Instructional leadership is not a solo endeavor—it is a collective effort that thrives on collaboration between school leaders and instructional coaches. While principals and district leaders set the vision for high-quality teaching and learning, instructional coaches play a pivotal role in translating that vision into daily practice.
At the University of Washington Center for Educational Leadership (CEL), we have seen firsthand that when instructional coaches are well-supported, they become catalysts for meaningful teacher learning, deeper collaboration, and stronger instructional practices that directly impact students.
Bridging Vision and Practice Through Coaching
One of the greatest challenges in instructional leadership is ensuring that a shared vision for high-quality instruction is not just articulated but actively realized in classrooms. Instructional coaches and teacher leaders serve as the bridge between leadership aspirations and instructional reality. When coaches and school leaders develop a common language for discussing teaching and learning, they create a foundation for responsive, student-centered professional learning experiences.
Through CEL’s Instructional Leadership Academy, we’ve worked alongside instructional coaches and school leaders to build the skills needed to:
- Observe classrooms with a focus on student experience, surfacing inequities and opportunities for growth.
- Use qualitative evidence to ground conversations about instruction in the realities of students’ learning experiences.
- Offer strengths-based feedback that empowers teachers and fosters continuous improvement.
Centering Student Experience in Instructional Leadership
One lesson stands out in our work with instructional coaches: the most effective coaching does not focus on teacher actions alone—it centers on students’ experience. Instructional coaches who deeply understand how students engage with learning are better equipped to guide teachers in making meaningful instructional shifts.
For example, instructional coaches in our program engage in learning walks, student listening sessions, and judgment-free data collection to gain a fuller picture of how instruction shapes student experiences. This approach allows them to provide actionable, relevant feedback that teachers can immediately apply in their classrooms.
Alisa Rodgers-Taylor, a teacher leader who participated in the Instructional Leadership Academy, shared the positive impact of this work:
“We are able to offer more meaningful observational feedback and link our professional learning opportunities to areas of growth we’ve seen a need for in our classrooms. Offering more practical feedback has made it easier for teachers to buy into the work we are doing because we were able to create meaningful links to their students and their classrooms—this isn’t just theory, it’s based on the lived experiences in our classrooms.”
Strengthening Collaboration Between Coaches and School Leaders
Instructional coaching is most powerful when done in partnership with school leaders. Coaches and school leaders with regular, structured time to reflect together can align their efforts and create a unified approach to teacher development.
Landon Bell, an instructional coach, described how intentional collaboration with his principal and fellow teacher leaders transformed their work:
“The CEL work has been an invaluable opportunity for extended discussions with the principal and other teacher leaders at our school…These sessions have allowed us to engage in deep reflection, brainstorming, and setting substantive next steps. Given the busyness of the day-to-day, these opportunities to slow down and focus are invaluable.”
A Call to Elevate Instructional Coaching
If we want to see real, sustained improvements in teaching and learning, we must invest in instructional coaches—not just as individual leaders, but as integral partners in instructional leadership. When school systems prioritize coaching and create strong connections between coaches and school leaders, they build a foundation for:
- A unified, collaborative approach to teacher development.
- Actionable feedback that directly connects teacher growth to student outcomes.
- Teacher learning experiences rooted in real classroom challenges and successes.
- A commitment to equity by focusing on the experiences of students furthest from success.
- Instructional coaching is not just about supporting teachers—it’s about transforming schools from the inside out. As educational leaders, we must ask ourselves: How are we equipping our
- instructional coaches with the tools, partnerships, and frameworks they need to drive meaningful change?
At CEL, we remain committed to this work and to supporting the instructional coaches who make it possible.
