In my last post I shared seven elements to include in an effective initial instructional coaching meeting agenda. But just like with teaching, having a plan isn’t the same as being prepared for success. So once you've put together your agenda structure, here are a few steps you can take to make the most of your initial coaching meeting:
1. Do your homework. Depending on what’s available to you, take a look at any student information available for the teacher’s classes: rosters, demographic information, special education programs, students designated as language learners, state and local academic data, samples of student work, and disciplinary data. While you can also look into the teacher’s background, focus on factual details, like their years at the school, in a grade level or subject, or their credentials. Generally I prefer to be able to come into a partnership with a teacher with little to no prior perception of their strengths, areas for growth, or reputation, so that I can come in with an open mind and form my own sense of their practice.
2. Share overview materials. Make the most of your meeting time and reduce the amount of “talking at” a teacher during the initial meeting by sharing materials in advance. This could include an overview of coaching, an About Me page, examples of coaching foci, goals, or activities (sometimes called a coaching menu), etc. This prep work sets the stage for a focused and collaborative discussion. But as we know, teacher prep time is already stretched thin, so while some people may appreciate the materials in advance, others may view it as "one more thing" in their inbox. Depending on the internal communication culture of your school share and plan accordingly.
3. Use a questionnaire: Streamline your discussion by having the teacher fill out a questionnaire about their preferences and basic information in advance. You can gather useful information about the teacher's class(es), focus, learning preferences, and anything they want to share for your coaching work, like how they prefer to receive feedback, communication preferences, meeting schedule, activities they want to engage in, observation logistics, etc. This will allow you to tailor your coaching style and initial conversation to create a more personalized experience.
4. Send the agenda in advance: Promote transparency and readiness by sending over the meeting agenda a minimum of 24 hours in advance. Be sure to include clear objectives. I also clarify that in the future our coaching meeting agendas will be co-created based on the goals we set, but that there will also be time at the top of our meeting to agendize any other additional needs that aren’t captured. I also set the tone for the partnership by communicating that they can let me know in advance if they have other needs for their time.
5. Expect and accept non-closure. This isn’t an interview and you’re not going to get answers to every question that comes to mind in the first meeting. Knowing that relationships take time to build, that people can only be where they are, that experiences with coaching and relationships to goals vary, and that conversations can bring up unexpected information or emotions, embrace the nature of ongoing work. This doesn't have to come at the expense of focused, student-centered next steps. But rushing work can come at the expense of long-term gains that result from a strong foundation of trust.
6. Stay Flexible: Show adaptability from the beginning. Show adaptability from the beginning. I have had teachers meet me, barely getting past an initial greeting, in a state of desperation for support for an immediate challenge before students arrived at the next bell. You might be meeting a teacher after a school emergency, during a challenging situation, or against the backdrop of a major news event. In those moments, the best prepared agenda does nothing to launch the results for students or the coaching relationship compared to rolling up your sleeves and supporting immediate needs. So read the questions they send in advance, the questionnaire responses, study the data, read the teacher’s expressions, their body language, and tune into the context of whatever is happening in the background of your joint work that may require attention. Showing up prepared builds confidence in your competence. Showing up in the moment builds deep trust.
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