Interested in Becoming an Instructional Coach?
The Department of Professional Learning and Accountability (PLA) is seeking instructional coaches for the 2010 - 2011 school year. Click here for the 2010 - 2011 Instructional Coach Application.
The Bottom Line: Reading, Math, and Closing the Gap Within a Culture of Collaboration
The Instructional Coaching Program is in its 5th year and includes 41 coaches in 41 elementary and middle schools. The program began in 2005 with 24 coaches in 25 schools. The FCPS coaches have a set of ten coaching standards that guide their work. Instructional Coaches are teacher leaders specifically trained to guide their colleagues in data analysis, best practices, and working collaboratively
Mission
The mission of Instructional Coaching is to build adult learners’ capacity to advance the achievement of all students and to close achievement gaps.
Vision
Instructional coaches are integral members of professional learning communities where:
- Professional learning is directly tied to daily ongoing work
- Student learning is the shared focus at all times
- Best practices are valued and consistently implemented
- Data is analyzed continuously to inform instructional decisions
- Success is celebrated frequently
- Collaboration is a way of being
Values
Feedback from colleagues and administrators highlights the positive impact the instructional coaching program is having:
There has been nothing in the past 20 years at our school that has affected greater teacher and team effectiveness, increased teacher leader capacity and movement forward of student learning than the collaboration between the coach, teachers and teams.
—Susan Akroyd, Principal, Parklawn Elementary School
Having an instructional coach allows our school to have a dedicated staff member leading the learning...teacher by teacher, PLC by PLC. Her skills in facilitating meaningful reflection in both one-on-one and collaborative team settings empower our professionals to think critically about what the student achievement data is telling us...and challenge us to develop our own questions and solutions focused on how we can continue to get better.
—Aimee Holleb, Principal, Mark Twain Middle School
The instructional coach has provided the consistency of the “message” across PLC groups and has gained the trust of the teachers. We just had a PLC leader meeting to discuss our progress, and I was blown away by what they have accomplished this year
.—Louise Porter, Principal, Luther Jackson Middle School
With eCART, our 2nd round of scores went up! We believe this is from focusing on specific skills needed by our students. Teachers who are successful share strategies they used. The coach helps teachers differentiate and think about how these will work for all students (ESOL, etc.). She does not allow us to make excuses. She won’t let us blame the students or the test.
—A collaborative team member |
