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Coaching Conversations with Jim Knight

By: Instructional Coaching Group
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  • Summary

  • Jim Knight is the founder of The Instructional Coaching Group, a professional development provider dedicated to offering PD for coaches, teachers, and leaders based on a partnership approach that creates better learning environments for all students. As a research associate at the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning Jim has spent 25 years studying professional learning and instructional coaching. He earned his PhD in Education from the University of Kansas and has won several university teaching, innovation, and service awards. The pioneering work Jim and his colleagues have conducted has led to many innovations that are now central to professional development in schools. Jim wrote the first major article about instructional coaching for the Journal of Staff Development, and his book Instructional Coaching (2007) offered the first extended description of instructional coaching. Jim has written several books in addition to those described above, including the bestsellers Unmistakable Impact (2011), High-Impact Instruction (2013), Focus on Teaching (2014), Better Conversations (2015), The Impact Cycle (2018), and The Definitive Guide to Instructional Coaching (2021). He has also authored articles featured in Educational Leadership, The Journal of Staff Development, Principal Leadership, The School Administrator, and Kappan.
    © 2024 Coaching Conversations with Jim Knight
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Episodes
  • Christina Ortega

    Christina Ortega
    May 7 2024

    In this episode of Coaching Conversations I am joined by one of ICG's consultants, Christina Ortega. Christina is an experienced instructional coach and coordinator of math and science.


    I had the opportunity to work with her and several coaches last year as part of a study where we looked at a year in the life of a coach. She taught me a lot about what people were dealing with, successes and challenges, in the moment as she was coaching. It was an incredibly unique learning experience that I'm grateful for.


    In this episode, Christina talks about the power of being a learner and why being a continuous learner is a critical part about being a coach. She and I revisit what it was like to be in the study last year and how it taught her about the importance of pausing and reflecting.


    Tune in to hear Christina's perspective on the rewarding and gratifying work that is instructional coaching, while also embracing the scary moments and giving space to success stories.


    Christina and I also touch on the following key aspects of coaching:

    • Role Clarity
    • Aligning a Coach's Role to the Goals of the School and District
    • What it means to be an advocate for yourself
    • Coaching questions, tips, forms, tools, and activities that will help you on your journey
    • TLC - Christina's perspective as an attendee last year and what she's excited about presenting this year!


    To learn more and join the institute, click here.

    To purchase our planner, click here.


    I'd love to hear your feedback about my weekly Coaching Conversations. Please consider leaving a rating or review and subscribing to our channel.
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    49 mins
  • James Marshall

    James Marshall
    Apr 30 2024

    In this episode of Coaching Conversations I'm excited to learn from my guest James Marshall, professor at San Diego State University—ranked as the top education school in California—and author of Right from the Start: The Essential Guide to Implementing School Initiatives.


    James draws a clear distinction between programs and initiatives, emphasizing that initiatives are what truly drive systemic change. They are embedded in the culture of an organization, fostering meaningful change. Initiatives are designed to make a real impact.


    Tune in as James shares a comprehensive, evidence-based approach to successfully implementing school initiatives. He covers key aspects of this well-structured process, including:


    • The importance of conducting needs assessments
    • Essential factors to consider when designing and launching initiatives
    • An introduction to the "logic model" and its role in initiative planning
    • The significance of a program director and what makes an effective one
    • Fundamental principles for monitoring the impact of an initiative
    • And more!


    High quality implementation is essential. We have great ideas, but they aren't great if they aren't implemented effectively. I'm grateful James Marshall gives us ways to do it.


    I'd love to hear your feedback about my weekly Coaching Conversations. Please consider leaving a rating or review and subscribing to our channel.


    Join us at the Teaching Learning Coaching conference in New Orleans or Online, this October. To learn more, click here.


    Learn how administrators can support their coaches effectively by clicking here.
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    45 mins
  • Coaching Q&A

    Coaching Q&A
    Apr 23 2024
    In today's podcast episode Jessica Wise and I discuss the topic of nominal change from my recent article in Educational Leadership "The Problem of Nominal Change". Join us as we unpack the challenges, implications, and strategies for breaking free from cycles.


    I define nominal change as the act of stating or expressing intentions without actual implementation or execution. Nominal change is prevalent in education, where initiatives are adopted but not effectively put into practice.


    In this episode, I highlight the systemic and psychological factors contributing to nominal change. Systemically, educators often face time constraints and lack adequate resources to implement new initiatives effectively. Psychologically, there's a tendency to chase after new ideas without committing to the hard work required for deep implementation.


    Throughout the episode, I explore various examples of nominal change, ranging from professional learning communities to instructional coaching programs. I discuss the importance of establishing clear goals, having dedicated champions for initiatives, and allocating sufficient time and resources for implementation.


    The conversation delves into 7 practical strategies for escaping the nominal change cycle, including beginning with the end in mind, having a champion for initiatives, and ensuring deep knowledge among educators.


    I'd love to hear your feedback about my weekly Coaching Conversations. Please consider leaving a rating or review and subscribing to our channel.


    Interested in joining our Intensive Institute, click here.


    Join us at TLC in New Orleans, this October as we remind ourselves to keep kids first. To learn how to join us, click here.
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    26 mins
Personal Success
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