Responsive Coaching

Great teachers can make a huge difference to students' lives, but helping them to improve throughout their careers is vital. How can we best do this?

Multiple studies suggest that instructional coaching - a school-centred approach to developing teachers - is one of the best options we have. However, to make the most of instructional coaching, we must be clear about what it means.

In "Responsive Coaching", Josh Goodrich examines contrasting models, combining research and practical experience to build an approach that adapts to meet the needs of individual teachers. This enables coaches to flex their style depending on where a teacher is on their journey towards expertise.

Josh distils his approach into five areas, unpacking essential research and providing concrete examples of great coaching in action to provide a toolkit of practical responsive coaching strategies that support teachers to make continuous improvements.

Combining robust research evidence from a wide range of fields with the practical wisdom of experienced teachers, leaders and coaches, the book is a toolkit for building an instructional coaching approach that works, for every teacher.

Welcome to Responsivecoaching.com

My name is Josh Goodrich, and I am the author of Responsive Coaching. I am also the CEO of Steplab, a PD platform that supports schools to run PD that really works, underpinned by responsive coaching.

I wrote the book Responsive Coaching as a one-stop shop for anyone interested in highly effective, flexible professional development. Anyone who coaches, is interested in coaching or who wants to lead a coaching programme in their school can pick up the book and find something to improve their practice. Equally, if you just want to learn more about the science of teacher development, this is the book for you.

I've taken a deep dive into the best available evidence about how teacher development works, what we can do to power it up, and why coaching is the best method that we have available for helping teachers to make rapid progress.

If want to check out the book for yourself, tap here.

Resources

Please find links to useful resources for anyone who wants to look at little bit deeper.

I hope, in addition to reading the book, that you find them useful.

Summary of the key ideas
What's the difference between instructional coaching and responsive article? Read this short article to get a sense of the distinction I make between instructional coaching and responsive coaching
Book Launch Interview
You can read a two part interview I did with Kat Howard and Peps Mccrea about the book here (pt. 1) and here (pt. 2). Steplab subscribers can also watch the interview here.
The Responsive Coaching Graphics Pack
For anyone that wants to plan and deliver their own Responsive Coaching training, please find all the graphics I included in the book for download here.
Responsive Coaching Coach's Guide
For coaches that are interested become more responsive and adding Responsive Coaching strategies to their coaching repertoire, you can find a clear coach's guide here.

Kind words from our readers...

Here's what they had to say about the book.

An incredible helpful resource for anyone looking to start instructional coaching, improve their coaching, or implement good coaching in their school. It is very well structured, clear, and insightful: a fantastic synthesis of Josh's experience in the field and comprehensive research. I also loved the scripts and examples which also provided some clear, detailed decompositions of aspects of expert teaching - a nice bonus!
Jeremy
20 April 2024
This is a superb book. I would say it is indispensable if you want to implement coaching for the maximum benefit of teachers and their students. The book is written in a clear and accessible style that focuses on key themes in effective coaching. These are returned to repeatedly, not in a redundant way, but iteratively. Each return deepens the reader's understanding of their importance and the way in which they can be addressed responsively to improve the teaching of the person being coached. Highly recommended.
Richard Dare
23 March 2024
The more you read, the more places you'll go. In this case, the more you read, the better coach you will be. A truly brilliant, honest and rigorous book by @Josh_CPD. One that not only helps 'teachers to become the best versions of themselves' (@Doug_Lemov) but coaches too!
Siobhan Meredith - Executive Director of Education Tedd Wragg
4 April 2024
- An incredible helpful resource for anyone looking to start instructional coaching, improve their coaching, or implement good coaching in their school. It is very well structured, clear, and insightful: a fantastic synthesis of Josh's experience in the field and comprehensive research. I also loved the scripts and examples which also provided some clear, detailed decompositions of aspects of expert teaching - a nice bonus!
  Jeremy
  20 April 2024
- Josh Goodrich's book Responsive Coaching captures the key elements of coaching which is to respond precisely and accurately to the needs of the people being coached. With practical ways to implement the strategies, Josh gives readers a clear way to support colleagues in improving their practice. A must read for all leaders and teachers!
  Yam Bibi
  12 May 2024
- This is a superb book. I would say it is indispensable if you want to implement coaching for the maximum benefit of teachers and their students. The book is written in a clear and accessible style that focuses on key themes in effective coaching. These are returned to repeatedly, not in a redundant way, but iteratively. Each return deepens the reader's understanding of their importance and the way in which they can be addressed responsively to improve the teaching of the person being coached. Highly recommended.
  Richard Dare
  23 March 2024
- This book is full of clear concise advice and will greatly improve supportive teaching feedback
  K Hammond
  20 April 2024
- The more you read, the more places you'll go. In this case, the more you read, the better coach you will be. A truly brilliant, honest and rigorous book by @Josh_CPD. One that not only helps 'teachers to become the best versions of themselves' (@Doug_Lemov) but coaches too!
  Siobhan Meredith - Executive Director of Education Tedd Wragg
  4 April 2024
- This book is excellent. It is clear, concise and easy to follow. A good ratio of why and how. Clearly well researched as well as experience driven. The scenarios make the content relatable. An easy and informative read.
  Erion B
  7 June 2024

Responsive Coaching.