1 Data coach For Joellen, a data coach is not simply someone tasked with collecting or presenting data, but someone who teaches others to analyze and use data. 2 Resource provider Coaches have to be careful with this one! At the start of a school year, teachers are often craving any and all teaching resources they can find, and a coach can really thrive on finding those resources for their teachers. 3 Mentor Coaches can be a mentor, especially to new professionals, to acclimate a teacher to a new environment in a social, emotional, and psychological sense. Joellen tells us that mentoring means helping teachers understand who they are as members of a school community and feeling ready to meet the responsibilities as a teacher. 4 Curriculum specialist Another role for coaches is that of curriculum specialist. “A curriculum specialist is a person who has deep expertise in the ‘what’ that is being taught,” Joellen adds, “And guides teachers to use curricula that are based on a solid theoretical framework, aligned with relevant standards.” 5 Instructional specialist The instructional specialist, on the other hand, deals with “how” the curriculum is facilitated for learning. 6 Classroom supporter There are three parts (or responsibilities) to being a classroom supporter: The first part is to serve as a model of effective teaching, teaching new strategies and classroom management practices. The second responsibility is co-teaching. Joellen explains, “That is, going from ‘I do, we do’ to ‘you do.’ So, we do it standing together side by side.” 7 Learning facilitator When a coach is responsible for facilitating learning in both informal and formal situations, with individuals or teams of teachers, Joellen calls this the learning facilitator role. 8 School leader Coaches will naturally become a school leader. As leaders, Joellen finds that coaches can often build a very important bridge between teachers and administration at a school. 9 A catalyst for change Joellen also sees coaches in a position to challenge the status quo; a coach is someone who is “always looking to plant seeds for opportunities to consider alternatives that might achieve a better end for students.” 10 Learner The last role Joellen speaks about is the learner. Coaches are constantly learning. There are always changes in working with students, so keeping up to date and learning every day, for Joellen, is the “be all and end all” of being a coach. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sunny-cronin/support