A New Valuable Resource on the Web

Sue Keck, who is a ball of fire for coaching, and who oversees a major Pennsylvania Coaching project funded by a $31 million Annenburg Foundation Grant, has created a website that is becoming a very valuable resource for Instructional Coaches. The site www.pacoaching.org contains a resources section, copies of presentations, and podcasts. In the interests of full disclosure I have to admit that Stacy Cohen from the Pathways to Success project is featured in one podcast, and there is another podcast that is an interview of me. I highly recommend the site, (and not just because we're on it!). I am also looking forward to reading Sue's blog just to see what great ideas she lays out for all of us to see. Sue has a lot of good to say. She will also be sharing her ideas and knowledge at our upcoming Instructional Coaching Conference, to be held October 15 - 18 at the Eldridge Hotel in Lawrence.

October Instructional Coaching Conference

I’m thrilled to be able to communicate that the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning is sponsoring our first annual conference on Instructional Coaching to be held at the Eldridge Hotel in Lawrence, Kansas, October 15 – 18, 2006. This year we are incredibly lucky to have an all star line up of national experts on coaching and instruction as presenters, including Joellen Killion, Director of Special Projects, for the National Staff Development Council, Randy Sprick, President Safe and Civil Schools, Evan Lefsky, Director of Secondary Reading for Just Read Florida, Sue Keck, Project Manager for the Pennsylvania High School Math and Literacy Coach Project, Wendy Reinke, Researcher on Instructional Coaching at Johns Hopkins University, and Keith Herman, a Certified Rrofessional Developer for Motivation Interviewing and Researcher at Johns Hopkins University.
The conference will provide an opportunity for a community of coaches and coach leaders to learn about state of the art research and thinking on Instructional Coaching. Among the topics to be addressed are:
• The Roles of Coaches
• Behavior Coaching: Coaching to Improve Teachers Classroom Management Skills
• Lessons Learned About Quality Coaching From Research on 2000 Coaches in Florida
• Understanding and Negotiating the Principal and Coach Relationship
• Classroom Check Up: A Tool for Gathering Data and Communicating with Teachers About Classroom Management
• Reports on Significant Statewide Coaching Programs in Florida, Pennsylvania, Maryland and other states
This conference, however, will be more than a series of presentations, and, in the spirit of the partnership approach, the conference will provide numerous opportunities for dialogue. Open Space sessions will be offered where participants can converse with other participants and facilitators about topics that they are most concerned with, and presenters will engage in structured dialogues around topics. We anticipate the conference will be an annual opportunity to learn, to share ideas, to develop a community, and to collectively move the field of instructional coaching forward.
The conference fee is $450.00, which includes breakfast and snacks during the conference. Any profits from the conference will go toward the study of coaching at the Center for Research on Learning. Some rooms have been held at the Eldridge Hotel for conference participants. If you are interested in attending the conference, we strongly urge you to register soon. There really are a limited number of spaces, and we anticipate that this conference will fill up quickly. In the next few days, registration forms will be available for you to download from our instructional coaching website. You can also contact me, Jim Knight at my email if you have any questions. I am very excited about this conference, and I hope to see you in October.

Best wishes,

Jim