Be a Voice, Not an Echo

November 6, 2019 - 3 minutes read

by Rebecca Gibboney, BLast IU 17 PIIC mentor

Kid President urges “Be somebody who makes everybody feel like somebody.” And, as an Instructional Coach, you are that somebody who makes everybody feel like somebody. Instructional Coaches have that powerful quality, those ninja-like moves, to turn bad days into bad moments, bad moments into sincere smiles. Instructional Coaches hear the faintest of conversations and see through the deepest concerns in order to empower and fuel teachers, students, and even administrators.

As Instructional change agents, we choose to be a voice, not an echo.

You speak for those who are voiceless, timid, fearful. Your voice brings calm, determination and reassurance. So, Instructional Coaches, it’s time to make your voice heard. It’s time for you to advocate for your students, your teachers, and, most importantly, yourself.

For some, this might be the most difficult feat. You are placing yourself out of your comfort zone and opening yourself up to vulnerability. You are leading coaching conversations with instructional leaders with whom you never thought you would never face in your career. For others, this might be the adrenaline rush you have been seeking for years. It fuels you and grounds you in purpose. It carries out your innate calling as a teacher leader. Either way, your voice carves your path as a leader, a coach, and a change agent.

Whether you have a deep voice or a shy whisper, you pave the way. There is no cookie-cutter way to make your voice heard. It might be written in board reports, spoken within four walls, or shown on the smile you carry every day throughout the hallways. It could be the tireless nights you spend prepping professional learning experiences, the side conversations with your teachers in the hallways, or the 280 characters on your latest tweet.

No matter what kind of coaching voice you have, there is one unique constant every coach carries:  a story. Share your story, unveil the successes and the feats. Share the truth; share the real you. Instructional Coaching is never easy; no fulfilling job is. Yet, the beauty of coaching is that you don’t just carry one voice, but you carry the voices of many. You don’t just speak for yourself, but for the hundreds of students and educators, you reach every single day.

Your voice is irreplaceable. Your voice is powerful. Your voice is influential. Your voice will shape the future of education if you let it. So, make your voice heard!