Behind every great athlete is a great coach. In fact, many CEOs of the best American corporations have coaches. In these arenas, there is a deep belief that one of the most effective ways to get better is to have help from someone with a wealth of experience, who is highly skilled at analyzing performance and has mastered the art of helping people go from good to better and better to best.

Research clearly shows that instructional coaches can also have a positive impact on teaching and learning in the classroom. Even good teachers benefit from skilled coaching. As a result, coaching is increasingly part of a district’s strategy for making Adequate Yearly Progress.

Yet many districts and schools have not developed the tradition or the capacity for sustained, effective coaching. Those that are fielding instructional coaches often are simply using their best teachers to train other teachers. But coaching is about working with peers in a professional development setting, and even the best classroom teacher needs an additional skill set to coach effectively. Instructional coaches need training that equips them with the knowledge and skills necessary to become effective models, mentors, and change agents within their schools and districts. Coaches need a set of skills explicitly tied to the academic standards, school designs, and instructional programs that shape classroom teaching and learning in their schools.