The Instructional Coach’s Toolkit

Show Me

This episode dives into Show Me, a fast, reliable technique that helps teachers get real-time insight into student understanding. Instructional coaches will learn how to support teachers in planning, executing, and reflecting on whole-class checks for understanding that go beyond cold calls or one-off questions. We’ll cover what makes Show Me effective, how to script and debrief it, and how to use it as a lever for stronger classroom culture and data-driven instruction. You’ll walk away with coaching moves you can use this week to make CFU sharper and more inclusive. Perfect for any coach working with teachers on formative assessment, pacing, or student engagement. A quick listen—big payoff.

Every Minute Matters

In this episode, we dive into the high-impact mindset of Every Minute Matters, a core Teach Like a Champion technique that reframes how we think about instructional time. Listeners are guided through a simple calculation to reveal how even small daily time losses—just five minutes a day—can add up to nearly a month of lost class time over the school year. The episode offers practical, actionable strategies for tightening routines, sharpening transitions, and maximizing the start and end of each lesson. For teachers, it’s about building a classroom culture where time is valued. For coaches, it’s about helping educators reclaim those minutes through intentional planning and feedback. Every minute truly adds up—and in this episode, we show you how to get them back.

Precise Praise

This episode of Instructional Coaches’ Toolkit explores how to support teachers in using Precise Praise—a high-impact way to reinforce expectations, clarity, and student effort. Too often, praise in the classroom is vague or overused. This episode guides coaches in helping teachers shift from automatic compliments to targeted, meaningful reinforcement that builds academic identity. You’ll learn what to look for in walkthroughs, how to script and refine praise statements, and how to frame coaching conversations around culture and credibility. Whether you’re leading feedback or planning PD, this episode gives you a fast, practical tool for coaching stronger classroom tone.
 

Threshold and Strong Start

This episode focuses on coaching the technique Threshold & Strong Start, one of the most foundational ways to shape classroom culture and routines. You’ll learn what to look for in the first three minutes of class, how to give targeted feedback, and how to support teachers in creating consistency that leads to stronger engagement and fewer behavioral issues—starting at the door.

Cold Call Done Right

Cold Call is more than a participation strategy—it’s one of the most effective, real-time ways to check for understanding across the room. When done right, it gives teachers immediate insight into student thinking, increases accountability, and shifts classroom culture. But when done poorly, it risks becoming performative or punitive. In this episode, we break down how to help teachers plan, frame, and reflect on Cold Call as a high-leverage CFU technique—and how to coach it for clarity, consistency, and impact.

The Myth of Learning Styles: Mind Shift to UDL

In this episode of The Instructional Coaches’ Toolkit, we tackle the enduring myth of learning styles and explore how coaches can guide experienced teachers toward more effective, research-backed practices. While the idea of tailoring instruction to visual, auditory, or kinesthetic preferences is widespread, the evidence shows it doesn’t improve learning outcomes. Instead, we unpack how multimodal instruction and Universal Design for Learning offer more meaningful ways to support all students. Listeners will learn practical coaching strategies like the Lesson Lift protocol, modality mapping, and using student work as evidence for instructional shifts. Whether you’re coaching a veteran teacher or leading a PD session, this episode provides the language, tools, and framing to evolve practice—without undermining trust.

Clear and Rigorous Lesson Objectives

In this episode of The Instructional Coach'e podcast, we explore how to support teachers in writing and using clear, rigorous academic objectives that truly drive instruction. The episode begins by identifying common pitfalls, like task-based objectives that lack cognitive demand or fail to guide lesson flow. Coaches are guided to use Bloom’s Taxonomy to help teachers focus on verbs that reflect deeper thinking and align tasks to those cognitive levels. Teach Like a Champion strategies—like Begin with the End and Post It, Frame It, Refer to It—are woven in to ensure objectives are not just written, but used effectively during instruction. Coaches also learn how to check for student clarity and spot misalignment between objectives and assessment. The episode closes with actionable coaching questions and a reminder that strong objectives set the tone for meaningful student learning.

Walkthroughs that Work

This episode is designed for instructional coaches, deans, and school leaders who conduct classroom walkthroughs as part of their support and coaching work. It reframes walkthroughs as powerful, low-stakes tools for gathering evidence, building trust, and driving instructional growth. Listeners will learn how to approach walkthroughs with intentionality, clarity, and a coaching mindset—focusing on what matters most: engagement, differentiation, and responsive teaching. The episode covers best practices for giving feedback that is timely, specific, and supportive, with an emphasis on follow-up and relationship-building. It also offers tips on how to shift away from compliance-driven walkthroughs and instead use them as catalysts for meaningful, ongoing development. Whether you’re new to coaching or refining your practice, this episode offers practical guidance to make walkthroughs truly work.

The Myth of the Lazy Student

In this episode of The Instructional Coaches' Guide, we tackle the myth of student laziness and explore how instructional coaches can support teachers in reframing disengagement. Backed by research from psychology and neuroscience, we break down the real barriers preventing student motivation—fear of failure, executive function challenges, and lack of relevance. Coaches will gain strategies to help teachers shift their mindsets, build stronger student connections, and implement practical interventions that foster engagement. This episode equips instructional leaders with the tools to move teachers from frustration to curiosity, ensuring that all students receive the support they need to succeed.

Opportunities for Student Talk

This podcast explores coaching strategies to maximize student talk in the classroom using Teach Like a Champion (TLaC) techniques and the CHAMPS framework. Research from John Hattie and Douglas Fisher underscores the importance of structured discussions in improving student engagement, comprehension, and critical thinking. Instructional coaches will learn practical strategies like Turn and Talk, Cold Call (used supportively), No Opt Out, and Stretch It, alongside CHAMPS guidelines for setting clear discussion expectations. The episode concludes with actionable coaching tips, encouraging coaches to support teachers in implementing these strategies for more dynamic and equitable classroom conversations.