
Principals as Coaches: Elevating Planning and Reflection Conversations
Planning and reflection conferences are powerful opportunities for instructional growth—when they are approached as coaching conversations rather than compliance-driven meetings. This session supports principals in strengthening their role as instructional coaches by deepening the quality and impact of planning and reflection conversations with teachers. Participants will examine the purpose and structure of effective conferences, explore questioning and listening strategies that promote teacher reflection, and practice using evidence to guide growth-focused dialogue.

Gwen Bryant
Gwendolyn (Gwen) Bryant has over 35 years of experience in education. She has teaching experience in early childhood education, elementary, middle, and adult education levels. She also has taught learning disabilities and undergraduate and graduate college students throughout her career. While working in an urban school district, Ms. Bryant planned and facilitated professional development opportunities in literacy, differentiated instruction, technology, and culturally responsive teaching. In addition, she facilitated and supported fifteen building leadership teams through the continuous planning process to create site-based improvement plans. Gwen has also been a member of leadership for several school turnaround teams. Aside from being featured at many local, state, and national conferences and television spots, she has been certified as an Ohio Master Teacher and granted the Marilyn Parks Lifetime Educator Achievement Award. But at heart, Ms. Bryant is a coach who loves working with teachers and leaders to build partnerships and develop evidence-based teaching practices that impact our children’s lives. Since being a consultant with Instructional Empowerment for 14 years, she has traveled to 47 states to work with many great educators.
As a persistent transformative leader, Gwen is committed to using her skills and knowledge as an educator and consultant in school leadership and improving systems to resolve core issues to ensure that every student is encouraged and supported to learn.
Session Details
Audience: School Leader, District leader
Difficulty Level: Novice/Intermediate