Coaching Conversations with Jim Knight
Jim Knight is the founder of The Instructional Coaching Group, a professional development provider dedicated to offering PD for coaches, teachers, and leaders based on a partnership approach that creates better learning environments for all students. As a research associate at the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning Jim has spent 25 years studying professional learning and instructional coaching. He earned his PhD in Education from the University of Kansas and has won several university teaching, innovation, and service awards. The pioneering work Jim and his colleagues have conducted has led to many innovations that are now central to professional development in schools. Jim wrote the first major article about instructional coaching for the Journal of Staff Development, and his book Instructional Coaching (2007) offered the first extended description of instructional coaching. Jim has written several books in addition to those described above, including the bestsellers Unmistakable Impact (2011), High-Impact Instruction (2013), Focus on Teaching (2014), Better Conversations (2015), The Impact Cycle (2018), and The Definitive Guide to Instructional Coaching (2021). He has also authored articles featured in Educational Leadership, The Journal of Staff Development, Principal Leadership, The School Administrator, and Kappan.
Coaching Conversations with Jim Knight
Margarita Calderon
In this episode of Coaching Conversations, I’m joined by Dr. Margarita Calderón, a researcher at Johns Hopkins University to dive into the crucial role of coaching for multilingual learners. We discuss effective instructional strategies, the unique challenges educators face, and the importance of using evidence-based practices to support these students.
Dr. Calderón shares inspiring success stories from her work, demonstrating how targeted coaching can have a tremendous impact on both educators and multilingual learners. Through her insights, it’s clear that coaching isn’t just beneficial—it’s essential for creating lasting change in the classroom.
We also talk about the importance of continuous professional development for coaches themselves. As coaches, we must constantly evolve, just as the students and educators we support do. The episode underscores the urgent need for effective, sustained support for multilingual learners—because when we equip our educators with the right tools and coaching, we set up all students for success.
This conversation highlights not only the power of coaching but the necessity of prioritizing professional growth to address the needs of multilingual students in our classrooms. The work we do as coaches isn’t just about improving instruction—it’s about making sure every student has the support they deserve to thrive.
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