Coaches ask the best questions. They know that their work counts in significant ways for both their colleagues and students. They are thoughtful, intentional, and concerned about their impact. They have many challenges in their work, and readily seek help rather than going it alone--when they feel supported and safe in doing so. Actually, when they ask questions and seek support from others, they model the kind of learning behaviors they want others to exhibit.

As a part of my work on the Advisory Team for PBS TeacherLine's Peer Connection, I had the opportunity to share my thoughts on questions coaches typically ask. These questions, and my answers to them, are posted here. Topics included earning the respect of teachers, tips for first-year coaches, the future of coaching and mentoring programs, and more. Of course,ﾠ my answers reflect only my perspective. There are certainly many other ways to respond. Coaches might enjoy thinking about how they would respond to these questions as well. Principals and coach supervisors might compare their answers with the ones I offered and think about what might prompt the similarities and differences in our responses.

Joellen Killion is NSDC's deputy executive director.