Post-obstacle situation
so im back in my full time coaching position...was in the classroom for about a little over a month...
i guess that's one of the tricky things about this position. when things come up with regards to teachers, we're the go-to people. and the question raised often is, "what will really be compromised if we don't provide coaching for a few weeks?"
to which i want to say "A LOT!!"
what other folks, even admin, don't get to see is what i get to see and be part of...the weekly ups and downs, the critical moments when planning, the aha! moments while instructing, the on the spot decisions that were finally made that supported students in their learning, the tight instructional delivery that came about finally after hours of planning and tweaking, the reflections after a disastrous week and action planning around a single student...the differentiation that gets put into place to push that group of students who are getting it...
not that i am responsible for all this...i'm not. BUT...when you have a sounding board, a constant source for accountability, and a cheerleader, you're more motivated, encouraged to DO it. maybe this sounds too positive. i dont know. maybe its not about motivation and encouragement. maybe its about obligation and responsibility. but what IS important is the IMPACT it has on STUDENT LEARNING. and in the end, isn't that what matters when we think about our work as educators?!?!
so the tricky thing is when a teacher is out, who do you go to? the person who is also an educator, of course. but then the support for teachers can get lost or minimized...
but im thankful that coaching is even part of our culture here. i am thankful that we care about our teachers and their growth, that we prioritize their work!!
i guess that's one of the tricky things about this position. when things come up with regards to teachers, we're the go-to people. and the question raised often is, "what will really be compromised if we don't provide coaching for a few weeks?"
to which i want to say "A LOT!!"
what other folks, even admin, don't get to see is what i get to see and be part of...the weekly ups and downs, the critical moments when planning, the aha! moments while instructing, the on the spot decisions that were finally made that supported students in their learning, the tight instructional delivery that came about finally after hours of planning and tweaking, the reflections after a disastrous week and action planning around a single student...the differentiation that gets put into place to push that group of students who are getting it...
not that i am responsible for all this...i'm not. BUT...when you have a sounding board, a constant source for accountability, and a cheerleader, you're more motivated, encouraged to DO it. maybe this sounds too positive. i dont know. maybe its not about motivation and encouragement. maybe its about obligation and responsibility. but what IS important is the IMPACT it has on STUDENT LEARNING. and in the end, isn't that what matters when we think about our work as educators?!?!
so the tricky thing is when a teacher is out, who do you go to? the person who is also an educator, of course. but then the support for teachers can get lost or minimized...
but im thankful that coaching is even part of our culture here. i am thankful that we care about our teachers and their growth, that we prioritize their work!!
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