Rebecca Frazier, Ph.D., has centered her professional career around learning and sharing how to

become an effective coach in a variety of situations. When teachers feel encouragement and love as well as

being supported by a technically skilled and competent coach, both the positive energy to persevere and the skills needed to meet difficult challenges are produced. This holistic way of delivering coaching, which includes a focus on personal development, benefits all involved in the process: students, teachers, coaches, and leaders. Rebecca’s doctoral research included a qualitative and quantitative study dedicated to answering the question, “What makes an effective instructional coach?” The answers she found became the foundation for her book, The Joy of Coaching: Characteristics of Effective Instructional Coaches.

Her years as a classroom teacher, an instructional coach, trainer of instructional coaches, district facilitator for coaching program development, and a K–8 principal have provided her with a multi-tiered perspective of the coaching process. Rebecca sees coaching as the “go to” professional development a strategy that, when delivered with warmth and power, can inspire joy and professional success.

Episode Notes:

-Rebecca was a substitute in  K-12, became a K-12 instructional coach, was a 4th/5th-grade teacher,  a K-8 principal, Teacher coaching teachers program, district coach, coach, and coordinator as well as a trainer of coaches.

-Jim Knight’s work, What makes an effective instructional coach? Doctoral study focus and ten years as an instructional coach.

-Joy of Coaching Book, Coach Happy business

-Characteristics identified through research that would be helpful for coaches to incorporate into their lives and coaching practices: caring, competent, collaborative, authentic, a quality communicator, flexible, trustworthy, planned, able to provide models and inspiration.

-Team of coaches who were ready to dissect what was and what was not working.

-Caring and competency were needed for effective coaching 

-Needed intentional relationship building

-Add caring practices to our coaching due to the  data was  showing it was needed

-Processes for goal setting and progress in regards to data collection and softer skill protocols involving motivation,  commitment,  and connection.

-Dissertation: 69 coached teachers and 70 non coached teachers. Analyzed growth in teacher competency,  job satisfaction, and student growth.

-Taking a risk to gather this data, but coaching teachers outperformed non coached teachers in 22 areas of instructional practice by 4 to 5 times

– More growth in reading than non coached

-Teachers are struggling in so many ways, we need to walk with them forward

-Bite-size chunks of video reflection and video coaching

-New coaches, you were hired for a reason. If you have been hired as a coach you are good, don’t doubt yourself! Think back to what worked within your own classroom.

-Note specific things within the classroom. Praise what you want to see more of, and bring chocolate!

-Practice self-compassion

-Chip’s Tips- Coach Happy Inspirational Pup

-Coach happy, where caring and confidence meets

Connect with Rebecca:

The Joy of Coaching: Characteristics of Effective Instructional Coaches Book - Corwin and Amazon 

Twitter- @coachhappy

Website- coachhappy.com

[email protected] Email to be added to the mailing list