Welcome back to the school year 2015-2016. What a wonderful year this will be. First of all, you will be able to forge ahead and pick up where you left in June. How amazing to start the year with knowing more than you did the year before! Think of all the lessons you learned throughout the year, identifying which practices need to be strengthened and which practices need you to go back to the drawing board. Remember, reflection means revision. That’s a good thing and an effective habit to model.

Establishing positive relationships is what makes a difference with instructional coaching. Actually, it’s what makes a difference in any relationship or partnership. In the world of instructional coaching, however, not every partnership is based on a shared vision or shared interests. These relationships are not “matched” or determined with an intentional design. In fact, these relationships occur simply because a coach and the teachers who are coached want (or are told) to work together and to make a positive impact on teaching and learning. And, they succeed because coaches are skilled professionals who understand adult learning, build trust, honor their colleagues, and give meaningful feedback to improve practice.

In his work with teacher leaders, Les Foltos (JSD February 2015, Vol. 36 No. 1) encourages coaches to work with their colleagues and serve as catalysts for a collaborative culture that is vital to ensure success for all teachers and students. That is certainly something all coaches have heard from their work with PIIC and their IU PIIC mentors. It is true – PIIC focuses on the BDA cycle of consultation and the 4-quadrant framework. This content and process are accomplished through the ongoing, consistent conversations between and among teachers and their coaches. And, just in case you haven’t noticed, that’s not so easy! Remember, “Collaboration is the unnatural act between non-consenting adults (Jocelyn Elders).”

How can I see reflection is a way of teaching, so that it’s impossible to separate out and itemize, but is instead a moment-by-moment thing that is always with me like a heartbeat? (What it Means to Be a Reflective Teacher, Terry Heick, teachthought.com)

Reflection is a powerful tool. It sounds so easy because it is fundamental to our practice. Yet many confuse reflecting with reporting. So, what’s the difference between the two rituals and why are they both important to the instructional coaching praxis?