What is an Instructional Coach?

An instructional coach is essentially someone who coaches teachers. They work with those teachers to help them learn how to more effectively teach students of different age groups and how to cover different types of materials. Coaches often work for independent firms and agencies, but they may also work for specific school districts. Many of those working in the field today have some experience working as a teacher and working with adults. Before applying for coaching positions, find out more about what the job entails.

What Education do Coaches Have?

Coaches working in the instructional field must have at least a Bachelor’s in Education. Earning your bachelor’s degree requires that you do several student teaching experiences. You start out as an observer who watches a teacher working in the classroom, but you’ll later have the chance to teach that class yourself. Working as an instructional coach may also require that you have a master’s degree. This shows that you have a commitment to the field of teaching. A master’s degree also lets you learn more about leading others and working with students of different ages.

What Experience Coaches Have

Finding a job as a coach right out of college is next to impossible. Many of the companies and schools that hire coaches want workers with a high level of experience. You can expect to spend several years working as a teacher before accepting your first coaching position. According to Elena Aguilar, who works as a coach, coaches must also have some experience working with adults. Aguilar points out that adults and children act differently and that some teachers work as coaches without realizing the hardships that arise when working with adults. You might find that some of the teachers you work with are less than happy with your observations and comments.

Who They Work For

Coaches can work for independent school districts or for private firms. Private firms hire coaches who work in schools all across the state and even across the country. These workers might spend months traveling on the road and moving from school to school. Coaches may also work in specific school districts. These districts hire coaches as a way to keep an eye on teachers working for local schools and to ensure that students get the best from those teachers.

What They Do

An instructional coach is someone who observes a teacher in the classroom. After watching how the teacher acts and reacts to students, the coach will give that teacher some feedback. Coaches can also work with small groups of teachers who need help motivating or working with students. They might explain some of the newest teaching methods used in classrooms across the country, or they might give teachers some ideas about fun projects that they can do with their students. Coaches also return over the course of several months to see how teachers adapted to those new ideas and concepts and to offer additional feedback as needed.

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Teachers need more help than you might expect. After working with students for just a few years, they might feel burnt out and have problems connecting with those students. An instructional coach can come into the classroom, watch how the teachers act, offer feedback and possible solutions and ensure that teachers change based on that feedback.