The need to train high school graduates specifically to become teachers was recognized in the early 1800s. Over the next century, "normal schools" turned into teachers' colleges which became state universities, and these entities changed from teacher training schools to liberal arts colleges and then into research universities. The focus reasonably shifted from the practical to the theoretical as a result of this evolution. Many colleges and universities have attempted to recalibrate their approach to preparing prospective teachers for the profession, but it is evident that teacher preparation must continue to evolve with more emphasis on teaching experiences that provide opportunities for feedback and reflection on a continuous basis.It's not just our postgraduate teaching preparatory programs that struggle with this mission; the field of K-12 education owns a big part of this dilemma as well. Once teacher candidates enter the system, we continue to miss the target by not providing opportunities for them to improve their instruction. The structure and methods for such approaches are absent from the field. Often quality professional development is sparse and may seem more like a current fad rather than a change in practice for overall teaching improvement. Early on in our approach, we were convinced the answer could be found in the realm of coaching. One of us had some experience with peer coaching where colleagues meticulously "scripted" each other's lessons and provided feedback within carefully agreed-upon parameters. The other had experience as a student-athlete through college, varsity coach, and physical education teacher who recalled an expression repeated by a football coach: "The eye in the sky doesn't lie." The football coach was referring to video-recording. That's when we experimented with the notion of recording a teacher's instruction. A curious and willing classroom teacher had video-recorded a number of his lessons and allowed us to view them. Then we sat down together to discuss exactly what we were seeing. The teacher was energized by the undeniable evidence of his own actions, both those that were effective and those that were not. We discovered that the teacher, who was seeing himself teach for the first time, was very capable of identifying those teacher actions that needed to be altered to produce more desirable results, but the lightbulb went off when we realized that the experience could be enriched with the guidance of an instructional expert. We started small with "slow is fast" as our mantra. In the first year, we worked with about a half dozen volunteer teachers. Fourteen teachers benefitted from video coaching the next year. Within four years, the number of schools participating had increased dramatically. We know the video coaching approach is working as part of systemic change because we are now training cadres of coaches instead of only working with individual classroom teachers. Part of our journey has been understanding how important quality control at every juncture is in maintaining credibility and building trust. In this book, we are offering a pragmatic approach to the implementation of a video coaching model in your school. We have successfully worked through our model on a small scale in a small school, then on a larger scale in a small school, then in nine different school districts, and now on a larger scale in a large school district. The most direct route to improved instruction is to refocus and support teachers on their teaching by having them reflect on their own practice in a safe environment with a trained coach in response to incontrovertible video evidence of the instruction they deliver in their own classrooms. We're excited about helping you to chart your own course.

The mark of a great coach is a constant desire to learn and grow. A hunger to use whatever can make them better. The best-selling author of Teach Like a Champion and Reading Reconsidered brings his considerable knowledge about the science of classroom teaching to the sports coaching world to create championship caliber coaches on the court and field. What great classroom teachers do is relevant to coaches in profound ways. After all, coaches are at their core teachers. Lemov knows that coaches face many of the same challenges found in the classroom, so the science of learning applies equally to them. Unfortunately, coaches and organizations have a mixed level of understanding of the research and study of the science of learning. Sometimes coaches and organizations build their teaching on myths and platitudes more than science. Sometimes there isn’t any science applied at all. While there are thousands of books and websites a coach can consult to better understand technical and tactical aspects of the game, there is nothing for a coach to consult that explicitly examines the teaching problems on the field, the court, the rink, and the diamond. Until now. Intended to offer lessons and guidance that are applicable to coaches of any sporting endeavor including everyone from parent volunteers to professional coaches and private trainers, Lemov brings the powerful science of learning to the arena of sports coaching to create the next generation of championship caliber coaches.

This bestselling book introduces you step-by-step to the key skills needed to become a successful coach.

An innovative professional development strategy that facilitates change, improves instruction, and transforms school culture! Instructional coaching is a research-based, job-embedded approach to instructional intervention that provides the assistance and encouragement necessary to implement school improvement programs. Experienced trainer and researcher Jim Knight describes the "nuts and bolts" of instructional coaching and explains the essential skills that instructional coaches need, including getting teachers on board, providing model lessons, and engaging in reflective conversations. Each user-friendly chapter includes: First-person stories from successful coaches Sidebars highlighting important information A "Going Deeper" section of suggested resources Ready-to-use forms, worksheets, checklists, logs, and reports

The FT Guide to Business Coaching shows you everything you need to know about becoming a business coach, from how to find out if you’ve got what it takes, through the basic tools and models that really work. This book gives you a step-by-step guide to the tools, the market knowledge and the crucial new techniques from psychology you need to become an exceptional business coach. Clear, compelling and comprehensive, covering classic and fresh material from both business and psychology, this is the first book to cover both the critical elements of world-class business coaching. This book takes you through a tried and trusted process developed specifically for senior business leaders. It will help you: Know when to coach and when to lead. Build powerful listening skills. Get to grips with the most useful and up-to-the minute coaching tools and psychological techniques. Calculate if – and crucially, how - you can make a living as a business coach. Decide if, how and when to go for accreditation as a coach.

From a founding member of the coaching movement comes a detailed guide to mastering one of a coach's toughest skills: thoughtfully reflecting clients' words and expressions back to them so they see themselves and their world through new eyes. “Coaches rely far too much on asking open-ended questions,” says Marcia Reynolds. But questions only seek answers—inquiry provides insight. When, instead of just questions, clients hear their thoughts, opinions, and beliefs spoken by someone else, it prompts them to critically consider how their thinking affects their goals. Reynolds cites the latest brain science to show why reflective inquiry works and provides techniques, tips, and structures for creating breakthrough conversations. This book will free coaches from the cult of asking the magical question by offering five essential practices of reflective inquiry: focus on the person, not the problem; summarize what is heard and expressed; identify underlying beliefs and assumptions; unwrap the desired outcome; and articulate insights and commitments. Using these practices, combined with a respectful and caring presence, helps create a space where clients feel safe, seen, and valued for who they are. Coaches become change agents who actively recharge the human spirit. And clients naturally dive deeper and develop personalized solutions that may surprise even the coach.

A widely used, highly effective approach to student success, Student-Focused Coaching (SFC) helps instructional coaches and teachers work collaboratively to improve student outcomes using evidence-based practices. This is your one-stop, step-by-step guide to instructional coaching in K-12 schools using the field-tested, research-based SFC model. Featuring a foreword by Jim Knight, the leading voice on instructional coaching, this book was coauthored by the lead developer of the SFC model (Jan Hasbrouck) and an experienced instructional coach and trainer (Daryl Michel). These expert authors help you master the three key roles of coaching: Facilitator, Collaborative Problem-Solver, and Teacher/Learner. You'll discover how to build respectful and mutually beneficial professional relationships with every teacher--from the most eager to the most reluctant--and work together to help all students learn and thrive in the classroom. To help you put the SFC model into action, the book offers practical activities and materials, including application exercises, reflection exercises, virtual coaching tips, and 20+ pages of ready-to-use downloadable forms. LEARN HOW TO Partner with teachers to tackle a range of classroom challenges--academic, behavioral, and social-emotional Develop collaborative communication skills to help you navigate even the most challenging conversations Work with teachers to set and achieve goals by identifying, selecting, and implementing evidence-based interventions Help teachers support struggling students with goal-based, targeted, and intensive instruction Improve time management skills using a four-step, systematic problem-solving process Collect different types of data and use it to give helpful feedback to the teachers you work with Design continuous professional learning opportunities that meet individual teacher needs Deliver support to administrators to make the most of the benefits coaches can provide PRACTICAL DOWNLOADS: The book includes access to 20+ pages of downloadable materials for coaches, including worksheets, checklists, tracking sheets, and self-assessments.