Instructional Coach: a guide for teachers
By Devin Lewis, Founder of NextGround
- Works with adults
- Develops teachers
- Uses data
- Facilitates learning
You might like this if
- You coach the teacher next door already
- You like adult learning
- You want influence without leaving school
What the job is
Instructional coaches help teachers get better at teaching. You observe classes, give feedback, model lessons, and lead data conversations, and you influence instruction without supervising anyone.
A day in the role
A morning walkthrough of a few classrooms, a debrief with a new teacher during her conference period, a PLC where you guide a team through last week's assessment data, and an afternoon building next week's PD session.
Teaching skills that translate
Planning lessons becomes planning coaching cycles, reading a room of students becomes reading a room of adults, and giving students feedback becomes giving teachers feedback that keeps their trust.
How teachers get there
The Bureau of Labor Statistics says this work typically calls for a master's degree and several years of teaching. Build evidence now by mentoring a new teacher, leading your PLC, and facilitating a PD session, then document what changed.
Pay and outlook
Occupation: Instructional coordinators
- Median pay
- $77,440 ($82,130 in local K-12 schools)
- Projected growth
- 2% through 2035, about 23,100 openings a year
View the source. Data as of May 2025 wages, 2025 to 2035 projections, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
NextGround can help you prepare for
Prepare with a NextGround cohort
The First-Time Instructional Leader path helps you practice the work and build evidence for this role. Cohorts are planned for early 2027.
See the First-Time Instructional Leader path