Leading Like a C.O.A.C.H.

Matt Renwick has served in public education for over 20 years. He started as a 5th and 6th-grade teacher in a country school outside of Wisconsin Rapids, WI. Matt now serves as an elementary principal for the Mineral Point Unified School District. See more of his work at https://mattrenwick.com/.

Acknowledgments About the Author Foreword by Regie Routman Introduction The Purpose of This Book My Coaching Journey Reflective Questions Chapter 1: Why Should I Lead Like a Coach? Benefits of Leading Like a Coach Expand on Your Current Identities Shifting Toward a Coaching Stance Reflective Questions Chapter 2: How Instructional Walks Help Leaders Adopt a Coaching Stance Introducing Instructional Walks The Instructional Walk Process From Judging to Learning What Instructional Walks Are Not Reflective Questions Chapter 3: Create Confidence Through Trust Defining Trust Four Conditions for Trust Condition 1: Consistency Condition 2: Compassion Condition 3: Communication Condition 4: Competence Success Indicators for Creating Confidence Through Trust Reflective Questions Chapter 4: Organize Around a Priority Defining a Priority Step 1: Analyze and Understand Your Current Reality Step 2: Examine Your Beliefs About Instruction Step 3: Engage in Focused Professional Learning Step 4: Create Collective Commitments Around Promising Practices Success Indicators for Organizing Around a Priority Reflective Questions Chapter 5: Affirm Promising Practices Four Principles for Initiating Positive Change Principle 1: Adopt an Instructional Framework Principle 2: Learn With Your Faculty Principle 3: Develop Collaborative Learning Communities Principle 4: Institutionalize Promising Practices Success Indicators of Affirming Promising Practices Reflective Questions Chapter 6: Communicate Feedback Defining Feedback Communicating Feedback Through Engagement (vs. Bypass) Differentiating Feedback to Meet Teachers' Needs Example 6.1: Exploring New Ideas for Classroom Management Example 6.2: How the Task Supports Student Engagement Example 6.3: A Better Way to Assess Success Indicators for Communicating Feedback Reflective Questions Chapter 7: Help Teachers Become Leaders and Learners A Journey to Excellence Example 7.1: Teacher Self-Assessment (Wilmot Elementary School, Jefferson County Public Schools, Denver, Colorado) Example 7.2: Residency Model for Professional Development (Winnipeg School District, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada) Success Indicators of Helping Teachers Become Leaders and Learners Final Reflective Questions Conclusion: What Will Be Your Legacy? References Index

It is a very interesting book that is very needed during this time. It provides a clear path for effective coaching. -- Tanna H Nicely, Executive Principal I really liked this book and believe it would be a good tool for administrators who want to grow together or district teams to study how to improve their instructional coaching approach. This book is a good resource for administrators who want to improve their coaching techniques. -- Courtney Miller, Founder I love this text. It helps make coaching practicable. -- Angela Becton, Advanced Learning Consultant Matt Renwick is the principal we all wish we had and the one we all want to be. His ideas about walking alongside teachers to grow them in the same ways we want them to grow students are just-right advice. He brings the research on trust and collective efficacy to life through concrete ways to operationalize rituals and routines of observation, goal setting, and planning with teachers. -- Samantha Bennett Matt Renwick makes a compelling case for deeper inquiry and more thoughtful engagement around teacher practice. Full of rich, compelling examples from Matt's real-world experience, this book will help readers reconnect with their purpose as instructional leaders. Highly recommended. -- Justin Baeder Matt Renwick offers readers a rich, practical how-to book supported by current research. This book should be within easy arm's reach of school administrators wishing to increase their skills of performing their major responsibility: increasing student learning." -- Arthur L. Costa and Robert J. Garmston Matt Renwick reminds us of a key element of our shared professional leadership work: we can't do it alone. He keeps us focused on the value of coaching tools and the pillars he references to keep instruction at the center of the work of educational leaders. This book draws on an extensive research base as well as Matt Renwick's own professional experience to provide an accessible entry point for school leaders as they consider what it means to lead like a coach. -- Jason Drysdale Research is clear: Principals can have a tremendous impact on student success by focusing on job #1: ensuring every student benefits from great teaching in every classroom. Drawing upon his vast experience as a successful leader, Matt Renwick provides compelling insights, practical tools, and real-life examples for how to effect real change in schools. Leading Like a C.O.A.C.H. is a must-read playbook for any principal seeking to improve student outcomes-not by forcing change from outside in, but rather by unleashing it from the inside out through trust, compassion, optimism, and an unrelenting focus on excellence. -- Bryan Goodwin Renwick unpacks conversations by describing what he said in a coaching situation and then sharing his reasoning for why he chose the actions he took. This book is not just for people who are in the positional role of leader; it is for anyone who wants to develop their leadership capabilities. -- Bena Kallick This is exactly the book educators need to build trust while navigating the tensions in today's school systems. Leading Like a C.O.A.C.H. will provide you with strategies that humanize leadership and bring joy to the work. This is an excellent book to read with your school teams to build the leadership pipeline essential to sustaining organizational excellence and a positive culture. -- Anthony Kim An inspirational guide for school leaders, this text provokes discussion and reflection among leaders who see themselves as as co-leaders in school communities. School vision becomes a reality when school leaders coach school faculties in a collaborative and collegial way in order to create a comprehensive and cohesive learning environment for students. An excellent book that is accessible to all principals. -- Allyson Matczuk Leading Like a C.O.A.C.H. provides a framework that engenders trust and fortifies commitment to instructional excellence. Matt Renwick helps readers envision and rethink roles and routines. Most of all, his strategies, stories, and practical approach take the burden of trying to be an 'exert of everything' off of principals' shoulders. If you want your school to be a place where teachers and students want to be, this book is for you! -- Cris Tovani