ABCS Curriculum: The Process

The Institute began by recruiting 18 accomplished practitioners to serve on the Core Faculty. Their initial training period was on process consultation. The training was a combination of presentations, reflection (both within the group and in journals), and role plays, facilitated by specialists, consultants, and scholars from Michigan State University, The University of Michigan, Alliance members, and other organizations, in a number of relevant topic areas. The training was self-directed and sustained over a three month period. It was modeled on the best practices of adult learning style – a framework endorsed by the National Staff Development Council.

With the help of expert university scholars, the Core Faculty further refined the curriculum for the next wave of 75 coaching candidates who would be selected and trained. In addition to its original base in research and effective practice, the curriculum now incorporates needs identified by focus groups conducted with principals of high priority schools. Within teams, the Core Faculty identified and prioritized all the topics that were covered in their training, and how they would be covered in the training for the next group of coaching candidates.

See the full list of members of the Curriculum Development Team.

The Institute then recruited and selected 75 coaching candidates according to high standards of knowledge, skills, dispositions and experience. The Core Faculty implemented the curriculum in an iterative process of day-long sessions, practice, and reflection-on-practice, which allowed the coaches’ learning to be enriched and reinforced by dialogue with colleagues and the Core Faculty.

Coaching candidates also have access to a password-protected online environment where they are able to review over 300 articles, Web sites, books, and other resources, and to communicate among themselves using email and threaded discussions.