Don't just take my word for it. There's research behind this shit!
Every teacher deserves to become the impactful educator they dreamed of being.
More than half of U.S. schools have at least one instructional coach. A further more-than-half of those only have one coach for their building or district. Overwhelmingly, teachers across the country are craving development on classroom management and supporting student socio-emotional development (you know, the hard stuff). Depressingly, but not surprisingly, 70% of teachers are crying out for student and staff mental health support.
If more than half of schools have one, why the hell are you offering this, Jess?
I'm gleefully offering freelance coaching services because:
therefore, not every coach is the right fit.
What if you're stuck with someone you don't vibe with? What if they phone it in, whether because they're overwhelmed or because they're over it? What if they don't teach in a way that makes sense, or they hate pineapple on pizza...whatever the case.
But maybe I'm your vibe and you're curious about the possibilities that await you.
Pulled in a million directions, instructional coaches are substitutes, hall monitors, behavior interventionists, you name it. This takes away precious time that should be dedicated to growing your capacity for instruction. This is why it's so cool that my entire job is to help you, and I don't get lost in the sauce of the day-to-day at school.
Listen, even if your school has a ton of great things in place, you still might not have the support you deserve. Budgets are stretched thin and, well, *gestures around*, who the hell knows what is going to happen with education funding in the future. For whatever reason, you may find yourself needing someone in your corner who has unconditional belief in you and your students.
That could be me :)
I am here to be your shoulder to cry on, a thought partner to bounce a project idea off of, the cheerleader reminding you of your wins.
soooo.... what are the daggone benefits?
Left to their own devices, teachers have mixed results when applying their PD in the classroom. With practice and feedback, about five percent of teachers apply their learning to their practice. With coaching? that number shoots up to ninety-five percent!
Teaching is hard enough without the toxic environments that can thrive in schools. When many administrators double as coaches, they blur the line between evaluator and peer, which can lead to inauthentic investment from teachers who don't feel safe to be vulnerable and take instructional risks with their job hanging in the balance.
Isn't that why we're in this business in the first place? When teachers invest in their own professional growth, they are investing in their students' growth. Coaching can help you find the joy factor again, which opens endless doors of opportunity for you and your students.