Kalli Harrell is an Instructional Coach, science content lead, and adjunct professor with Memphis Teacher Residency (MTR). MTR trains prospective teachers in a year-long residency model through graduate courses, classroom internship, and personalized coaching. As a residency program, she shares how they work alongside various school leaders to ensure that their teachers are trained and equipped to be highly effective for the students of Memphis.
Kalli talked to us through how her years as a teacher, instructional coach, and dean of students in the school setting equipped her to support and coach teachers in their first 3 years across the city of Memphis.
She offers the following advice for leaders who are coaching teachers:
Leverage the effective teachers you have in your building to coach newer teachers (and compensate them for these extra responsibilities)
Create strong alignment on what effective instruction looks like and is measured
Get to know the teacher and have a thorough understanding of their goals, growth areas, and strengths
Be a teacher's cheerleader
LINKS:
Memphis Teacher Residency (https://memphistr.org/) - learn more about the mission of MTR
MTR Application (https://memphistr.org/residency) - their application is open for anyone looking to live and work in Memphis, TN
National Center for Teacher Residencies (https://nctresidencies.org/) - identify if there are teacher residency programs near you
CheckBox Pro (https://www.checkboxpro.com/) - learn more about the services CheckBox Pro offers to make the work of school leaders more sustainable
