Cynthia Harrison

Role: Catalyst for change By Joellen Killion , Cynthia Harrison  When does a school-based coach resemble a tight-rope walker? As catalysts for change, coaches have a delicate balance to maintain -- on one hand, they challenge the status quo and on the other, they want teachers to be confident and […]

Role: Instructional specialist By Joellen Killion , Cynthia Harrison  How fitting that most coaches spend the majority of their time in the role of the instructional specialist since it is in this role that student learning is most directly influenced. As instructional specialists, coaches focus on instructional strategies, share information […]

Role: Curriculum specialist By Joellen Killion , Cynthia Harrison  School-based coaches tackle a range of challenging tasks when they play the role of the curriculum specialist. They assist teachers in understanding and aligning the curriculum, they help to identify and interpret standards, they explore what to assess. Such a range […]

Role: School leader By Joellen Killion , Cynthia Harrison  School-based coaches assume leadership roles in schools, whether formally or informally. As leaders, coaches work intentionally to make a positive difference in their schools. Leadership tasks for coaches include serving on school improvement teams, working informally with teachers to understand change […]

School-based coaches assume leadership roles in schools, whether formally or informally. As leaders, coaches work intentionally to make a positive difference in their schools. Leadership tasks for coaches include serving on school improvement teams, working informally with teachers to understand change initiatives, and collaborating with principals and other administrators. Learn […]

The school-based coach often serves as a mentor to new teachers. In this role, coaches call upon their knowledge of instructional strategies, classroom management, and the culture of a specific school. They must also understand the stages of teacher development and adjust support to meet novice teachers' needs. Learn more […]

Role: Mentor By Joellen Killion , Cynthia Harrison The school-based coach often serves as a mentor to new teachers. In this role, coaches call upon their knowledge of instructional strategies, classroom management, and the culture of a specific school. They must also understand the stages of teacher development and adjust […]

Role: Data coach By Joellen Killion , Cynthia Harrison Instructional coaches have a relatively new role in assisting teachers to analyze student achievement, perception, demographic, and process data. Such a role includes many steps, from identifying what data to examine and how to display data meaningfully to helping teachers make […]

9 roles of the school-based coach By Joellen Killion, Cynthia Harrison  The school-based coach is a new position in many school systems. While the title and job description vary across districts and states, the job is always complex. In this article, Killion and Harrison identify 9 different roles of the […]