3 Ways to Measure Instructional Coaching Impact

Most instructional coaches I know suffer from imposter syndrome.

A few common threads appear when we explore why: minimal to no training, lack of leadership support or direction, and no concrete data to show impact. Statements like, "I can't tell if I'm making an impact," are the most common. 

It’s easy to understand why: the majority of instructional coaching programs don’t have clear and measurable goals to prove impact. 

Often coaches go out and look for more training or professional development as a way to show they are going. But, what if there were small but significant things you could do to prove your program is having an impact? To prove you are having an impact? 

Here are some easy ways to show impact. 

1. Video

Use video to analyze your own coaching conversations. 

Not only does this provide objective evidence, it helps build a holistic culture of feedback where a coach leads by example. 

Resources like TeachFX and Walkabouts could be used by an instructional coach or principal to measure the impact of a coaching session or a feedback session. Both of these tools use machine learning to analyze conversations in and out of the classroom. 

They will help you analyze the questions you ask, the talk-time distribution between you and your coachee, and drive reflection on the coaching cycle process you use. 

Swivl is a great technology for live video recoding - this is one of our favorites. Many people shy away from video recording themselves, but we find it the best self-reflection tool. 

By recording your conversations and seeing a video of your facilitation techniques, you will grow leaps and bounds while also gathering data on teacher goals, implementation, and impact. 

2. Formative and Summative Assessment

If new strategies are being used, or new lessons piloted, pre and post data can be collected by both the teacher and the coach. Even better, if you have multiple classes, use one as a control group and the other as the test group. 

You can gather data on student performance before a coaching session starts, throughout the coaching cycle, and upon its completion.  

3. Feedback

Get direct feedback from coaching cycles, coaching conversations, and professional development sessions you lead. 

A combination of these steps to some degree is how you start shifting a culture to being a feedback culture. 

The instructional coach and the leadership team can live by example to build a feedback, data driven culture by asking for feedback, in context, from their peers and their staff. 

It’s the first step in the right direction - what we call, the 15% solution.

First Steps

All too often the administration and coaches that we work with want to dive into the deep end and do all things all the time. It is easy to shoot big because you care and want change as quickly as possible.

The most successful programs we work with create what we call “skinny plans.” This concept comes from the work of product development - create something small - a prototype- and test it. Get feedback and modify and redesign.

If you were to apply this to building a coaching program or implementing a culture change around feedback and learning, it might be helpful to pick one simple and measurable goal. Set up a short timeline to check back in on progress and modify what is needed.

This will allow you to be agile and make any necessary adjustments. With this skinny plan idea, set your first target, measure the results, and keep failing forward till you get it right.

Reach Out

You do not have to walk alone. Feel free to message Agile Ideas Leadership for any questions or thoughts at info@agileideasleadership.com.

Cheers!
'Shannon Helgeson, Co-Founder, Agile Ideas Leadership