A teacher once kept me at arm’s length for nearly a semester.
She was polite. She welcomed me into the room. But she never asked for coaching.
So I stopped trying to prove how helpful I could be.
I showed up. I listened. I noticed what was working. And when I made a promise, I kept it.
Then one day she asked:
“Could you help me think through my guided reading groups?”
That question did not come from the perfect coaching protocol.
It came from trust.
Trust is not the warm-up before the real coaching work. Trust is the work.
The good news is that you do not have to leave it to chance.
Use this five-step loop
Show Up → Ask → Agree → Deliver → Reflect
1. Show Up
Be present where teachers already are. Walk the hallway. Join a team conversation. Send a specific note about something that worked.
Do not ask for a coaching cycle every time you appear.
2. Ask
Try one question:
“What would make next week easier for you or better for your students?”
Then listen.
3. Agree
Choose one small next step together.
Not “increase engagement.”
Try: “On Thursday, we will use a two-minute discussion protocol and track how many students contribute.”
4. Deliver
This is where trust grows.
Send the template. Join the lesson. Follow up when you promised. A small commitment completed is more valuable than a large offer forgotten.
5. Reflect
Close the loop:
- What worked better than expected?
- What should we keep, change, or stop?
- What is the next useful step?
That final conversation turns one helpful moment into a coaching partnership.
Your 10-minute first run
Choose one teacher today.
Send this message:
“What would make next week easier for you or better for your students?”
Offer one small form of support. Then schedule the follow-up before you move on.
That is the system.
One teacher. One promise. One follow-through.
Want the scripts that support the system?
I put the conversation starters, coaching pitch, communication audit, and 90-day plan into one free resource for instructional coaches.
Download the free Coaching Communication Toolkit
Use one script this week. Keep one promise. Build from there.
Until next time,
Jeff BradburyYour Digital Learning Coach
