essentials5
Publications

Coaching Corner

Coaching is a supportive, job-embedded, ongoing, and personalized form of professional learning. The work of coaching is built on the goal of supporting and empowering teachers to increase student learning, create positive student identities, and develop confident users of mathematics. Just as becoming a highly skilled teacher is a journey, so too is becoming a highly skilled mathematics coach or developing a robust mathematics coaching program.

The nine essential actions for mathematics coaching and coaching programs as identified in the NCSM Essential Action series: Coaching in Mathematics Education (2018) are shown below. Select each action to explore tools, videos, and books designed to support and strengthen mathematics coaching practices and programs.

Nine Essential Coaching Actions

Demonstrate a Commitment to Coaching
  • Develop foundational elements (vision, beliefs)
  • Create coaching programs
  • Clarify the purpose of a math coach
  • Develop commitments to coaching through roles and responsibilities
Learn More
Apply the Equitable Learning Principles to Adult Learners and Model Them During All Coaching Interactions
  • Understand and employ the principles of adult learning
  • Model equity and move toward vision through coaching
Learn More
Understand and Use a Variety of Coaching Interactions to Improve Teaching and Learning
  • Understand the continuum of coaching functions
  • Clarify coaching individuals versus coaching teams
  • Understand coaching cycles and strategies for each part of the cycle
Learn More
Provide and Engage in Relevant and Ongoing Professional Learning
  • Plan for effective mathematics professional learning
  • Develop a culture of ongoing professional learning
Learn More
Support the Gathering and Use of Data to Inform Continuous Improvement
  • Clarify data needed for ensuring continuous improvement
  • Gather data about mathematics coaching
  • Use data for goal setting, coaching, and analysis of instruction and student learning
Learn More
Know, Understand, and Do Mathematics
  • Build mathematics content knowledge
  • Grow strategies for incorporating mathematics process standards in lessons
Learn More
Know, Understand, and Implement Effective Mathematics Teaching and Learning
  • Develop a quality lesson planning process
  • Build capacity for effective instructional strategies and task implementation
  • Grow pedagological content knowledge
Learn More
Develop and Foster Curriculum Coherence
  • Develop coherence in mathematics curriculum
  • Utilize learning progressions
  • Close the gap between the intended, implemented and attained curriculum
Learn More
Develop and Use Evidence of Student Learning to Inform Instructional Decisions
  • Respond to mistakes and misconceptions during instruction
  • Implement formative strategies
  • Plan for differentiated instruction
  • Develop strong classroom management
Learn More

Thank you to the Noyce Foundation for the original funding of this project.