Coaching Conversations with Jim Knight

I'm absolutely thrilled to have a conversation with my dear friend, Joellen Killion, a true trailblazer and the inaugural recipient of the prestigious Don Deshler Leadership Award. Joellen is not only an esteemed colleague but also someone I deeply admire. Today, I have the pleasure of delving into a discussion with Joellen, but not in the traditional sense. Today, Joellen coaches me as we explore ways to improve my professional and personal approach.Together, we discuss practical strategies that elevate professional learning practices, drawing from Joellen's extensive experience in planning, designing, implementing, and evaluating professional development at various educational levels. In this enlightening episode, we explore the powerful impact of instructional coaching on professional learning, offering invaluable insights that have the potential to revolutionize education and enhance student outcomes.I'd love to hear your feedback about my weekly Coaching Conversations. Please consider leaving a rating or review and subscribing to our channel.  To learn how to join our Introduction to Leadership Coaching workshop, click here.

In this episode of Coaching Conversations, I explore the impactful coaching program developed by Nicola O'Keeffe, Debbie Briggs, Becky Prescott-Mail, and Ceri Boyle from New College Doncaster. Their focus is on equipping students with essential knowledge and metacognitive skills for outstanding performance in national qualifications. The coaches discuss their commitment to building a common language around learning, emphasizing explicit teaching of metacognitive skills. They share insights into incorporating evidence on memory and learning into actionable principles for exceptional student progress. The conversation highlights a culture of continuous improvement among teachers, with personalized CPD targeting high-impact areas. New College challenges the input/output myth, emphasizing that true learning involves a lasting change in the brain's structure. Discover how they teach for learning, creating challenging yet supportive environments and fostering deep teacher subject knowledge.I'd love to hear your feedback about my weekly Coaching Conversations. Please consider leaving a rating or review and subscribing to our channel.  To learn more about our Better Conversations Workshop, click here.Ceri BoyleCeri Boyle, now in her 29th year as a teacher, has worked in a number of secondary schools and, in recent years, sixth form colleges. She spent a number of years leading departments and faculties, but became particularly interested in coaching to support teachers’ professional development as a lead practitioner. As assistant principal at New College Doncaster, she leads on teaching, learning, and assessment.Rebecca Prescott-MailBecky Prescott-Mail is an Instructional Coach and teacher of Psychology at New College Doncaster. During her 15 year career, she has taught in Shanghai, led a department and worked as a subject coordinator on one of 12 government Opportunity Areas aiming to raise the quality of teaching and learning in Social Sciences in her region. She is passionate about supporting teachers professional development through positive engagement and is a fellow of CollectivED.Nicki O'KeeffeNicki O'Keeffe has just entered her 20th year of teaching and has been involved in a variety of department, subject and pastoral related job roles. Nicki's passion has always been to dedicate her time to supporting trainee teachers in their early development as well as teachers further into their career. She is currently an Instructional Coach at New College Doncaster alongside teaching sport. Debbie BriggsDebbie Briggs is now in her 29th year as a Sociology teacher.  She has worked in a variety of education establishments across the sector including  FE,  grammar and sixth form colleges.   Debbie has led departments and programme areas in Social Sciences, student support and tutorial systems. She currently works at New College Doncaster as a Teacher of Sociology,  Instructional Coach and Oxbridge coordinator.

Welcome back to this month's episode of Coaching Q&A. In this episode I continue my exploration of key topics from my book, Better Conversations, with ICG's consultant Jessica Wise.Join us as we empower coaches, administrators, and teachers to not just survive, but thrive. Discover the secrets to coaching ourselves and each other for better communication, delving into strategies that make us more credible, caring, and connected.We'll unravel the art of one to one conversations, helping you unlock the power of finding common ground. Learn how to find common ground, bridging gaps and celebrating diversity. Trust-building continues to take center stage, as we share insights into establishing and maintaining trust within educational communities.I'd love to hear your feedback about my weekly Coaching Conversations. Please consider leaving a rating or review and subscribing to our channel.  We also invite you to explore our Introduction to Leadership Coaching workshop, by clicking here.

Welcome to another episode of Coaching Conversations, where I have the pleasure of having a thought-provoking dialogue with the incredible Dr. Ayanna Cooper. As an educational consultant and fervent advocate for culturally and linguistically diverse learners, Ayanna brings a wealth of experience to the table.Throughout her illustrious career, Ayanna has worn many hats, from serving as an English as a Second Language teacher to taking on roles as an ELL Instructional Coach, Urban Education Teacher Supervisor, ELL/Title III Director, and ELL/Bilingual Program Specialist. In our conversation, we explore the dynamic landscape of educational diversity and the profound impact Ayanna has made in each of these capacities.Join us as we delve into Ayanna's journey, discussing the challenges and triumphs she's encountered along the way. We explore the nuances of her role as an advocate, shedding light on the strategies she employs to ensure inclusivity and support for learners from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Dr. Ayanna Cooper's insights are sure to resonate with educators, advocates, and anyone passionate about fostering an inclusive educational environment.I'd love to hear your feedback about my weekly Coaching Conversations. Please consider leaving a rating or review and subscribing to our channel.  To learn more about Radical Learners and the impact each lesson can have on your professional development, click here. 

Welcome, we have the distinct honor of sitting down with the visionaries behind Cognitive Coaching, Art Costa and Bob Garmston. Art and Bob have significantly shaped the landscape of coaching in education, and we owe them a tremendous debt for laying the groundwork that has influenced countless educators worldwide.In the early 1980s, Art and Bob embarked on a journey that would revolutionize coaching in education. Art Costa, with a background deeply rooted in cognition and intellectual development, had studied under the guidance of luminaries such as Jean Piaget, Jerome Bruner, Hilda Taba, J. Richard Suchman, Reuven Feuerstein, and others. His extensive experience in supervision models set the stage for what would become Cognitive Coaching.Bob Garmston's path was equally influential, drawing inspiration from mentors like Caleb Gattegno, Fritz Perls, Carl Rogers, Abraham Maslow, and, most recently, John Ginder. Together, Art and Bob brought their parallel backgrounds to create a methodology that seamlessly melds their distinct perspectives.Join us as we unravel the fascinating origins of Cognitive Coaching, a marriage of professional experiences that has become an indispensable tool for educators. Art Costa and Bob Garmston share their insights, anecdotes, and the transformative journey that led to the creation of Cognitive Coaching—a methodology that has stood the test of time and continues to empower educators globally. I'd love to hear your feedback about my weekly Coaching Conversations. Please consider leaving a rating or review and subscribing to our channel.To learn how to join our next institute, click here. 

In this episode, Michael Fullan, the world's leading expert on educational change, discusses diverse topics such as the transformative power of Deep Learning, the importance of moral purpose in leadership, the connection between deep learning and student empowerment, the influence of our brains on human rights issues, understanding the implementation dip in virtual learning, developing contextual literacy, and changing district culture to promote thriving.

Welcome to this month's episode of Coaching Q&A. In this episode I explore key topics from my book, Better Conversations, with ICG's consultant Jessica Wise.Join us as we empower coaches, administrators, and teachers to not just survive, but thrive. Discover the secrets to coaching ourselves and each other for better communication, delving into strategies that make us more credible, caring, and connected.We'll unravel the art of empathetic listening, helping you understand the emotions behind the words. Learn how to find common ground, bridging gaps and celebrating diversity. Trust-building takes center stage, as we share insights into establishing and maintaining trust within educational communities.I'd love to hear your feedback about my weekly Coaching Conversations. Please consider leaving a rating or review and subscribing to our channel.  To learn more about attending our Instructional Coaching Institute in person or virtually, clicking here. We also invite you to explore our Introduction to Leadership Coaching workshop, by clicking here.

Welcome back to another episode of Coaching Conversations. In this episode, I have the privilege of featuring my long-standing friend, mentor, and esteemed colleague, Bill Sommers.During our conversation, we delve into the significance of cultivating a broad and comprehensive knowledge base. Bill shares his unique approach to reading and note-taking, shedding light on the invaluable lessons he's learned from his experiences in improvisational acting classes, and how these experiences have subtly influenced his role as a principal.Dr. William A. Sommers continues to embody the essence of a perpetual learner, teacher, and educational leader. Bill's remarkable journey has seen him return from retirement multiple times, demonstrating his unwavering commitment to translating educational theories into practical realities within high schools and middle schools. His diverse career has spanned urban schools, as well as affluent suburban districts, granting him invaluable insights into cognitive coaching, adaptive schools, brain research, poverty-related challenges, habits of mind, conflict management, and classroom management strategies. Bill is also a certified Stakeholder Centered Coach by Marshall Goldsmith, further solidifying his expertise in the realm of leadership coaching.I'd love to hear your feedback about my weekly Coaching Conversations. Please consider leaving a rating or review and subscribing to our channel. To learn more about our Better Conversations Workshop, click here.

I'm excited for you to hear today's episode with my guest and friend, Chris Munro. Chris is the executive director of Growth Coaching International (GCI), an organization that ICG is grateful to partner with. GCI offers coaching training, coaching, and consultancy to educators worldwide.  Chris has extensive experience in supporting the development of teachers and school leaders, drawn from more than 30 years in Government and Independent schools, in Higher Education, and now as a facilitator and coach based in Australia. Chris continues to coach education leaders and is an accredited Senior Practitioner with EMCC Global. He contributes to the conversational capacity of education communities across Australia and internationally through his role in the design and delivery of coaching and mentoring courses and consultancy projects. Chris led the development and delivery of The Impact Cycle Instructional Coaching course in Australia and New Zealand.He regularly writes and speaks about coaching and mentoring in education and is an active contributor on social media. Chris has co-authored book chapters on coaching cultures for learning (Munro et al., 2020) and coaching for teacher agency (Andrews & Munro, 2019), and he is currently working on a new book about coaching as a leadership stance with John Campbell and Christian van Nieuwerburgh.If this conversation has helped you in your practice, please help us by following the podcast or leaving a review or rating. To learn more about our Institutes, click here.To learn about the impact our consultants can make for your district, click here.

Thank you for joining me on another episode of Coaching Conversations. This episode is a special one as I recap insights shared by our TLC 2023 keynote speakers. I'm also happy to introduce you to Jessica Wise, a new consultant on the ICG team. Jessica and I will give you a detailed overview of the highlights from our annual conference, shedding light on key topics that we have found particularly instrumental in our own professional practice.Jessica's educational journey began as an elementary school teacher in Gwinnett County, Georgia. After seven years in fourth-grade classrooms, she transitioned to become an intervention teacher and instructional coach, discovering her true passion in education. Her role as a school-based instructional coach opened doors to support educators effectively. After two years in this role, she moved to the Curriculum & Instruction department, serving as a Literacy Instructional Specialist and later as a Leadership & Staff Development Instructional Coach. Jessica's passion lies in adult learning, emphasizing instructional coaching and facilitation that energizes educators.If this conversation has helped you in your practice, please help us by following the podcast or leaving a review or rating. To learn more about our Introduction to Leadership Coaching Workshop, click here.