Instructional Coaching

Benefits

Instructional coaching provided one-on-one professional development with a master teacher in a specific practice. Teachers of all levels who wanted to improve in a variety of ways — from public speaking to curriculum development — were given devoted time to improve their practice alongside a peer.

Challenges

Instructional coaching was sunset during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the impact the project had on faculty, and Phillips Academy as a whole, reverberates as Andover instructors continue to ask how they can make time for craft improvement. The implications of these questions range from the classroom to departmental practices of curriculum renewal.

Takeaways & Best Practices

• By giving faculty dedicated time to work with peers in a non-evaluative way, stress was reduced and faculty were motivated to improve.
• The best professional development is driven by the individual seeking development. Instructional coaching was a two-way street, improving the practice of faculty seeking a coach and improving the coach’s practice through the act of mentorship.
• Instructional Coaching serves as an example of what lies at the core of the Tang Institute. The ability to motivate oneself to improve and engage in partnership with others toward improvement is a hallmark of deep learning.

Bottom Line

Instructional Coaching exemplifies the Tang Institute’s commitment to professional development.