Instructional Coaches’ schedules should look totally different during this time of year. As the school year winds down and state testing concludes, we coaches play a crucial role in maintaining momentum and ensuring a productive transition into the summer and the next academic year. Here are some strategies and tips for you to effectively navigate this end of year craziness.

Providing Support to Teachers

May is very stressful for teachers. With end of year evaluations, student files to update, and incoming end of year data, not to mention keeping students motivated, are just some of the stress factors teachers face. Coaches can be that support teachers need. Let them know you are available to help! Be specific with your offer; sometimes when someone says they can help, it can make me feel like that is another thing I have to do. So as a coach you know what grade levels are needing. So offer specific help, such as: “I know the end of year student forms are due this week, let’s do them together! I will pull your class’ Dibels data, you compile your classroom data, and we will get it done.” Being specific with your help can take care of one more decision teachers have to make.

Also,  identify needs or goals for the coming year. End of the year is naturally a time of reflection. Discuss with teachers areas they would like to have more professional development in or just know more about. Explain that you are developing a PD schedule for next year and you would like it to be what they need. Most teachers will take some time and help give you suggestions.  Talk with teachers and see if there are curriculum needs, such as anything needing replaced, more consumable curriculum materials, more manipulatives. You, as the coach, can be another voice asking Admin for these needed items. Lastly, just be there for teachers, make yourself visible. Create an end of year coaching menu for teachers to realize what you’re willing to do to help them end the school year positively. 

Compile End of Year Data

Compiling end-of-year data is crucial for both reflecting on the past year and planning for the future. As an instructional coach, you can support teachers in this process. Work with teachers to collect and analyze end-of-year assessment data. This includes standardized test scores, formative assessments, and any other data points relevant to student progress. Use this information to identify trends, areas of growth, and areas needing improvement. Not only as a coach will you use this data to plan Coaching Cycles for next year, but you can share with Administrators to help them get a big picture of how things are going. Also, the data will assist teachers in setting goals for themselves and their students for the upcoming year. Encourage teachers to just make a list identifying some growth areas, or collaborate together to create a list. Try to teach a growth mindset when looking at data and help teachers not to take it personally. Look at data as a tool helping everybody to move towards becoming better. I like to think of it as everybody has room for improvement, and that is normal and OK. We all can be striving to become better in some areas. Data will help you identify an area that you may be good in, but you desire to be better. Some things you can do as a coach to support teachers or administrators with data is:

• Make a spreadsheet showing each grade levels struggling students and identify next steps 
• Compile data showing if those students identified as High Ability are being adequately challenged in the general education classroom
• Create easily accessible and to understand data sheets showing all subcategories of student population’s data to ensure they are being instructed in a way everyone can be academically successful. 

Data is the key to developing goals and plans. Without a systematic approach in reviewing data some students will fall through the cracks. As a coach, you can be the one that ensures each student is being looked at and given opportunities to to show what they know. 

Don’t Forget to Celebrate!

It is so important as a coach you do not forget to celebrate what YOU have accomplished this year. Celebrate each coaching cycle you have been a part of. Think of it this way –  If you had some part in helping a teacher become better in the art of teaching, you will have an effect on every student that teacher will instruct for the rest of their career. That is so powerful! So coach, celebrate the work you have done. Also, help teachers celebrate! Write cards expressing how grateful you are for allowing you to be a part of their growth. Remind them of their successes. Let administration know about the teacher’s accomplishments. Create a newsletter or post on the school’s social media highlighting teachers and school initiative successes.

Coaching can be a draining job, especially towards the end of the year. Some days you may feel like know one understands your position or what you are trying to accomplish. Lean in towards those that are like minded and reflect in some of your achievements. If you have helped one teacher to instruct one student better, then you have a reason to celebrate!