Instructional coaching is a powerful tool for transforming teaching and learning, but one of its most underutilized strategies within instructional coaching is lesson rehearsal by the teacher being coached—a safe, structured opportunity for teachers to practice new instructional strategies before implementing them in the classroom.
In my upcoming book, Crush it from the Start: 25 Tips for Instructional Coaches and Leaders, I share essential coaching strategies that drive meaningful change. At the core of these strategies is rehearsal, practice, and feedback—a cycle that helps teachers refine and internalize instructional strategies with the guidance of a coach.
What is Rehearsal in Instructional Coaching?
Rehearsal is the bridge between theory and action—a step that ensures teachers are not just exposed to a strategy but truly equipped to implement it effectively before teaching in front of their students. It involves a structured coaching session where the teacher practices a new instructional strategy or EdTech integration without students. The instructional coach first models the strategy, then the teacher rehearses it while receiving immediate, constructive feedback from their coach.
Unfortunately, this step is often skipped in coaching. Instead, teachers are introduced to new strategies through professional development or quick demonstrations and then expected to implement them successfully in real classroom conditions. But without deliberate practice and real-time feedback, new strategies often fall flat—or worse, never get implemented at all.
Rehearsal in Action: A Coaching Example
Imagine a coaching session where the goal is to enhance guided practice with formative assessment. The instructional coach begins by modeling a sequence of instructional moves, such as:
✅ Displaying a problem on a SmartTV digital whiteboard and modeling a worked example (an addition problem).
✅ Giving students wait time and using a countdown timer to scaffold problem-solving for solving two addition problems after modeling the initial worked example.
✅ Facilitating a turn-and-talk, modeling how students should articulate their thought processes before providing whole class feedback for the two addition problems they solved.
After watching the coach model these strategies, the teacher practices the same sequence, mimicking the coach’s approach while applying it to their own lesson (remember, there are no students in the room). During this rehearsal, the coach observes closely, providing targeted feedback on timing, pacing, questioning, and the instructional sequence..
This safe space for practice allows the teacher to refine their instructional delivery before trying it in a live classroom setting. Research from Kazemi et al. (2016) highlights that rehearsals create a crucial space for refining instructional strategies through observation and real-time coaching feedback.
Why Rehearsal Should Be a Non-Negotiable in Coaching
1️⃣ Builds Teacher Confidence – Practicing a strategy with a coach eliminates guesswork and uncertainty, allowing teachers to feel more prepared before using it in front of students.
2️⃣ Improves Instructional Precision – Through rehearsal, teachers can refine the timing, pacing, and effectiveness of a strategy, improving classroom implementation before students are in the room.
3️⃣ Encourages Reflective Practice – When teachers receive immediate feedback, they can make small but meaningful coaching adjustments that lead to greater student engagement and learning.
4️⃣ Supports Sustainable Change – Strategies that are rehearsed and deeply internalized are more likely to become permanent instructional habits, rather than fleeting trends introduced in PD sessions.
Making Rehearsal a Priority in Coaching
As instructional coaches, our job is not just to introduce new strategies but to ensure teachers have the skills and confidence to implement them effectively. That’s why rehearsal must be embedded into every coaching cycle. By prioritizing modeling, practice, and feedback, we move beyond surface-level coaching and create lasting instructional impact.
In Crush it from the Start, I provide practical, actionable strategies for coaches and school leaders to support teachers and schools in developing their instructional toolkit from day one. If you’re an instructional coach or school leader looking to make coaching sessions more impactful, rehearsal is a game-changer—and one of the most effective ways to ensure real classroom transformation.
🚀 Want more coaching strategies that actually work? Stay tuned for the release of Crush it from the Start: 25 Tips for Instructional Coaches and Leaders in March 2025!
References
Kazemi, E., Ghousseini, H., Cunard, A., & Turrou, A. C. (2016). Getting inside rehearsals: Insights from teacher educators to support work on complex practice. Journal of teacher education, 67(1), 18-31.
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