An academy coach is one of the most important roles needed to support and sustain the career academy model. Academy coaches are change agents, trail blazers, cheerleaders, organizers, and so much more. Essentially, academy coaches are connectors. They are the connectors between schools and the district and schools and the community.
I know one thing for sure, the role of an academy coach is one big job! Among the most common challenges I’ve heard about from our academy coaches is how hard it can be to keep your eye on the vision while in the throws of disrupting the norm.
How do you stay focused on the vision that was established in the Ford NGL Roadmap process? How do you keep your actions aligned with the vision when teachers around you have not bought into the transformation? How do you ensure teacher teams keep on keeping on without burning out?
Recently, Ford NGL U kicked off an online community of practice (vCoP) for academy coaches. It’s a virtual space to share successes, challenges, and resources. I was stoked because 50 participants joined our first virtual session.
There’s no value added if we keep lessons learned a secret. I believe they are useful insights and well worth sharing with the rest of the Ford NGL Network. Let me know what you think by emailing me at [email protected] or on Twitter @BethFordNGL.
Three Principles for Academy Coaches.
Principal #1: Tenacity: Stick to the transformation process like glue! Whatever path you have set for the academy, stay the course even (or especially) when it’s hard. Also recognize the importance of communication with everyone involved. And yes, sometimes that might mean saying the same thing seven ways, seven different times!
Principal #2: Process: Ensure you have an established, well defined process! Make sure it has measurable benchmarks, so you can honestly track progress. Utilize Ford NGL Community Connected Learning to support the development of your process and benchmarks. Involve a variety of stakeholders in the evaluation process, and convene the group regularly (3-4 times per year) to support your efforts to stay the course.
Principal #3: Relationships: Practice what you preach. Be a role model for those working above and below you, both inside and outside the academy/pathway. Stay flexible, and be open to the work contributions of others. Have the difficult but crucial conversations with those involved. That includes conversations with those who do not yet share the vision or may actually be working against transformation goals and processes. When questions arise, don’t say, “I don’t know” but rather, “I’ll find out.” This will help you build credibility and trust with others.
While you consider these principles keep in mind transformation takes 5-7 years. Be patient and open to trying out new things. Occasionally you may not get the exact results you were looking for, but always know that you are making a difference for students. You are impacting their now and their future. You are truly helping to prepare them for college, career, and LIFE! That does make all of this worth it, doesn’t it?
Would you like to learn more about this CoP or others offered through Ford NGL U? Visit us at the Ford NGL website or email us at to learn more.
