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Its time to break free from the “helper zone” and step into your role as a thought partner. If you find yourself stuck providing quick fixes—like working with individual students or reteaching concepts—this episode is for you. Learn how to redefine your role by clearly communicating your purpose, collaborating with teachers through co-planning, facilitating learning walks, and using reverse coaching to model effective practices. You’ll discover actionable strategies to build trust and empower teachers, ensuring your coaching efforts lead to sustainable instructional change.

Key Takeaways:

• Ensure the staff understands your role as a thought partner, not just a helper.
• Clearly outline the services you provide and how they align with professional growth.
• Identify which teachers or teams are ready to shift from relying on quick fixes to engaging in collaborative problem-solving.
• Use strategies like co-planning, peer observations, and learning walks to build teacher capacity and foster shared ownership.
• Invite teachers to observe you during a training or meeting to demonstrate effective coaching practices.
• Focus on long-term solutions that address root causes, ensuring your impact extends beyond individual interventions.
• Collaborate with school leaders to reinforce your role and create systems that support your work.

This episode equips you with the tools to redefine your coaching role and drive meaningful, lasting change in your school community.

Resources:

• Register for the Make Math Moments Virtual Summit
• Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units

Attention District Math Leaders:

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Learn how to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Yvette Lehman: Hi John, today we’re going to tackle a struggle that we have been hearing about from a lot of the coaches that we support. And we’re talking really about coaches who are working directly in classrooms daily with teachers and students. And one thing that we commonly hear is that they are finding themselves in the role of helper rather than think partner. And so I’ll define what I mean by that. So you, you know, been aligned to work with a particular teacher, you’ve been invited in by that teacher.

and you’re asked to go and work with an individual student, or you’re asked to take a small group back to a table to work with that small group. What you’re not doing routinely is co-planning, co-teaching, moderating, and really coming to a consensus on a vision for mathematics teaching and learning in that classroom. You’re just there almost, like I would say, you’re almost there as an interventionist rather than a coach.

Jon Orr: I write. Right, and you’re saying like most people find themselves in that role even though maybe that role isn’t defined to be that role. yeah.

Yvette Lehman: Right. Like it seems like that’s what we hear often. So we often get on calls and we have coaching conversations with coaches across North America. And this is one of probably the most common challenges that we hear. It’s that they’re not doing what they thought they were going to do as an instructional coach. They are facilitating small group. And how do they break out of, they’re stuck in the helper zone. It’s how we describe it.

Jon Orr: Right. Right. They’re in the helper zone. I forget where I first heard this term, but it’s like the friend zone. like that girl that I always used to like when I was a teenager. I’d be like, oh, I’m in the friend zone. I can’t get out of the friend zone. We’re in the helper zone in our classrooms, and the teachers don’t see us as the knowledgeable other that can assist them. Do you think that you don’t get out of the helper zone in those scenarios because

Yvette Lehman: It is like the friend zone. Exactly.

Jon Orr: And I think this is what we I think this is what we hear a lot, but I want to hear your take on it is is because that teacher you’re working with just doesn’t doesn’t think that like doesn’t think that they need help in in in that capacity as a a as a leading instruction help on a constructional support help. They’re like, you know, my need actually is to manage this classroom. And I and I need to get those kids to this level. So if you can help me. then get over there and help that group get to that level.

Yvette Lehman: Well, we talk about that sometimes that when you are going into a classroom for the first time, you haven’t developed trust or relationship with that teacher that maybe this is an ideal first step. You do want to get in, you want your foot in the door, and maybe this is all they’re willing to give at this point. You know, they don’t want somebody coming in and advising them on the facilitation of their lesson, but they do want you

Jon Orr: this is how I got in trouble with the girls back then. It’s like, just wanna hang out and then now I’m in the friend zone. So it’s like, if I use that technique and I’m like, okay, I do need to build a rapport, I do need to build a relationship here with this teacher. They don’t maybe trust me yet, so I’m gonna step my foot in the door and I’m like, hey, where do you need me? I’ll go where you need me. But then yeah, are you stuck in that zone forever?

Yvette Lehman: Right. Right. And that’s what we’re hearing. Like many, many coaches that we get on calls with are saying they are, they’re stuck in this position where now their role is, has almost been defined because of that initial move. And so we’re going to kind of talk through some, some strategies or some recommendations for first of all, how to avoid getting into the helper zone in the first place. And then if you find yourself there, how can you maybe,

move out of it or make some shifts to your roles and responsibilities. So I think you brought up a really good point, John, which is, is that part of your role? So coaching and intervention are two different roles. And sometimes coaches take on almost a hybrid role where their supervisor instructs them that they are an instructional coach.

but that part of their day can be dedicated to supporting students in small group as well. And so I think that that’s the first step in all of this is that you have to have a clear understanding of your roles and responsibilities because there is a difference. Like an instructional coach is not the same role as an interventionist. And you may find yourself in one of these hybrid models or hybrid roles, but then you also have to clearly define how much time am I dedicating to instructional coaching?

how much time is being dedicated to intervention or small group support. So having that clarity from the beginning for yourself is really critical. Understanding what are your roles and responsibilities and how much time should be dedicated to the different aspects of your role. But it’s not a, so go ahead, yeah.

Jon Orr: How do you, I was just gonna say, what is your, say, recommendation on having that discussion with a teacher who you can sense? Because we all know as coaches and consultants or instructional coaches, you’re going into classrooms when one teacher is.

knows that right off the bat. Like you don’t even have to have that conversation. It’s very clear that they want your support instructional way and the co-planning is already happening and the co-delivery is probably there too. So you know that when you get in those situations, it’s probably the situations where it’s like this person clearly thinks that their best use of me is to be the helper and not the instructional coach. So how do you, how do you?

have that conversation, you know, what is the tip here to kind of like get in the door because our, you know, the other strategy was like, let’s just build rapport until it’s easy to talk about it instead of having it upfront because I think you want to have it upfront, but also know that I’m here to support initially.

Yvette Lehman: Sure. So I think that there’s a step before even my initial conversation with the teacher one-on-one, and that’s about alignment at the district level around the role of the instructional coaches. So first of all, is my supervisor on board? Do we have a common understanding of my role and responsibilities? Do principals have a common understanding of my role and responsibilities? And has that been communicated to educators? And when?

Jon Orr: Very clear. Yeah. Yeah.

Yvette Lehman: So it should be communicated before I arrive. So I shouldn’t be the first one explaining my role and responsibilities. Ideally, it’s already been shared at a staff meeting and there’s been a common definition of the role of the instructional coach. And maybe it’s even a recommendation that I read in the EduCoach Survival Guide is like, maybe I have a menu of services that I’m able to offer.

And so it’s like, here are all of the different roles and responsibilities. These are the different ways that this instructional coach can support you in your classroom. And being just very clear, everybody, know, super clear around what the role is and what the objective is for the support that they’re going to offer. So I think that that’s something we can do as a district before I even step into the room on the first day and have my initial conversation is just, do we all have clarity? Are we all on the same page?

Jon Orr: For sure. We’ve been arguing that and supporting our districts with that clarity. Not only just to define the role of the person, but also to find what is the focus here for the support. If we have objectives for our math improvement goals for the year and we’re focusing on certain areas, then it would be fabulous before the coach shows up that the principal knows.

what the focus of the support will be in the areas that it will be on. What are say the look for is that we’re looking for? What are some of the key indicators that we know that are going to be the things that we’re looking for to achieve by the end of say a certain time period. Like having that communicated from district support offices or from that level to the schools and back and forth is going to be essential for the success of that coach stepping into the classrooms.

because if everybody knows, right, we all know that if everyone knows where we’re going, we’re gonna get there a lot faster. It’s just, what happens though is like those communications break down. People are like, we got access to a coach, but why do we have access to a coach? I don’t know, let’s figure out how to use this coach. And then that’s where I think the helper zone shows up most, is because.

We don’t know exactly how to use this coach and we don’t know why we’re supposed to use this coach other than to get better test results or get kids across the finish line or get kids to, you know, to know their, their, their, their facts. Like we, people start interpreting what the goals should be without knowing the goals and they start making things up. And then they’re like, well, what’s the best use of this person? Put them in front of a student, get them to be the, get them to be the helper, which isn’t a sustainable model, right? Like, you know, yeah.

Yvette Lehman: It’s not even an effective intervention model unless you’re seeing that student, you know, routinely multiple three to five days a week for at least 20 to 30 minutes, right? Like if I’m seeing that small group once a week, twice a week, I’m not intervening anyway. So I think you brought up a really good point and I wonder to a part of the challenge our coaches face is sometimes exactly how you describe the scenario. It’s like this person shows up. We don’t even know why they’re here.

We’re thinking, well, why our school? Why my class? What is, what, what are you suggesting that, you know, I need this person because my instruction is, is not sound all of those questions. So transparency is really important. And maybe another factor is, it possible? And I know, you know, release time is incredibly challenging, but can we bring the educators who are going to have access to coaching support together during a staff meeting with the coach and

allow the teachers to have voice in what the role could look like within the, you know, my head supervisor who always said like within the sandbox. So like here’s the sandbox. These are the, right, like these are the roles and responsibilities. Okay, how can we leverage this individual to support our professional learning to, you know, can we use their capacity as a knowledgeable other and, but giving teachers voice in what that might look like.

Jon Orr: Right. That’s where the menu comes in, right?

Yvette Lehman: So is it opportunities for moderated marking? Is it that they’re going to schedule their time on your prep so you can co-plan together? Are they going to support in the facilitation of peer observations or learning walks? Like, can we give teachers voice in defining the role of the coach within the school? But again, within this sandbox of the roles and responsibilities of an instructional coach, not a helper or interventionist.

Jon Orr: Yeah, I know. I love it. What are some other, say, so key points that you want to share here with the audience around getting out of the helper zone?

Yvette Lehman: Well, so we talked a little bit about how to avoid it in the first place, right? So that was kind of the initial conversation is like, what can we do as a district upfront to ensure that there’s clarity around the role that teachers have voice in defining how that instructional coach can be leveraged within their classroom based on, you know, these very clear expectations for, or the goals we’re trying to achieve. But what if like many of the coaches we support, it’s now been, you know, it’s January.

You’ve been building relationships since September, but your role up into this point has been when you show up, here’s your small group, go and pull them into the hallway and work with them. How do you get out of the zone once you’re in it? And you talked about that. Like, how do you get out of the friend zone? Like we’re in deep now. It’s been months of this and it’s almost like we’ve established a behavior and now we need to break out. So let’s talk about maybe a couple of ideas.

So one of them is like the reverse coaching idea. So this is where, you know, you say to the teacher, I’ve been really thinking about this lesson or this concept. I know what’s coming up next week. Would it be okay if actually I facilitate that lesson and you observe and give me feedback? So maybe that’s just the one shift you need to take. It’s like you offer to, and I like to make it about me.

So it’s not about, you I think you need to watch me. It’s like, no, I would actually really love the practice. It’s a concept that I’m not super familiar with. I’d love your feedback on it. So maybe just that one shift towards reverse coaching is going to open up conversations where now you are two professionals and you are dissecting a lesson. You’re talking about student thinking, and that’s the gateway to future conversations where you are think partners, not

Jon Orr: It’s always a good move. Yeah. sure. I think that that is the great move to basically you’re not only going to be able to model for this person and help them with the pieces that they need, they’re going to be looking at it. You’re going to, and here’s the, is the other great thing I’m kind of spinning off here, but

When you listen to the feedback they’re going to provide you, you’re going to get a sense of like what they took away from it and where they’re, cause people will, people tend to focus on areas that not necessarily where they think they can grow, but where they think they’re strong. And so they’ll, they’ll try to give you feedback on something that they think they’re strong at. And when you hear that, you’ll start to kind of piece together a little bit more about what this person’s thinking about in terms of where their lesson is and where the focus of a lesson should be. They think they’ll focus the lesson should be. that

that feedback they give you is so important it tells you about where they think the importance is and that might tell you a lot of information be like, they say this but they’re missing a huge component over here and that’s an important part when I need to kind of like when I go to insert myself a little bit more where we can dig down and kind of give them say their next step and push them into a certain.

you know, area that they need to strengthen. And nudge them, I guess, is better than push. Push is like you push them off a, feels like I’m pushing someone off a cliff, but we’re not doing that. So, you know, I think that that is a great move. Reminds me of some of the, we did a podcast last year on the seven questions coaches need to ask, you know, when they’re working with teachers. you know, it reminds me of echoes of that. It’s like, because what you’re doing is you’re putting, like you said, you’re putting it on yourself as saying like, I’m

Yvette Lehman: We’ll be gentle.

Jon Orr: I want help here and you can provide that help to me. But what you’re really doing is opening that dialogue to be that person to kind of like start sharing back and forth. some of those coaching questions that we had around, were really about listening and thinking about how do I listen more to this particular teacher so that I can help them in the ways and really hold back advice. And in a way, what you’re doing is holding back advice and asking them to give you advice.

Which which will go a long way in the relationship building and I think would get you out of the helper zone start anyway Okay

Yvette Lehman: Here’s another one. And this one is, it might take us down, you know, a rabbit hole. But something to think about is that your job as an instructional coach is of course to be a think partner for that educator and to help them, you know, think about their planning, think about their assessment, think about student learning. But we all know that coaching roles come and go. And what would be even more impactful is if your role was supporting

collaboration amongst educators in that building. Like you’re almost a bridge between classrooms, between teachers. You’re an extra person that’s available to facilitate a lesson so that these two teachers can go and do some planning together or moderate marking. So another thing to consider is if you’re stuck in this rut where you are in the helper zone, maybe it’s even offering for that teacher to go into a peer observation in another grade level.

or another teacher’s classroom or some way that you are freeing up that teachers that they can engage in collaborative learning with somebody else in the building. Because again, what you’re trying to leave is like a legacy that’s a culture of collaboration and learning amongst professionals and it doesn’t have to be you. Like you are not the most important part in this necessarily. Of course, you’re a knowledgeable other and you bring expertise.

But what we really want to establish is just an environment where teachers are looking for think partners, even when you are no longer in the building.

Jon Orr: I think what you bring up is a good point of it’s like almost like when you were talking before about defining a role as a as yourself and your supervisors might not see that if you’re a coach listening, right? So if you’re coach listening, your supervisors might not see that as as the actual end goal of what you need to happen, which is what you just said. It’s like you’re trying to create a culture of continual professional development that exists when you leave because that’s the sustainable model that we do need to create.

And not everyone sees that. Not everyone sees that that’s the actual goal of, of say the work that you could be doing. And it is a long-term goal, but a really important goal. Because like we’ve talked about on other podcasts is that money bombs are going to come. Money bombs are going to go coach. Like you said, coaches are going to come in. Coaches are going to go away, but the lasting effect needs to be the culture that is exists after you leave. And if you’re, if you’re that coach listening, it’s like, you have to define your own role here.

And you have to have that thought is like that is the ultimate role that I’m providing here. And then when you have, if you’re okay with that as like, that’s the main purpose here. That’s my main mission is to create this inside that sandbox. then it can free you up to do and be comfortable to do other things. like you said, you could, you could be modeling a lesson, but not being in that room with that person. could be in another person’s room. Like you’re doing the lesson. mean, not modeling it, but

But I think it’s it’s freeing to know that that’s your main mission, that there are, there are other benefits to the work that you’re doing that are long-term lasting. And I think if you are say, not the coach and you’re listening to this, this episode, knowing that fact is something that you now have to communicate to your coaches as these are the long-term goals. These are real objectives. And then our sub objectives are really specifically around the moves that we want teachers to be making in our classrooms.

But really we’re trying to be after is like, how do I get to create, you know, the, and in our kind of model, you know, we support districts with four different stages of imperfect, know, for math improvement plans. And the fourth one is creating that culture, creating that level of learning. How do you, how do you take a teacher and turn them into a coach, create the leaders? So we do need to focus on that component. And I think this move, you know, knowing this and doing that move is, the move that’s going to help you create that. that real lasting effect.

Yvette Lehman: So if you are coach listening and you are stuck in the helper zone, we’re going to encourage you. It’s not too late. You know, it’s, it’s January, but it’s only January. So maybe think about the one teacher or two teachers that you support who might be a good place to start. Like where can you start making shifts from helper to think partner and start with those teachers and see if you can build some momentum because it is a bit,

You know, I often hear from coaches where they say, this is not what I thought I would be doing. You know, I thought I’d be going in and we would be planning together and teaching together and moderating assessments together. But instead, you know, I go into the hallway. I’m not even in the teacher’s classroom while I’m pulling my small groups. And this is not what I thought the job was going to be. So it’s not too late. Start to make some shifts where it seems like it’s going to be maybe most well received. and then continue to grow that amongst the other educators you support.

Jon Orr: And if you’re also wondering, you know, what are some of the areas that I could be supporting in, then we are going to encourage you to head on over and do our seven minute assessment, is at makemathmoments.com forward slash grow, makemathmoments.com forward slash grow. And in that is designed for you, know, coach, coordinator, leader.

on how to, know, which of the six components of an effective mathematics program should you focus on first? can help you kind of start that like, where should I direct some of the effort when I’m coaching or when I’m planning for coaching? and, and that can help, kind of steer the ship and get, get the, you know, get this started. Like the best saying it’s January. It’s like we can start this. I think I just wrote this in one of our emails was basically saying an education. have like almost two starts. It’s like, you get the start of the school year.

And it feels like a fresh start, but you’re forced into fresh starts in January, even though it’s mid year of your of our job. But it’s a it’s to everyone else in non education. It’s like the fresh start year. It’s but it’s like we also get that. it feels like you’re going into January going, OK, what am going to do to to start this year? And it’s like these are the things that we want to be thinking about thinking about planning for doing. It’s not too late. It’s the time to start.

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