Building Coherence Between Math Coaches, Principals, and Teachers

This episode is a debrief of the article Coaching for Coherence: How Instructional Coaches Lead Change in the Evaluation Era by Woulfin & Rigby (2017). We explore how math coaches can lead meaningful instructional improvement when their role is clearly defined and aligned with both evaluation systems and the goals of ambitious instruction.

You’ll hear our reflections on three core functions of math coaches—developing shared understandings, modeling instructional practices, and brokering two-way communication between classrooms and leadership. We also unpack common challenges, including the risk of coaches being perceived as evaluators, and offer recommendations to create a safe, impactful math coaching culture that builds trust and coherence across the system.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• Why math coaching needs to be framed as developmental, not evaluative
• The three essential roles math coaches play in a coherent instructional system
• How content-specific coaching aligned to standards can drive improvement
• Why district infrastructure and principal leadership matter for coaching success
• How to protect trust and clarity in the math coach–teacher relationship

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Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

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