Principal and Coaching Tools

Leadership Launch Checklist 

Use this checklist before you launch the book with your staff. 

1.       We have identified 3 –5 priority briefs that align with our current school goals. 

2.       We have a simple yearly or semester map showing when each priority brief will be introduced. 

3.       We have decided how briefs will show up in our structures (for example, PD, PLCs, coaching, walkthroughs). 

4.       We have agreed on 1 –3 common look fors to focus on first (for example, learning targets, feedback, student talk). 

5.       We have clarified how we will invite teacher input and adapt pacing based on what we learn. 

6.       We have a plan for collecting light-touch evidence of impact (for example, teacher perception, student work, key metrics). 

Instructional Leadership Look-Fors Across Briefs 

These look-fors synthesize themes from multiple briefs. Use them to focus

walkthroughs, coaching, and feedback. You do not need to look for everything at once-

choose a small set for each cycle. 

Planning and Clarity 

•         Learning targets and success criteria are visible and clearly communicated to students. 

•         Tasks and materials show evidence of managing cognitive load (for example, not overloading with extraneous information). 

•         Lessons include planned opportunities for retrieval practice, discussion, and feedback. 

•         Instruction and Engagement 

•         Teacher modeling and worked examples make thinking visible before students practice. 

•         Students have meaningful opportunities to talk about their thinking with peers and the teacher. 

•         Practice tasks include productive struggle with support, not just busywork. 

Assessment, Feedback, and Data Use 

•         Teachers use quick checks for understanding and adjust instruction based on what they see. 

•         Feedback is specific, timely, and focused on the learning target rather than only on points or grades. 

•         Teams use shared assessments and student work to plan reteaching and enrichment. 

Classroom Culture, and Behavior 

•         Expectations and routines are explicitly taught, positively reinforced, and revisited. 

•         Interactions reflect respect, warmth, and high expectations for all students. 

•         Safety and belonging are intentionally supported (for example, check-ins, relationship building routines). 

Coaching Conversation (Linked to a Brief) 

Use these prompts before and after a classroom visit when coaching around a strategy from a brief.

Pre-observation (10 –15 minutes) 

•         Which brief and specific practice are we focusing on? 

•         What will students be learning in this lesson? How will we know they are successful? 

•         What would you like me to pay special attention to (students, structures, or your own moves)? 

During observation 

•         Collect evidence related to the agreed look-fors (for example, student quotes, work samples, tallies of participation). 

•         Note where the strategy from the brief appears and how students respond. 

•         Post-observation debrief (15 –20 minutes) 

•         Ask the teacher to reflect first: What felt strong? What felt challenging? What surprised you about student responses? 

•         Share specific evidence that connects to the brief’s key moves and the teacher’s goals. 

•         Co-identify one “keep doing” and one “try next” action for the next lesson or cycle. 

•         Agree on when and how you will follow up (for example, next visit, PLC discussion, email check-in).

Schoolwide Reflection: From Studies to Students 

Use this reflection at the end of a semester or year to capture what you have learned

from using the briefs and to plan your next steps. 

1.   How we used this book 

•         Which briefs did we focus on most this year? 

•         Where did they show up? (For example, PD days, PLCs, coaching cycles, staff meetings, classrooms.) 

•         What helped staff engage with the briefs? What made it harder? 

Notes:      

2.   Changes in practice 

•         Where do we see the biggest shifts in classroom practice that we can reasonably connect to these briefs? 

•         Which teams or grade levels seemed to take up the practices most strongly? 

•         What concrete examples can we point to? (For example, artifacts, walkthrough trends, teacher stories.) 

Examples/evidence:           

  Early impact on students 

•         What, if anything, do our student data suggest (achievement, growth, attendance, behavior, perception)? 

•         Where did we see promising signals, even if they are small or early? 

•         Where do we still see persistent gaps that our work with the briefs did not yet address? 

 Notes:   

3.   Lessons learned about implementation 

•         What did we learn about how to introduce research to staff in ways that feel respectful and useful? 

•         Which supports (for example, coaching, PLC protocols, tools) were most helpful? 

•         If we could start over, what would we do differently? 

Reflections:     

4.   Next steps 

•         Which 2 –3 briefs or themes do we want to lean into next year? 

•         How will we protect time and structures (PD, PLC, coaching) for this work? 

•         How will we communicate our learning and next steps to staff and families? 

Draft priorities: 

Quick Reflection: New Strategy in Practice 

(To use after trying a strategy from an Education Research Brief)

Strategy / brief focus: ____________________________________________________________ 

1. Snapshot of this lesson 

Class / group: ____________________________________   Time of day: ____________ 

Learning target for students: _______________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________ 

2. Quick self- rating (circle or highlight one for each) 

Clarity of directions:    ❑ Very low   ❑ Low   ❑ Medium   ❑ High   ❑ Very high 

Student engagement:    ❑ Very low   ❑ Low   ❑ Medium   ❑ High   ❑ Very high 

Use of strategy:            ❑ Very low   ❑ Low   ❑ Medium   ❑High   ❑ Very high 

Time / pacing:               ❑ Very low   ❑ Low   ❑ Medium   ❑ High   ❑ Very high 

Fit for this group:         ❑ Very low   ❑ Low   ❑ Medium   ❑High   ❑ Very high 

3. What I noticed about student thinking or behavior 

Briefly jot 2 –3 moments that stood out (quotes, actions, confusions, or breakthroughs). 

4. Quick evidence checks

What did a quick look at student work, exit tickets, or responses tell you about who met the learning target and who still needs support? 

5. My takeaways 

One thing I would KEEP the same next time:

One thing I would CHANGE or TWEAK next time: 

One thing I want to ASK or LEARN MORE ABOUT (coach/PLC/leader): 

6. Next step and timeline 

My next action: 

❑ Try this strategy again with the same class, with small adjustments

❑ Try this strategy with a different class or group 

❑ Pause and get more support/resources before using again 

❑ Share this strategy and what I learned with a colleague/PLC 

I will do this by (date): ____________________________