From Deficits to Assets: Coaching From Bright Spots

It gave me the ick. 

I was at a well-attended training for instructional leaders. We were now in the coaching workshop. And it felt off.

We were given a methodology to follow. We were instructed to identify the problem in a teacher's practice from a video, then role-play a conversation where we either 1) led the teacher to see the problem (the way we saw it) through a series of [leading] questions, or 2) identified it directly for those teachers who were deemed to not be able to get there on their own. We would then tell the teacher how to fix the problem and ensure they understood what to do. If they tried to offer an alternative we should correct them. This, we were told, is what you do if you truly care about student results.

(Side note – leading questions are fake questions. More on that in my free guide: Ask Better Questions)

My practice partner went first, following the script, and telling me (as I played the teacher) what I had done wrong and the correct way to fix it. In another iteration, he hinted at my mistakes to see if I could correctly fill in the rest on my own.

During the debrief of his round, he asked about my experience playing the teacher. I shared honestly: I'm generally coachable—I learned tremendously from my own instructional coach and I've had many mentors in my growth as an educator. But in that situation, I told him I felt like my coach was just hunting for mistakes. The focus on a singular "correct" fix held by the "expert" (who I wasn't in this dynamic), and the format focused on following the coach's direction left no room for questions or alternative considerations. I told him that when I was asked questions I felt like it was a test of whether I was giving him the right answers. He seemed understanding, but repeated what the trainers had told us about urgency for equity, and how our students can’t wait for teachers to work out their feelings about what they need to improve on.

When my turn came to play the coach, I broke from the format (I know – not the model participant). I zoomed in on something the teacher did well and asked him to unpack his decision-making for that moment. I asked my partner about his vision and hopes for students, and to reflect on what aspects of that vision were exemplified already in the lesson. I introduced the area for growth as a bridge toward that aspirational vision, and used the strength we had already started the conversation with as a springboard into solutions based on what was already working. It took the same amount of time as the format we'd been asked to follow, and landed at the same solution points.

Afterward, I was shocked to see that my partner had literally teared up. He reflected that the experience felt more dignified and motivational than the practice focused on fixing problems. When I asked him about his response and the emotions he was experiencing, he lamented how terrible he had likely made many teachers feel. He even called over colleagues and administrators from his school team to discuss the experience.

Coaching from a deficit in the name of equity isn't our only option.

We can coach in ways that are edifying and motivational and that don't shy away from what's right for kids with the SAME conviction as someone who insists on starting from what's wrong and needs fixing. 

And an assets-based approach isn't just about making teachers feel good. Research backs its effectiveness. Studies in positive psychology show that building on strengths can lead to greater achievement than a focus on fixing weaknesses. Adult learning theory posits that adults learn best when new knowledge connects to existing competencies. And research on behavior change indicates that identifying "bright spots" (what's already working) and building from them creates more sustainable change than focusing primarily on problems.

Strategies for Asset-Based Coaching

1. Reframe Your Coaching Questions and Prompts

Instead of deficit-focused language, try asset-based alternatives:

From "What's not working?" to "What's already working?"

Instead of "I noticed students were off-task during group work. Let's create a plan to address those behaviors."

Try: "I noticed how effectively you redirected Emilio during the opening. What made that successful, and how might we apply those principles during group work?"

From "Here's what you should try" to "How might your strengths address this challenge?"

Instead of "You need clearer procedures for transitions. Here's a protocol I recommend..."

Try: "Your clear explanations are a strength in your instruction. How might you apply that clarity to how you communicate transition procedures?"

2. Start with Authentic Strengths Identification

Before diving into challenges, deliberately identify teacher assets. Not just fluff. Real strengths:

• Train yourself to observe for bright spots - What moments, even brief ones, show effective practice?

• Ask asset-revealing questions - "What part of your teaching brings you the most joy or feels most natural?"

3. Connect Strengths to Growth Areas

Help teachers leverage existing strengths to address challenges:

• Map connections explicitly - "Your skill in checking for understanding during whole-group instruction could be applied to your small groups by..."

• Frame new strategies as extensions rather than replacements - "This approach builds on your existing questioning techniques by..."

4. Collect Evidence of Impact

Help teachers recognize the effectiveness of their strengths:

• Gather specific examples - "When you used wait time after that question, I noticed three more students raised their hands"

• Document student impact - "Let's look at how students responded differently when you implemented that strategy"

Beyond the way we partner with teachers, assets-based coaching also allows us to model the strength-based and growth-oriented approach we want teachers to take with students.

As you think about areas where growth in teacher practice will likely have the biggest impact on students, what strengths might you leverage? What can you build from? How might you engage teachers to launch from what's working?