Get Better Faster 2.0: A 90-Day Plan for Coaching New Teachers

by Paul Bambrick-Santoyo

Overview

Coaching strategies and resources that will give new teachers a head start toward a successful first year—and a great teaching career

Over the past 20 years, more new teachers than ever have entered the teaching profession. These educators are eager to do the best they can with the students they have and the resources they have been given, but most will struggle to find their footing. And with the average new teacher receiving only 1 or 2 observations a year, many early career teachers exit the profession without reaching their full potential.

In Get Better Faster 2.0: A 90-Day Coaching for Coaching Teachers, Paul Bambrick-Santoyo shares a practical guide to new teacher development inspired by over two decades of working alongside highly effective school leaders. These instructional leaders are skilled at developing new educators, and Bambrick-Santoyo has organized their best practices into a comprehensive, actionable guide to coaching that keeps teacher growth—and student learning—top of mind.

Get Better Faster 2.0 is divided into a 90-day plan and can be used to coach any teacher at any stage of their career. Teaching skills are broken down by priority into concrete, practice-able actions that principals and instructional coaches can layer as teachers reach mastery.

The book contains a wealth of resources to streamline and empower a school leader's work. Here are just a few:

• Principles of Coaching: Learn from fellow principals how to do the following: use bite-sized feedback, facilitate in-meeting practice, and give frequent feedback to supercharge teacher development.
• Coaching Blueprints: Leverage existing tools to cultivate continuous teacher growth. Reshape your Professional Development plan, observations and feedback meetings, and weekly data meetings to build strong teachers.
• Get Better Faster Sequence of Action Steps: Pinpoint what is most important for teacher development with this sequential, four-phase guide to rigorous instruction and strong class culture.

These tools, along with coaching videos, the Get Better Faster 2.0 Coaching Guide, insights from school leaders, and a suite of print-ready materials, prepare school leaders to take new and experienced teachers to the next level.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781394300167
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	04/29/2025
Edition description:	2nd ed.
Pages:	480
Product dimensions:	7.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Paul Bambrick-Santoyo is the Chief Schools Officer for Uncommon Schools and the Founder and Dean of the Leverage Leadership Institute. He is author of multiple books, including Leverage Leadership 2.0, Driven by Data 2.0, Love and Literacy, and Make History. Bambrick-Santoyo has trained over 40,000 school leaders worldwide in instructional leadership.

Table of Contents

Online Content ix

Acknowledgments xxviii

About the Author xxx

Get Better Faster Scope and Sequence xxxi

Introduction 1

Changing the Game 3

Why Focus on New Teachers? 7

Myths and Realities of Coaching New Teachers 11

What Is “Better,” and What Is “Faster”? 13

How This Book Is Structured 14

How to Use This Book 18

Dive in—Meet Your Teachers Where They Are 21

Ready to Dive in! 22

Principles of Coaching 23

Principle 1: Make It Bite- Sized 25

Principle 2: Practice What You Value 51

Principle 3: Give Feedback Frequently 64

Start Here Quick Reference Guide 80

1 Pre-teaching (Summer PD) 81

Phase 1 Coaching Blueprint: Lead PD 83

Phase 1 Management—Develop Essential Routines and Procedures 91

Phase 1 Rigor—Develop Content Expertise and Lesson Plans 105

Conclusion 144

2 Instant Immersion 145

Phase 2 Coaching Blueprint: Make Time For Feedback 147

Phase 2 Management—Roll Out and Monitor Routines/Build Trust and Rapport 159

Phase 2 Rigor—Roll Out Academic Routines 201

Conclusion 244

3 Cleared For Takeoff 245

Phase 3 Coaching Blueprint: Look at Student Work 246

Phase 3 Management— Engage Every Student 259

Phase 3 Rigor— Activate Knowledge and Model 282

Conclusion 308

4 Go Deeper 309

Phase 4 Coaching Blueprint: Respond to In- the- Moment Data 310

Phase 4 Management— Increase Classroom Energy 315

Phase 4 Rigor— Deepen Discourse 336

Conclusion 358

Closing: The Pursuit of Excellence 359

Appendix: Get Better Faster Coach’s Guide 363

Phase 1: Pre-Teaching 364

Phase 2: Day 1– 30 376

Phase 3: Day 31– 60 398

Phase 4: Day 61–90 409

Notes 419

Index 431

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

Praise for Get Better Faster 2.0

 

“Get Better Faster 2.0 is an essential tool for any instructional leader looking to improve teaching and learning outcomes. Its focus on clear, actionable steps and real-world application has dramatically improved teacher practice in our schools.”

—Tommy Usher, Chief Schools Officer, Atlanta Public Schools, Georgia

“Get Better Faster has been a game-changer in shaping my practice as an instructional leader. It has allowed me to focus my observations when visiting multiple classrooms across multiple schools and to formulate specific action steps to enhance teachers' practice. One of its most significant impacts has been in norming instruction among a cluster of schools, leading to a noticeable improvement in teachers' practice and student achievement as a direct result.”

—Dr. Tenia Pritchard, Instructional Superintendent, District of Columbia Public Schools

“Get Better Faster 2.0 provides a powerful, actionable roadmap for improving instruction, grounded in Paul Bambrick-Santoyo's proven expertise in leadership practices that improve engagement and drive student achievement. His deep insights, built from years of coaching and studying effective leaders across the globe, offer instructional leaders clear step-by-step guidance that will transform teaching and learning.”

—Beth Grabois, Director, Mathematics and Science, Jefferson County Public Schools, Colorado

“Having had the privilege of working closely with Paul, I’ve seen how his approach transforms not just classrooms but entire schools. Get Better Faster 2.0 captures the precision, clarity, and heart of his leadership style, making it an invaluable resource for anyone serious about improving teacher performance and student outcomes.”

—Dr. Brandon Clay, Principal, George Washington Carver Elementary School, St. Louis Public Schools, Missouri

“Get Better Faster 2.0 is an essential guide for every education leader tasked with developing teachers in the post-COVID era. Never before has the urgency to “get better faster” been so critical, nor the challenges for educators so steep. Fortunately, Paul Bambrick-Santoyo offers clear, proven, and easily replicable strategies to lead the way. With teacher turnover at an all-time high and a younger, less experienced workforce, school leaders and coaches need this resource now more than ever. Our children’s success depends on how quickly we can support and grow our teachers, and Get Better Faster 2.0 provides the roadmap to do just that.”

—Kathryn Anstaett, President and Chief Schools Officer, United Schools, Columbus, Ohio

“Get Better Faster has been an anchor to our work, securing so much of how we think about instruction in the classrooms we support around the world. For many of those classrooms—and the schools and systems in which they're situated—its also been a springboard to greatness, focusing attention and action on what is most important: student learning. This updated edition embodies Paul's belief that there's always more to learn and that our best can be better yet; we're grateful to have a stronger anchor and a springboard that will take us ever higher.”

—Mark Gregory and Colin Smith, Regional Directors, One World Network of Schools, England

“Paul Bambrick-Santoyo's Get Better Faster 2.0 stands out as an indispensable guide for educators, offering a concrete, data-driven approach to rapidly improving instruction that has been proven effective in schools across the country. Drawing from his extensive experience as a successful school leader, Bambrick-Santoyo provides actionable strategies and scaffolded steps that empower teachers and administrators to create measurable, transformative change in their classrooms and schools.”

—Dr. Windy Dorsey Carr, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction, and Accountability, Robeson County Public Schools, North Carolina and Amanda Graham, Relay-Leverage Leadership Coach, Robeson County Public Schools, North Carolina

“Get Better Faster 2.0 gives leaders and teachers the specific observable actions that move teachers at exponential speed. Leaders will learn the language and skills that will take a new teacher from good to great within one year, and progress will be seen in a matter of days. The key skills are broken down into bite-sized actionable moves that anyone can master if followed well.”

—Lindsey Robinson, Superintendent, Chicago International Charter School, Illinois

“Paul Bambrick-Santoyo’s work has revolutionized my approach to coaching teachers, replacing overwhelming and ineffective feedback with manageable action steps that teachers can realistically implement. Get Better Faster 2.0 distills Paul’s decades of experience into the EXACT book every instructional leader should have within arm’s reach.”

—Janet Thorton, Instructional Leadership Coach, Texas

“Get Better Faster has been an invaluable resource in our work with schools in Chile. Paul Bambrick-Santoyo offers a practical vision and an actionable blueprint for supporting school leaders and teachers to develop the key practices that enhance student learning.”

—Maria Luis Valdes, Head of Teacher and Leadership Development, Aptus Chile

“Once again, Paul has lit a fire within educators! Whether turnaround, overcoming a plateau, or maintaining strong student outcomes, Get Better Faster 2.0 and its resources are the gold standard for impact and innovation within schools. Run (don't walk!) to read Get Better Faster 2.0! Our children are counting on us!”

—Tameka Royal, Former Principal and Superintendent, Newark, NJ

“Rarely does a resource come along that empowers leaders with a proven blueprint for driving meaningful change in our classrooms. Paul Bambrick-Santoyo’s Get Better Faster 2.0 equips instructional leaders with the tools they need to think bigger, lead with purpose, and cultivate a culture of excellence. It’s a practical roadmap for those ready to make a lasting impact on both their teams and students.”

—Eric Sanchez, Chief Executive Officer and Carice Sanchez, Chief Academic Officer, Henderson Collegiate, North Carolina