Provide instructional coaches with the training they need to create a continuous improvement system for teachers through goal-setting, observation, feedback, reflection, and collaborative planning.

Focus Area

Instructional Coaching

The Phases of a Successful Implementation

Creating a plan to provide instructional coaches with ongoing opportunities to hone their skills requires buy-in from your coaches, comprehensive training, and a plan to measure success for coaches, teachers, and ultimately students. All of our professional learning programs are built from distinct phases throughout the school year to support this change across your district.

The Center of Learning for Instructional Coaches is the BL Lab

The BL Lab is the foundation of your professional learning program for instructional coaches. Coaches can use the lab to find new strategies they can begin using immediately, to work with their own coach, and measure their confidence to enact new outcomes while working with teachers.

Leaders can provide differentiated training for coaches with self-directed courses that are available when support is most needed. Administrators will also be able to gain a bird’s eye view of their entire professional learning programs, as well as the individual progress of select groups of educators.

See How the BL Lab Works

BetterLesson Lab on laptop
Professional Learning for Instructional Coaches Phases

Launch & Planning

Instructional coaches will be paired with an online coach of their own to learn new strategies and practice the skills they’ll need to make positive changes for teachers. Using the Try-Measure-Learn approach, BetterLesson coaches provide personalized guidance so that instructional coaches can try out new practices, measure their impact on teachers, and build a plan for continuous improvement.

Executive Coaching | Virtual
Leaders work towards their goals throughout the school year with support and advice from a personalized executive coach.

Deepening Your Work as an Instructional Coach | In-Person
I can clearly define the coaching role, the importance of implementing coaching cycles, and the use of effective communication to support coaching relationships.

Targeted Support

Provide instructional coaches with the chance to collaborate to create district-wide changes. Virtual Workshops offer targeted learning in a collaborative environment where coaches and leaders set goals, identify manageable implementation steps, and create a plan to reflect on results for sustainable changes in practice.

Defining the Coaching Role to Set Up Successful Coaching | Virtual
I leverage the role of instructional coach to support teaching and learning.

Using Try-Measure-Learn to Develop a Coaching Cycle | Virtual
I use effective coaching cycles and/or models to support teacher practice.

Communicate with Teachers Effectively to Personalize Support | Virtual
I support the goals of instructional coaching through effective and collegial communication.

Virtual Establishing a Culture of Continuous Improvement | Virtual
I support the goals of instructional coaching through effective and collegial communication.

Making the Shift to Transformational Coaching | Virtual
I leverage the role of instructional coach to support teaching and learning.

Build a Comprehensive Learning Plan, Tailored to your District’s Needs

Creating ongoing changes in the practices of instructional coaches can take one to three years, depending on your district’s goals and size. Our comprehensive learning programs incorporate in-person, virtual, group, and self-directed learning experiences throughout the full school year, creating scaffolds of support aligned with how adult learners actually learn. Our team will create a learning plan that is tailored to your district’s strategic plan, and includes a mix of learning experiences backed by research and focused on target outcomes.

Focus on Achievable Outcomes


Outcomes are the connecting thread for all of our learning experiences. Each experience is tied to an outcome that makes the change in practice tangible and impactful for coaches and teachers. For instructional coaching, we focus on helping coaches achieve the below outcomes.

Observation cycle icon

Defining the Coaching Role

Outcome: I leverage the role of instructional coach to support teaching and learning.

Student-centered goals icon

Establishing a Coaching Cadence and Cycle

Outcome: I use effective coaching cycles and/or models to support teacher practice.

Communication icon

Coaching Communication

Outcome: I support the goals of instructional coaching through effective and collegial communication.

“The information, activities, and resources that our learning series facilitator provided are so relevant and immediately useful. I feel that after this workshop I have the tools I need to refine my teaching practice.”

"I am walking away today with at least ten new ideas that I am eager to implement immediately with my teachers."

Let’s Connect

Turn strategies into outcomes. Our team is here to help.

Get in Touch

Learning Strategies From Our Library

Teacher helping high school students with laptop and tablet

Coaching Observation

Learn strategies for using objective classroom data to identify the impact of a teacher’s actions on student learning.

Learn More

Happy woman on video call.

Try-Measure-Learn: The Heart of Continuous Improvement

Develop teaching and learning strategies one step at a time using the BetterLesson coaching model.

Learn More

Two people talking.

Debriefing and Setting Next Steps

Improve instructional coaching practice by formalizing the process for reflecting and deciding on next steps.

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The Learning Curve

Accelerate growth in your schools and stay ahead of the curve.