Considerations for Developing Effective Math Coaches: A Content-Driven Perspective

Coaching is a complex endeavor that blends a myriad of concepts and skills. Practical experience, content knowledge, and coaching knowledge are instrumental to becoming an effective math coach. In order to design a professional development system to best support and build the capacity of coaches, we must identify what specific content and coaching knowledge is needed to become an effective coach. While there is a great deal of literature specifying coaching knowledge generally, for math coaches, it is critical to have a content-specific target within their professional learning. There are various types of knowledge, specific to math coaches, that are important to consider in relation to both coaching and content.

This resource from Region 7CC examines some limitations of current mathematics instruction and provides key considerations for coaches of mathematics teachers.