There is so much expertise in any school, but it often goes untapped. Principals and teachers have great power to improve their craft, and yet too often they think the answer lies with something outside their school, in a one-shot PD event or a new curriculum program. Guess what—the best change happens when we open ourselves up to trusted colleagues and invite them in to observe us teach, name what they saw went well, and, perhaps, offer a few suggestions. If we do this coaching schoolwide, everything and everyone is transformed.

In this video clip, I coach a kindergarten teacher during writing time, and then debrief with her and her colleagues afterward. What I want you to notice above all is that the coaching follows the Optimal Learning Model, moving from demonstration to guided practice to independent practice.

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