this study, so if you’re curious about the landscape of instructional coaching in international schools, this episode is for you! Find the show notes for this episode here.

3 Dec 202454min