Coaching Conversations with Jim Knight Instructional Coaching Group

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 assessmentsEssential factors to consider when designing and launching initiativesAn introduction to the "logic model" and its role in initiative planningThe significance of a program director and what makes an effective oneFundamental principles for monitoring the impact of an initiativeAnd 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.

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.

Welcome back to Coaching Conversations. Today my guest is Allison Rodman, Founder and Chief Learning Officer of The Learning Loop. 


Allison's background spans various roles in education, from teacher to instructional coach, from school leader to director of teaching and learning. She's an ASCD Faculty Member and the author of Still Learning: Strengthening Professional and Organizational Capacity and Personalized Professional Learning: A Job-Embedded Pathway for Elevating Teacher Voice.


As the driving force behind The Learning Loop, Allison's mission is clear: to reshape how we view professional development.


In this episode you'll hear Allison share about her passion for student and adult learning, encouraging educators to see learning as an ongoing journey rather than a one-time event. 


Listen in as Allison shares details about the 5 key concepts from her latest book Still Learning: Strengthening Professional and Organizational Capacity, and find out how to understand, accept, and elevate the importance of stillness within the field so that we can make sure we're making the most thoughtful decisions on behalf of one another as well as our students.


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


Curious how our consultants can make an impact on your school or district, 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.

"I think the whole idea, and what I get excited about is that the more we can design learning to reflect how kids' brains work, and the more we can use teaching strategies that really accelerate their learning, the easier it is for them, the more joyful it is for them, and also for us. In the end, I feel all this is adding up to joyful learning experiences for kids and for teachers. We all want to be great teachers, right? We all want to see the light bulbs go on for kids, And, I think this is, ultimately, all about those joyful learning experiences." - Bryan Goodwin


In this episode of Coaching Conversations, our special guest is Bryan Goodwin, President and CEO of McREL International, a nonprofit organization that provides in-depth professional learning and school improvement services to school systems worldwide to help educators use the science of teaching, learning, and leading to lift all learners.


Learn about the approach in developing the rigorous research base for the third edition of Bryan's book The New Classroom Instruction That Works and how this new methodology yielded an updated set of 14 high leverage teaching strategies that have been shown, scientifically, to promote deep, meaningful, and lasting learning for diverse students.


In this conversation, Bryan shares details about the six phases of learning and the cognitive science behind each.
Become interested.Commit to learning.Focus on new learning.Make sense of learning.Practice and reflect.Extend and apply.
Interested in learning how our consultants can make an impact on your School, District, or Program? Click here

Learn how to join our Institute by clicking here 

Our featured guests this week are Dennis Shirley and Andy Hargreaves, authors of "The Age of Identity." In this episode they share their views on education in our modern era, focusing on how identity influences practices and policies. Together, Jim, Andy, and Dennis discuss the connections between culture, technology, and societal changes, considering what it means for educators globally. 

Tune in to this conversation about the role of identity in education.

Curious how to gain insight into coaching as an administrator, clicking here. 

To learn more about the Paris Institute and how to attend, click here. 

"If teachers have areas in which they can be developed, instructional coaches have the coaching program in our district, and leaders and aspiring leaders have ways to learn - what if we created a way for facilitators to learn? Because whoever is facilitating all of that learning, they need to be poured into as well. They need to be developed, too." - Dr. Jessica Wise
Hello and welcome back to our monthly Coaching Questions episode, where we dive deep into the world of coaching and education. I'm your host, Jim Knight, and I'm thrilled to be joined once again by ICG consultant, Dr. Jessica Wise.

This week, we celebrate a significant milestone in Jessica's journey – her doctoral accomplishment in the field of education. It's a momentous occasion that deserves recognition, and we couldn't be more excited to share in her success.

Jessica's doctoral research encompassed human focus facilitation. In our conversation, she discusses what it means to be more focused on the humans and less focused on the presentation. Listen in as Jessica shares the four ways to prioritize your learners and ensure meaningful professional development experiences where they feel refreshed, rejuvenated, and empowered.


I'd love to hear your feedback about my weekly Coaching Conversations. Please consider leaving a rating or review and subscribing to our channel.  
Keep up to date with everything ICG by signing up to our newsletter by clicking here. 
To learn more about the Paris Institute and how to attend, click here.