A great workshop can light a spark. But without follow-up, that spark rarely becomes a flame.
Too often, administrators send teachers to professional development and consider the work done. Teachers return to their classrooms—with all of their existing responsibilities—and are expected to seamlessly integrate everything they’ve learned. We wouldn’t expect that of the students in our schools, so we can’t expect it from our teachers, at least not without significantly draining their already taxed batteries.
This is why ongoing, differentiated coaching is not optional. It’s essential.
The Coach as Collaborator
The coach’s role is not to be “the expert.” It is to be a collaborator—someone whose job is to empower teachers to identify their own areas of growth and take meaningful steps to expand their practice. Effective coaching is differentiated and responsive, just like effective teaching.
In the model we use, the coach guides teachers back to their workshop experiences as a starting point for coaching conversations. One teacher’s lightbulb moment might have been about incorporating movement into learning; another’s might have been about expanding student choice. The work has a common thread, but it looks different for every teacher.
What This Looks Like in Practice
Monthly classroom visits—not evaluations—followed by collaborative meetings provide a solid structure for measured, meaningful growth. The distinction matters: the coach is not entering the room as an evaluator. They’re entering as a partner.
The classroom visit gives the teacher focused feedback and gives the coach insight into classroom culture, specific student needs, and anything else the teacher finds relevant to their self-identified goals. The coach is not looking for a polished product. They’re looking for the messy, honest process of expansion.
The debrief that follows is centered on the teacher’s needs: supportive co-planning, collaborative problem-solving, and identifying concrete next steps.
Growing Pains Are Part of the Process
Both coach and teacher should be prepared to lean into the discomfort that comes with growth. Meaningful change requires time, trust, and a relationship built on honesty—not performance. When teachers are given that kind of sustained support, professional development stops being something done to them and becomes something that genuinely strengthens their craft.
And ultimately, that’s what this is all about: better outcomes for the students in their care.
On July 1st, 2026 we will be holding our newest PD opportunity- Plan, Align, Collaborate: A Multi-District Workshop for Co-Teachers. Teaching pairs will have time to plan and prepare for the 26-27 school year, and stay aligned to the very end. Optional in-person or virtual coaching packages will be available to all participants.
