Maryland hires instructional coaches to improve teaching

As students across Maryland head back to school, the state is working to improve classroom instruction with new coaches for teachers.

 In the new school year, literacy coaches will be at 63 schools, and math coaches will be positioned at 14 schools.

So far, more than 50 coaches have been hired, and state education leaders say they will continue to recruit.

On August 18 at a virtual meeting, State Superintendent of Schools Dr. Carey Wright explained how the instructional coaches will assist teachers.

"It could be modeling a lesson," Dr. Wright said.  "It could be watching a teacher teach, providing feedback.  It could be videotaping a lesson and sitting down with a teacher and providing that feedback, and we used our data to place our coaches, and we placed those coaches in schools that we felt needed them the very most."

The instructional coaches will work in several school systems, including Anne Arundel, Baltimore City, Baltimore, Cecil, and Harford counties.