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 * __[[image:robot.JPG width="133" height="107"]]How Can Facilitators Optimize Support For Coaching?__**

Optimizing support for coaching is a challenge that all schools face. Especially during the tough economic times and the budget issues that are ever so apparent, we are faced with the question of how facilitators can optimize support for coaching. In this article, our team has identified four resources from the Peer-Ed Coaching Program, two ideas for application, quotes from members of facilitator training, and an image that demonstrates the readiness for coaching.

Through the Peer-Ed Facilitator Program, our team feels there are four resources from the Coaching Handbook that could be easily used at any school site. In discussing communications skills, the Coaching Skills Cue Card (Session 2) is a quick reference to remind coaches the types of communication skills that are effective in coaching programs. Secondly, the Peer Coaching Plan (Session 1) is a framework to develop your coaching program that can allows interaction with the Principal, coach, and collaborating teachers. The Planning Worksheet (Session 2) is a more detailed record of planning the coaching time. Norms are documented, lesson improvement is discussed, and action items are recorded to help support the process and follow up that is needed. Lastly, the team felt the Lesson Improvement Rubric (Session 4) gave a detailed rubric of the actual lesson improvement process. This page is critical to use when discussing lesson improvement and helps guide the lesson improvement process for teachers and in a clear manner detailing expectations.

When thinking about implementing a coaching program in a school, we believe that time must be set aside specifically for coaching teachers. Time can be found through set collaboration meetings, meeting individually through scheduled appointments, and observation and follow up conferencing. We also believe that it is necessary to provide on-going support to coaches in a variety of ways through electronic and personal communication, and together monitoring and adjusting together the effectiveness of the program.

During the training, we had the opportunity to acquire feedback from other members on our issue, and Group Six: The Muppets offered us valuable insight. They said,

“Facilitators can optimize support for coaching by getting administrators and school leadership behind the program. Having them on board from the beginning will help in many areas of the program, such as providing PD and teacher collaboration opportunities during the school day. They can also optimize support by providing a sustained collaboration over time with coaches to ensure the program overcomes the initial dip in participation. Constantly communicating and providing resources to coaches will certainly aide their efforts. ”

The following video illustrated the key points discussed in this article, showing a readiness for coaching. Please click on the following video.