Full Description
Invest in building talent. The best principals don't just happen.
When new principals are handed the keys and left to make decisions about their schools without adequate, sustained support, what happens? Too often, school improvement efforts don't gain full traction, principals often give up and leave and real student gains remain out-of-reach.
Impact Coaching bucks the notion of leaving principals to learn the ropes on their own. This book offers a solid, sustainable, and laser-sharp focus on instructional leadership and helps leaders hone, model and lead new learning through deliberate practice by:
Engaging in rich, rigorous, and reflective open-to-learning conversations with both coaches and colleagues to improve instructional leadership practices
Leveraging their 5 Big Winner Practices for highest impact
Using Linking Walk templates to apply new ideas to real scenarios that improve lead learner practices
This book could be your single most impactful investment toward eventual student achievement.
"The authors do a great job of sharing the benefits of coaching and elaborating on how the coaching partnership should and could look. The book is very relevant, clearly based on research, and has some great checklists to further clarify the recommended steps."
-Kathy Rhodes, Principal
Hinton Elementary, Hinton, IA
"Impact Coaching provides school leaders with the tools to turn opportunity into action. Educational leaders possess an incredible capacity to influence the system and impact student learning. Ray and Julie Smith present strategies for focusing on leadership practices that maximize impact on student learning and achievement. This book will re-ignite your commitment to creating effective change, bolster your confidence to persist through challenges, and renew your motivation to reach your fullest potential. The authors will simultaneously inspire your soul and challenge your mind!"
-Russell J. Quaglia, President/Founder
Quaglia Institute for Student Aspirations
Contents
Foreword by Jim Knight
Preface
Retain Your Investment in Leadership
Promote Continuous Learning
Where Do Impact Coaches Come From?
Special Features
Who Is This Book For?
Introducing Rachel Hazel, Featured Coachee
Acknowledgments
About the Authors
Chapter 1: Why Do School Leaders Need Coaching?
The Dubious Quality of Traditional Professional Development
Common Forms of Coaching
Research on Leadership Coaching
Key Takeaways
Going Deeper
Chapter 2: Leveraging Your Five Big-Winner Leadership Practices
The 80/20 Rule
High-Impact Instructional Leadership Practices
Key Takeaways
Going Deeper
Chapter 3: What Does Impact Coaching Look Like?
The Impact Coaching Cycle
Key Takeaways
Going Deeper
Chapter 4: Partnership Principles and Theories of Practice
Knight's Partnership Principles
Theories of Practice
Key Takeaways
Going Deeper
Chapter 5: Impact Partner Communication
Why Conversations About Improvement Can Be Difficult
Conducting Open-to-Learning Conversations
Key Components of an Open-to-Learning Conversation
Engaging in Behaviors That Mediate Thinking
Key Takeaways
Going Deeper
Chapter 6: Engaging School Leaders and Starting the Journey
Getting School Leaders Amenable to Coaching
Making Change Happen: Hall and Hord
Key Functions of Change and Professional Learning in Schools
The Components of Impact Coaching
Key Takeaways
Going Deeper
Chapter 7: Modeling, Observing, and Collaboratively Exploring Data
Impact Coaching Process Tools
Key Takeaways
Going Deeper
Chapter 8: The End of Impact Coaching: Scaling Instructional Leadership
What Do We Now Know?
Learning About Impact Coaching During Coaching
Our Challenge to You
Appendices
Section 1: Feedback Cue Card
Section 2: Instructional Leadership Elements Rubrics
Section 3: LinkingWalk Evidence-Gathering Templates
Section 4: Theories-of-Practice Self-Assessment Tool
Glossary
References
Index
