Hi, this is Matt, and I am excited for this summer’s book study.
This year we are reading Leading Like a C.O.A.C.H. (my book!). For the month of July, colleagues have been asked to write a response to the resource. We hope you can read along with us and engage in this free professional learning.
Next are some questions and answers as we prepare for this professional learning.
1. Who is this book for?
Leading Like a C.O.A.C.H. is for all school leaders in a variety of positions:
Principals
Instructional coaches
Department heads
Specialists
Mentors
District administrators
University instructors/professors
Teacher leaders
Really, anyone who wants to support their colleagues and all students in improving student outcomes in their school.
2. How do I participate?
First, you’ll want to get a copy of the book (25% off and free shipping through Corwin through June - use code LASTDAY22).
Second, here are some suggestions made previously for participating:
Read contributors’ posts and support their efforts with a like.
Post a comment on their articles to validate thinking and extend the conversation.
Share these reflections on social media so more people can participate in this discussion.
Post your own writings on your blog or newsletter related to the book.
Let me know what you’re sharing and writing through #leadinglikeacoach and tagging me @ReadByExample.
3. How long will the study last?
We plan on posting articles from selected contributors through July. Anyone can come back to these posts later, as well as continue the conversation in the comments and on social media. Related, I plan to offer a short free email course at the beginning of the school year to support leaders for getting started in this work - stay tuned!
4. Do I have to read the whole book to participate?
No - but I recommend reading at least the first three chapters as they are foundational for this practice.
4. What should I expect to get out of this experience?
I wrote Leading Like a C.O.A.C.H. to work as a playbook or a guide for leaders.
That means that you should make the book work for you. For example, if you just want to incorporate the three key coaching skills - paraphrasing, pausing, posing question - into your practice, that’s great. Look for posts during the study that speak to that aspect of the book (see #4).
If you want a more comprehensive experience, I encourage you to read the entire text and respond to the reflective questions at the end of each chapter. Related, look for success indicators (Chapters 3-7) as you implement the ideas into your work.
What questions do you still have?
And if you haven’t already, subscribe today to receive all articles from the book study.
Five Questions for the Summer 2022 Book Study