 We often worry about how do we Figure out what the coaches are going to be doing and what the goal of the program is and what expertise we want them to have Well, we need to also simultaneously prepare principles and prepare teachers for working with coaches and If we fail to do this Then our coaching program is going to be a little more complex So let me offer just a few suggestions about the critical Components that I think need to be in a principal preparation For working with coaches and a teacher's preparation for working with coaches and then I'm going to give you An opportunity to perhaps offer some of your own ideas first and foremost How a principal talks to a staff about coaching in a school is Has a huge influence on the success of the coaching in that school So the degree to which a principal is able to communicate how coaching will advance student learning without saying things like Or in flooring or insinuating things like we have to change our teaching practices because what we're doing isn't working How closely we are able to align to a Continuous improvement message versus oh we have these horrible problems message Will influence substantially how successful coaching will be If teachers in the school believe that the coach is there as I was in my situation to fix the teachers The coach may as well pack her bags or his bags and go home Because there will never be a relationship of trust ever the coach in principle need to work closely together to build the introductory message and The introductory message is how does the role of coaching support what we're striving to do in this school And then who is this person in that role? So we work with principles on shaping that message so that it comes from a positive approach so that it comes from the approach of continuous improvement and so that the focus is always on Student achievement and not necessarily on fixing teaching practices even though we are going to refine teaching as we do this So I want you to hear that part the second thing that's really crucial in working with principles and helping them be strong advocates for coaching and strong supporters of coaches is How often and how principles in coaches communicate? We think it's very bless you important for principles in coaches to communicate Frequently Minimally once a week in a sit-down not our fly-through-the-haul way conversation with an agenda and a focus and That within that conversation There are strict rules and guidelines about confidentiality and what's permissible to be discussed and what's not permissible to be discussed We have to often help coaches and principles understand that