In 2024, we find ourselves firmly entrenched in the 21st century, with students born after
2010 is approaching high school, and teachers entering the profession were born in
the early 2000s. Reflecting on the past decade, it is clear that we are no longer
preparing for the future—we are living in it. Yet, the question remains: Are schools
keeping pace?
The challenges facing education today are not new. Debates over project-based
learning, mastery transcripts, AI, and innovative teaching strategies have been ongoing
for years. Despite countless conferences, workshops, and books by visionary
educators, meaningful systemic change still needs to be embedded in our schools.
Schools still grapple with preparing students for jobs that don’t yet exist, convincing
stakeholders of new pedagogies, and inspiring teachers to step out of their comfort
zones.
The Million-Dollar Question
How do we authentically shift the daily educational experience to prepare students for
the complex, ever-changing world they inhabit? The answer lies in something
deceptively simple: coaching.
This isn’t about reinventing the wheel but embracing a practice as old as
mentorship and applying it systematically in schools. As a consultant and school leader,
I’ve witnessed coaching create fundamental classroom shifts and empower educators
like no other strategy.
Coaching: A Proven Strategy
One teacher described her coaching experience with me:
"Robert doesn’t merely ideate about what education could be. He invests in
relationships and coaches others to manifest their bold visions. In one academic year,
his coaching transformed my teaching pedagogy."
At its core, coaching bridges the gap between theory and practice. It empowers
teachers to implement changes that directly impact their students. However, for
coaching to succeed, schools must invest time and resources in supporting teachers
and the coaches who guide them.
A Simple, Three-Step Process
Step 1: Shadow a Student
If you want to understand your school’s culture and identify areas for improvement,
there is no better method than shadowing a student. Spend an entire day walking in
their shoes. You’ll gain firsthand insight into what works and doesn’t—from overly
long transitions to a lack of rigor or relevance.
Shadowing isn’t just an eye-opener; it’s a call to action. It reveals what no workshop or
consultant can: the unvarnished reality of student life. The Shadow a Student Challenge
(shadowastudent.org) is an excellent start resource.
Step 2: Build an Early Adopter Team
Change doesn’t happen all at once, nor should it. Identify a small group of motivated,
open-minded teachers eager to innovate. These “early adopters” will become your
champions of change, weaving your school’s vision into their daily practices.
Avoid wasting time and energy on those resistant to change. Instead, focus on nurturing
those who share your vision. As Andrew Carnegie said:
"Teamwork is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results."
Step 3: Embed Coaching into Your School’s Culture
Great coaching is the heart of successful teams—whether in sports, the arts, or
education. In schools, coaching should focus on supporting teachers as they strive to
answer the essential Professional Learning Community (PLC) questions:
What do we want all students to know and be able to do?
How will we know if they learn it?
How will we respond when some students do not learn?
How will we extend the learning for students who are already proficient?
Coaching is not about micromanagement or top-down directives. It’s about
collaboration, trust, and individualizing support for teachers and their students.
Coaching as a Mindset
To embed coaching as a systemic practice, schools must train and support a “head
coach”—a leader who coaches the coaches. This could be an assistant principal,
department head, or designated instructional coach. The goal is to create a culture
where teachers view their classrooms as teams and their students as players, each
requiring personalized strategies to succeed.
As legendary coach John Wooden once said: "In the end, it’s about the teaching. What I always loved about coaching was the practice—not the games or tournaments—but the teaching during practice."
Why Coaching Works
Coaching accelerates the change process. It moves schools beyond the slow adoption
of new strategies, allowing real-time adjustments that benefit students immediately.
Imagine a basketball coach waiting an entire season to address a team’s
weaknesses—unthinkable! Yet, in schools, we often expect students to wait years for
improvements.
A Call to Action
The future of education demands urgency, collaboration, and a willingness to get messy.
Coaching provides a clear path forward rooted in relationships, trust, and continuous
growth.
It’s time to stop debating and start doing. Begin by shadowing a student, building your
team of early adopters, and embedding coaching into your school’s DNA. The payoff?
Empowered teachers, engaged students, and schools truly prepared for the future—not
someday, but today.
Let’s take the road less traveled and make a lasting difference in the lives of our
students. The time for action is now.
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